Kit O' Beer #9 - Australian Pale Ale

[Glass]

KoB #9. Australian Pale Ale. This is a coopers kit using their Australian Pale Ale extract from their international range.

Purchased from all ingredients from the LHBS. I think the extract can be had for a couple bucks less but it wasn't worth the driving time.

The recipe:
1 x 1.7kg Coopers Australian Pale Ale.
1.25 kg Brew Booster - from the preferred LHBS
1 pkt Saf Ale US-04 yeast - 11gms

Changes:
Using the LHBS Brew Booster instead of Coopers Brew Enhancer #2. I think it is a similar mix although I'm using 25% more. Used this in several brews now. I could probably save a few bucks ($8 - $10) over several brews if I used the coopers 1 + .25 boxes per brew.

OG 1.042

Brew temp: 19C - ambient
Pitch temp: 20C - wort
Current temp: 18C - wort

Notes: It's damn cold. Well it's ok but cold. Getting the wort temp down was no trouble. Over shot again and found ourselves a bit low for pitching.

I bought an electric blanket as a heating device. I figured for the money I could warm more area for same $ as a heat pad and slightly more than a heat belt. I think the blanket I bought is faulty. No discernible temp on 1st or 2nd setting. I think I can feel something on max setting. I don't think it's working.... unless the world has gone completely bonkers and made electric blankets so safe they don't actually produce any heat.... .like my EU approved hot water heater that is so energy efficient it gets 5 stars. Doesn't produce any hot water making it super efficient and extra safe. Two thumbs up from me.

Anyway. This beer is going to be a bit more malty than the style but I hope to get an idea how close it can be to the actual beer itself... which is a very nice beer. One of the best if not the best domestic beer available here. I like it. It could be more hoppier but not much.

[Glass]

Day 6. This is some kind of turbo brew. The safale yeast has been going crazy. Really surprised given the temps. Very cold inside. Gave up on the electric blanket. Not working. I swapped that today.

1st reading was 1.014 (@19C Day 6).

Mostly the action has stopped. Apparently went mad. I missed it. Surprised seeing how cold. Got heat on it in short blasts to take the edge off. Seemed to run about 19C

OG was 1.042

Colour is straw colour. Lighter than KoB#7 but has same cloudiness. I'm drinking a coopers brewed pale ale it looks like KoB #7 looks. This one is less yellow. Still good. The flavour is much better than the actual coopers I am drinking. I think the coopers I bought is off/skunked. Not very nice to drink.

[Glass]

It seems like we are at Day 10. I tested this yesterday morning and it read 1.010. It seems so long ago bu this was very short ferment. Taste has improved. Was not good on last test. This time good. Its fairly dry.

I had heat fan on it regular for most of the time. Ran it 15 every 60 mins. Tied to keep steady then run it up a bit for a day or so. Then I left it alone last couple. Don't think it hurt any. If you heat outside and temp guage is there, it heats up fast and inside where beer is will be slower warm, slower to cool. First test I thought it was off taste. Figured too much up and down temp because I was looking at the temp guage on the outside. But finish it's ok so maybe not. I'm drinking shop bought of this and mine is better. already.

57 12oz bottles
4 23oz PET bottles

I calculated a bit less but decided I would prep some extra. Used all but 1 x12oz. Bulk primed 180gms dextrose. I like the spigot on the priming/fermenter vessel. I can get the flow right so I can keep it all moving smoothly. The Coopers flip tap is either full on or off. Nothing in between.

Fermentation chamber.

[Glass]

ok losing track of the dates on this one. I think this one is going to be a dud.

There is zero indication of carbonation going on here. Day 9 in the bottle or maybe its only 8? I did mostly glass but some PETS. The is zero carbonation in those so far. I would expect by now to be firm but they are very soft, although I did squash them as I sealed them and theyare normal shape but very soft.

So I'm wondering could it be the temps? It is in a cold room where the temp these days is around 14C/57F. Not sure the min but it would be about 8C/46F. probably.

So maybe its too far below the temp it was fermented at. What would be a too high temp for the bottles? Is 23C/73F too high? Fermented around 19C/66F.

I'm confident I primed. I remember because a heap came out and we overshot the target amount. Although.... the scale does go to sleep real quick and then you lose the tare and what you already have on the scales. There could also have been beer drinking involved.

I might box it up and slide it under the table the fermenter is on or stack beside it so I can get some warmth in there. Fermenter has been going between 18/64 and 23/73. #2 & #3 on the blanket setting. I'll go find a empty fridge box or similar tomorrow. I guess that means a visit to the appliance store again. It's beer so it is worth it.

[BrewTech]

ok losing track of the dates on this one. I think this one is going to be a dud.

There is zero indication of carbonation going on here. Day 9 in the bottle or maybe its only 8? I did mostly glass but some PETS. The is zero carbonation in those so far. I would expect by now to be firm but they are very soft, although I did squash them as I sealed them and theyare normal shape but very soft.

So I'm wondering could it be the temps? It is in a cold room where the temp these days is around 14C/57F. Not sure the min but it would be about 8C/46F. probably.

So maybe its too far below the temp it was fermented at. What would be a too high temp for the bottles? Is 23C/73F too high? Fermented around 19C/66F.

I'm confident I primed. I remember because a heap came out and we overshot the target amount. Although.... the scale does go to sleep real quick and then you lose the tare and what you already have on the scales. There could also have been beer drinking involved.

I might box it up and slide it under the table the fermenter is on or stack beside it so I can get some warmth in there. Fermenter has been going between 18/64 and 23/73. #2 & #3 on the blanket setting. I'll go find a empty fridge box or similar tomorrow. I guess that means a visit to the appliance store again. It's beer so it is worth it.

At those low temps the yeast are sleeping... carbonating temps for an ale should be at or slightly above fermentation temperature.

[Glass]

I moved two plastic PET bottles under the blanket with the fermenter. They have firmed up very nicely now. I was almost going to chill one for testing tonight. I'll leave it until the weekend. I still need to get some heat on the rest of them. Not sure how I am going to do that just now. Been swapping fermenters about with dry hopping etc and there's little room for the bottles.

Still looking for something to make a chamber out of. I know someone who sells motorcycles and they all come boxed up. Right size for what I need. I'm waiting for one that is in good shape. in the mean time, I might just put the heat belt in the cupboard where they are and see if that can warm things up enough. Not very trusting of these belts to leave unattended. I don't know how hot they get.

The solution to my problem is to buy some of those temp controllers stc-1000.

[Glass]

it is not the weekend. But my glass was blessed. Actually, I thought it was no good. First whiff and taste were off smells. Alcohol vapours and green apple. Its that twang, same as 1st lager KoB #1. 3rd mouthful and it's a non issue. Pours well to a 1 finger pure white head. Carbonation is light but there. Colour is pale ale golden yellow, slight clouding. Lacing is good and persistent. It is like looking at a canadian blonde but the sweetness is all wrong. It's dry but the original is too.

I have been buying this beer at the store. Mainly for the empties. It's an ok beer for price but I'd prefer something else but there is none atm. The last case was off. took a long time to get through it. Had to spread it thin.

Already this brew is better than any of the CPA I've bought. It has a smell to it which is like a beer I've had before but I can't pin it.

I moved a case of this to a warmer spot. Having troubles getting everything warm as it's spread out a bit.

[Glass]

seeing as I have run out of just about everything else except the dark ale #6 I've been having a few of these. I boxed 24 and put in a machine room at work. It's about 19C steady. I put the heat belt on a timer in the cupboard with the rest. Been 17-18C. I turn it on 3/5ths and off for 2. The element wires are very hot to touch. They have a plastic sleeve on them which is creased both edges so the sleeve lies flat with the elements inside. So the creased edges don't get hot. I have this laying on it's edge near the bottles. It gives off enough heat to raise temp 2C. If it ran all the time it would be hotter. I trust nothing so I don't let it run long enough to risk causing damage to the shelf. Fire etc. I check it regularly when I can and move it about.

Beer. Improved a lot. The carbonation is great. Head is 1+ fingers. Lasts for maybe half the glass. Lacing is ok, colour is ditto. It's lightly golden cloudy. It's still green but 2 mouthfuls and who cares. It is dry on the finish. I like it for what it is. It has no hop presence to me. Plain ale. It is still far better than the last case I bought of this. I think it is just about spot on for style. Needs some more time. Not sure I'd brew it a lot. I don't see what you would hop it with or I don't like the dryness enough I want to bother. But. Something like some honey might help. Then is a new ball game.

It's a good beer. I'd say one of the better ones so far even if I like some others I've done more.

[Glass]

I have continued drinking these and the first case + 1/2 are gone. The second and final case has been stashed at work in the machine room where it is a steady temp of about 18/19C/66F. Will be putting some of #10 in there tomorrow.

While still a bit green to the taste this beer turned out very well. It had an excellent 1 -2 finger head on every pour. The Aussie Pale Ale is a bit dry on the finish but this one is not too pucker and has a nice clean finish. This would also be a great base to dry hop.

I really like this beer for it's looks and colour. It has a nice golden ale appearance, tending more to yellow than honey colour. It has a slight haze to it. It is still a clear beer but it has that slight misty look to it. The head is excellent. It's light and soft and sticks to your lips. I was never really into ales or Coopers Pale ale which was pretty much the only pale ale you could get here for the past 20 or 30 years. It did not end up as malty as I expected. It seemed to clear out really well.

The last couple were starting to loose that green taste. I think it is a promising beer. I enjoyed this one. It does taste much better than it's store bought cousin.

[BrewTech]

I have continued drinking these and the first case + 1/2 are gone. The second and final case has been stashed at work in the machine room where it is a steady temp of about 18/19C/66F. Will be putting some of #10 in there tomorrow.

While still a bit green to the taste this beer turned out very well. It had an excellent 1 -2 finger head on every pour. The Aussie Pale Ale is a bit dry on the finish but this one is not too pucker and has a nice clean finish. This would also be a great base to dry hop.

I really like this beer for it's looks and colour. It has a nice golden ale appearance, tending more to yellow than honey colour. It has a slight haze to it. It is still a clear beer but it has that slight misty look to it. The head is excellent. It's light and soft and sticks to your lips. I was never really into ales or Coopers Pale ale which was pretty much the only pale ale you could get here for the past 20 or 30 years. It did not end up as malty as I expected. It seemed to clear out really well.

The last couple were starting to loose that green taste. I think it is a promising beer. I enjoyed this one. It does taste much better than it's store bought cousin.

The haze is caused by polyphenols linking with dissolved proteins. Fining the beer with either isinglass or gelatin helps, but filtering through DE works better. Some (large) breweries use something called PVPP to remove polyphenol to clear the beer totally and increase shelf life. Oxidation of polyphenols is mostly what causes beer staling over time.

A little useless info for ya! o)(~