# Coopers Commercial Ale yeast.



## Mattrox (13/1/16)

I did my first yeast starter using yeast from Coopers Pale Ale. I have used dry yeast up to now.

I pitched yesterday and a nice frothy white krausen is building today. It is Coopers DIY Vintage Ale (2013) recipe.

My ferment is holding at 18 - 18.5 in the fermentation fridge.

What attenuation have others achieved with this yeast? I'm messing with Ian's spreadsheet and want to plug in a reasonably accurate number.

I did a quick search but found nothing.


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## Ducatiboy stu (13/1/16)

It depends on a few factors.

If the recipe is high in unfermentables ( Like Xtal or high mash temps ) then it wont finish as low


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## Mattrox (13/1/16)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> It depends on a few factors.
> 
> If the recipe is high in unfermentables ( Like Xtal or high mash temps ) then it wont finish as low


It's just a toucan and Dex with 200g of crystal.


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## Charst (13/1/16)

What toucans?


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## Mattrox (13/1/16)

Charst said:


> What toucans?


Pale Ale and Real Ale +500g Dex. 

Challenger steeped

Citra and Chinook Dry.


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## GABBA110360 (13/1/16)

I've used this yeast recultured many times
it seems to like 18-19 deg .
and is very aggressive at that temp.
depending on your sugars it may go down to 1.005
cheers


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## Mattrox (13/1/16)

GABBA110360 said:


> I've used this yeast recultured many times
> it seems to like 18-19 deg .
> and is very aggressive at that temp.
> depending on your sugars it may go down to 1.005
> cheers


Wow. Coopers recipe predicts 1.008 at 7.5% but if I get 1.008 it will be about 6.9%

Cheers.


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## CmdrRyekr (13/1/16)

Aaaand, how much yeast? If you underpitched it may not attenuate completely.


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## GABBA110360 (13/1/16)

not on numbers but i use about 100mls of washed yeast in a 46l batch
goes off big time


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## Mattrox (13/1/16)

I just followed Coopers' instructions. Yeast from 4 stubbed, yadda etc etc....


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## Charst (13/1/16)

Yadda yadda have a PC Australian yeast that's supposed to be coopers, but it's just their sample from etc etc, so may be not be indicative of blah blah blah. Attenuation percentages would also depend on this that and the other.


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## Mattrox (13/1/16)

Charst said:


> Yadda yadda have a PC Australian yeast that's supposed to be coopers, but it's just their sample from etc etc, so may be not be indicative of blah blah blah. Attenuation percentages would also depend on this that and the other.


The brew a pretty simple recipe high in fermentables. I followed Coopers directions re their Yeast exactly. I didn't know I had to recite PB2's directions verbatum to get an answer.

My question was pretty simple, asking if someone used the yeast what attenuation did they get. Have you used Coopers' Commercial yeast? What sort of attenuation did you get?

If yeast manufacturers can list an indicative apparent attenuation, why is it a problem to ask what percentages people expect when they use a yeast? - Oh yeah, people feel they need to be a smartarse.....

Everybody's not dumb and realises that with everything YMMV. Thanks for your zero input.


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## Charst (13/1/16)

You'll get out of the forum what you put in, your attenuation percent will depend on recipe (ferment ability of your wort), and yeast culturing methods (giving people an idea of how much yeast and what health it might be in). People want details so they can give you the most relevant answer possible.

But you asked the question without bothering to give detailed information, so your never going to get an accurate answer. I ask for more info and it's like pulling teeth. 

I posted initially cause I have recultured coopers before, but if my culture method and wort is nothing like yours then I could post a novel and it would effectively be zero input. 


Mine finished at 10.12 but that's actually pretty useless to you.


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## TheWiggman (14/1/16)

An (unconfirmed) ex-Coopers employee stated here that the Coopers strain in good health will attenuate down to 1.004 for a Sparkling Ale. The lower the OG, the lower the FG.
I've brewed a 1.045 OG beer that attenuated down to 1.006 with Coopers yeast using low mash temps and no added sugar, which is pretty impressive attenuation if you ask me. I think it was a long 63°C rest, lots of yeast nutrient and a big, first-gen - from the the bottles - 2.5 litre starter into 23 litres.


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## Ducatiboy stu (14/1/16)

Charst said:


> You'll get out of the forum what you put in, your attenuation percent will depend on recipe (ferment ability of your wort), and yeast culturing methods (giving people an idea of how much yeast and what health it might be in). People want details so they can give you the most relevant answer possible.
> 
> But you asked the question without bothering to give detailed information, so your never going to get an accurate answer. I ask for more info and it's like pulling teeth.


Yes the OP did need to give some more info. The question was really " How long is a piece of string "

Dont forget there are many factors that affect attenuation so we cant just give a blanket answer

Your question should have been something like this



Mattrox said:


> I did my first yeast starter using yeast from Coopers Pale Ale. I have used dry yeast up to now.
> 
> I pitched about 100ml from 4 bottles yesterday and a nice frothy white krausen is building today. It is Coopers DIY Vintage Ale (2013) recipe.( Pale Ale and Real Ale +500g Dex.+ 200g Xtal )
> 
> ...


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## Mattrox (14/1/16)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> Yes the OP did need to give some more info. The question was really " How long is a piece of string "
> 
> Dont forget there are many factors that affect attenuation so we cant just give a blanket answer
> 
> Your question should have been something like this


I was really asking about people experience with the yeast. I'm sorry I wasn't articulate or accurate but thank you for your tutorial on posting style.

I realise there are painful pedants out there, but given I got a sensible answer from a poster out there I don't really see that the opening post was unreasonable or asking for a sarcastic reply.


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## Droopy Brew (14/1/16)

If you want to punch in an accurate number on the spreadsheet, wait 10-14 days and you will know. What others have got ranges from 1.012 to 1.004 depending on a number of factors. So unless you are happy with a predicted FG with a range of .008 then wait and see is your best option. Lets face it, it wont matter what you put in your spreadsheet- you will get what you get and there's not much you can do to change it.

For what its worth Ill have $5 on the nose of 1.009.


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## Ducatiboy stu (14/1/16)

Mattrox said:


> I was really asking about people experience with the yeast. I'm sorry I wasn't articulate or accurate but thank you for your tutorial on posting style.
> 
> I realise there are painful pedants out there, but given I got a sensible answer from a poster out there I don't really see that the opening post was unreasonable or asking for a sarcastic reply.


I cant see any sarcastic replies, and the replies where sensible. An incomplete question was asked, and incomplete replies where made

You do realise that we where trying to give the best answer possible with a very little amount of info


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## pcmfisher (14/1/16)

Unless coopers yeast is a munching beast ( I don't know), I reckon with those fermentables you will be lucky to get down to 1010. probably closer to 1015. Assuming batch size 22-23 litres.


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## mosto (14/1/16)

As a rough guide, I get 80-85% attenuation with re-cultured coopers yeast.


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## Reman (14/1/16)

White Labs WLP009, which is the Coopers yeast strain has listed specs of 70-75% attenuation. However the yeast from the bottles may have different specs.


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## Mattrox (14/1/16)

mosto said:


> As a rough guide, I get 80-85% attenuation with re-cultured coopers yeast.


Cheers. At least it seems the Coopers figures are in the ball park.


I think I'd need to get 85% to get 7.5% as they suggest, but 80% is ~1.008 which they also quote in the recipe.


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## manticle (14/1/16)

While I agree with 'it depends' it is a voracious yeast and will chew quickly down to sub 1010 in my experience.


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## Mattrox (14/1/16)

pcmfisher said:


> Unless coopers yeast is a munching beast ( I don't know), I reckon with those fermentables you will be lucky to get down to 1010. probably closer to 1015. Assuming batch size 22-23 litres.


I've used Nottingham and BRY 97 and have had 81 to 83% apparent attenuation finishing at ~1.009 on similar OG using kits and bits. I've only had a kits and bits beer finish above 1.010 when using maltodextin in the early days or Windsor Yeast. 


So far it is still steadily munching down on the sugars. When the krausen drops I'll take a SG to check progress.


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## Barge (14/1/16)

Reman said:


> White Labs WLP009, which is the Coopers yeast strain has listed specs of 70-75% attenuation. However the yeast from the bottles may have different specs.


I might be way off, but based on the description...

"Produces a clean, malty beer. Pleasant ester character, can be described as "bready." *Can ferment successfully, and clean, at higher temperatures*. This yeast combines good flocculation with good attenuation."

... I would question if this is the strain Coopers use. In my experience, coopers yeast throws banana like a mofo above 18C.


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## Reman (15/1/16)

I've fermented above 18c with WLP009 and I've gotten apples and pears, never banana. Below 18c it's been very clean.


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## Mattrox (21/1/16)

The yeast started fast in the FV. It quickly chewed down to 1.020 but the really petered out. 

I put that down to under pitching. Making a starter for the first time and all. Anyway I gave it some help with kit yeast and fermentation resumed. Now at 1.010.

I'm building up another starter because I want to follow up with the same recipe (different hops) with a better yeast pitch. I can't really say that this performance gives a true indication, but I've learned a lot along the way.


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## GABBA110360 (26/1/16)

I've used both wl009 and recultured coopers in the same recipe and they are totally different imho


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## pablo_h (2/2/16)

I have trouble getting decent yeast, like no way to get to a LHBS easily. I wish there were some that could express post dry yeast in a bubble envelop for $3-4. $9 min postage in a slow satchel isn't much good...
On friday I got annoyed because it's a PITA to get yeast so I thought I may as well buy a coopers 6pk for the yeast and drown my sorrows.

2 days and the yeast did nothing (using LDME)
So today added a tsp sugar and now it seems like it's doing something. Does this yeast not work well with malt extract or something?


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## Bribie G (2/2/16)

Dry yeast is just fine kept at room temperature. If your WA shops won't post, try ringing some East coast suppliers like ESB or Country Brewer.
For example I get my Yogurt and Kefir cultures from CB and they come in a normal small padded bag and that would be a National rate. 

Over the past 4 years all my dried yeasts, except for some S189 from Ross have been from LHBSs off the shelf and perform perfectly. How many Coopers cans do you see displayed in fridges?

Edit.
I usually give Coopers bottle yeast 4 days.


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## GABBA110360 (23/2/16)

my latest brew 1041-1006 about 85 %


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## Reman (23/2/16)

My Barleywine with wlp009, went from 1.103 to 1.020, which is 80%.


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## TheWiggman (23/2/16)

Bribie G said:


> Edit.
> I usually give Coopers bottle yeast 4 days.


Backing this up, the first time it fires up it can take a while. Once in the FV though it's a different story.


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## chaositic (24/2/16)

I thought mine was done at 1.010 for a few days, took it up to 24C to clean up after itself and it ate another 4 odd points down to 1.005/6

*edit* This was on a 66 degree mash, no sugar, estimated FG 1.009


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