Coopers Australian Lager Review

[timcunnell]

mine is only really coming good now, and t is pretty drinkable :drink:

Ah that's good to hear, cheers Mike. How long has yours been conditioning for?

 

[wheazy_joe]

Hi Tim, sorry to hear your beer isn't great yet. Most kits do take a while to improve.

I bottled my Australian Lager on saturday and the sample was quite nice. I used 1kg of brew enhancer (can't remember if it was BE1 or BE2), plus about 200g of normal sugar. I also added a hop tea and dry hopped. Well worth doing this with Coopers kits.

The only direct comparison I have between Brew Enhancer and normal sugar is with the Coopers European Lager. First time I did with BE and it is fantastic. Second time I started the brew then realised I had no BE so just used sugar. I have to say difference is marked. The one with basic sugar has a really off smell and doesn't taste anywhere near as nice.

Everything else was consistent, such as brew temp, priming etc.

Lesson for me is to use the best ingredients you can, better that than produce a really cheap beer that ain't much fun to drink.

 

[timcunnell]

Lesson for me is to use the best ingredients you can, better that than produce a really cheap beer that ain't much fun to drink.

Amen to that! Couldn't agree more. Personally I didn't get into home brewing for the fact the beer works out cheaper (though it is a bonus!). I just love the challenge of making beer from scratch, and trying to make it as good as possible. And sharing with friends and getting positive responses. That's what its all about!

I know what you mean about the smell with the kit and basic sugar. I am certain mine isn't "off". There isn't anything wrong with it as far as I can tell. But it doesn't have a great aroma, and that translates in the taste. Initially when you first take a sip it gives the impression that its gonna be great. Its not unlike Foster's at first. But there is just an unpleasant aftertaste that I just can't put my finger on. Its almost sulphuric. But like I say - definitely not like its gone bad. Just hasn't gone good yet!

I must learn some patience!!

 

[wheazy_joe]

Yeah maybe off isn't the best description, it is almost overly malty which is strange. The taste is OK, just not as good as the first batch I did, of which I still have a few left over.

I have bought my first extract kit and defo see this as the way forward, hopefully I will see a big improvement from kits.

 

[timcunnell]

I have bought my first extract kit and defo see this as the way forward, hopefully I will see a big improvement from kits.

Yeah the extract kits give better results for sure!

I've moved on to AG brews mostly now because I just want to produce the best quality that I can. It is fast becoming less and less cheap! But as I said before, its more about the beer really!

 

[Sandimas]

I just wanted to drop in on this thread and say that I have brewed the Australian Cooper's Lager kit, and after 3 weeks bottle conditioning the flavour is still not good!

Lager kits can take anything up to 12 weeks to come good. Hide it away and try it again at Christmas :-) I find the kits too malty on their own and always add additional hops (dry hop), Saaz or Hallertau have both worked well for me in Coopers lagers (Australian and European).

 

[mike-os]

Ah that's good to hear, cheers Mike. How long has yours been conditioning for?

brewed 17/7, bottled 9/8 had a good amount off fruity, sweet flavours until a couple of days ago

 

[timcunnell]

I just wanted to say that after worrying that my Aussie lager hadn't gone too well (but also having probs pouring one because the bottles were at room temp and too frothy) I decided to put a few in the fridge to chill.

I opened one last night and man it was good!! It had great carbonation and a really clean crisp taste. It actually tasted like Foster's - only it was better!

Looks like I really needn't have worried after all. I guess patience is key!

 

[pms67]

Good stuff,enjoy

 

[wheazy_joe]

Cracked open a first bottle of this tonight. Very very happy with it, clean tasting lager just what unwashed looking for. These 40 bottles won't last long!

 

[wheazy_joe]

Haha unwashed! Was suppose to be " I was". Bloody auto correct!

 

[Robsparky99]

My version of this Lager:

Batch size: 23ltrs

1 can Coopers Lager (Australian)
1kg Youngs brew enhancer
100g honey
Tesco Ashbeck water
Mangrove Jack M54 Californian lager yeast

OG= 1036
Pitching temp = 23 C
FG= 1006 (So roughly 4.57% ABV)

15 days fermenting in 1st FV at 18C. Transferred to 2nd FV for 3 days and then turned temp down to 10C, 2 days later to 6C, then to 5, then 4C.

Lagered for 13 days and bottled. 2 carb drops per 500ml bottle. Temp at about 16C. Ended up with approx. 19.5 ltrs after transferring from 1st to 2nd FV and after bottling to leave trub etc. behind.

LOOK/TASTE: Darker amber lager with pretty much no head at all. Plenty of fizz and a standard lager taste that was a little dry, but crisp and slightly sweet. Although not very refreshing and still full of yeast.

Not a kit that I would bother with again.

 

[pms67]

My version of this Lager:

Batch size: 23ltrs

1 can Coopers Lager (Australian)
1kg Youngs brew enhancer
100g honey
Tesco Ashbeck water
Mangrove Jack M54 Californian lager yeast

OG= 1036
Pitching temp = 23 C
FG= 1006 (So roughly 4.57% ABV)

15 days fermenting in 1st FV at 18C. Transferred to 2nd FV for 3 days and then turned temp down to 10C, 2 days later to 6C, then to 5, then 4C.

Lagered for 13 days and bottled. 2 carb drops per 500ml bottle. Temp at about 16C. Ended up with approx. 19.5 ltrs after transferring from 1st to 2nd FV and after bottling to leave trub etc. behind.

LOOK/TASTE: Darker amber lager with pretty much no head at all. Plenty of fizz and a standard lager taste that was a little dry, but crisp and slightly sweet. Although not very refreshing and still full of yeast.

Not a kit that I would bother with again.

Seriously mate,get a premium kit,either Festival,Youngs American IPA or even a Beerworks kit.
Difference is night and day 👍

 

[scoot]

Done this kit 3 or 4 times now. Always happy with the result. Going to do it again but may hop it a bit for something a bit different

 

[terrym]

Not a kit that I would bother with again.

How does it stack up against the Euro Lager which you are drinking now?

 

[Sandimas]

How does it stack up against the Euro Lager /QUOTE]

I've done both the Australian and European, the latter cool feremented at 13C. Both were dry hopped with Saaz and Hallertau. I actually preferred the Australian, but that may be because I'm usually an ale drinker. I've done the European several winters in a row to brew in the cold, it's OK but nothing special.

 

[Sandimas]

How does it stack up against the Euro Lager

I've done both the Australian and European, the latter cool feremented at 13C. Both were dry hopped with Saaz and Hallertau. I actually preferred the Australian, but that may be because I'm usually an ale drinker. I've done the European several winters in a row to brew in the cold, it's OK but nothing special.

 

[Robsparky99]

How does it stack up against the Euro Lager which you are drinking now?

Personally I prefer the European Lager so far. I've got 3 bottle left of both which I'm leaving to mature and will taste again.

It's a mixed bag at work, about half like the Euro and half like the Australian. We'll see how the Newkie brown goes down in about a month and getting a cider ready....