coopers european lager

[teambpl]

Hi all, this is my fourth kit which I set off a couple of days back.

I pitched the yeast at about 20 c now have put it somewhere a little cooler as recommended and it is frothing nicely at approx 15 c.

Question is how long can I expect fermentation to take? Obviously a little longer, does anyone have any experience with this kit? Also it quotes a 12 week conditioning period !!! I don't know if I can wait that long or is it essential?

Previously I've done a coopers aussie lager stored in a pb which I started drinking after a couple of weeks and found it very tasty, would I be better off bottling this brew and forgetting about it for a while?

I seem to be having trouble getting in front with my brews due to only having three barrels.

Cheers, Bri

[Trunky]

[cwrw gwent]

I started a Coopers European Lager back in October and have only just sampled my first few bottles after 12 weeks maturing. It's excellent and I will do it again.

Fermentation, according to my notes, took 13 days at a constant temperature of 16/17C. The beer is clear, has a good head and body and only moderate carbonation, probably due to using no more than half a level teaspoonful sugar per pint to prime. I'm not keen on fizzy stuff. Fermentables were 500 grams Tate & Lyle plus 500 grams light hopped Spraymalt.

Most people on this forum recommend bottling lager. Apparently lager in barrels does not condition to a high standard and ends up a little flat.

I would suggest you purchase some bottled beer over the next twelve weeks, drink it, enjoy it and save the empties until you have 40 pints worth.

[teambpl]

Thanks v. much for the replies, sounds like I'll just have to be patient,,,,not my strong point when it comes to brew. I think I'll get hold of some pet bottles and use them

cheers, Bri

[neilos]

My Coopers European lager took about 14 days in the FV at about 16 degrees. Then a week in the warm conditioning, then after 4 weeks in the shed I started having the odd bottle. I'd say the difference between 4 weeks and 12 weeks is minimal. All in all an excellent brew, better than most commercial lagers!

[mickhew]

Hello. I'm just drinking one of those kits now. Fermented in 2 weeks to 1010 with the lager yeast supplied, in the garage, at 10 degrees, wrapped in a blanket. I bottled it, and it cleared in 3 days. I put the bottles back in the garage, and tested it just 2 weeks later, and it was ready to drink! Tastes LOVELY, I'm very impressed, has gone to the top of my faves.
Do you know that it's best to BOTTLE lagers? you'll get much more fixx than barrels, which, I feel, is better for lager.

[teambpl]

Once again thanks for your comments, there's no substitute for experience.

Mickhew, do you use pet bottles? Does it make a difference? Sorry if I'm being daft but what is fixx?

Also what fermentables have been used by everyone? I see mentioned above one of you used 500g ldm and 500g sugar, however on the instructions it says to use either 1kg brew enhancer or 500g ldm and 250g sugar.

I used the latter, which produced an og of 1034, it says to avoid using too much simple sugars ie. white sugar but is white sugar the best thing for priming? Or are you better off using some more ldm? I ask the question because I find ldm quite expensive at my lhbs at around 3.60. for 500g.


intriguing business this home brewing

cheers, Bri

[Cheshire-cheese]

...what is fixx?

A typo, should have been fizz

... but is white sugar the best thing for priming?

Yes

[cwrw gwent]

Teambpl wrote "Also what fermentables have been used by everyone? I see mentioned above one of you used 500g ldm and 500g sugar, however on the instructions it says to use either 1kg brew enhancer or 500g ldm and 250g sugar".

'Twas I who used 500 grams light hopped Spraymalt with the same quantity of sugar. I've just looked at the Coopers instructions and you're quite right, tucked away in an obscure corner it mentions the options of a) 1 kilo Brew Enhancer 2 or b) 500/250 Spraymalt/sugar. Having said that it doesn't appear to have done any harm to my beer but I wish Coopers instructions were a little clearer. I have used 500 grams Spraymalt with 300 grams golden syrup before now when making Burton Bridge Summer Ale and that turned out to be extremely good.

I assume Mickhew has typed the wrong letters. Z and X are next door to each other so fixx should be fizz.

So little sugar is used in priming that it is best to use Tate & Lyle. It's also cheaper and easier to handle.

Best wishes and a belated welcome to this forum.

[teambpl]

Ok. thanks to everyone for their responses, I'm quite happy with everything now, I'm going to let this bubble away merrily and get hold of some pet bottles and bottle it as recommended.
I'll post back with the result.

cheers!!

Bri

[mickhew]

Hello. Yes I use 2 ltr tesco sparkling water bottles ,for most of the brew, and some glass bottles, capped. I have Grolsch bottles too, and sometimes use those. Sorry yes was a typo, meant to say fizz. Make sure, that any plastic bottles you use, have previously held sparkling stuff, as they are slightly stronger than ones for still drinks. I buy new ones every brew, they're only 10p each. CANNOT be arsed with washing the sediment out of the old ones.
Cheers

[teambpl]

So, primed and bottled this friday and it looks pretty clear already.

Should the bottles have firmed up to indicate some carbonation going on?

If so mine haven't should I give it a little longer then chuck em in the garage?

Due to my previous bad planning regarding brew continuity I have set off an aussie lager and have a coopers stout going in straight after it then I think I'll do a brew a week and bottle/keg it as necessary before long I should have my own little beer cellar to go at

Happy brewing!

[teambpl]

Ok. this brew has taken a turn for the worse.

After my last post I decided to crack a bottle and have a little taste as, like mentioned it was quite clear but my fears were confirmed regarding carbonation... it has none and it also had a very strange sickly sweet taste, I literally couldn't drink it and if you knew me you'd know that's not a good sign.

The bottles had been put in the original fermenting area at around 15 degrees for the second ferment but I have now put them somewhere warmer thinking fermentation isn't complete and gave them a shake and they are still cloudy now 3 days later.

Any ideas anyone? the brew finished at 1009 which I thought was about right and although I am new to this I don't think I've done much different to my first three brews which all turned out great, the main difference being this kit using a lager yeast.

My plan now unless anyone has a better idea is to leave it in the warm a little longer so they have had about a week at 20 ish degrees and then put them to condition.

cheers, Bri