Contemplating making some changes

[randomdave]

Couple of weeks ago i knocked together a coopers aussie lager. Followed the kit instructions to the letter (pretty much) and just used what i got with the starter kit. 1 can goop, 1kg sugar, yeast that came with kit.

Now its done and bottled and conditioning nicely.
I had a sample the day after bottling and it was sweet, very much like a fruity cider. Couple of days later it was less sweet and getting a bit of bitterness that you expect with lager but not quite there yet. Im gunna crack another bottle later an see how its progressing. I know its tasting better with age, hopefully 1 or 2 will be left in a couple of weeks so i can taste what its like when its fully matured.

Now when payday comes im contemplating getting another lager kit and altering what I add. I would like to get something close to a comercial lager taste so im thinking about changing the sugar and would be grateful for some suggestions and how to add it what quantities and such like. I was also thinking of getting some hops to improve the flavour again not sure how/when to add.

Another thing i have noticed is even though my brew is nice an fizzy there is no head to it at all its like cider. Any advice as to why there is no head or how to get a head on my pint? its not the be all and end all if i cant to be honest but it would be nice.

Thanks in advance
Randomdave

[alefric]

Hi Random dave....not sure why there is no head,it could be the the kit and i have to admit i have never used coopers. As to improving the flavour, you could add your own hops....have a look at how to brew Brupaks kits on 18000feet.com and substitute your own for the hop teabag (saaz would be good) and the other option to get closer to commercial brews would be to consider All Grain, assuming you have the time and inclination but it's not as difficult as some might think and you cannot compare the results with kits.

Regards

Andrew

[stevezx7r]

As the kit was only made a couple of weeks ago I doubt it's really had much of a chance to properly mature and carbonate. Give it four weeks after transferring from the fv and you should see drastic improvements with taste, body and head formation/retention.

If your trying to make a lager, remember that to make a "real" lager you need to "lager" it, i.e store the beer at cold temperatures for a lot longer than a normal ale - around three times the amount. Of course, if your making a kit lager the chances are that it has an ale yeast which will make a decent representation of a lager by being pale and useing something like Saaz hops (though there's plenty of others to choose from) but it will also ferment and mature in the same time as an ale.

As Alefric says, if you do eventually go AG (as most do) you can be doing the same as me - I brewed a beer last wednesday and I'm drinking it now from the keg and I can honestly say it's better tasting than any kit beer I used to make.

A simple option to avoid the waiting game is to force carbonate your beer (if it's in a keg). You need an s30 valve lid and a Widget World gas injector plus a bottle of c02. The bottle lasts for ages and is only a fiver return, the widget world costs about 20 quid and the lid is around a fiver I think. Then you just transfer to the keg (no sugar required) gas it up then wait a week or so for it to clear

[randomdave]

4 weeks? 4 weeks? c'mon im only human

Nah i have noticed it improving as it gets older. With any luck ill be getting another one on the go in a couple of weeks and i should have a steady supply meaning some actually last 4 weeks in the bottles.

Ive been reading that altering the fermentables can improve the taste, I have however also seen you can get kits that dont require any fermentables. So much to choose from and so much experimentation. The OH is gunna do her nut with me eventually

Still cheap beer will improve the hit on my bank ballance so i can just keep showing her that

[BlackBag]

That's the spirit!
Like any hobby you can spend as much, or as little, time and money as you wish. The more of these, usually the better end result. The one thing I've definitely discovered is patience pays dividends. You can make something that tastes lovely after a month, after 2 it's even better . . . .
This is the grey area I'm still stuck in. I need to make up another few brews so that I've always got something there ready that's properly matured, rather than being impatient (and thirsty) and dipping in to something I know I should leave.

[verno]

Random Dave, similar to you I made my first kit with no alterations. It was ok but not fantastic. For my second kit I made Coopers pilsner and added yeast vit and light spraymalt and brewing sugar (rather than table). It is definitely better and much close to a commercial lager, though probably not quite there. I think it could just do with a bit more flavour.

So my next batch is going to be coopers lager and I plan on putting in a bit of hops per other instructions on this site. Hopefully that will do the trick.

I would then like to try grain but don't really know where to start.

[randomdave]

I think I will alter the recipe scientifically. My next kit i will make up as per instructions but use spraymalt instead of sugar. See how that tastes when ready, and then the 3rd batch i will do the same again but hop it. That way i will get a progressive change and have an idea how each addition changes it.

I think im gunna be doin kits for awhile rathar than worrying to much about goin all grain. I may progress to that at some point however.