I am currently drinking a Coopers Real Ale , done as per the instructions that come with the can . It is bloody beautiful .
I am wondering if anyone out there has any pointers to improving it even more ???
you know, just to add a different angle..
I brewed the Real Ale as per insturctions (with 1kg Brewing Sugar) and thought it turned out with a cider like taste... not real bitter, just sweet almost....
maybe it's a matter of taste, or maybe something went on (being the first batch) I wasn't aware of...
anyway - glad you like yours!
Primary:
Secondary:
Bottled: Irish Stout, Coopers Real Ale
Lined up: Winter Ale, Pottymus Porter, Ripper Sparking Ale http://paulmalcolm.blogspot.com/
Coopers brewing sugar is just a catchy name for sucrose with a little maltodextrin in it, that would explain the cider taste.
Beau, recipe sounds good although i probably would have substituted some of the dex for more malt but should be a good drop at about 6.8%
Yeh I was going for a nice 6% - 7% highish alcohol ale. I probably would have used more malt if I'd had some.
I've never made anything from the Coopers orignal line, not sure what to expect. I sampled one of my mates (not sure what it was, before I got into brewing) Coopers hb's and it was pretty good although had a slight metallic taste. I'm guessing he brewed that at a higher temperature, my Real Ale's been sitting on 20°C - 22°C so I'm expecting a cleaner taste than his.
Going for a dark lager, I put down a Real Ale yesterday with malt and honey and S-23 lager yeast (along with some grains & hops). Have no idea how it will go, but I'll post recipe, results etc. when I crack one in a couple of months. It's dark and smells good at the moment, though.
i did this earlier in the year and it turned out pretty good:
coopers real ale kit
1kg Dextrose
500g LDME
~600g Golden Syrup
12g Cluster Finishing hops
Saflager S-23
was about 6.8%. at first it had a burnt flavour to it, i suspect this was from the syrup. Initially I didn't like the aroma of the Cluster hops [first time i had used the and at the time questioned if i would use variety ever again], but it has seemed to blend in more with age. it is Reddish in colour which was a bit of a suprise, but again i guess it was the golden syrup. Its got about 5months age on it now and great to have after work to take the edge off.
One of my favourite kit and kilo recipes is very similar to that, except I start with a draught can and 500/500 light/dark and 200g corn syrup 20g fuggles steeped in a cup for 10ish minutes.