Coopers IPA

[Hoppkins]

This kit recommends adding 500g light spray malt and 300g dextrose.

Would using 1kg spray malt be a bad thing with this kit?

[Hoppkins]

Thats a relief, im guessing since its an IPA it wont need extra hops since it will probably be bitter as hell anyway.

Thanks Daab

[sparky Paul]

I did a Cooper's Sparkling Ale (a strong Pale Ale), adding 20g of hops on DaaB's recommendation - 10g boiled for 10 mins, then a further 10g added. It turned out very well, and I think the extra hops (I used Saaz) improved it no end - if anything, it could have stood the addition of more hops.

Despite being a 'well hopped' kit, all liquid kits are processed inside the can and whilst the bitterness remains, I reckon most of the hop aroma and some of the flavour must be boiled out. In my limited experience, adding hops to the kits for flavour and/or aroma goes a long way to redress the balance.

[Hoppkins]

i know i ask about hops a lot but im very inexperienced with them

I have some Goldings hop pellets. I have a funky hop pellet bag now.

Last time i did it i boiled a pan of water with about 10g of the goldings and added some of the resulting liqour which was boiled for about 15 mins to the fermentation bin.

Can someone explain the process if this is wrong please?

[mysterio]

That's fine, that will give you some extra hop flavour.

I do this kit with 500g DME & 300g sugar and dry hopped with an ounce of Cascade and it turns out very well.

[Hoppkins]

Can you explain dry hopping please?

I understand it to be adding hops when the wort is cooled and fermented. If i added the hop pellets i have would they not just disburse into the liqor and make it nasty?

[mysterio]

Yeah it's adding the hops to the beer post fermentation, usually in the keg. Use the pellet bag you have - sanitise it by steeping it on boiling water in a saucepan for 15 minutes (the water doesn't have to be boiling all of that time), throw the pellets into the bag, tie it up and drop it into the beer. Depending on the mesh, a few hop particles may escape but it's not a problem. About an ounce of hops is a good starting point (28g?).

[Hoppkins]

Ah great stuff

Thanks for clearing that up!

[mysterio]

The hops don't need to be sanitised by the way, they're naturally antiseptic.

[pongobilly]

i intend to do this kit next and was wondering, does it matter what brand of spray malt to use, does it have to be coopers spray malt, and when it says dextrose, does that mean just normal brewing sugar, i have some light spray malt and i have brewing sugar

[mysterio]

Coopers are obviously going to say use Coopers malt extract on their instructions but it doesn't make any difference what you use. Muntons is very good quality extract and I think thats what most of use use. Brewing sugar is the same thing as dextrose.

[pongobilly]

after going on the hop and grape website im a bit unsure as to wether to do the coopers brewmaster ipa or the brewmaster sparkling ale as it says that the sparkling ale is the big brother of the original ipa???

[mysterio]

I can only vouch for the IPA i'm afraid! Try them both

[sparky Paul]

Try them both

Very sound advice!

I always use Munton's Spraymalt by the way, tbh because its the cheapest I can find - it seems to to be very good though, I use it with Coopers kits with excellent results.

[pongobilly]

ordered my coopers IPA kit from hop and grape also ive ordered 1kg muntons beer enhancer to use with this kit, i take it its 50% spray malt and 50%brew sugar, if so that means im gonna be using 200g more brew sugar than asked for in the coopers instructions is this ok

ive also ordered 2 sachets of brupacks yeast vit to add with the yeast, do i just pitch this when airating the wort, if so how much do i need

and im also gonna get 5 litre mineral water to make up the brewing liquer