Coopers European Lager Review

[mattrickl06]

Its going well kc using a lager yeast at cooler temps, and im sure it will get down in time, maybe another week even. It will be well worth it mate, a cracking pint. Coopers say in the instructions it takes 12 week before ready. Not one of mine seen the twelve week mark

If you can though its well worth leaving for the full 12 weeks. Although i would say after around 8 weeks it is bloody good!!

 

[Kinleycat]

Its going well kc using a lager yeast at cooler temps, and im sure it will get down in time, maybe another week even. It will be well worth it mate, a cracking pint. Coopers say in the instructions it takes 12 week before ready. Not one of mine seen the twelve week mark

If you can though its well worth leaving for the full 12 weeks. Although i would say after around 8 weeks it is bloody good!!

This is my plan.
I have built up enough of a stash to certainly give it a good go.
I've also got two more kits which i plan to use once FVs become free.
Another busy few brew days coming up this week.
25 litres of WOW, 25 litres of TC, 23 litres of dry hopped Coopers Aussie Pale Ale and 23 more litres of Coopers European Lager. :
SSSHHHH!!! Don't tell the wife!!! :nono: :nono: :whistle: :whistle: :drunk:

 

[ianh82]

mine finished at around 4.8%. tasted lovely when bottling and its now in the bottle in the shed conditioning for 12-13 wks. been 2 so far. :

 

[Kinleycat]

Down to 1008.
I'll check it tomoz and assuming it hasn't budged I'll wang it into a Cornie for some long term conditioning.
Oh and put another one on!!!

 

[Sandimas]

Down to 1008.

How long in the FV?

Mine's been going 2 weeks and there's still some activity. I'm guessing that it'll take longer than ale yeast as it's fermenting at a lower temp? I know the only real answer is to drop a hydrometer in, but I don't like doing that until I know it's done or almost done (paranoia about infections!) :shock:

 

[Kinleycat]

Down to 1008.

How long in the FV?

Mine's been going 2 weeks and there's still some activity. I'm guessing that it'll take longer than ale yeast as it's fermenting at a lower temp? I know the only real answer is to drop a hydrometer in, but I don't like doing that until I know it's done or almost done (paranoia about infections!) :shock:

16 days. It's the first one I've done using the lager yeast and I have to say I'm very impressed.
Bought three when they were cheap on Tesco online.
Going to put another one and a Aussie pale ale at the weekend.

 

[Sandimas]

16 days. It's the first one I've done using the lager yeast and I have to say I'm very impressed.

Thanks. :thumb:

Same here, it's my 32nd brew but my first one with lager yeast. 15 days in the FV today so I'll drop a hydrometer in tomorrow when I've got a bit more time.

I'm also gonna do another lager next - a clone of Sam Adams Boston Lager. Will be the most expensive brew to date as it's my first Extract from scratch rather than BrewUK kit, but I'll have some ingredients left over for the next one.

 

[Kinleycat]

Still at 1008 so into the Cornie.
And another batch straight in the sanitizer and cleaned FV.

 

[bottler]

Still at 1008 so into the Cornie.
And another batch straight in the sanitizer and cleaned FV.

I bet it dosnt last the 12 weeks before drinking

 

[Kinleycat]

Still at 1008 so into the Cornie.
And another batch straight in the sanitizer and cleaned FV.

I bet it dosnt last the 12 weeks before drinking

I've got half a cornie of Coopers Lager and one of Coopers Cerveza, plus a few bottles so (touch wood) it won't be far off.
But I definitely get the nub of your jist!! :whistle:

 

[bottler]

Im watching tescos direct every night lately, just to get a bargain buy on the european again. I got it for £9.77 last time. I have a few brews to put on meanwhile, but will do the european again... great pint , enjoy :

 

[paultr]

I have done 3 of these kits - the first one I followed the destructions on the can more or less - 500g LME & 500 g of glucose - it finished at 1010.
The second one I used ScottM's ingedients 500g LME & 1kg glucose and it finished at 1003.
The third one I again used Scott's recipe but this time boiled it and did the 3 hop additions - it finished at 1004
All fermented at around 16°
So it seems that the more sugar added the better the attenuation.

 

[Sandimas]

This is a very pleasant surprise: have nightmares about the Boots homebrew lager kits from the early 80s, so was a bit apprehensive about brewing a lager for the first time. I brewed this short to 20L with Enhancer, also added a BrewUK "flavapack" hop tea. Was fortunate to do it in that really cold snap, so kichen was a chilly 13C throughout, just right for the lager yeast, and it was in the FV 20 days so cleaned up nicely before I bottled it all.

5 weeks in I couldn't resist trying one (yes, I know I should leave it 12 weeks, but...). It's really, really nice. To put this review into perspective, I mainly do Extract brewing these days and am pretty fussy about beers, so for me to give this kit a good review is praise indeed. My only criticism is the lack of gas/head, never had this before and cabonated the same as I usually do - wonder if it's because I left it in the FV so long and most of the yeast had dropped out? A minor issue though, this is one very nice lager that I'll be enjoying during the summer evenings.

 

[ScottM]

5 weeks in I couldn't resist trying one (yes, I know I should leave it 12 weeks, but...). It's really, really nice. To put this review into perspective, I mainly do Extract brewing these days and am pretty fussy about beers, so for me to give this kit a good review is praise indeed. My only criticism is the lack of gas/head, never had this before and cabonated the same as I usually do - wonder if it's because I left it in the FV so long and most of the yeast had dropped out? A minor issue though, this is one very nice lager that I'll be enjoying during the summer evenings.

How much did you prime with? I actually over primed mine due to the healthy body that was in this brew.

Do you normally brew lagers? They always require more priming than most other styles due to it having less body/adjuncts. The temperature can also have an impact, generally 2 weeks at room temp is required to allow the yeast time to do their thing. There is no limit on this time so if you think the beer is very clear and a lot of the yeast have dropped out then simply give it another 2 weeks before transferring to the cold.

Sounds like it's turned out well regardless :)

 

[Kinleycat]

Had a chilled 330ml bottle of the middle batch last night and its absolutely mint!!
3g of priming sugar as opposed to the 6g that went into the pint bottles.
As good if not better than any bottled lager ive got down the pub.
Built up a good stash of this: 2 cornies a dozen 330ml bottles and 30 pint bottles.
Come winter i will be brewing lots more of these, far and away the best lager style kit ive made this far and certain to be the "house lager" although i have been recommended the edme and black rock lagers to try and i will also have a play with the bull dog brews kits.

 

[Sone]

Bottled this on 21st April so a long way to go before I can sample one but I can't wait I'm hoping I didn't under prime too much as I batch primed at 132g for 21 litres. Still trying to find what's best for me, bottled one in a plastic bottle and it seems to be firming up slightly.

I'm struggling to find a constant cool temperature to condition my bottles though, garage is about 10 degrees in the morning but has shot up to 17-18 during the day, will this be a bad thing once I move these?

 

[Sandimas]

How much did you prime with? I actually over primed mine due to the healthy body that was in this brew.

Do you normally brew lagers? They always require more priming than most other styles due to it having less body/adjuncts.

No, I usually do bitters/stouts, this is my first real lager. Thanks for the advice, sounds like I under-primed: used 1/2 tsp plus a bit per bottle. My Sam Adams clone has just finished, so I'll give that more priming sugar and see how it turns out. The Coopers has turned out well as you say, just not that fizzy - lesson learned

 

[Brycey]

I brewed this a couple of months ago.It's been bottled for 8 weeks and i had a couple of them last night.

Great head'nicely carbinated,clean and crisp taste.Overall pretty impressed with this kit,i have another to put on once my e tract has finished this time i think i will do a short boil with some sazz and then dry hop with sazz aswell

B

 

[SloeBrewer]

Bought this Kit yesterday as I have a lot of family & friends who only drink lager. I don't drink much lager, but if I do, prefer the Czech styles, like Budvar or Pilsner Urquell. So, I was wondering what additions I could do to this kit to make it more Czech-like. Maybe a hop tea of Saaz at the start? What about dry hopping?

As I will be fermenting this out at 13C in my fermenting fridge, I thought I may as well lager it properly too. Is 13C a good lagering temp, or should I get it down much lower? I've had the fridge down to 3C, might even go lower, but haven't tried it yet.

 

[ScottM]

Lager at -1 if you can. 3 weeks would do it.