Starting a Pale Ale Today

[DzRBenson]

Hi All,

Im going to put down my second brew today but after some advice, I want to add a few extra things to get this one going.

Im using a
Coopers Australian Pale Can
Coopers Brew Enhancer 2

But I wanted to see if I would get any benefits from adding some hops and how I would go about it. Is anyone able to adv. if any of these hops would be beneficial to this beer, also was thinking of adding some malt.

Hops - http://www.countrybrewer.com.au/category90_1.htm but in this form http://www.countrybrewer.com.au/category90_1.htm

Also do I just boil these with the water that I want to use the can mix with, eg. boil these for say 30 mins, then remove the hops, then add all ingredients to fermenter?

Sorry for a newbie question but Thanks in advance.

[Planner]

DzR

The Pale Ale kit is one of my favourites and I have used it many times, often with the BE2.
The Coopers BE2 contains some malt, cant remember the % off the top of my head (maybe 40%).

In regard to the use of hops, go for it and see which variety you like. I really like Cascade with that kit.

Have a look at the thread "Boiling for Dummies" http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8998, hopefully this link works. The information provided by Warra was invaluable when I started out. I have even printed out the instructions and passed them on to brewers that don't (or can't) visit the forum.

Planner

[Tourist]

I would advise againgst using the tea-bag hops (although have never used them), as I have heard they are not stored well. If you have access to a good local home-brew shop that stores hops in the freezer (usually in 100g packets), seek them out and get some good advice, along with the hops. Cascade is a pretty good choice, I would say.

A good place to start might be to steep 30g of the hops in 300mls of hot water from the kettle for 10 mins, then add the 'hop tea' to the wort (by using a strainer) before adding the yeast. Others might have better techniques, as it has been a good while since I've done this.

Brew Enhancer 2 contains some dry malt, as well as dextrose and maltodextrin. You could sub-out some of the BE2 for dry malt on a 1-1 basis for a maltier beer.

Good luck with it.

[matr]

I've done Pale ales using 2 cans and it turned out great. I also did a small boil just with some dex (100gms in 1L) and added about 10 grams Cascade for 5 mins & 10 grams Cascade at flame out.
Really easy to do and gives it a good wack of hop flavour and aroma.

I like the Pale kits as they are relatively low in IBU so the bitterness won't be over the top if you add a bit of hops.

I would also suggest using a a good yeast too like US05 so the hops really come through.

Cheers, Mat.

[DzRBenson]

Well I picked up some Cascade hops today and some english ale Yeast.

SO Im going with

Australian Pale Ale Can
1KG BE2
24g's Cascade Hops
English Ale Yeast

My question is can I add some Light Malt Extract to the brew aswell, or will that not work unless I use 1:1 ratio of BE2 and Malt to be exactly 1kg?

[Tourist]

You can add whatever you want, but have a think about what you are trying to achieve.

Adding LME will add more malt flavour (obviously), body and alcohol. Considering that the beer you make will end up around 5% alc and have reasonable body from the BE2 alone, you will make something a bit maltier and stronger. Also coming into play is the type of yeast - English Ale yeasts (S-04?) will not attenuate (eat up the sugars) as well as some other yeasts, so you might find the beer to be sweeter with more malt.

In simple terms, I reckon adding a lot (more than 500g) of LME will give you a rich beer, not as well suited for Summer drinking as using less than 500g or nothing but BE2. It will probably be great beer either way - again, just depends what you are after.

Generally when starting out I think it is good practice to change only 1 or 2 variables each time you brew, so that you learn about what does what to your beer. Sounds like you are altering your yeast, hops and fermentables all in one hit. Great fun, but you may not get the best sense of how the different variables impact on the final product.

Whatever, just make some beer - it will be tasty.

[DzRBenson]

thanks heaps.
It now makes sense.

[rotten]

Go 50/50 with the Enhancer and dried malt if you like, you will be fine. If you had dextrose I would use that instead of the enhancer, only because I did the same with great results.
Have fun with it mate, lots of great guys around here to help ya out.
Cheers

[DzRBenson]

Well the brew was made last night, Thanks for all the help.

Cannot wait for this one to be done

[Tipsy]

OT what do you think of the new fermenter?

[DzRBenson]

Very clean design, that allows me to see perfectly whats going on inside.

So far so good

[Tipsy]

How does the tap attach?

[gregb]

Looks like a bulkhead fitting arrangement.

[Tipsy]

Looks like a bulkhead fitting arrangement.

That would be good.
I like the new fermenter but I don't want to buy a whole new kit.

[DzRBenson]

The tap is in 2 parts and once connected, it just slides and clicks in at the top.
Sorry don't know any technical terms

[DzRBenson]

Well the Pale Ale has been on for 4 days, and well it looks different than the Lager after 3 or 4 days, the Lager had alot of yeast activity on the top and checking the Pale Ale today. It seems well, No activity. Had to take the Coppers Collar off so thought I would grab and really quick snap of it

The temp has been a little high, 24-26c but wondering why there is such a big difference, as the Pale Ale almost looks clear, maybe its the different Yeast Safale S-04

[billybushcook]

I find that S-04 does clean it self up pretty quick - about a week @ 18 deg (which is much more suited to that yeast)
This is one of the main reasons I like to use it often.

So as long as it was pretty active in the first few days it should be OK. Just try to keep it cool in future.

Mick.

[Bum]

Had to take the Coppers Collar off

Not an issue if everything is as sanitary as it should be but I just thought you should know (in case the kit's documentation doesn't tell you) that you don't have to take the Krausen Kollar (urgh) off at all. This is a quite unusual fermenter design - unique, even - and fermentations throughout history have had that krausen ring left behind in them without any huge issue. Might be some benefit to it but don't get stuck in the idea that it must be done that way.

[DzRBenson]

Ok,

So i tested the Beer today and also had a taste. A few things.

1. It tastes and smells fine ( a little maybe wine smell), however when I first used the tap there was alot of sediment that came out of the tap in a clunk, after i discarded the first sample I took another to half fill the hydrometer and the Beer was a nice colour but had a heap of floating white bits kind of like yeast in the brew.

2. The lip above the tap on the fermenter that you can see above (looks like a line above the tap) as formed quite a large amount of yeast on there, or a whitish substance. (If I keep this there, it will almost certainly fall into each bottle when I try and bottle the brew, if it is still there, Do I leave it, or sterilize a spoon and stir it off?)

3. The OG was 1036, and today after 5 days its 1010 - fermented at 24c

4. I tasted the brew and it seemed fine, apart from the particles in the brew however I feel like I have some of those particles stuck on my tongue, wondering if that is yeast just waiting to clear up?

Sorry for such a large post, but hoping some of the more knowledgeable folk can help me out

[billybushcook]

No. 1 - Calm down, don't panic

Every thing is going spot on!

You can expect a little sediment to come off when you first open the tap with almost every type of fermenter, do as you have, pour some off & chuck it.
Some of us "Rack" our beers to help get around this, by Racking I mean transfering the beer to another sanitized fermenter, some times through a filter.

Racking is not nescessary, perfectly clean beers can be made without having to rack.

Even if you bottle straight from your fermenter without getting rid of the first bit of sediment, I bet you will never pick which bottle was the first when you go to drink them.

Cheers, Mick.