Some newb questions...

[SimonH]

Hey all,

I just got a Cooper's Micro-brew Kit and am 2 days into fermentation. So far so good (thanks to this forum as no bubbles!)

1. Is there a best home brew book that people recommend?

2. Cooper's say ferment at 21-27C for their Lager can. I have been keeping it at 22C. I've read that people recommend fermenting as low as 9C for Lager (tho i realise there is that yeast topic going on with Cooper's using Ale yeast). It seems the lower you can ferment the longer it will take but the better it will taste? If so should i now lower the temp to around 12C or something, or just stick with 22C for this batch?

3. I am liking the plastic bottles as so much easier than the glass and bottling and all that. Is there a downside to plastic? (i have read some say their beer has a plasticy taste others say it doesn't. Any other reasons to go glass and caps?)

4. Is there any reason to wrap the fermenter in a blanket to keep light off it? I realise putting it in direct sunlight by the window is probably not a good thing but is there any reason for the darker the better?

5. One more! If i want to skip taking hydro samples is there a number of days i can bottle every time (I read someone does it every 14 days)? Any reason to not do this?

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers,

Simon.

[aurelius121ad]

1. Is there a best home brew book that people recommend?

http://www.howtobrew.com is recognized as a good place to start with brewing literature. Even better - it is free online!

2. Cooper's say ferment at 21-27C for their Lager can. I have been keeping it at 22C. I've read that people recommend fermenting as low as 9C for Lager (tho i realise there is that yeast topic going on with Cooper's using Ale yeast). It seems the lower you can ferment the longer it will take but the better it will taste? If so should i now lower the temp to around 12C or something, or just stick with 22C for this batch?

Since it has started now it is probably best to just leave it. Your brew probably wont be the best beer on the planet but should end up drinkable at worse. Also the Coopers Lager Kit yeast (I think - someone else can confirm it) is an ale strain and should be fermented at around 20*. If you were to buy a specialty lager yeast that is when you would want to ferment down at 9*. It is pretty standard to recommend for the coopers yeast to be fermented at 18*. That said, I started a brew TH last week at 25 and got it down to hold at 21 a few days later... thats the best I can do (I will post pics in a new thread, its an odd contraption I got going!)

3. I am liking the plastic bottles as so much easier than the glass and bottling and all that. Is there a downside to plastic? (i have read some say their beer has a plasticy taste others say it doesn't. Any other reasons to go glass and caps?)

I dont use plastic but have heard they begin to let pressure out at around 6 months. So if you drink what you brew within 6-7 months plastic is fine.

4. Is there any reason to wrap the fermenter in a blanket to keep light off it? I realise putting it in direct sunlight by the window is probably not a good thing but is there any reason for the darker the better?

It cant hurt! My makeshift fermenters are clear so I wrap them in cloth to keep the light off but I would assume quite a few people just leave the fermenter somewhere that doesnt get direct sun.

5. One more! If i want to skip taking hydro samples is there a number of days i can bottle every time (I read someone does it every 14 days)? Any reason to not do this?

If you are brewing at less than 16* you may want to take hydrometer readings to make sure the brew is finished.

[SimonH]

Aurelius, cheers for your help, appreciated.

[Clean Brewer]

Your brew probably wont be the best beer on the planet but should end up drinkable at worse

Your beer will be fine, honestly, I quite enjoyed the batch I made out of the Coopers Microbrew Kit even though it is the most basic you can do and once you get into this forum, you will find a multitude of ways to tweak your kit beers. I started mid march and have just bottled my 10th batch and have 2 proper lagers lagering at the moment, I also did a few K&K brews but have now started partial boils, full extract brews with hop pellets, spec grains etc. It is addictive...

Also the Coopers Lager Kit yeast (I think - someone else can confirm it) is an ale strain and should be fermented at around 20*.

It is an ale yeast and if you can get it around 18-20degrees you will get a much nicer beer, I think the rule is to keep it at a consistent low temperature, dont let it go up and down to much.

I personally dont dig the plastic bottles and I have accumulated quite a few crown top tallies from the local recycling centre, also the plastic ones I think are only recommended to be filled so many times(how many? im not sure). I also think the plastic ones can get a little expensive to buy especially when they dont have a massive life span like the old brown crown tops(they will last as long as they dont break or get chipped).

One more! If i want to skip taking hydro samples is there a number of days i can bottle every time (I read someone does it every 14 days)? Any reason to not do this?

I leave my brews 14-15days regardless now since I had a couple brews that hadnt finished fermenting, it depends on what temps you are brewing at, have a look at this topic. Look at monitering the brew..

http://homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewto ... f=2&t=3814

[aurelius121ad]

A little advice about the plastic bottles....

Be sure to use PET bottles or if you are recycling bottles use ones from carbonated drinks. A friend of mine here made a hard ginger ale and bottled the whole thing in plastic water bottles (he primed too much which didnt help either). All of them ballooned up looking incredibly unstable and some shot off their lids. Be sure to use bottles that are meant to hold pressure.