Coopers European Lager Review

ravey · Dec 4, 2016

Had this in the fv for a few weeks, been 1.016 for a good few days so popped a heat belt on for a couple of days, will bottle tomorrow.

I checked the gravity just to check that the added heat hadn't done anything unexpected, and instead of pouring it back in I took a bit extra, chilled it and carbonated it, and drank it.

I have to say, given the consensus on it needing a good few months in the bottle I was surprised at just how nice (dare I say drinkable :cough:) it tastes. I'm struggling to imagine how much better it's going to get, can barely wait to find out.

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Jakeyboi · Dec 4, 2016

Jakeyboi said:
Just stuck This batch in the fermentation freezer I just made. 2 weeks in the fv OG 1044 FG 1006. Now cold crashing at 2C. Tasted slightly bitter but quit like warm becks! Will report back later.

Is my hydro reading correct, I know it's hard to see.

Jake

So about 8 weeks in the bottle......and this is tasting fantastic. I brewed this kit and kilo with no temp control, it's taken a while but it has come good. I've been tasting this every week and haven't liked it. It's always had a slight twang or bitterness which I haven't liked. Now the flavours have balanced out its great. I bottled another batch of this last week, I won't bother to open a bottle for at least another 7 weeks.

Sandimas · Dec 5, 2016

Jakeyboi said:
So about 8 weeks in the bottle......and this is tasting fantastic. I brewed this kit and kilo with no temp control, it's taken a while but it has come good. I've been tasting this every week and haven't liked it. It's always had a slight twang or bitterness which I haven't liked. Now the flavours have balanced out its great. I bottled another batch of this last week, I won't bother to open a bottle for at least another 7 weeks.

Patience really is the key with this one. If you read the instructions it says do not touch it for 12 weeks. Like you I tried mine every few weeks and it was 3 months in when it really came good.

sdt7618 · Dec 5, 2016

I just decanted mine into the second FV and now sitting patiently in the brew fridge. at 3 degrees. will leave if there for 6 weeks to lager before I bottle it.
Last week it got 20 grams of saaz hops for a little extra hoppy ness!

This has been in the Primary for nearly 4 weeks now at 13 degrees, with a break about 2 weeks in for 48 hrs at 18 degrees. hope to have some nice lager for the early summer.

Slayer · Dec 5, 2016

My batch has been bottled for 6 weeks. I'm going to wait until xmas then try it!

Tim1975 · Dec 5, 2016

I have one in a Corny now, been 4 weeks and I did throw in some extra fancy sugar when I was making it (brought OG up a bit for a stronger taste), pulled a frothy glass tonight and it is really quite nice. Note that I used Saflager 23 (2 of) and fermented at 13 degs, I wasn't happy with the fermentation so threw the original yeast in after 5 days as well. My ABV is sitting at 5.5% :thumb:

Bjorn Toulouse · Dec 7, 2016

Covrich said:
It is a compound which can produce a butterscotch flavour

In a nut shell at warmer temperatures it helps clear it up.. Normally doing lagers at larger temps towards teh end of fermentation you raise the temp to ale temps so 18-22 degrees for a few days to help clear it up..

I have been making this for 6 or 7 years now, on average do 12 - 15 kits of European a year (just bottled 2 batches another due next week)
never bother raising it, every time a consistent pint.
Winter (11 - 16) better than summer. (15 - 20)
leave in fermenter for 18 - 21 days
brew with BE1, BE2 or Dark DME for a dunckle
I have lagered in the past but don't consider the benefit worth the effort

top pint

Never noticed butterscotch with this kit.

Slayer · Dec 7, 2016

Bjorn Toulouse said:
I have been making this for 6 or 7 years now, on average do 12 - 15 kits of European a year (just bottled 2 batches another due next week)
never bother raising it, every time a consistent pint.
Winter (11 - 16) better than summer. (15 - 20)
leave in fermenter for 18 - 21 days
brew with BE1, BE2 or Dark DME for a dunckle
I have lagered in the past but don't consider the benefit worth the effort

top pint

Never noticed butterscotch with this kit.

I take it you use the yeast that gets supplied with the kit?

terrym · Dec 7, 2016

I don't normally drink lager, but I do drink light beers. Now that the cold weather is here I was thinking of having a go with this kit with the kit lager yeast, leaving it in the garage to ferment out, and then putting it in my water bath at 19*C for the diacetyl rest for a few days.
Before I have a go however I have two questions
- first I do not want to end up with 20 odd litres of Carlsberg/Heineken/Harp/Tuborg clone like wot you get down the pub ( and I never drink :sick:); but I'm OK with Leffe and Budweiser Budvar
- second my garage does get some heat from the house but in extreme cold weather can drop to about 8*C
So should I be bothering, what's it going to taste like, and if I get a very low temperature will it stick and not get going again?
I have to say I did a kit lager years ago and it was awful, although I know kits have significantly improved since then.
And does it benefit from a dry hop, I've seen mention of Saaz. Is it worth it?
Anyone help?

Bjorn Toulouse · Dec 8, 2016

Slayer said:
I take it you use the yeast that gets supplied with the kit?

95% of the time I have used some other lager yeasts some made it have a floral hint some gave slightly different tastes. refuse to pay ÃÂ£5 for a yeast sachet though.

The original yeast makes a good consistent pint. This is my go to kit (unless i'm in a hurry in which case its the wheat bear)
taste is very subjective.

Bigcol49 · Dec 8, 2016

Hi!
I'm about to start this kit, low and slow, with the kit yeast. Like terrym, I'm wondering about adding extra hop flavour/aroma, either by dry hopping or a hop tea at bottling. I've got Saaz and Hallertau Mittlefruh. Any suggestions as to which would suit? Also, would the "hoppiness" decline over the 3 months in the bottle?
I have another question: if this brew is lagered for any length of time, does this reduce the three months recommended in the bottle?

Jakeyboi · Dec 14, 2016

Bigcol49 said:
Hi!
I'm about to start this kit, low and slow, with the kit yeast. Like terrym, I'm wondering about adding extra hop flavour/aroma, either by dry hopping or a hop tea at bottling. I've got Saaz and Hallertau Mittlefruh. Any suggestions as to which would suit? Also, would the "hoppiness" decline over the 3 months in the bottle?
I have another question: if this brew is lagered for any length of time, does this reduce the three months recommended in the bottle?

I dry hopped my latest batch with 50g Saaz at 20C after 4 weeks fermenting at 10C. I have to say it tasted sublime at bottling, much better than kit and kilo. Something happens to this kit between 8-12 weeks I cannot wait to see how this batch develops, the hop flavour will diminish for sure but I have no idea how much. It was a good hop hit at bottling so I'm guessing that that hop flavour will definitely carry through the 3 months in the bottle, I expect it will be very subtle but also very nice!

pms67 · Dec 14, 2016

Should be good,i used 100g of Falconers Flight and whilst it was a bit much to begin, i didnt leave it long enough and by the end of my supplies it was superb

mutznutz · Dec 29, 2016

Started the Coopers European Lager today, brewed with the 1kg Beer Enhancer 2 as suggested in the instructions,

S.G. Is 1040 and added yeast at 20c planning on letting it drop down to 15c overnight and leave it there for the next week or so till a stable F.G.

People's thoughts?

pms67 · Dec 29, 2016

mutznutz said:
Started the Coopers European Lager today, brewed with the 1kg Beer Enhancer 2 as suggested in the instructions,

S.G. Is 1040 and added yeast at 20c planning on letting it drop down to 15c overnight and leave it there for the next week or so till a stable F.G.

People's thoughts?

It's a good beer chilled after 10-12 weeks but defo needs a dry hop if you want any taste,if you just want a coors light or a bud leave it as it is,I used 100g,maybe 50-70 may be better but either way you will enjoy if you can wait :thumb:

Slayer · Dec 29, 2016

Sampled some of my batch that was bottled 8 weeks ago. I'm impressed. Still young so benefited from being very cold.
The recommendation is to leave for 12 weeks....but it was xmas! :thumb:

Sandimas · Dec 30, 2016

Bigcol49 said:
I'm wondering about adding extra hop flavour/aroma, either by dry hopping or a hop tea at bottling. I've got Saaz and Hallertau Mittlefruh. Any suggestions as to which would suit?

I've done Coopers European with both, personally I prefer Hallertau but they're both good lager hops.

I hopped mine quite a lot last time: 30g hop steep for 30mins at <80c, then dry hopped with another 30g. It wasn't overpowering - this kit takes a good while to come good, 12 weeks min in the bottle is recommended, so it's worth adding a few more hops than normal as they will diminish a bit over time. I was drinking mine 6 months later and didn't notice any loss of hop flavour.

mutznutz · Jan 4, 2017

Going to be bottling within the next week...
what are peoples thoughts on Coopers Carbonation Drops or Priming Sugars?

Usually use priming sugar but not having much success so wondering whether to try carb drops?

ravey · Jan 4, 2017

Carb drops are just expensive sugar. Table sugar is just as good.

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terrym · Jan 4, 2017

mutznutz said:
Going to be bottling within the next week...
what are peoples thoughts on Coopers Carbonation Drops or Priming Sugars?

Usually use priming sugar but not having much success so wondering whether to try carb drops?

I agree with Ravey, carb drops are a waste of money. Ordinary table sugar is fine, and you can adjust what you add rather than be constained by the size of a drop.
So whats the problem with adding priming sugar? Assuming you have just enough yeast in your bottles or PB carried over from the FV to work on the beer, you have allowed the primary to finish, and you give it enough time in the warm for the beer to carbonate, you can only end up with three outcomes
- not enough carbonation i.e. not enough sugar
- too much carbonation i.e. too much sugar
- just enough carbonation i.e correct amount of sugar added to your brew for the style

Coopers European Lager Review

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