Coopers Lager

This is my first ever home brew and I need some advice.

I waited about 20 minutes to put the yeast into my mix because I wanted my temperature to come down (I know, I know - should have watched the full video )

Will this have a negative effect on my brew?

Hello & welcome!

Relax, it'll be fine. I've mixed and had to wait for a couple of hours to pitch the yeast because I had to bring the temperature down, and it's never been a problem.

Just remember what we tell all new brewers to the forum - FORGET what the instructions say! They will tell you that in 2 weeks time you'll be sat drinking your brew with a smile on your face - not so.

Patience is a virtue and if you can resist the temptation to try your beer too early, you will get much better results.

FatCol

FatCol said:

Hello & welcome!

Relax, it'll be fine. I've mixed and had to wait for a couple of hours to pitch the yeast because I had to bring the temperature down, and it's never been a problem.

Just remember what we tell all new brewers to the forum - FORGET what the instructions say! They will tell you that in 2 weeks time you'll be sat drinking your brew with a smile on your face - not so.

Patience is a virtue and if you can resist the temptation to try your beer too early, you will get much better results.

FatCol

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How long do you reckon I should leave it then? (obviously once FG is done and it's all bottled)

Total newbie here too. Did what it said on the tin, though the first two days it was running at 28c with yeast. After about 6-7 weeks in bottles it is about drinkable. If I do the lager again I'll leave it two weeks in the FV and at least four in bottles before drinking. And hopefully at a cooler temperaturer :-)

I did this as my first expedition into homebrew too. Waited two weeks in the FV before bottling (no movement on FG for 4 days), that was last Tuesday. Bottles are crystal clear now with a little sediment in the bottom. Thought I would try one of them just to see what it was like last night...

Can only suggest something akin to tonic water. Looks like lager, smells like lager, tastes like fizzy water :?. It got thrown down the sink. I can only hope it gets better over time in the garage.

Temps are going to be a bugger this week though.

leave 6-8 weeks somewhere with a fairly stable tempurature then try it again

conn15 said:

How long do you reckon I should leave it then? (obviously once FG is done and it's all bottled)

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My general rule of thumb is as follow (though it varies depending upon climate/beer type etc)

Primary at least 2 weeks, even if it hits target FG after 1 week.

Bottled/Kegged and left in the warm for at least 2 weeks.

Move to colder area to condition and forget about it for 2-4 months.

Now, you've probably read that and thought "you're having a laugh aren't you?" but seriously, I'm sure other experienced brewers will agree - that's how you get good results.

Home brewing is a hobby that demands patience and if you look at my signature, all the stuff on there is ready but I'm in no rush to get stuck into it, because I know in a few more weeks, it'll be even better still. My Brewferm Diabolo will sit in the bottles for 12-18 months before I try it, because it is well known for improving with age.

I operate a rolling brew cycle, which takes a few months to get on top of, but basically as I bottle/keg a brew, I get another straight on. That way, after a few months, you've got a supply of beer that is properly aged and new brews conditioning at various stages - that way you've always got something to drink, as the rest of it sits and improves.

Hope that helps

FatCol

FatCol said:

My general rule of thumb is as follow (though it varies depending upon climate/beer type etc)

Primary at least 2 weeks, even if it hits target FG after 1 week.

Bottled/Kegged and left in the warm for at least 2 weeks.

Move to colder area to condition and forget about it for 2-4 months.

Now, you've probably read that and thought "you're having a laugh aren't you?" but seriously, I'm sure other experienced brewers will agree - that's how you get good results.

Home brewing is a hobby that demands patience and if you look at my signature, all the stuff on there is ready but I'm in no rush to get stuck into it, because I know in a few more weeks, it'll be even better still. My Brewferm Diabolo will sit in the bottles for 12-18 months before I try it, because it is well known for improving with age.

I operate a rolling brew cycle, which takes a few months to get on top of, but basically as I bottle/keg a brew, I get another straight on. That way, after a few months, you've got a supply of beer that is properly aged and new brews conditioning at various stages - that way you've always got something to drink, as the rest of it sits and improves.

Hope that helps

FatCol

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You have been a massive help to me and a friend who is also starting in the world of home brewing - so thanks very much.

I think what I need to do is slowly build myself up to that cycle you are talking about and then reap the rewards :drink:

conn15 said:

You have been a massive help to me and a friend who is also starting in the world of home brewing - so thanks very much.

I think what I need to do is slowly build myself up to that cycle you are talking about and then reap the rewards :drink:

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It's a pleasure, you're welcome and that's what we're all here for! :

I'd also suggest having a good dig around the forum and have a look at some of the questions that have previously been asked and responded to - there's a huge amount of info on here.

FatCol

I have managed to collect and buy enough bottles. To have one lot drinking and two lots conductioning. So I can do what FatCol and others are doing, though storing, 90-100 bottles, has to be done creatively.

I've had to bottle it at FG 1.016. I've used two carbonation drops per 500 ml bottles. I know the FG is quite high but have I pyt the right amount of drops?

They won't explode will they?

The piece of paper that came with my kit suggested just putting in one drop per 500ml bottle....I'll let you know in 4-5 weeks' time if there's enough fizz!

I'm drinking my very first brew, the coopers lager, right now. It lived in the FV for a week and have clocked up, about eight weeks in the 500ml PET bottles that came with the kit. The paper work said one carbonation drop per 500ml bottle. This fizz the drops gave, is a tad low for what I'm used to in lager, it could use a little bit more.

What was the Coopers lager like ?

I got the tins when I bought the kit, but went straight to making cider (my preferred poison)

I figure I might as well use the lager kit that came with it at some point, do you know what the SG was when you made it ?

I've not read great things about it ! weak and not too tasty

what do you reckon ?

Of the two batches of coopers lager that I made, one came at 1.040 and the other at 1.038..
FG 1.012 and 1.010 respectively. Not exactly what I would expect from the lager taste/strenght wise, but still a pretty decent drink after couple of weeks in the bottle. Fizz not that great if only one coopers drop used, one drop being only 3g (probably Maxale drops would be better suited for our bottle sizes (2 drops of 2g per 500ml bottles), but second batch with 4g of table sugar in each bottle much better. Never had high hopes for it but overall am pleasantly surprised.Would I make it again? Definitely (mates love it, in fact they went through most of the first batch in one sitting while watching the volleyball final the other day, but since they would drink just about anything with alcohol in it I can only judge by my own tastes and they tell me its a good beer)thankfully there are no major sporting events planned between now and my birthday so chances are my beer will last that long and I will enjoy 4-5 different beer styles then (with a second batch of coopers lager still intact, Pale Ale and 2-3 different stouts I am brewing/planning to do. Also I am not sure if its just me but the beer from the glass bottles tastes better than from the Coopers PET bottles? I could be biased tho..

Drinking in bars and from bottles it a good lager on a hot summers day. Pretty such the only time I drink lager, else I'm an ale person.

My first go turned out drinkable after four weeks or so. I only drink it because I made it. If I bought it in a pub I would have send it back or just left it.

Should I brew it again I would use spraymalt and a different yeast and leave it for two weeks in the FV.

What fermentables did you use? I used Beer enhancer 1 on both(60% dextrose, 40% maltodextrin) and can honestly say that it is a good beer with a good body and mouth feel, if a little young still. (I am more of an Ale drinker like yourself)

I did what it said on the tin and used what was in the box, beer enhancer 2? Though the first day or two it was running a bit high on the temperature, started at 28c. Beginners error too keen on getting it rolling and not paying attention to the details. The temp strip on the FV is OK if the beer has been in the FV for a while. Getting an accurate reading while mixing up, it is no good.

568ml said:

I'm drinking my very first brew, the coopers lager, right now. It lived in the FV for a week and have clocked up, about eight weeks in the 500ml PET bottles that came with the kit. The paper work said one carbonation drop per 500ml bottle. This fizz the drops gave, is a tad low for what I'm used to in lager, it could use a little bit more.

Click to expand...

One drawback with carbonation drops is that you are putting in the exact amount of sugar someone else has measured and thinks you need, if you think your beer might need a little more but two drops might be too much then you are stuck really.

I know its a hassle but I use granulated sugar in each bottle, somewhere between half and one teaspoon; I use a small funnel to help avoid throwing the sugar all over the work top.

I like this kit with 500g spraymalt and 1kg sugar and go also with the brewing to 25L - "lawnmower" style.

With small 500ml PET bottles, I find the fag is not priming them, it's emptying out the sterilising fluid & rinsing them out. With the sugar in a small bowl and using a small funnel, you just go round the bottles systematically, easy if they are in the box they came in and it takes next to no time. 40 glass bottles, all higgledy piggledy on a worktop might be awkward, though.