Lager Kits - any differences?

[AlexCricket]

I have done a couple of ale kits and have a Cooper's Stout waiting to go into the FV. However, with summer approaching I think that I may wait on the Stout and put a Lager in first - I'm tempted by the Coopers Mexican Cerveza - and wondered whether anyone had tried this kit and whether there were any great differences in brewing requirements.

I should add I have a cellar so I am able to ensure cold lagering.

[bigbob]

i did this back in feb with 1kg of bke. it's supplied with an ale yeast so i just brewed as normal, although next time i'd be tempted to do it with a proper lager yeast at a colder temperature. also you'd be wanting to bottle over keg with a lager because of the extra carbonation normally expected from a lager. but anyways its pretty good...came out about 4 ish percent i think an makes for pretty easy drinking. dropped beautifully clear very quickly aswell

[brysie]

muntons gold continental pilsener is good especially with extra hops chucked in and im very impressed with coopers european.
i had a sample at room temp from a barrel that had been conditioning for 5 weeks, the day before yesterday, and was so impressed that i bought one and made it up straightaway. it comes with a lager yeast and recommends brewing at the lower temp range.

the one thing i will say about all the lager kits ive done so far is that they all benefit from a bit of extra hops and you have to leave them for ages in the bottle to get the best flavour from them.
so roll on july when this one should be ready

[bigbob]

i've been tempted to do the coopers european and am going to knock it up tomorrow with hops.....so which extra hops would you recommend brysie? and how would you recommend adding them? (in terms of steeping, short boil, long boil or dry hopping) never done anything with hops and am a relative newb still with only 5 brews (plus a couple of tcs) under my belt

[bevanjon74]

Hi Alex
I brewed the Coopers Mexican Cerveza back last year for a Mexican themed new years eve party - I did it with 1kg of BKE just like bigbob says it comes with ale yeast so I just brewed in normal way and bottle so I could chill in fridge and get good carbonation

It turned out and absolute cracker... in fact guests sank all but 2 bottles of the 40 pints so must have been ok!

I would defo use BKE for it too rather than just regular sugar..
BJ74

[AlexCricket]

bevanjon74

Not just useful advice but also a fellow lover of the real game.

There seems to be a lot of positives about the European Lager from Coopers - would this be a better bet. Otherwise I could get a Coopers Brewmaster Pilsner.

Any suggestions.

[shandypants5]

I make both the Mexican , and the European regularly.

I make both up with 500g of light spraymalt and 500g of "hopped" spraymalt.

To be honest I think I slightly prefer the European but I make the Mexican occasionally, so I get a variation in my lager flavours from week to week.
They are both cracking guzzlers for the summer, and I hve a kit of each one ready to start soon as I get an empty FV.