Coopers 2278 Pils

[Monkeybrew]

I've just treated my water for this brew with half a crushed campden tablet to remove the chlorine.

I will be brewing it tomorrow night and here is my final recipe-

Coopers 2278 Pils

1.7kg Can of Thomas Coopers Brewmaster Selection Pilsener
1.25kg of Muntons Light DME
10g of Hallertauer Hersbrucker Whole Hops - 4.1% AA (Boiled for 15mins)
25g of Saaz Whole Hops - 3.4% AA (Steeped for 30 mins from 80C)
10g of Saaz Whole Hops - 3.4% AA (Dry Hopped)
5g of Hallertauer Hersbrucker Whole Hops - 4.1% AA (Dry Hopped)
WYEAST 2278 Czech Pils - Direct Pitch Activator (pitch @18C, then cool to 12C after 12-24 hours)
Brewlength - 20L
Estimated OG - 1.047

[Stomach]

Mate,

I can smell those hops from here! That will be one tasty, hoppy, crisp pilsner I reckon!!

Cheers

[Monkeybrew]

I started a bit late last night, but got the brew away into my brewfridge at 10.30pm.


The first job was to activate the Wyeast pack by locating an internal sachet of nutrient, and then giving it good smack between my palms
to break it, and allow this to mix in with the liquid yeast in the main pack. This has to be done about 3 hours before you intend to pitch the yeast and I could here a strange fizzing sound coming from the pack, as it gradually swelled from this...........


............to this!


I emptied the contents of the Pilsener can into my FV and then filled the can up with boiling water and covered it with clingfilm for 5mins to steam off every last bit of extract from the can. This weak wort then went into my little 4L stockpot along with another 2L of treated water. I then added 250g of the light DME, mixed it in and then brought this to the boil giving me some sugars to help extract some bitterness and flavour from my boiled hops.

At this point, I added the 10g of Hallertauer Hersbrucker hops and boiled them vigorously for 15mins.


I then stood my stockpot in my sink surrounded by cold water, to bring the temperature down to 80C ready for the 25g addition of Saaz hops for the 30min steep with the lid on.

Yummy Saaz ready for the steep!


When the steep was over, I strained my noble hopped tea into my FV through a piece of boiled voile and dissolved the Pilsener LME. I then made the brew up as normal with the other 1kg of light DME to 20L, keeping a good eye on the temperature so that I hit my target of 18C.

The OG was measured at 1.046 and the yeast was then pitched at 10.15pm


I checked on the brew this afternoon, 16 hours after pitching the yeast and it was bubbling away well through the blow-off tube and had a nice thin layer of krausen on top of the wort. I then dropped my fridge from 18C to 15C, left it for another 4 hours, and then dropped the temperature again from 15C to 12C, where it will now stay for the duration.

Cheers

MB

[cellone]

good to see you got it on. I've failed to put a brew on for the last three days.

[Monkeybrew]

good to see you got it on. I've failed to put a brew on for the last three days.

I've got to admit that it was slightly against the odds, but I needed to get this on, to give it plenty of time to ferment/rest/rack/dry hop etc before I need my Brewfridge for AG#2

Looked in on it again this morning and the air smelt nice and eggy and there was a really healthy krausen on the brew. Certainly impressed by the yeast so far!

MB

[Stomach]

Its looks and sounds great mate!

I like the yeast's erection!!

Cheers

[cellone]

I remember the first time. Couldn't resist a sniff thinking about the hop aroma the day before. Opened the lid just enough to let a bit of air out and inhaled. Nearly reached

[Monkeybrew]

As the activity from the blow-off tube has really slowed over the last couple of days, I decided to take a gravity reading tonight.

It is currently sitting at 1.015 (1.016 @13C), so isn't too far off my estimated FG of 1.014-1.012 (70-74% attenuation). I will now raise the brew temperature to 18C for a Diacetyl rest and to add my dry hops.

The trial jar sample was very tasty with only a tiny sulphurous aroma

MB

[Monkeybrew]

Thought I'd update this brew, as it's getting bottled tomorrow night.

The FG stabilised at 1.012, which was my best estimate, so I'm happy with that

The direct dry hopping went ok, but time will tell if it was worth it or not. I was a bit worried how the racking was going to go,.......


......but with the addition of the little filter bag to the end of my racking cane, it was a doddle



Anyway it's been cooling at 2C since Friday, so I'm hoping for minimal sediment in my bottles.

MB

[Monkeybrew]

Finally got this bottled up last night on day 25.

It's got a great aroma, can't wait to start on the 59 x 330ml bottles



MB

[Geezah]

Great illustrated guide ther Monkey..... it reminds me a little of another similar guide

I hope its a good brew, it certainly sounds like it will.


I would have had another lager kit at the ready though to utilise a good scoop of that yeast into another brew to make full use of it.

[cellone]

Looking good MB, send it off to the cooler until it learns to behave.

Good point about the yeast Geezah.

[Monkeybrew]

I do agree with both of you about the whole yeast thing, but I don't brew much lager, so it unfortunately ended up in the bin

It has worked out as quite an expensive brew, but if it turns out as good or better than my previous Coopers Pilsener brew, then I will be well happy

Cheers again for the hops Cellone

MB

[Stomach]

spankingly cyrstal clear mate and sounding excellent!

[Monkeybrew]

spankingly cyrstal clear mate and sounding excellent!

Crash Cooling