Coopers European Lager Review

[Richy25]

ok so ive knocked up may cooper euro lager this morning and forgot about my Saaz hops.

@terrym I found a post from you saying 200ml hot water to 20g hops, can i just make in a cafetiere and do I add that now at the beginning, ive just added yeast

Many thanks.

 

[Richy25]

oh I see, you add hop tea just prior to botlting. I can relax :)

 

[terrym]

oh I see, you add hop tea just prior to botlting. I can relax :)

What I've done in the past is to make up the hop tea then chuck the lot in (i.e. solids and liquid) after it's been steeping for 30 mins or so, about 4/5 days before bottling. You will then have to make provision for filtering out the hop bits at bottling time. I siphon and use a old Festival kit nylon mesh sock over the end of the siphon tube trap which works well for me.

 

[Richy25]

cool thanks mate, i have the same festival kit mesh bag, so will be chucking the lot in, many thanks for helping.

Im excited to see how eggy the eggy smell is haha,.

 

[Richy25]

Ok guys so my coopers euro has had about 10 days ferment at 14 degrees C and SG is at 1.013.
So looks like not far to go.
Should I add my 20g Saaz hop tea now? I experienced no eggy smells or any smells for that matter

about to purchase a bottle tree and some chemsan to make my life easier.

 

[terrym]

Ok guys so my coopers euro has had about 10 days ferment at 14 degrees C and SG is at 1.013.
So looks like not far to go.
Should I add my 20g Saaz hop tea now? I experienced no eggy smells or any smells for that matter

about to purchase a bottle tree and some chemsan to make my life easier.

Since you have fermented at low temperature your beer may take a little longer to ferment out. At 1.013 you may still have some way to go, my Euro lagers and the similar pilsner all finished in the range 1.007 to 1.009, and the last few points always take the longest it seems. My suggestion is to be patient and wait another 2/3 days and then raise the temperature to about 19/20*C to finish off the primary and also carry out the diacetyl rest. And when the SG has finally bottomed out and is stable add the hop tea and then bottle. Be aware that this kit is best after 3 months or longer conditioning as recommended in the instructions, so a day or two longer at this stage is really nothing in comparison.

 

[Richy25]

Hi Terrym, great advice as usual, yeah I’m in no rush and was hoping to condition for the full 12 weeks once bottled.

so basically it doesn’t need to still be fermenting when I add the hop tea. It can be finished and just sit with the tea in for 4 or 5 days Pre bottling. ?

 

[terrym]

In general terms it's better that you add the hops when the fermentation is finished. If you are only adding the liquid from the tea then there is no reason why you can't add it and then immediately bottle after allowing a short time for the tea to merge into the beer (perhaps better than stirring it in ?). But if you are going to add both the tea and the hop bits as I often do, then I suggest you do that say four days before you intend to bottle. In the latter case you will have to filter out the hops; I use a small mesh sock from a long gone Festival kit over my siphon tube trap. Finally, and whichever option you choose, having heated things up for the diacetyl rest, you might consider a two day crash cool before you bottle to help finish dropping the yeast.
PS Just seen you are using a tea bag. Clearly you can ignore the above about filtering out hop bits

 

[Richy25]

Perfect thanks terrym, your advice is fast tracking me to a decent beer stash!!!!!! I shall do as you say. I’m gonna give it a couple more days cold then put back in fish tank heater tub set up to get up to 19.

 

[Richy25]

Ok so there’s not a great deal of
Change on the SG reading a few days later. The Primary fermenter is back in the heated trug at 19 degrees. Time for another bottle of mj’s grapefruit ipa!!!!! I’m savouring every drop. Its funny I’ll
Never look at a carbonated bottle the same again once you’ve been Through the process. Bottle tree and chemsan arrived. Ouch more expensive than the kit together

 

[Richy25]

temps are up to 19 degress C now for a few day and it seems stuck at 0.012?

Should I be more patient or maybe give it a stir? tomorrow will be 3 weeks since starting but i done it 13-14 degrees. i used brew enhancer 3 with the tin.

Cheers Richy.

 

[nige]

18 is nice, I leave it 3 days and take a reading. if same a slow stir, not to the bottom may help the give it rest of week, take a reading n see.

 

[terrym]

Coopers Brew Enhancer #3 contains maltodextrin which is unfermentable so will increase the SG. If its been at 1.012 at 19*C for few days I would assume it's done and won't go any further*, so crash cool it for 2 days to finish dropping the yeast as you wish and then go ahead and bottle.
* On the slight offchance it might go a little further in the bottles - priming aside - use at least one PET bottle so you can monitor the bottle pressure by feel.

 

[Richy25]

Thanks guys pretty sure it’s done but I’ll give an extra few days thanks for the help all.

 

[Richy25]

Hi terrym,

The cooper look nice and clear now and deffo finished, so was going to apply my hop tea, @terrym ,Im going to chuck it all in as you say/do, I'm wondering is there any need to stir in or is it the same as dry hopping just let it seep through the beer? Appreciate the guidance ma man.