Coopers substitutions for MB recipes?

[swenocha]

To further expand:
- Cooper's brewing sugar is 80% dextrose and 20% maltodextrin.
- Brew enhancer 1 is 60% dextrose, 40% maltodextrin. (probably most similar to Booster)
- Brew enhancer 2 is 500g dextrose, 250g maltodextrin, 250g of light DME.

Note that maltodextrin doesn't ferment out, giving more mouth feel/creaminess. I guess it depends on how much mouth feel/body,that you want. I would say for a dark beer, the brew enhancer 2 is the best bet, especially if you're looking for a bit more mouth feel/body, but to match the recipe, the brew enhancer 1 might be the most equivalent.

IMHO, you could either use either brew enhancer in equal amounts, or maybe just add 1/2lb of light/pale LME/DME, or possibly just leave it out (depending on your preference). With the brewmax and winter dark alone, you'd be at 6%. Adding a pack of booster would land at maybe 7% (if memory serves). If you really want that extra 1%, you could easily go with either of the three options.

I'll have to leave you to the guidance of others regarding whether the Cooper's winter extract is similar to the Mr. B one. I've seen no evidence either way, and I have not used the Cooper's version. What I will say is that you'll definitely make beer (and probably a pretty good one) regardless of whether the extracts are indeed the same/similar...

[pocketjr]

To further expand:
- Cooper's brewing sugar is 80% dextrose and 20% maltodextrin.
- Brew enhancer 1 is 60% dextrose, 40% maltodextrin. (probably most similar to Booster)
- Brew enhancer 2 is 500g dextrose, 250g maltodextrin, 250g of light DME.

Note that maltodextrin doesn't ferment out, giving more mouth feel/creaminess. I guess it depends on how much mouth feel/body,that you want. I would say for a dark beer, the brew enhancer 2 is the best bet, especially if you're looking for a bit more mouth feel/body, but to match the recipe, the brew enhancer 1 might be the most equivalent.

IMHO, you could either use either brew enhancer in equal amounts, or maybe just add 1/2lb of light/pale LME/DME, or possibly just leave it out (depending on your preference). With the brewmax and winter dark alone, you'd be at 6%. Adding a pack of booster would land at maybe 7% (if memory serves). If you really want that extra 1%, you could easily go with either of the three options.

I'll have to leave you to the guidance of others regarding whether the Cooper's winter extract is similar to the Mr. B one. I've seen no evidence either way, and I have not used the Cooper's version. What I will say is that you'll definitely make beer (and probably a pretty good one) regardless of whether the extracts are indeed the same/similar...

[Trollby]

Check with your LHBS and see if they have "Bulk" LME.

Mine does but you have to ask, other wise you get the 3.3# cans/containers for way more $$

I get 3.5# LME from them (In my container) for $8.50, cheaper than the 3.3# can

[pocketjr]

Cracked open my latest, ready to drink, brew. It wasn't a big recipe, 1 can MB Classic American Light and 1 can MB Canadian Blonde.

BEST beer I have brewed in the 2 1/2 years that I've been brewing! Now... What Coopers ingredients do I use to replicate it in a 5 gallon batch?

[swenocha]

I don't think that there is a one-for-one translation. I.e., I think the Mr. B extracts for the most part are different recipe extracts than the Cooper's ones. But I may be incorrect...

[pocketjr]

I don't think that there is a one-for-one translation. I.e., I think the Mr. B extracts for the most part are different recipe extracts than the Cooper's ones. But I may be incorrect...

Okay, so how do I figure out the breakdown of each extract so that I can try my hand at replicating with a partial or all grain recipe?

[swenocha]

Coopers, or most other maltsers, do not release the recipes they use for their hopped extracts. They may give some indication of the ingredients used on their website, but they generally only give percentages for the ingredients on the unhopped extracts in my experience, and a lot of them don't even give that. On Mr B's site, they give some clues... Each of the extracts state they are made with a blend of pale malt, caramel malt, chocolate malt, vienna malt, wheat malt, and Munich malt. Note, though, that they give no indication of specifics... no percentages, no indication of what caramel malt, etc. They also don't list the hops (they do on some of the extracts) and no hop schedule. I would assume this is so you can't do what you're trying to do... easily replicate their recipe.

[pocketjr]

Coopers, or most other maltsers, do not release the recipes they use for their hopped extracts. They may give some indication of the ingredients used on their website, but they generally only give percentages for the ingredients on the unhopped extracts in my experience, and a lot of them don't even give that. On Mr B's site, they give some clues... Bewitched Amber, for instance, states it's a blend of pale malt, caramel malt, chocolate malt, vienna malt, wheat malt, and Munich malt. Note, though, that they give no indication of specifics... no percentages, no indication of what caramel malt, etc. They also don't list the hops (they do on some of the extracts) and no hop schedule. I would assume this is so you can't do what you're trying to do... easily replicate their recipe.

DAMMIT! I really like this brew!!!

[swenocha]

I'm sure Mr. B would say they'd be glad to sell to sell you cans of CAL and CB...

[pocketjr]

I'm sure Mr. B would say they'd be glad to sell to sell you cans of CAL and CB...

LMAO Oh I'm sure. And I'm going to have to buy it, because this is the first brew that I'm going to have to keep making so that I always have a batch ready to drink

[rickbray66]

Keep on eye out for one of the good sales MrB tends to run from time to time and stock-up on them that way. Fortunately, the flat rate shipping helps this cause.


Rick

[pocketjr]

Went to the LHBS today. Told the girl what I made, and that I wanted to make a 5 gallon batch of the same thing. I had a can of Coopers Canadian Blonde in my hand and a can of Coopers Light LME and I was thinking of mixing the two cans in a 5 gallon batch. First thing she said.... That's too much. The amount in the two cans would make a 10 gallon batch. She left me with the can of Canadian Blonde and then grabbed a 3 pound bag of Light DME and instructed me to use 1 pound of that.
I mentioned I was worried about losing any hoppiness that would be in the Classic American Light. She handed me a 1 oz pack of Chinook hops and told me to steep that in a cup of water for about an hour and a half and add it to my secondary when I batch prime. I mentioned that I've never batch primed before and she said I could add it to the primary when the fermentation is done right before bottling.

I'm really hoping this turns out close to my CAL/CB batch.

[RickBeer]

I'd disagree with the instructions she gave you. Read the can of Cooper's. Is it designed to brew 5 or 6 gallons? If yes, it should say to add X pounds of "sugar". Turn that into DME. Usually it's 2 or 3 pounds.

If you're going to add hops, you want to boil in DME/LME, not steep in water. What she's have you doing would provide aroma only, no bitterness or taste.

[pocketjr]

I only bought the hops to replace what I would be losing by not using another can of HME. I'm not trying to make a hoppy beer, just a clean/dry/crisp beer. Should I just dry hop this sucker?

Suggestions?

[philm00x]

Dry hopping will only net you hops aroma in your beer. With smell being an integral part of taste, you get the sensation that you're adding some hops flavor as well, but that disappears over time as the hops aroma fades. If you're looking to add bitterness, you'll need to boil some in your wort for an hour.