Coopers Pale Ale Two-can

I thought I'd try this out to see if it produces a drinkable beer compared with the partial mash brews I've been doing lately.

The idea is that it works out around $30 for two cans of Coopers Pale Ale syrup, compared with closer to $50 for the ingredients for a partial or all grain recipe.

It's also far less time consuming when you're not dealing with grains, so if it works out ok, this could be a reasonable tactic.

The "recipe" and process for this pretty simple:
1. Buy two Coopers Pale Ale kits (about $15 each from the supermarket)
2. Get a few litres of water up to a boil on your stove - I used my 12l brew pot, so I boiled up around 7-8 litres
3. Pour in both cans of malt extract. Stir to prevent it burning on the bottom of the pot. Use some jug boiled water to get the last of the syrup out of the cans.
4. Boil for around 15 - 20 mins. - No hop additions. I'm relying purely on the hopped extract (although next time I'd no doubt add some flavouring and aroma hops.
5. Cool the pot in your ice/water bath down to under 30C (aim to get it down in 30 mins or less)
6. Carefully transfer the cooled wort to your sanitised fermenter and top up with boiled and cooled water to about 21 litres. - I actually topped up to 24 litres which should give me a lower strength beer of around 4% ABV.
7. Sprinkle both packets of the yeast that came with the kits.
8. Seal the fermenter, put it somewhere where the temp can stay consistently at about 21C for two weeks.  - My temp controlled beer fridge is in use at the moment so I resorted to my old method of sitting the fermenter in a large bin surrounded by cold water, and with a soaked towel over the top.

I'll let you know how this one goes. I certainly liked the fact it only took me around 1 1/2 hours all up, compared to 3 - 4 hours for a recipe with grains and hops. Also, not having to buy hops and yeast separately saves on the cost.

Schwarzbier #1

Category: Dark Lager
Type: Extract

Fermentables:
Grains:
(250g) Chocolate malt
Extract:
1.8kg Muntons Dark Liquid Extract
750g Light Dry Extract

Hops
15g Sticklebract 12.2%AAU (60min)
15g NZ Hallertau 7.2%AAU (30min)
15g NZ Hallertau 7.2%AAU (5min)

Yeast:
SafLager S-23 Dry Yeast

Procedure:

• Steep Chocolate malt in hot water (68C) for 30mins
• Bring to boil, add extract and hops at intervals described above
• Cool in water bath
• Add to fermenter and top up with water
• Ferment at 14C for 14-21 days
• Transfer to secondary and lager in fridge for 3-4 weeks at 3-4C
• Bottle condition for minimum 3 weeks

Pilsner Urquell clone

Ingredients:
4 pound (1.8kg) can, Alexander's Pale malt extract syrup
2-1/3 pounds (1kg), light dry malt extract
15 AAU's, Saaz hops
Wyeast 2007 Bohemian Pilsner yeast

Procedure:
Bring extracts and 2 gallons of water to boil. Add 5 AAU's of Saaz hops at beginning of boil. Add 5 AAU's again at 30 minutes and at 10 minutes. Pitch yeast when cool.

Specifics:
O.G.: 1.050
1.010-1.008
Primary: 50 degrees

Blueberry Mead

This mead usually comes out quite dry. This recipe makes 6-1/2 gallons.

Ingredients: (for 6-1/2 gallons)

7-10 pounds (3.18 - 4.53kg), fresh blueberries
1-2 pounds (453 - 910g), corn sugar
1-2 ounces (28 - 56g), hops (Cascades is fine)
10 pounds (4.53kg), honey
yeast
lemon grass tea (optional)

Procedure:

To make 6-1/2 gallons of mead, Boil the honey, sugar, and hops for at least an hour (although boiling honey is not favored by most digest subscribers, it works fine and is the method used by Papazian). Clean berries and mash well. Put mashed berries, hot wort, and enough water to make 6-1/2 gallons into a fermenter. Pitch yeast. After one week, strain out berries and rack to secondary. Ferment at least one more month and then bottle, priming with corn sugar and perhaps some lemon grass tea. Age 6 months to a year.

Specifics:
Primary Ferment: 1 week

Anchor Steam Style Amber

Category: Steam Beer
Recipe Type: Extract
Fermentables
7 lbs (3.18kg) John Bull plain light malt extract
1/4-1/2 lbs (113 - 226g) crystal malt

Hops
2 oz (56g) Northern Brewer hops (11 alpha) (boil)
1 oz (28g) Cascade hops (5.6 alpha) (finish)

Yeast 2 packs lager yeast
Procedure
Pour 1 gallon water into brewpot. Crush grains and add to brewpot. Bring to boil.
Remove grains. Add malt extract. Add 1/3 of the boiling hops. After 20 minutes, add another 1/3
of hops. After another 20 minutes add the last 1/3 of hops. After another 20 minutes, remove from heat and add finishing hops. Cover wort. Pour 3 gallons cold water into fermenter. Strain wort into fermenter

Alcatraz Wheat Beer

Category: Wheat Beer
Recipe Type: Extract

Fermentables
3 lbs (1.36kg) dried wheat extract
2 lbs (910g) Wheat malt
1 lbs (453g) Barley malt
1 lbs (453g) dried malt extract

Hops
2.5 oz (70g) Mt. Hood hops

Yeast Wyeast Wheat beer yeast
Procedure
Make a yeast starter two days beforehand. Mash the three pounds of malt a la Miller.
Boil for one hour, adding 1-1/2 ounces hops at the start, 1/2 ounce at 30 minutes, and 1/2 ounce
at 5 minutes. Cool and pitch yeast. Ferment. Bottle.

#8 Weizen II

Category: Wheat Beer
Recipe Type: Extract
Fermentables
5 lb (2.27kg) Wheat Dry Malt Extract (from GFSR)
1 lb (453g) Bulk Pale Dry Malt Extract

Hops
.25 oz (7g) Hallertau - Northern Brewer Plug Hops (leaf) 7.5%AA (30 minutes)
.75 oz (21g) Hallertau - Northern Brewer Plug Hops (leaf) 7.5%AA (60 minutes)
.125 oz (3.5g) Saaz Leaf Hops 2.9%AA (15 minutes)
.125 oz (3.5g) Saaz Leaf Hops 2.9%AA (finish)

Yeast Wyeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat

100% Wheat

Category: Wheat Beer
Recipe Type: Extract

Volume: 5 gallons / 18.93 liters

Fermentables
1 lb (453g) honey (completely optional)
1 ea 6lb (2.72kg) can of Irek’s Unhopped (orange print on label)
1 lb (453g) Crystal barley Malt 20 lov (for steeping until boil)
1 lb (453g) Wheat malt (also for steeping)

Hops
1.5 oz (42g) Hallertauer Hops

Yeast Wyeast Bavarian wheat or German wheat yeast

Procedure
For one I also added 5.5# frozen raspberries, though that started out almost like
raspberry soda, it mellowed well, though a bit tart. I also use honey for priming instead of
afterburner corn sugar. Steep the grains in a couple gallons of water over high temp. Strain out
just before it starts to boil. Add the Ireks and boil hops (and honey) boil for an hour, add finishing
hops last <10 minutes. I also use the Wyeast Barvarian Wheat (don’t recall the #). It adds the
clove/banana flavor, but not too much, since its a mix of 2 strains. There’s a couple other Wyeast
wheat strains, that vary in strength of clove/banana flavor, the German (#3333) leaning away
from the clove and banana. With the above recipe, and using the Barvarian Wheat, my first batch
was compared favorably by a friend to Spaten Hefeweisen, though I was a bit more critical of it ;).
Also, if you use the Wyeast, make a starter.

Weizen? Why not?

Category: Wheat Beer
Recipe Type: Extract

Volume: 5 gallons / 18.93 liters

Fermentables
6 lb (2.72kg) Williams wheat extract
1 lb (453g) crystal malt
.5 lb (227g) toasted barley
1 lb (453g) honey

Hops
2 oz (57g) Cascades hops (boil)
.5 oz (14g) Cascades hops (finish)

Yeast 1 package Wyeast wheat yeast

Procedure
Make a 2-quart starter before brewing. Steep crystal and toasted barley in 4 gallons
water for 40 minutes (use grain bags to make this easier). Add extract, honey and bittering hops.
Boil wort for 1 hour. Remove from heat. Add finishing hops and steep 2 minutes. Chill and pitch
yeast. After 3 days, rack to secondary. Bottle after 8 days.

Sweet Darkness

Category: Stout
Recipe Type: Extract

Volume: 5 Gallons / 18.93 Liters

Fermentables
7 lbs (3.18kg) Australian light syrup
1 lbs (453g) chocolate malt
1.5 lbs (680g) black patent
12 oz (340g) crystal malt

Hops
2 oz (57g) Kent Goldings hops (whole leaf)

Other
12 oz (340g) lactose
1 tsp salt
1 tsp citric acid

Yeast yeast

Procedure
Bring the wort to boil (water and syrup to make 3 gallons), then add crystal. Boil 10
minutes, then add hops. Boil 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add chocolate and black patent malt in
a grain bag. Steep about 10 minutes. Sparge grain bag with about 2 gallons of boiling water. Add
lactose. Chill and pitch. When fermented, try priming with 3/4 cup of light dry malt extract.

Brew day for an extract recipe - UPDATED

This is a quick overview of the steps to go through for a typical brew day for an extract recipe (including steeping of grains).  Most recipes you get here and on other sites don't include the actual steps. However, in most cases the steps are the same regardless of the recipe, so you can use this post as a general guide for all extract beer recipes.

I would also strongly recommend reading through How to Brew by John Palmer for a more complete explanation of the process.

Steps for preparing an extract beer recipe

1. Freeze plenty of ice a few days beforehand. You'll need this for cooling the wort in your ice-bath. Alternatively you can always buy a big bag of party ice on the day.
2. Get your ingredients and equipment together
3. Pre-boil the water that's not going into the brew pot. e.g. if you're making 19 litres and using a 10 litre brew pot, you'll need at least 9 litres of pre-boiled and cooled water but it's always better to have more. This water should be put in a cleaned and sanitised container. Put it in the fridge if you have space.
4. Clean and sanitise your equipment. This includes everything that will touch the wort after it's been boiled, and everything that will touch the yeast before pitching. The following should be cleaned:
• Brewpot
• Stirring spoon
The following should be cleaned AND sanitised:
• Tablespoon
• Measuring cup
• Yeast starter jar
• Fermentor and lid
• Sieve or strainer
• Airlock
• Thermometer
I simply clean and then fill the fermentor with my sanitising solution, then dump everything in there. I then have a large bowl with more sanitising solution on the bench top and plenty of boiled water in the jug for rinsing as required.
5. Fill the brew pot with the required amount of water and steep your crushed specialty grains in a nylon or muslin bag for 30 mins at 65 - 75 degrees celsius (150 - 170 F). Discard the grains when finished.
6. Assuming you're using a dry yeast packet, rehydrate and proof your yeast while the grains are steeping. To do this: 
• Boil 1 teaspoon of dextrose or malt extract in a small amount of water and let it cool down to about (30C).
• Put 250ml boiled and cooled (to about 30C) water in a sanitised jar or measuring cup and stir in the yeast. Cover and let sit for 15 mins.
• Pour the sugared water into the jar with the yeast, cover and shake to aerate.
• Let this sit for about 30 mins. It should start showing signs of activity. If not, your yeast may not be viable. 
7. Add the extract and any sugars to your brew pot and turn up the heat. You're now starting the boil. This is generally done for 60 mins.
8. Add your hops during the boil as per the recipe. e.g. 60 mins means add them at the start (these will be adding bitterness), 15 mins means add them with 15 mins to go (these will be adding more flavour than bitterness).
9. Once the boil time is finished, you need to cool down the wort to pitching temperature as quickly as possible. Fill your sink (if it's big enough) with cold water and the ice you made in step 1, then carefully transfer the brew pot to the sink. A sanitised thermometer is useful for this step. I gently stir the wort to help cool it down faster. Don't splash and don't let anything drip into the pot. You want to get it down to about 27C within 30 mins.
10. Once it's cooled down to yeast pitching temperature, pour the wort vigorously into the fermenting barrel. Avoid pouring the dregs in. Use a large sieve or strainer (make sure it's sanitised). Top the fermenting barrel up to your total brew volume.
11. Take your O.G. reading with your hydrometer and note it down.
12. Aerate the wort: You need to get plenty of oxygen into the wort for the yeast. The easiest way is to vigorously shake the barrel, for a few minutes (10 minutes). It may be easier to shake the barrel with only the top-up water, then pouring the cooled wort in. 
13. Pitch the re-hydrated yeast and give it a stir (with a sanitised spoon/stick). You can also just pitch the yeast dry, but there's the risk it's no good.  The yeast is also more effective at getting to work if it's been rehydrated first..
14. Pop the lid back on and secure the airlock and place the fermenting barrel in a cool place to start working its magic. The ideal fermenting temperature depends on the type of beer you're making, but I've found it's important to pick your temperature and stay within a couple of degrees of it. There are a few inexpensive ways to do this, depending on the time of year you're brewing.
15. Clean up after yourself. Your wife/girlfriend will appreciate it if you leave no evidence of your brew session in "her" kitchen :)

Simple Wheat Beer

Category: Wheat Beer
Recipe Type: Extract

Fermentables
6.6 lbs (3kg) wheat malt extract

Hops
1 oz (28g) Hallertauer hops (boil 60 minutes)

Yeast Wyeast Bavarian wheat yeast

Procedure
Boil extract and hops. Dump in fermenter with
enough cold water to make 5 gallons. Pitch yeast.

Directions

R.B. IPA

Type: Extract
Category: Pale Ale

Fermentables
6.61 lb (3kg) Black Rock Pale Malt Extract
1.1 lb (500g) 20L Crystal Malt (Caramalt)
1.1 lb (200g) Dextrose (Corn Sugar)

Hops
1 oz (25g) Green Bullet 60 mins
1 oz (25g) Green Bullet 30 mins

Other
Safale S-04 Ale Yeast

Directions

Carp Ale

Category: Pale Ale
Recipe Type: Extract

Fermentables
3 lbs (1.36kg) Munton & Fison light DME
3 lbs (1.36kg) M&F amber DME
1 lbs (453g) crystal malt

Hops
2.6 oz (74g) Fuggles hops (4.7% alpha= 12.22 AAU)
1 oz (28g) Kent Goldings hops (5.9% alpha = 5.9 AAU)

Other
1/4 tsp Irish moss
Yeast 1 pack Brewer’s Choice #1098 (British ale yeast)

Directions

British Bitter

Category: Pale Ale
Recipe Type: Extract

Fermentables
5 lb (2.25kg) Alexander’s pale malt extract
.5 lb (226g) crystal malt

Hops
1-1/4 oz (35g) Cascade hops (boil)
.25 oz (7g) Cascade hops (finish)

Other
10 oz (280g) dextrose (optional)
Yeast Munton & Fison ale yeast

Directions

Extract Recipes

Extract beer recipes are easy to brew at home with a minimum of equipment. Extract beer recipes are essentially made up of:

• Liquid malt extract
• Dry malt extract (spray malt) or sugar
• Hops
• Yeast
• Crushed specialty grains

They are easy to prepare, as long as you have a brew pot large enough for boiling the wort. You'll also need a grain bag for steeping the crushed grains in the hot water before adding the rest of the ingredients. This may seem like a hassle, but if you can make a cup of tea, you can use crushed specialty grains in your extract brewing.