Lager kit, ale yeast

[JayBee]

I quite like the idea of knocking up the above for light summer drinking. I`m not dead keen on lagers but as I can get most of the ingredients without mail order and want something that I won`t need to condition for too long I was thinking of something along the lines of;
Can of Coopers Aussie lager, cos I can get it from Wilko`s for £9.99, kilo of light DME, maybe 200 grams of wheat DME if it aids head retention, short boil of saaz hops and chuck it all in the fv with a pack of US-05 yeast. I might dry hop with something non lagerish like goldings for aroma.
Anyone used the US-05 yeast before? I`ve not tried it yet and want to give it a go but I`ve always got some S-04 which I`m sure would work. Any thoughts? Anything else that might make a low hopped kit tasty.

[jonnyhop]

IMHO the best thing about coopers is the yeast. It sticks like glue to the bottom of the bottle. what you have planned will make nice beer though, lagering is about fermenting at a low tempreture and using lager yeast. Using SO4 (which is pretty much flavourless, again IMHO, and will therefore allow the natural flavour of everything else to come through. kind of like toping up whisky with water. I ramble. godd luck with the coopers

[Mike the pint supper]

I'll second that about the coopers yeast, top quality! Just given me an idea!

Oh and don't worry about calling it a larger it will be a steam beer!

[Manx Guy]

Hi,

What you suggest sounds like it will make a decent summer drink!

I've made this kit and although my first attempt tasted slightly sweet/cidery (apparently because I brewed it at 25C)...
It is very drinkable and getting better after 6 weeks in the bottle (moved to a cool place after 2nd fermentation in bottle)

I have also made an adapted recipe from a can of Coopers Draught... There are plenty of suggestions on this site also:
http://www.geocities.com/lesjudith/Cust ... opers.html

The only thing I would say if using the Coopers yeast is keep the temp at 18-20C for a clean crisp tasting drink.. It will then ready to drink 2-3 weeks after bottling...
If you use small (500ml bottles or smaller) I find it clears in 2-3 days!

I would also suggest maybe trying Coopers Pale Ale as a great summer/BBQ drink!
Be interested to hear how it turns out!


Slainte!

[chopperswookie]

I have also made an adapted recipe from a can of Coopers Draught... There are plenty of suggestions on this site also:
http://www.geocities.com/lesjudith/Cust ... opers.html

what a great piece of information. brilliant keep em coming!

[JayBee]

Hmm, I`ve got a couple of spare Coopers kit yeasts as I normally buy something else to use, usually as I worry that the supplied yeast is too little rather than inferior. I`m sure I read somewhere that the Coopers yeast supplied with the international standard kits is better quality than the one that comes with the bog standard ones.
I was keen to try the us-05 yeast though but I don`t know anyone thats used it. I think I`ll get all the bits in and put it together the day before we go away in a couple of weeks, away for 10 days so no chance of tinkering during primary which can only be a good thing. Just need to decide on the yeast.
Very good links BTW, thanks.

[Manx Guy]

Hi Jaybee!

How did the Coopers Lager turn out?

How did you go about it in the end?

Slainte!

[JayBee]

Hi Jaybee!

How did the Coopers Lager turn out?

How did you go about it in the end?

Slainte!

Turned out bloody marvellous in the end but totally different to what I`d planned. In fact I ended up buying a Geordie lager cos it was only £7.99. Its so lightly hopped I`ve decided you can use it as a base for just about any style you like.
I added a kilo of light spraymalt, 400 grams of lite candi sugar, boiled 20grams of saaz pellets for 25 mins and a T-Bag of tettnang for 15 minutes and pitched a pack of T-58 yeast and voila, 21 litres of Leffe lite !
I did a 2 can of the same kit with a bit of variety, only 2 can I`ve done and with the roasted barley I seem to have got something akin to a Leffe Brune, not what I was looking for but the best kit based beer I`ve ever done and one I`ll do again with a liquid yeast.
Really got a taste for these Belgians now.

[scottmoss]

Hi Jaybee!

How did the Coopers Lager turn out?

How did you go about it in the end?

Slainte!

Turned out bloody marvellous in the end but totally different to what I`d planned. In fact I ended up buying a Geordie lager cos it was only £7.99. Its so lightly hopped I`ve decided you can use it as a base for just about any style you like.
I added a kilo of light spraymalt, 400 grams of lite candi sugar, boiled 20grams of saaz pellets for 25 mins and a T-Bag of tettnang for 15 minutes and pitched a pack of T-58 yeast and voila, 21 litres of Leffe lite !
I did a 2 can of the same kit with a bit of variety, only 2 can I`ve done and with the roasted barley I seem to have got something akin to a Leffe Brune, not what I was looking for but the best kit based beer I`ve ever done and one I`ll do again with a liquid yeast.
Really got a taste for these Belgians now.

Jaybee,

What do you think of the Brewferm Tarweiber? I've got the kit but not started it yet.

Cheers

[JayBee]

Like all of the Brewferm kits its a good drop. Unlike most of their kits it can be drunk pretty young. Its a bit more of a summer refresher for me but a bit stronger at around 5% abv

[scottmoss]

Thanks, I can't wait to start mine (just waiting for a few iBrew bottles to become spare) I thought I had to leave this one for 7 weeks? Do you think 2 weeks will be enough then?

Thanks again.

[JayBee]

Thanks, I can't wait to start mine (just waiting for a few iBrew bottles to become spare) I thought I had to leave this one for 7 weeks? Do you think 2 weeks will be enough then?

Thanks again.

I`m sure I started on mine after a couple of weeks and it was fine but was rally good after four weeks or so. Other Brewferm kits don`t get really good until four months IMHO. I had a bottle of Diabolo last week thats now 13 months old and its bloody gorgeous, only one bottle left now.