homebrewandbeer.com

Thinking of doing this one...

Coopers Bavarian Lager
100gm choc malt - steeped
1kg wheat malt
Craftbrewer dried Weizen yeast
21l

Close to a Dunkelweizen?

Looks good, should be a very nice drop: with 100g of chocolate malt you'll find it to be quite a deep amber or an orangey light brown.

Looks like a dunkelweizen - perhaps a bit lighter than some, but yeah, that'll be a good start. What about hops? Some tettnanger or other German hop for flavouring?

Cheers,
TL

I'm pretty new to home brewing (only done 5 brews), but I was under the impression that coopers weren't the best kits to use for brewing. Is this wrong? I know they are great for a start to brewing (I used them for my first 3 brews), but do they match up to the competition brands from homebrew shops?

This looks like a nice recipe. I might try it. But should I use a different kit instead of coopers?

Thanks,
Tim

....bit of a loaded question, Tim!

I know of more expensive kits that you can buy - eg Muntons, Maltcraft, Malt Shovel (hmmm, all start with M!!) but from my recollection, the Coopers kits are fine to use as a basis for a steeped grains, or partial mash beer.
You're the best judge, when it's time to drink up, so have a go and see for yourself!

Cheers,
TL

I always say, Coopers is home brew but Morgans is beer! Just like the carb drops the cans give VERY unreliable results. Though that recipe should turn out fairly well!

As a side note I would suggest hopping it a bit. With a kilo of wheat and 100g choc you are really boosting the body of this beer and should add some bittering and aroma hops to balance it out.

I'd chuck in a little crystal grain too...

In my experience, I find that the dunkels are sweeter than the standard weizens..

Also i agree with adding tettenager hops to the weizen... its a good hop for wheat beers..

If you can't find Tettnang try Saaz or Spalt. All three will give a good result.

Tim... wrote:I'm pretty new to home brewing (only done 5 brews), but I was under the impression that coopers weren't the best kits to use for brewing. Is this wrong? I know they are great for a start to brewing (I used them for my first 3 brews), but do they match up to the competition brands from homebrew shops?

This looks like a nice recipe. I might try it. But should I use a different kit instead of coopers?

Thanks,
Tim

I reckon for the price Coopers kits are absolutely 1st class. Especially if you're into tinkering with them by adding steeped grains and extra hops. I think for ales their yeast strain is very good too. Morgan kits are also really good, and might be slightly better in terms of the way they are hopped but you have to pay quite a lot more for them. I really believe with Coopers kits you can make extremly good quality beer. I don't go in for all their products, like carb drops or their overpriced dextrose etc, but the kits and plain extracts are great products for the home brewer of all skill levels.