Coopers European Lager Review

[Megz]

Good evening all,

First post on these forums (although have been browsing for a few months) so please go easy!!

Used to brew with the old man when I was in my teens (always all grain, start the hard way!) and decided to get back into it after tidying my shed out. Did a couple of all grain brews which went reasonably ok considering my last brew was over a decade ago but started reading about kits and saw Tesco has some of these Coopers kits on offer so decided to give it a go.

I purchased the European Lager with Beer Enhancer 2 and also the Canadian Blonde with BE1. Anyway enough of all that this is my feedback on the Euro Lager...

Brew
28/10/14
1 x Coopers Euro Lager Kit
1 x Coopers Beer Enhancer 2
250g x Generic Brewing Sugar
21 Liters - Batch Volume

All mixed together fine and aerated with power drill and paddle arrangement.

Gravity reading - 1050

Sprinkled the yeast in at circa 25c, lid on and left it in the front room (between 18-21c) for two days. I then moved it into the shed with an ambient temperature circa 14c. After 3 days the weather changed for the cooler so I had to juggle the heating mat on and off with lagging around the F/V to keep it above 13c.

After 7 days I transferred to a glass demi john. Gravity reading was 1025. Activity through the airlock over the next few days was great despite the very variable temperatures.

Quick pic of the test sample taken on 11/11/14, surprisingly clear and bright! Taste and smell is raw with potential. Characteristic mild sulphur smell with malt taste.

Tested again 5 days later and gravity had dropped to 1011. Patience gave out at this point and I stuck the heating mat on and let the temperature get up to 19/20c. Result was regular airlock activity and noticeable bubbles.

Decided to bottle it today (19/11/14). Managed to smash my hydrometer whilst throwing a spider out of my bottling bucket!!! I would guess that the gravity would be circa 1008 which would give an ABV of 5.5% :-? even at the previous reading of 1011 it still works out at 5.1%.

Picture of it in a bottle!

Batch primed with 150g of bog standard granulated sugar.

Managed to get 39 bottles of varying capacities. Mainly 500ml ale bottles but some 660ml lager and 330ml lager ones too. They're all currently lagged and sitting on a heating mat in the shed where they shall stay for a couple of weeks before going on the floor under the table! By that time ambient temperatures should be less than 10c.

I have to say its quite promising as a refreshing and crisp lager. I doubt it will have any complexity to it and at the alcohol level it isn't going to make it a session drink but should be pleasant come February/March !

Hopefully the above is helpful and I will update once I've had a test!

Thanks

Guy

 

[Yeastmaster]

What a fantastic post - want to try this while it's still nice n cold for the lager yeast.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

@ megz
Nice looking pint. How long in total did you ferment for?
Bizarrely never thought of upping the sugars on this one personally I tend to lower the water, may give that a go on the next one....for the interest of science...

 

[chrispurvis]

@ megz
Nice looking pint. How long in total did you ferment for?
Bizarrely never thought of upping the sugars on this one personally I tend to lower the water, may give that a go on the next one....for the interest of science...

2nd that looks like a good beer. really clear.
i too would be intrested in how long it took to ferment.
Did you also transfer into a bottling bucket using a sediment trap?

Cheers
Chris

 

[Megz]

Thanks folks.

Time from putting the brew on to bottling was 22 days. I gave it 8 days in the primary fermentation bucket and then racked it into a glass demi john to complete (so 14 further days).

I didn't use any filters or traps. Just racked from the glass demi john into a sterilised bucked onto the priming sugar and then used syphon tube with bottle wand/stick to bottle.

Despite it being so clear in the picture of the bottle above its laid down a nice layer of sediment in the bottle now (after 27 days in the bottle). I'll try and post a picture up later. Its just sat in the shed at ambient temperature. Once I have my current brew done and out of the fermentation fridge I am going to stick the Euro Lager in it and set the temperature to 3c to give it a nice stable lager period. I may have to test a bottle to see how its progressing....in the interests of science of course!:whistle:

 

[Megz]

I stuck one in the fridge earlier after posting my previous post and have just cracked it open.

Initial thoughts:

- Bottle Opening - Nice pop and fizz when the cap came off hinting at good carbonation. Once poured it had a pleasing head and bubbles ascending through the beer.

- Appearance (see pic attached) is very appetizing. It has a nice head, a few bubbles running to the surface (non head keeping glass), is a lovely golden colour and is as clear as anything I have seen. The picture doesn't give the clarity and colour justice.

- Nose hasn't changed too much since bottling if I remember correctly. I'm rather full of a cold so I can't sniff out anything too delicate but the sulfur smell has almost gone. Just enough there that you know its not a commercial pasteurized lager.

- Taste....well... there isn't too much taste to be honest. Its totally inoffensive. It has a mellow hop taste which feels like it passes over the tongue and top of the mouth followed by a slightly bitter finish down the throat. That probably sounds really poncy sorry!! I have a rather blunt palate so describing mellow tastes is difficult for me! It is certainly way more pleasant that drinking the usual suspects on tap in the pub. In fact after a couple more mouthfuls I would say its wonderfully balanced.

- Carbonation is perfect. The head hasn't held (probably my glass, the dishwasher is on its last legs) but it has a pleasant fizz in the mouth which tells you its natural, not force carbed. It doesn't distract from the drink.

Overall
Coopers instructions say to leave this 12 weeks before drinking and this "sample" is only 4 weeks in the bottle so it may well develop further although I'm not convinced (although I am happy to let it surprise me!)

I am stunned as to how clear it is. There are also no raw flavours and the carbonation is good. It will take some will power not to put another couple in the fridge to "verify" my "findings"!

As it stands this is very much something I would enjoy drinking a few of in a session which, to be honest, I am happy with. It's never going to win any awards or make you go "wow" but will happily provide the bulk of drinking during a session.

I will certainly get another of these on the go although I won't be adding any additional sugar. My calculations put my effort at 5.5% and I don't think it needs to be so strong.

Hopefully the above helps :-) Sorry for the essay!!!

Thanks

Guy

Wow just tried another in a head keep glass!!!! It went crazy!!

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

Thanks for the update.
I have made this loads of times, currently have
1 kit @ 12 weeks made with BE2 made to 18 liter. ready for xmas
1 kit @ 5 weeks made with dark malt extract.

I must admit though I have found that 12 weeks is about right for this kit when brewing at 16-20c mark. Gives it time for the sulphorish aroma to mellow.

will be doing another 3 in January I'll try one your way
Thanks for the info
cheers
ps merry christmas :drunk:

 

[BruinTuns]

I have one of these kits which I aim to start soon and my only concern is temperature. My flat is a fairly steady 19-20 degrees, perfect for ales but obviously too warm for lager. My options seem to be:
1) Brew at that temp and hope that, like several other posters, it turns out fine despite the relative warmth.
2) Cover the fv with a tied bin bag and ferment it in the back yard, hoping that it survives the temperature fluctuations (I'm in the city so these aren't as extreme as the countryside).
3) Put the fv in the enclosed porch which is cooler than the flat but still too warm for lager and the temp is bound to fluctuate a bit, although not as much as outside.

Grateful for any advice chaps.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

Although I have found that below 18 is better, well as close to 15. I have made it at 20ish. It was not as good BUT it was still much better than most so called lager beer kits. I find they are more like a golden ales.

I would not put it outside, the porch sounds ok, obviously move it for xmas ;-). If thats not an option I'd still make it even if its a little too warm.

good luck

 

[BruinTuns]

Thanks Bjorn, porch it is.
Why move it for Xmas though? You mean in case the temperature drops?

 

[BruinTuns]

Another question: several posters mention a distinct lack of 'hopiness'; what are everyone's thoughts on brewing two cans together to maybe 30 litres?
Extra taste and a bit of extra abv or a ruined brew and an expensive mistake?
Opinions lads?

 

[Sandimas]

You're never going to get hoppiness out of canned kits alone, for hoppiness you need hops.

Make this kit up as normal, with Enhancer if poss, but make the wort up with a hop tea of 30g Hallertau or Saaz, and if you want a bit more dry hop after the initial ferment with another 15g or so. I did this and it came out lovely.

 

[BruinTuns]

Thanks darrellm.
So by "as normal" you mean I shouldn't brew short? Do you think it would be work to give extra taste, or unnecessary? And could I add a bit more dextrose in addition to a kilo of BKE for a slightly higher abv?
I'm afraid I've developed a taste for strong Polish lagers..

 

[BruinTuns]

Bump.
Anyone got any more advice on upping the abv? I want to start mine soon and would ideally like to boost it to around 6% if that's possible without ruining it.

 

[baggybill]

Could maybe add another fermentable such as Golden Syrup? Wee bit of flavour boost to go with the extra sugar it has?

Seen this the other day on a recipe for making a San Miguel clone:

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1598

So many great recipes, so little time... :drink:

 

[BruinTuns]

Cheers for the link bb.
Golden syrup seems to be another addition that divides opinion. I know a lot of brewers like it but I've also read a few posts which suggest caution with it to avoid 'off'' flavours
If no-one posts a tried and tested recipe I'll probably add a kilo of Coopers BKE1, 500g light DME and some dextrose.
Also got some Saaz hops. If anyone knows how to get the best result from them I'd be grateful.

 

[Sandimas]

You will get some flavour influence from golden syrup, I use it in the strong Belgian beer kits such as the Brewferm ones but don't think I'd use it in a lager.

If you want a bit more alchohol I'd brew it short, 18L or so, rather than add sugar, which will up the ABV but won't do anything for the taste.

 

[BruinTuns]

Thanks darrellm I'll try that.

 

[Sandimas]

I just found one of these at the back of my brew cupboard :p ...and the house temps have dropped with this cold snap, so I've just put it on. Done it before, but I think this method will result in a superior brew.

- Made up a hop tea with 25g Saaz into 4L of water in a pan at 80C
- At same time, started re-hydrating the yeast in a cup of warm water at 21C
- After 30 mins, decanted the hop tea into the FV via a strainer, and dissolved 1kg beer enhancer into it.
- Added 2 tsp Yeast Nutrient to give it a good start
- Added the Coopers European kit
- Topped it up to 20L at 21C, OG 1042, then pitched the yeast
- Now sat by the wood burner waiting to start, within the next 24hrs I'll move it to the cold room at 12C for a long slow ferment. :thumb:

 

[Jcdonnan]

Think I may have messed mine up, og was 1044, left in fv for 2 weeks, last 3 days it's been at 1009 so I thought it was time to bottle. On bottling when adding the carbonation drops it frothed up a lot with loads coming from top of bottles. Kitchen is a mess.
This is my 2nd kit, first was the normal coopers lager and it didn't do this!

This 1 also looks nowhere near as clear as the first.

Have I bottled too soon? Bottle bombs?