How to Brew Beer at Home the Easy Way

Coopers Sparkling Ale Recipe with My Secret Added Ingredient

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:52:00 +0000

Will My Twist on the Famous Coopers Sparking Ale Recipe Pay Off or Not?

Hello Home Brew Kit Fans! It's 2010 and time to start thinking about your next batch of home brew. I read an article a few months back about Coopers Sparkling Ale and how this beer was one of it most famous beers over 100 years ago.

I decided to order a Sparkling Ale home brew kit from my friends at MakeBeer.net, and add a twist to the recipe as I really like a caramel flavor in my beers. Read on to view my twist on the Coopers Sparking Ale recipe.

But before I go on, I do have to give a quick plug to one of my favorite local pizza joints outside of Philadelphia, Dominick's Side Door Pub at the intersection of County Line Road and Route 152 in Bucks County, PA. They have awesome take-out pizza and other dishes like Linguini with clam sauce (one of my favorites). If you want to eat-in, they have a pub too that is a great place to relax with plenty of Hi-Def TV's to watch your favorite sports team.

Dominick's Side Door Pub also has a really good selection of microbrewery beers (Hey...I still like drinking a beer made by someone else from time to time). They recently recommended Alta Gracia Coffee Porter. If you like this kind of flavor, I recommend getting to Dominick's and grab a six pack. It is the BEST beer I have tasted in a long time! And while you are there, join their Mug Club too.

Here is my Sparkling Ale Recipe...with My "Secret" Ingredient

1. First get the Sparking Ale home brew kit from www.MakeBeer.net. Click here to order a kit.

2. Then purchase a 1 Lbs bag of Belgian Candi Syrup. You can get this from your local brew supply store. I get mine at Keystone Home Beer Supply in North Wales, PA on Route 309, just across from Montgomery Mall.

3. I then follow the Coopers Sparkling Ale Kit directions, but add the Belgian Candy Corn with in the boiling pot with the Sparking Ale can, 1.5kg Light Malt Extract, and Dextrose and do a low boil for 15 minutes. You have to watch the pot carefully as near the end, it tends to rise and overflow if it gets too hot.

4. In the fermenter jug, I then mix 500 grams Light Dry Malt Extract (which comes with the Sparkling Ale kit) with 1-2 litres of hot water and mix by swirling. Note: Do NOT mix with a spoon, but swirl by picking up the fermenter and gently swirling, per the directions on the side of the Light Dry Malt Extract.

5. Take your SG reading after about 5 to 7 days in the fermenter. My batch has been fermenting for about seven days so far. Yesterday's reading was 1.016. Today's was 1.014, so I am going to give it another day or two in the fermenter before I start bottling.

6. Bottle as your normally would. I use carbonation drops from Coopers.

When this batch is finished, I will let you know how it tastes. Better yet, if want to try one for yourself for free, let me know. I can only do this with a limited number of folks in my area, so samples are limited.

Good luck in brew, and everything else you do! Cheers!

Complete Sparkling Ale Package - $ 39.99
From: Coopers Brew Products

Top 10 Beers Rated by DraftMag.com Plus Unique Gifts for the Beer Enthusiast in Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:51:00 +0000

If you are looking for that perfect gift for the beer enthusiast(s) in your life, but cannot find it yet, think about getting some of these highly rated beers listed below. (Note: Rating and descriptions provided by DraftMag.com)

We have also listed some great gift ideas that pair well with beer in almost any occasion.

10 - New Glarus Spotted Cow with "subtle hop presence and light fruit notes mingle with Wisconsin malts and a touch of local corn." And you have to love that name!

9 - Abita Purple Haze, an America Wheat "beer using America wheat base and a dose of rasberry puree after filtration, giving it fragrant berry notes and delivers a mouth-pleasing tart finish."

8 - Saint Somewhere Saison Athene "delivers honey sweetness, tart wheat and peppery hops with a crisp finish."

7 - Great Divide Samurai Ale is a "rice-based brew with bursts of lemony flavors, toasted bread notes and a crazy-crisp mouthfeel. A blonde ale worthy of respect."

6 - Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA "balances aggressive hops with a malty-sweet backbone, and a blend of raisins and bright citrus."

5 - Three Floyds Dark Lord "delivers deep roasted flavorss, sweet toffee notes, licorice lacing and a healthy spell of alcohol warmth."

4 - Rogue Dead Guy Ale is "officially a German maibock which combines four malts, Perle and Saaz hops, Rogue's proprietary yeast and coastal water to deliver one of the best maibocks on the planet." We have personally enjoyed this and can attest to its great taste. It also packs a nice punch too!

3 - The Lost Abbey Avant Garde Ale is "brewed with malt custom-toasted in the brewery's ovens and delivers fresh-baked bread flavors alongside tart fruit notes."

2 - Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye is an "America rye ale made with 20 percent rye malts."

1 - Stone Arrogant Baster Ale (another one of our favorites) "boasts a bad boy demeaner and West Coast hop action." It has every reason to be Arrogant. It's just that good!

Making Beer with A Coopers Beer Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:23:00 +0000

How to Brew Beer at Home - Easy to Follow Instructions and Video

If you are new to home brewing, this is a great video to watch to see how easy it is to make beer with a Coopers Beer Kit from MakeBeer.net.

Video: click here to see the video on how to make beer with Coopers Beer kits

The World's #1 Selling Beer Concentrate Kit

If you want to learn more about the history of Coopers Brewery which has been around since 1862, click here.

Thanks again, and Brew On!

Top 20 Microbreweries in America

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:19:00 +0000

Top 20 Microbreweries in America

While this list could be debated (over numerous pints of beer), the folks at MatadorNetwork have compiled a great list to keep handy in case you find yourself in Missoula, Montana, or Touson, Arizona, Brooklyn, New York or Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where you can enjoy the ever increasing popular Dogfish Head brews.

I personally plan to make a visit to both Brooklyn Brewery in NYC and Dogfish Head in Delaware early in 2010.

According to MatadorNetwork #9 "Brooklyn Brewery’s central location in the city makes it an easy stop-over between sites and events. Notable brews are The Pennant Ale ‘55 and the Post Road Pumpkin, one of the best flavored ales around."

MatadorNetwork also mentions this about #19 ranked Dogfish Head Brewery, "Expect something different from Dogfish Head beers — like the Raison d’Extra, a brown ale brewed with raisins. If you’re going to sample more than a couple, bring money for a cab. These beers not only have plenty of alcohol, but they seem to have been magically brewed to hit harder than most. Dogfish also handcrafts gin, vodka, and rum. Plan to sleep in."

If you have any favorites you would like to share, please let us know.

Also, if you are looking for a great gift for the beer lover in your life, we highly recommend a home brew kit from MakeBeer.net. The Dark Ale Coopers kit we brewed two months ago is getting raved reviews. Just click on the image below and order your complete brew kit today! Makes 6 gallons of beer!

Microbrewery Kit
From: Coopers Brew Products

Brew on!

Visit this Nashville Brewery - Yazoo

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Visit Yazoo Brewery the Next Time You Visit Nashville, TN

I have not visited Nashville myself, but while doing some research about this popular vacation spot, I ran across an article in the NY Times about things to do in Nashville that mentioned Yazoo Brewery (not to be confused with Yahoo!)

While brewing at home with Cooper Kits from MakeBeer.net is great fun, we all have to get out and about from time to time. Well it seems like Yazoo Brewery in Nashville, TN is a must stop for any microbrewery fan. Yazoo Brewery was good enough to be mentioned in the recent edition of Southern Living Magazine.

Yazoo Brewery certainly sounds like a place to carve out time to visit when in Nashville and in need of a nice, refreshing microbrew.

Send Us Your Suggestions
If you have any microbreweries in your local area, or one you have visited on your travels that you would like us to share with others, please drop us a note at cjconroy(at)gmail(dot)com. (Sorry about the funky spelling of the email, but it helps us limit spammers getting our email address.)

I will be heading to Vegas for a trade show later this month, so if anyone has any recommended microbreweries in Las Vegas, let me know so I can do some "field research." Who knows, maybe I'll hit the jackpot!

Thanks for reading, and check back again soon for our newest update on Brew News You Can Use.

New Coopers Lager Kit Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:18:00 +0000

Hello Everyone:

I finished my last batch of dark lager and decided to make a lighter lager for the Fall football season.

Here is my new recipe using a Coopers Lager Kit:

Coopers Lager Kit
3 Lbs Carlson Bries dried malt extract

1. Boil 2 litres of water, add lager and malt.

2. Add malt slowly and continue of a low boil for about 25 minutes

3. Add all of this to your beer kit

4. Cool the mixture to 26 degrees Celsius by adding water. I usually fill my sink with ice water and let the beer kit container sit in this as well. Note!!! Never add ice directly to your mixture as ice contains contaminants that can cause your entire batch to go bad during the fermentation process. The guys at Keystone Homebrew Supply told me about that little trick.

5. Ferment for about 2 to 4 days, until fermentation stops or you get a hydrometer reading of around 1.014.

6. Bottle as you normally would, wait about 14 days, then enjoy.

I always wait about 30 to 45 days to share with friends as the taste really improves while it ferments in the bottle during this time.

If you need to get some Coopers kits or supply, click on this image below. Cooper makes brewing at home easy. And it is a ton of fun sharing with family and friends.

American Craft Beer Fest - Boston June 19th &20th

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:49:00 +0000

How to Speak Boston at the American Craft Beer Fest - Read on to learn more!

Hello Everyone. Summer is definitely here, and that means outdoor festival and events.

If you plan to be in Boston June 19th & 20th, or you want to make a fun weekend road trip with your friends and family, check out The American Craft Beer Fest.

Here is the some info care of BeerAdvocate:

http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/

Celebrate American Craft Beer w/ 75 brewers, 300+ beers, beer education, and an opportunity to meet brewers from the US and BeerAdvocates from all over the world!

Tickets also make the perfect Father's Day gift.

http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/tickets

In case you don't "speak Boston", here are some phrases you may need to know care of WorcesterMass.com:

"Bang A Louey"

Better be careful where you do it, this means to make a U-Turn, also said as a U-e.

"Don't make 'knee-odds'"
This is a phrase that seems to have been passed down from the old timer New Englanders to present generations. It is a verbal shorthand for the phrase, "It doesn't make any odds" ---meaning, "it doesn't matter".

"Down Cella"
As in "the washing machine is down cella". Never down in THE cellar and definitely not the basement.

Hang a Ralph
To take a right turn while driving. To take a left turn is to "Bang a Louie" (mistakenly referred to above as equivalent to the oft used "Bang a U-ie"

"Hihowahya"
A greeting ( not a Native American word) used primarily by Boston College Alumni Once commonly heard in Worcester, during the heyday of the BC/Holy Cross rivalry. Now relegated mostly to the bars around Cleveland Circle in Boston.

"Huck A Louey"
This is inreference to spitting. Such a vile habit...

Jeet
"Did you eat." Or Jeetyet....."Did you eat yet ?"

Let It Be
"Let it be" was used for "Leave it alone." Let it be the way it is.

Not For Nothing
Not that it matters

Oki Doki
A popular phrase for "ok", may have it origins from WW 2 vets returning from Japan/Aisa, and permeates Northern New England slang.

"So don't I"
It means "that you do too". It is the "echo" of the negative tag question. "You live in Worcester, don't you? So don't I."

Stuck In
We used "stuck in" for "put in". I stuck it in the bag, etc.

Tap A Harry
To ask someone of legal age to buy alcohol (for a minor). Not recommended by us. Just want you to know in case you hear it.

"Three Deckers"/"Triple Deckers"
Three story apartment buildings, usually with one apartment to the floor. Very popular at the turn of the 19th and 20th century, and hence one of the reasons there are so many in Worcester (which was the peak of Worcester's industral strength).

Wicked Pissa
That guy crack me up! We is a wicked pissa. One of our favorite. Very easy to use.

"You can't get there from here"
To be honest, I've never understood why people say this. Basically it means you're heading in the wrong direction. This one is most popular in Maine I think, but I've heard it in all parts of New England. Especially when travelling. I used to pump gas at one time, and was always tempted to say it myself. Of course in Maine, there's a valid reason for this phrase. Most major roads tend to run north-south, so if you wanted to go somewhere west/east of your current location, it's a VERY long trip sometimes.

Wicked Good Beeaaa
A compliment of the highest order if you give someone a bottle of your home brew beer and they response, "MMmmmmm...wicked good beer!"

I'll raise my glass to that!

Cheers!

Make Amber Ale with Coopers Real Ale Beer Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Try this new Amber Ale recipe for a change of pace.

Because I received great feedback from friends about my last batch of beer, I wanted to share a new recipe with you that I discovered almost by accident. It tastes a lot like Harpoon Ale, or so I have been told.

I love a good Amber Ale, so I have been experimenting with several recipes over the last few months and found one that I really like.

I invite you to try this recipe if you like amber beers:

Ingredients:

> 1 each, can Coopers Real Ale

Click on this link to purchase your Real Ale kit: Complete Real Ale Package

> 1 each, 3 lbs bag of amber dry malt (available at your local beer supply store)

> 1 lbs of honey

> 1 each, packet of yeast

Steps:

Step 1. Combine 1 to 2 gallons of water with the can of Coopers Real Ale. Bring to a low boil and stir.

Step 2. Slowly add the contents of the 3 lbs bag of amber dry malt. Keep stirring. You will notice that some of amber dry malt will coagulate, but if you keep stirring and keep the water just below a full boil, the dry malt will dissolve.

Step 3. Carefully add the contents of the boiling pot into your fermenter. (For some added kick, mix in one pound of honey if you like.)

Step 4. Add cool water to the fermenter until you reach the 23 liter mark on the fermenter.

Step 5. Stir the mixture again just for good measure to make sure everything is mixed well.

Step 6. Add yeast packet and put lid on your fermenter.

Sit back and wait until your batch ferments then bottle as you normally do.

If you have a recipe you would like to share, let me know and I will add it to our postings.

Happy brewing. Cheers!

Homebrew Beer Legalized in Utah

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:53:00 +0000

For the more than 7,000 home brewers that live in the state of Utah, raise your glass and toast to the legalization of home brewing in Utah.

Now not only do they have great skiing and outdoor recreation sporting venues, they can now legally enjoy making home brew. Congratulations to all of our fellow home brewers in Utah!

To read more about this article, go to www.BeerAdvocate.com.

American Craft Beer & Food Event - May 30th in D.C.

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:46:00 +0000

If you are going to be anywhere near Washington, DC on May 30th, you must check this out!

Here is the post about the American Craft Beer & Food Festival from BeerAdvocate.com...

Dig craft beer? How about food? Now how about 120 craft beers from 65 breweries paired with 35+ tasty appetizers? Then join us for SAVOR: an American Craft Beer & Food Event this May 30, 2009 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

To learn more about SAVOR, visit http://www.savorcraftbeer.com

Cheers!

Home Brew Kit How-To Vidoes

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:39:00 +0000

If you want to see how easy it is to make beer at home using brew kits, click here to see some great videos from Coopers and others.

Wall Street Journal Article about Brewpubs

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:42:00 +0000

In Lean Times, A Stout Dream - article by David Kesmodel

In his Wall Street Journal article, David Kesmodel writes: "The economic crisis has stifled entrepreneurial activity in many industries. But it's done little to dent the ambitions of those who dream of brewing their own beer and offering it to the world."

To read more, click on this link: online.wsj.com

Enjoy!

What's Brewing on The Trail?

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:49:00 +0000

The first day of Spring has arrived and all the signs are here: bike racks filled with mountain bikes, kayaks on top of SUV's, ski shop signs saying "Thanks for a great season!"

In addition to being a home brewer, I also love to hit the single track and mountain bike this time of year. There is nothing like climbing a 15% grade hill in granny gear, then stopping at the top to enjoy what is usually a beautiful view of mountains in the distance.

For those brew enthusiasts who also like to mountain bike, here are a few great mountain biking sites:

Trail Meister
www.trailmeister.com

The Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - with some of the best single track on the East coast...all within the city limits of Philadelphia.
www.phillymtb.org

And when you are finished with a grueling ride, kick back with a great home beer from MakeBeer.net

See you on the trail!

Hazed and Infused in Boulder CO

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Here is some feedback I just got from Boulder, CO with some great micro-brew recommendations...

"I'm all about beer! I love hoppy beers and smooth dark beers....for instance...Hazed and Infused (Boulder Beer) and 1554 (by New Belgium) love both...if you're familiar with either of these, or have any suggestions (of beer i might be able to find in boulder, i.e. at liquor mart...) that would be much appreciated."

Question - does anyone know of any home brew kits that, if made, provide a similar taste to Hazed and Infused or 1554?

If you want to learn more about either of these beers, go to:

www.boulderbeer.com

www.newbelgium.com/beer/1554

As always...Cheers!

Where to Get Home Brew Kits

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:10:00 +0000

If you would like to try home brewing, here are a couple of sites where you can find the Coopers Home Brew kits:

1. www.MakeBeer.net - located in Washington State but they ship quickly

2. www.KeystoneHomeBrew.com - If you live in the Philadelphia area, Keystone Home Brew also carries Coopers home brew kits. Located in Montgomeryville, PA (about 15 minutes north of Ft. Washington off the PA Turnpike). They also have a location in Bethlehem, PA.

Keystone Homebrew Supply also has a cool event each month that is free to attend.

Here is the information taken from the Keystone Homebrew Supply website:

On the third Thursday of each month, homebrewers meet at Keystone Homebrew Supply to share the fruits of their labors.

About 10 to 20 brewers, young and old, experienced and novice, bring their masterpieces to be enjoyed and their disappointments to be diagnosed. Recipes, tips, and tall tales are passed around with excellent homebrew and light snacks.

The gathering starts at 7 p.m., except for December's meeting which starts after Keystone's extended holiday hours, 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Bring a bottle or three and join us. Membership is free and you don't have to join to attend.

I attended one of these and tasted some very impressive home brewed beer. If you are in the neighborhood, it is definitely worth a visit.

Cheers!

Home Brew Kits are Fun and Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Philly Home Brew Guy) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:06:00 +0000

I started home brewing with Coopers Beer Kits from MakeBeer.net over a year ago and it has been great. Making the beer is very easy and lots of fun to share with friends. Seriously, it takes me about 30 to 45 minutes to mix all the ingredients together, let it ferment for 1 to 3 weeks (depending on the recipe), then bottle and enjoy after about 2 to 3 more weeks.

While this might sounds like a long wait, it is worth it. You will have about 5 gallons of beer to enjoy and share with friends. Then when you down to about 2 gallons, make another batch. By the time you finish your previous batch, you will have another made and ready to enjoy.

And now I invite my friends over the help not only make the beer, but help bottling it too. (After all, they get free beer...so why not get some help from them!)

I have made everything from ales to lagers and have now started experimenting with some other personal recipes using various ingredients, like honey to make the beer a bit sweeter.

I am still a total novice but am creating this blog to share my recipes for others to try, and to learn from others so I can make even better beer.

One way I have fun is to make up custom labels for my friends when giving them a few gift bottles. I usually Google their name and find a picture on the web, then have some fun with information on the label.

Stay tuned as I will be posting some recipes for easy home brew.

If you have any you would like to share, please post away.

Thanks!