Options

Coopers Ginger Beer Experiences

DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
in Beer Brewing
Hi, I am now one week into fermenting a Coopers Ginger beer and wanted to check if anyone else had experienced this kit.

I have used the Coopers Ginger Beer can plus 1kg HBO brewing sugar which I started last Monday.

When I took a reading on Monday I believe it was 1.023 (however I did write it down incorrectly), last night so at the end of day 6 the reading is now 1.007.

If this is the FG it does seem to be in a region a lot of kits reach but now I am wondering if the OG was a little low.  For the Coopers lager and Ale kits I have already fermented they both started with am OG of 1.040 but to start with I put this low reading down to ginger beer being different.

Throughout the week I have been able to maintain a temperature of between 22 and 23 degrees.  Fermentation has been visible for most of the week just not as active as the first two beer kits but from what I read that is normal, the visible signs of fermentation do appear to have stopped.

If my OG is too low I can only think of two different possibilities, either too much water or not stirred enough after adding the water.  I did make the volume up to 20 litres rather than measuring exactly how much I added as I was trying to rinse out the tin as I added more water.

One other observation is that there does seem to be more sediment at the bottom than there was with the other beer kits but again this could be normal.

Based on the current readings the alcohol content will be on the low side but this is a kit suitable for brewing a non-alcoholic version.  And visually it does seem to have gone through the fermentation process.

So if I get a second reading the same should I bottle it?  

If my OG was low due to insufficient mixing does that mean that the sugar may not have fermented or that it could have fermented as normal and my reading was just wrong?

Alternatively do I give it a good stir to re-introduce some of the stuff that settled and wait till the end of the week?

Slightly leaning towards just bottling if the next reading is the same, stirring risks ruining the batch but if there is a good chance it would lead to further fermentation then it could be worth the risk.


· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+

Comments

  • Options
    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    We have made the Coopers ginger beer a few times and really like it, unfortunately though we didn't take the readings so can't say exactly what they should be and Coopers instructions are vague on this. It is possible that when you took the first reading the sugar was not fully dissolved into the brew and was out a little, as long as it was well mixed in and has fermented nicely and has the sediment settled it would suggest that it has fermented well and should be about finished. Especially if bottling it is important to be sure fermentation has finished, so just check the reading in another day or so and if it is the same then you should be fine ot bottle. If you do decide to stir it this re-suspends the yeast and will help it finish off, but you so then need to leave it a few days to re-settle or it will be very cloudy, and we find it is cloudy anyway even when carefully bottled. 

    It is unusual in that it can be made either alcoholic or non-alcoholic, the alcoholic version will be around 3.5% in strength, a little less at the bottling stage as the priming sugar will bump it up to around 3.5 so don't expect it to be quite that high yet, we leave it for a few months in the bottles then serve nice and cold
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
    Thanks, have decided to give it a stir, will wait till towards the end of the week to bottle after some settling time and some more readings.

    It was definitely well mixed, one difference however is the other Coopers kits said to stand the can in hot water for 10 minutes, this one didn't so may not have had as long to dissolve.  If my initial reading was correct it would need to get all the way to 1.000 to be 3.5% after carbonation!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    Sounds like a plan and you can then be sure, the can being warmed just helps it flow when it is poured, the ginger beer tends to be a bit more fluid and just needs rinsing out with warm water. Chances are it was a slightly rogue initial reading but this way you can be sure, let it settle again before bottling if possible
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    MikeHMikeH Member Posts: 67
    Hello,

    I've made this kit before and for what it's worth, this was my experience...

    It was /very/ cloudy.  After a month or so it was still completely cloudy but was drinkable.  Some people I gave a bottle to said it was sickly sweet for them, I found it overly gingery and got me at the back of the throat.  It started to clear in the neck of the bottle after a couple of months but took around 6 to 8 months to clear to any degree throughout (but never completely cleared like the beer kits do) but by that stage it tasted *fantastic*.  Even people who'd not liked it the first time tried it again and all agreed how good it was.

    It could just have been my batch but if you have a 2nd fermenting vessel I would recommend you syphon over into it and then leave that to stand for 48 hours before bottling.  That will leave a lot of the sediment behind in the first vessel and give time for some more to settle into the bottom of the 2nd vessel.

    I'd also recommend you put a few bottles aside somewhere where you can forget about them for 6 months so you can see how it matures.  I do this with all my beers as well.  Put a couple aside and see how they are 6 or so months later.  Some don't change much but most improve with this time.

    Cheers, Mike...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    Hi Mike, tat sounds pretty much like our experience too, we tend to leave them for quite a long time whenever possible and the flavours can be really great, it takes some doing though! The 2 stage fermentation is a good idea and may well make a difference to the clearing but we suspect there will always be a little cloudiness to it. The Ultimate Brewery Lashings Ginger Beer was bottled a week ago and smells great when bottled, we hope to try it soon for an early sample and then will leave it for a good few months to condition
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
    So giving it a stir does seem to have triggered some further fermentation, the surface is moving again with  some bubbles rising again.  Unfortunately I don't have a second FV at the moment but I do have some clear bottles when I bottle it so at least will be able to use a few to check how it is clearing.

    Also each batch I am bottling a few in glass bottles that I plan to keep to one side to age for a while.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    MikeHMikeH Member Posts: 67
    Excellent plan Darran.  Using a few clear bottles is a good idea, as you say, it allows you to see how they're clearing more easily than the green or brown bottles.  If you're using mostly glass bottles you can use a couple of 500ml fizzy pop bottles as testers, they're clear and designed for pressure.  Using the plastic ones means you can give them a squeeze to see if they're pressurised yet or not.  Just like you can with the "proper" PET bottles from HBO.

    One note of caution, I've no idea if it was just that individual bottle or if this is the case for all glass bottles after they've been reused a number of times.  I had the neck of one clear one shatter as I was capping it.  I was gutted to lose a pint of my beer but very pleased it wasn't a whole lot worse.  I could have been badly cut.  HBO have mentioned this before somewhere - check all re-used glass bottles carefully for chips and cracks.  I didn't see any in this bottle but may be there was.

    I definitely think the PET bottles that HBO sell are the way to go - I find them much easier to cap for starters and it makes the boxes of beer much lighter to carry.

    Hope your brew turns out well, Mike...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
    Yeah definitely do like the PET bottles HBO sell, capping using the supplied caps and the black capping tool they sell seemed to go well.  I also have one box of the cheap clear PET bottles so just using a small number of those for each batch so I can see the clearing.

    For glass just trying to bottle 6 for each batch, hopefully I can store them for 6 months or more and see how it ages longer term ;-)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
    So last night it looks like fermentation has slowed down again after the stir - not in the region of 1.003 / 1.004.  I also question is the stirring may have re-introduced some sugar that settled early so could now be on track to hit the 3.5% this kit is expected to produce.

    Have to say I don't know if this will last a long conditioning, if it had some carbonation the sample was already tasting quite good.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Options
    DarranDarran Member Posts: 37
    Almost there, I thought this evening was going to be time for bottling but a reading this morning shows it is now between 1.001 and 1.002, all visible signs of fermentation have now stopped and quite frankly I don't see how it go any lower but will take one last reading and bottle tomorrow.

    Makes me worry more if the first two kits could have benefited from a stir and a few more days to ferment, will definately consider this next time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
Sign In or Register to comment.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Sign In Register

Categories