Coopers Australian Pale Ale - "out of the box", or tweak it?

[john_drummer]

Just bought one of these kits, having heard good things about Coopers and being pretty pleased with their European Lager.

I like a hoppy pale ale to IPA style, but I'm also rather partial to Old Peculier, Hobgoblin, Saltaire Brewery's Cascade Pale Ale and St Peter's Golden Ale (the commercial offering, although they do a kit which I've brewed and is conditioning as I write) & IPA (again, IPA).

So should I brew it as Coopers intended, or perhaps add some Cascade hops as a "tea"? What do you guys recommend?

[Monkeybrew]

I know people will say you should always try a kit as intended first, but from your detailed list of likes, definitely go for a cascade hop tea, as it will shine through with this kit.

[john_drummer]

I'm tempted to try as the makers intended, but then again, I do like a hoppy ale...

[undeadjed]

Add the tea.If you like it hoppy you're going to regret not knowing what it could have been like.

[Monkeybrew]

I'm tempted to try as the makers intended, but then again, I do like a hoppy ale...

I just dry hopped my first APA with 40g of cascade for 5 days, but was still left wanting more hop flavour.

Mr Drummer, the choice is yours

[bazookajoe]

I've made it as is and it was fab for my tastes. How about a split batch, one just the kit and one with the hop tea for a direct comparison.

[Hedgerow hoarder]

My APA is going to the shed today, brew done to instruction and I'm still thinking of tweaking and haven't even tasted it. First I'm going to short brew it to 20 l see how this will go then going to try to add more taste some how still haven't worked out what taste I like. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=37646try this link found it last night when searching for receipes. These guy now what there up to.

[jabbathehut]

WITHOUT A DOUBT HOP IT UP ...Hop tea and dry hop .....makes an ok beer into a great one.

[john_drummer]

I've made it as is and it was fab for my tastes. How about a split batch, one just the kit and one with the hop tea for a direct comparison.

now there's a thought.

cheers all, and now for the next question: hop tea or dry hopped? As I understand it, the hop tea will add flavour, dry hop will add aroma, is that right? And what's the technique for dry hopping, just bung a load into the FV when I pitch the yeast? Or something more "technical" than that?

[Pauliet]

Hi John....I've just kegged a Cooper APA that I made with a hop tea and the little that I tasted (you know you cant help it) when transfering to the brrel tasted very good. Done one prviously with dry hopping and did i this way. Muslin bag and 40g of Cascade Hops both bought from LHBS. Boiled the bag for about 20 mins to sterilise and rinsed well in clean cold water. After the primary fermentation I transferred into anoth fv and added the hops. These went into the muslin bag with some sterilised glass marbles to help it sink (athough some say no need???). Left them in there or 3 days then into a barrel.

[Geezah]

Hop it up say's me!!!!

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42443

Although i'd use a SA-05 or kit yeast rather than the SA-04 I used in that Waggledance recipe.

[john_drummer]

hop tea at brew time then dry hop after racking into a second FV it is then, cheers folks

[guest5234]

I done this kit 12 months ago and added 1kg of medium powdered malt plus 500gms of clear honey, I boiled wort for 15 mins with 30gms of fuggles hops and it made a really good tasty brew.

[poo hed]

just bottled some 3 days ago or something, i used 500g of hopped light spraymalt and 650g of sugar, doesn't taste very flavoursome at all at this early stage (i can see why people say its a lager cross .... mine has got a hint of piss water fosters )

i HOPE that some flavours develop in time , i wish i had brewed it to 20l or something now!

looks a lovely golden colour though on the plus side !

[mrmojorisin]

just bottled some 3 days ago or something, i used 500g of hopped light spraymalt and 650g of sugar, doesn't taste very flavoursome at all at this early stage (i can see why people say its a lager cross .... mine has got a hint of piss water fosters )

i HOPE that some flavours develop in time , i wish i had brewed it to 20l or something now!

looks a lovely golden colour though on the plus side !

Golden rule for me, never go above 20l!

Thats why I havent bothered with it, just the pic on the can puts me off