Thomas coopers pilsener

[Footah212]

Brewed this up on Saturday with a og of 1040. Checked sg tonight and it's down to 1012 but there are loads of solids floating about.

What the heck is that?

It's hovering around 18 deg C which is where the kit says it should be.

 

[GavH]

Solids? No idea. Are they white by any chance and cascading near the bottom? Remember this is a true Lager yeast which I've noticed in the past does behave differently to ale strains.

 

[winelight]

If the kit instructions say 18C is it a lager yeast? They normally require 12C or lower.

 

[GavH]

Do they say 18c? I thought they said down as low as 13c? I'm having problems finding the page on the revamped Coopers site that lists the type of yeasts each of their kits come with but the Coopers Pilsner (along with the Euro Lager) is definately a true lager yeast.

 

[winelight]

I was only going by this... I haven't done their pilsener myself.

It's hovering around 18 deg C which is where the kit says it should be.

 

[Footah212]

The kit says to brew at lower end of their normal scale soon higher than 21 deg, but states it will brew slower at lower temps. I believe it is lager yeast . Really need a brew fridge but finances won't allow that at present. I could stick it in the garage but suspect this would be around 7 deg at the moment . Lager / pils should be around 12 you say?

I suspect the solids are just sediment I have disturbed when lifted fv in and out of the sink I've got it sitting in( feeble attempt to keep it cool by filling sink with old water)

 

[GavH]

I brewed mine around 14/15C and it came out fine. The sediment you're referring to is probably evidence of a bottom fermenting lager yeast and perfectly normal. Have you noticed a smell like rotten eggs coming from it?

 

[Footah212]

I brewed mine around 14/15C and it came out fine. The sediment you're referring to is probably evidence of a bottom fermenting lager yeast and perfectly normal. Have you noticed a smell like rotten eggs coming from it?

Yes definate whiff of eggs, which is a good sign. I've now put it in spare room with window open so hopefully that'll take temp down nearer 12 deg ish. Gonna pick up a fridge off gumtree and temp controller and try do this right next time.

How long (roughly) to brew a lager/pilsener at 12 deg? I've read somewhere , possibly above,that it should be even colder ? Does it take months at that temp? No sure I have the patience for that tbh.

 

[GavH]

Both times I've reached FG after about a fortnight, although the recent Pilsner I left in the FV for 4 weeks to include dry hopping and in the hope I'd have even clearer lager at the end. I've been bottle conditioning for almost two months in the garage and tried one last week which was pretty decent. Certainly in the case of the Coopers Euro Lager, it spent a fortnight in the FV, was bottle conditioned for 6 weeks before I tried one, which was ok, but all those I had after 8 weeks were much, much better. My brother-in-law suggested it tasted like Tennents.