The Canadian Blonde Experiment

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Friday Oct 12, 2007 2:40 pm

Hey guys - just putting together a recipe for a can of coopers CB I have stashed in my brew shed.

Hows this sound...

1.7kg Coopers Canadian Blonde
90g Carapils Malt
70g Crystal
1.3kg LDME
150g Wheat Malt Extract
24g D Saaz (8g increments at 15min, 35min, 55min)
Safale US-56 Yeast.

Basically, steep the grains for 60 - 90 mins at 60deg, strain, bring up to a boil, stir through half of the LDME, start adding in the hops, after an hour stir in the rest of the LDME & wheat malt just before flameout and then dislove the contents of the can - pitch yeast.

I haven't used Carapils before, so I'm keen to see how much affect it has on body / head retention etc. Am I being too light on the grains? Should I bump up the quantities a bit? Thoughts?

timmy · Post by **timmy** » Friday Oct 12, 2007 3:48 pm

Heals,

I wouldn't - I reckon you have enough grains. This should turn out very nice. I'd even be tempted to throw some honey in there, but that's just personal preference.

Cheers,

Tim

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Friday Oct 12, 2007 4:29 pm

Timmy, what does honey impart on the beer? How much do you need?

I'm not a massive fan of honey (I don't eat it much), does it's addition translate into a distinctive honey flavor or something slightly different...?

timmy · Post by **timmy** » Friday Oct 12, 2007 7:37 pm

Heals,

It gives a subtle sweetness and a boost to alc content. But if you're not a fan I wouldn't recommend it... You might want to try a small amount (250g) to start off if you want to experiment. Have a shot at some Beez Neez to find out if you'll like honey in your brew.

Cheers,

Tim

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Saturday Oct 13, 2007 9:51 am

Yeah, I'd go more grain. There just wouldn't be enough of a characteristic with that much.

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Saturday Oct 13, 2007 9:53 am

How much more chris?

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Saturday Oct 13, 2007 4:28 pm

By your recipe, I'd consider 200g crystal, 150g carapils.

Alternately- depending on your tastes, 250g crystal, 180g carapils.

scanman · Post by **scanman** » Saturday Oct 13, 2007 7:21 pm

Anything you can to to a Coopers Canadian Blond has got to be good. One of the most tasteless brews I have ever made when done as is.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Saturday Oct 13, 2007 11:43 pm

I agree with that scanman. People on this forum seem to love it though.

I can't say I'd turn a Canadian blonde down though...

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Sunday Oct 14, 2007 2:44 am

Should I perhaps be looking to add some more hops then?

Say some additional centenial or amarillo maybe?

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Oct 14, 2007 7:20 am

scanman wrote:Anything you can to to a Coopers Canadian Blond has got to be good. One of the most tasteless brews I have ever made when done as is.

Try the Morgans Canadaian Blonde. Much nicer drop IMHO!

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Oct 14, 2007 7:23 am

Heals wrote:Should I perhaps be looking to add some more hops then?

Say some additional centenial or amarillo maybe?

Centenial would be good. The amarillo will be too overpowering for this brew. I would go 10g for 60 and 20. It is a 10% AA hop so take care with the additions.

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Sunday Oct 14, 2007 2:08 pm

From what I read on Ross's page, the D Saaz that I've ordered is quite ballsy as well. I might put in an order for some centenial and give that a go as well.

So 24g of D Saaz in addition to 20g of Centenial you reckon Kev?

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Oct 14, 2007 3:14 pm

The saaz is probably about 5% AA

You could just do a mini "hop burst" and mix the 2 at a ratio of 2:1 being twice as much saaz as centenial. Then just make your additions as planned. Maybe something like 15g at each point? If you like them bitter and hoppy that is. Otherwise 10g would still give you a great result.

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 6:15 pm

Well I ended up throwing down the brew today.

1.7kg CCB Kit
1.5kg LMDE
120g Wheat Malt Extract
200g Crystal (steeped for 90mins @ 62deg)
150g Carapils (Steeped for 90mins @ 62deg)
30g D Saaz (added at 15, 35, 55)
12g Hallertauer (added at 15, 35, 55)
Safale S-05 Yeast

OG was a whopping 1092!

I think this one is going to be interesting...

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 9:21 pm

WTF!!! 1092???? I think you may have forgotten to stir that. 1092 is massive for a Canadian blonde. That'd be a barleywine.

Your recipe sounds good though. The malt will give you a nice full beer, the hops will give some much needed flavour, and the wheat will give a nice head. A well balanced beer as far as I can tell.

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 2:39 am

I think the problem is the strainer I used wasn't fine enough, there seems to be a LOT of sediment in the primary, so much so it's built up just past the tap fitting. So when I try and pour a sample I get loads of sediment in the tube.

Would I be right to assume that is probably what is pushing my OG so high?

I dare say I'm going to have to rack this one.

Trough Lolly · Post by **Trough Lolly** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 11:07 am

G'day Heals,
The strainer must have been pretty coarse! You've only got 350g of grains and 42g of hops in the batch so unless you used a salad colander, and you can see grain husks etc in the wort when you racked the wort into the fermenter, there normally shouldn't be a hell of a lot of trub in the fermenter.
If, however, you have "too much" trub for your liking, you could rouse the wort with a sterile spoon/stirrer, leave for 20 mins and then rack the wort to a fresh fermenter. Rousing the wort to create a whirlpool (don't make bubbles or you risk oxidising the wort and create cardboard flavours) will re-suspend the yeast, and the 20 minute rest will allow enough time for the heavier sediment to settle in the middle of the fermenter floor and thus allow you to transfer your wort off the sediment into a clean fermenter, whilst the lighter yeast cells remain in suspension.

....or you mark it down to experience and move on.

Cheers,
TL

Heals · Post by **Heals** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 1:47 pm

Yeah I'm not sure what happened hey.

I think I might just leave it for the usual two and half weeks and see what happens. I'm absolutely stumped though about the 1090 OG.

scanman · Post by **scanman** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 7:28 pm

Kevnlis wrote:
scanman wrote:Anything you can to to a Coopers Canadian Blond has got to be good. One of the most tasteless brews I have ever made when done as is.
Try the Morgans Canadaian Blonde. Much nicer drop IMHO!

Now that would not suprise me. The Morgans Kits are far superior to anything Coopers do in my opinion.