Question about lager kits!

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CraigM

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Hi all,

I'm quite new to the world of brewing and to the forum, so quick question, do you guys know of any premium lager kits available that will produce a true lager? Of all the kits I fancy doing like the festival New Zealand pilsner and the beerworks lager kits everyone that has done them says yes they are great but not true lagers!
Is it a case of just using a lager yeast? Also just to add I do have a fermentation fridge with temp controller etc so I am willing to put in the time and effort but just need the right kit!! Cheers guys
 
Hi all,

I'm quite new to the world of brewing and to the forum, so quick question, do you guys know of any premium lager kits available that will produce a true lager? Of all the kits I fancy doing like the festival New Zealand pilsner and the beerworks lager kits everyone that has done them says yes they are great but not true lagers!
Is it a case of just using a lager yeast? Also just to add I do have a fermentation fridge with temp controller etc so I am willing to put in the time and effort but just need the right kit!! Cheers guys
I see know reason why you couldn't try with a true lager yeast and as you are probably aware that they ferment at a lower temperature hence having a brew fridge is a bonus.
Give it a whirl as you may never know till you try[emoji106]

Gerry
 
You could take something like the Festival Pilsner, which is awesome anyway, and just swap out the yeast for a lager yeast. I'm not sure how much difference you'd notice other than that the lagered version will be less hazy, but will take three times as long.
 
If you have a brew fridge you can read up on the lagering process and follow, without it, it's going to be very difficult this time of year. In the winter though you'll naturally get the temps you need. I've got a spare FV now and am thinking of having a crack at lagering in the shed when I get the right average temperature range late autumn or winter.
 
.............

.......... do you guys know of any premium lager kits available that will produce a true lager? .............

I have to say that, apart from the Vienna Lager that I brew myself, I have't got a clue what a "true lager" tastes like.

When they started to introduce lager into the UK in the 1960's it was cheap but most of us used to mix in a dash of Lime Cordial (a Lager and Lime) or a splash of Lemonade (a Lager Tops) in order to make it drinkable.

Over the years, I have tried the odd pint of lager on sale at a variety of pubs and they don't seem to have improved at all so I have to ask ...

"What is a true lager?"
and
"Where can I buy one in the UK?"

In the meantime I suggest that you:

o Brew a Coopers Lager kit as per their instructions, but using 950g of Golden Syrup instead of sugar.

o After fermentation is finished (normally two weeks) carbonate the bottled brew at fermenting temperature for a week.

o After carbonation, Cold Crash the carbonated brew for a week at one degree.

o Condition the brew at ambient temperature for at least four weeks.

Then chill it and drink it as required.

I'm pretty convinced that by the time you start drinking it, you will have produced a brew (be it a lager, pseudo lager or a brew by any other name) that will taste better than any "true lager" that you may buy in your local pub. :thumb:
 
The festival NZ pilsner is sublime, however it is nothing like a lager, it is a grapefruity hoppy bitter bomb. I highly recommend this kit!
 
I have to say that, apart from the Vienna Lager that I brew myself, I have't got a clue what a "true lager" tastes like.

When they started to introduce lager into the UK in the 1960's it was cheap but most of us used to mix in a dash of Lime Cordial (a Lager and Lime) or a splash of Lemonade (a Lager Tops) in order to make it drinkable.

Over the years, I have tried the odd pint of lager on sale at a variety of pubs and they don't seem to have improved at all so I have to ask ...

"What is a true lager?"
and
"Where can I buy one in the UK?"

In the meantime I suggest that you:

o Brew a Coopers Lager kit as per their instructions, but using 950g of Golden Syrup instead of sugar.

o After fermentation is finished (normally two weeks) carbonate the bottled brew at fermenting temperature for a week.

o After carbonation, Cold Crash the carbonated brew for a week at one degree.

o Condition the brew at ambient temperature for at least four weeks.

Then chill it and drink it as required.

I'm pretty convinced that by the time you start drinking it, you will have produced a brew (be it a lager, pseudo lager or a brew by any other name) that will taste better than any "true lager" that you may buy in your local pub. :thumb:

Thanks for the replys guys, I might try one with a lager yeast and see how it turns out! I'm really liking the sound of that festival kit!

Also Dutto I hadn't really thought about it until you said and I'm not sure I actually want to recreate any lager you can buy in a pub!!

I have actually got a coopers lager kit on the go at the mo so I will give your recommendation a go although it's a bit too late for the golden syrup!!
 
I have actually got a coopers lager kit on the go at the mo

How far is your Coopers kit through fermenting? If you have 5 or more days left, chuck in 50g of lager hops to dry hop, Hallertau or Saaz. Will make a world of difference, the Coopers kits are actually very good when tweaked with some hops.
 
How far is your Coopers kit through fermenting? If you have 5 or more days left, chuck in 50g of lager hops to dry hop, Hallertau or Saaz. Will make a world of difference, the Coopers kits are actually very good when tweaked with some hops.

Ah never mind it has just about finished but I know for next time around! Thanks for the tip, I am planning on leaving this one quite a while before drinking as I have heard the coopers kits can be very good after a few months, well I'm going to try and leave it alone!! Much patience is needed!
 
I've never been able to leave any of my brews alone long enough, they always seem to have been drunk within a few weeks![emoji23]
 
How far is your Coopers kit through fermenting? If you have 5 or more days left, chuck in 50g of lager hops to dry hop, Hallertau or Saaz. Will make a world of difference, the Coopers kits are actually very good when tweaked with some hops.
+1 on that.
And as I keep saying on here leave your brew in the FV for at least two weeks so that the yeast has finished its job and it's clear or nearly clear to minimise the amount of yeast going into your bottles. There will still be enough yeast left to carb up. So I would aim to dry hop at day 10 and bottle at day 15 or 16.
 
I've never been able to leave any of my brews alone long enough, they always seem to have been drunk within a few weeks![emoji23]

Absolutely right, also being fairly new to the hobby the temptation is just too much sometimes but I am told patience will be rewarded!!
I am away for a few days as of tomorrow so I will leave the coopers in the fv until I'm back it should have had a good couple of weeks by then!

Once again thanks for the advice and suggestions guys there is so many of you with mountains of knowledge and brewing is so much more complex than I would have imagined it really helps even at such a basic stage like I am at:thumb:
 
Once again thanks for the advice and suggestions guys there is so many of you with mountains of knowledge and brewing is so much more complex than I would have imagined it really helps even at such a basic stage like I am at:thumb:
In its simplest form brewing is not really complex once you get to take on board a few basics and importantly understand the reasons why you do things. These include
- simple precautions to stop your beer from getting infected including cleanliness, sanitisation and keeping the lid on the FV as much as practicable
- temperature control
- leaving your brew to finish and clear before you package
- not overpriming so you end up with bottle bombs
- leaving your beer long enough to properly condition
- keeping a record of what you do so you can learn from it
- changing things one at a time from one brew to another so that you can sort out things you like from things you don't
Things only start to get complex as you choose to enhance your equipment, brewing methods and ingredients, but by then you should be on top of your game.
 
There's a real treat waiting for you just a few weeks away; you just have to brew more beer! :thumb:
That's where I'm trying to get to so the beers do last longer. Trying to persuade SWMBO that I need to do more brews to get the stocks up, especially as it ties up most of a Sunday morning (and some afternoon, depending on how "laid back" I've been).

Currently I've got 59 500ml bottles full, with another 19 litres in a fermenter and 61 empty 500ml bottles.:drink: I'm getting there!:thumb:
 
Hi all,

I'm quite new to the world of brewing and to the forum, so quick question, do you guys know of any premium lager kits available that will produce a true lager? Of all the kits I fancy doing like the festival New Zealand pilsner and the beerworks lager kits everyone that has done them says yes they are great but not true lagers!
Is it a case of just using a lager yeast? Also just to add I do have a fermentation fridge with temp controller etc so I am willing to put in the time and effort but just need the right kit!! Cheers guys

The Coopers European Lager kit uses a true lager yeast - so needs fermenting at 12-14°C.

Its a one can kit so you need to add 1kg or similar or fermentables - should work well with the Coopers Brew Enhancer 1kg or dried spray malt etc.

Hope this helps
 
The Coopers European Lager kit uses a true lager yeast - so needs fermenting at 12-14°C.

Its a one can kit so you need to add 1kg or similar or fermentables - should work well with the Coopers Brew Enhancer 1kg or dried spray malt etc.

Hope this helps

Hi, I had been looking at the European lager but didn't realise it came with a lager yeast! It may be one to try after my current coopers has finished and compare the results! The standard one I have going at the mo I added 1kg of Muntons brew enhancer, am I right in thinking this is 50/50 dextrose and spray malt?
 
The Coopers European Lager kit uses a true lager yeast - so needs fermenting at 12-14°C.

Its a one can kit so you need to add 1kg or similar or fermentables - should work well with the Coopers Brew Enhancer 1kg or dried spray malt etc.

Hope this helps
I tried to ferment the Coopers Euro Lager using the kit yeast at about 15*C earlier this year but it died after a few days so I ended up fermenting out at 19*C.
However if you read the kit review thread here you will see that others had more success at the lower temperatures.
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22368
On their instructions Coopers indicate you ferment out at ale type temperatures if you use the kit yeast alone, but add more yeast if you want to ferment out at lower temperatures as in some of their recipes.
So if /when I do this kit again I will substute a larger packet of lager yeast for the small 7g (?) packet of yeast that you get with the kit, and try the lower temperatures, and that's basically my recommendation to anyone who want to do this kit to hopefully eliminate any possibility of it stalling.
 
I've just done a Wilco Mexican style Cerveza for the kids ( used brewing sugar)as its suppose to be like corona, 12quid for 40 pints brewed it in my brew fridge at 20 degrees for 3 weeks it had finished after a week but left it another 2 then racked with 150g brew sugar and bottled left it 2 weeks to carb up and I have to say it's blown me away I would say it's very close to carling and defo better than corona, I do like a nice cold lager and this is ace. Just to throw a spanner in the works I do brew mainly wine but I brew every thing in the brew fridge at the exact temp required and all by brews are ten times better in taste but that could just be me, I've also learnt you need a **** load of stock cause it don't last.... My brew fridge is never empty I love this hobby
 
I've found the Wilco Cerveza kit to be the perfect vehicle for experimentation and it's never let me down.

A superb light drink on its own or flavoured with Chillies, All Spice, Cherry Syrup, Pumpkin etc. :thumb:
 

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