# Coopers- What Gives?



## Rina (4/2/12)

I mean the irony is their homebrew selection has a wider variety than their 'commercial' examples. I mean it is within their power to throw us a bone and give us a seasonal release once in while (I know the vintage ale is kinda supposed to be this but it is always a strong ale).


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## going down a hill (4/2/12)

I used to be such a Coopers fan boy before I got into brewing, it was always my go to in the bottle shop. Since getting into making my own beer I have drifted away from them, not to say I don't drink their beers anymore, it's just that I look at other beers before I look at the Coopers stock if I'm at a botle shop.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

Imagine if every large brewery put as much into their beers as coopers?

It's big, commercial brewery that offers a slight alternative to the others and that's all its intentions are.

Do you get a foster's vintage ale? Crown ambassador at $100 odd a bottle is as close as you'll find. Coopers vintage is much more affordable and much less wanky.

Compare Cooper best extra stout to invalid stout.

Which other large brewery offers a dark ale? How many of them brew ales as their main offerings? How many of them bottle condition? See it for what it is, not what you want them to be ( ie a mainstream brewery as opposed to a big craft brewery).

The other thing I like about coopers is their resistance to being bought out.


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## DU99 (4/2/12)

some beer's they make you can only get SA.try getting Dr timms premium ale can's..


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## Jace89 (4/2/12)

Coopers have a fairly large range. I rarely see there dark and stout at most shops, which sucks but I know where to find them.
A seasonal would be great, but I think they have all they need. 
As manticle said, I think its great they haven't been brought out!


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## Jace89 (4/2/12)

DU99 said:


> some beer's they make you can only get SA.try getting Dr timms premium ale can's..



I actually seen that at a bottle shop on High st.
Asked the guy working there and he said it was just Coopers PA, but he got it in so people could take it to festivals. I'm gonna right pissed off if he was wrong lol


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## WarmBeer (4/2/12)

manticle said:


> Compare Cooper best extra stout to invalid stout.


Sorry mate, gotta call you out on that one. Invalid stout is a fine drop, I put it on par with Coopers BES.

Even better is their Sheaf Stout, made in Abbotsford, but almost impossible to find in Vic


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## kevo (4/2/12)

Coopers make the BUL Sapporo don't they?

Perhaps you could think of this as a 'seasonal'...


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## Lecterfan (4/2/12)

manticle said:


> Imagine if every large brewery put as much into their beers as coopers?
> 
> It's big, commercial brewery that offers a slight alternative to the others and that's all its intentions are.
> 
> ...



Tell it like it is, sister!


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## Rina (4/2/12)

Most of the megaswill breweries have a dark ale and a 'mid' beer too. Maybe not to style or standard but Coopers is hardly exemplary when it comes to range . Cascade at least tries with their seasonals.

Also you could find Sheaf Stout in Victoria at Dans.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

WarmBeer said:


> Sorry mate, gotta call you out on that one. Invalid stout is a fine drop, I put it on par with Coopers BES.
> 
> Even better is their Sheaf Stout, made in Abbotsford, but almost impossible to find in Vic



Invalid is OK. You have to try and make stout horrible to people who like stout. I don't think it's on par though.

Now that you've challenged me, I will buy a bottle of each next time I can actually afford to buy beer (so maybe a month) and test, side by side.

Never had sheaf.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

Rina said:


> Most of the megaswill breweries have a dark ale



Tooheys old maybe. What else?

Anyway write to coopers with your suggestions. Maybe they'll listen and bring out a kriek.


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## DU99 (4/2/12)

anyone remember foster's export stout it was a bit better than invalid stout


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## Rina (4/2/12)

Carlton Black. Probably more widely available than Coopers Dark Ale depending on the state. Look I know Coopers isn't going to do a kriek (they don't even do Belgian kits with the excuse 'consumers would think their beers would be infected') but hell a decent IPA would be a start.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

I was joking about the Kriek. I was not, however joking about writing to them. They may take your suggestions on board.

I forgot about Carlton Black although reviews I've read have compared it to things such as melted car tyres.

My point is that expecting Coopers to start rolling out single batches like LC do is probably expecting a bit much. That said, given a push, and the fact that craft beer in this country is getting a bit of motion going, they might have a crack.

Maybe we should start a petition? Although APA/AIPA is what every craft brewery offers and it can get repetetive. An all aussie PA using PoR and Galaxy with the coopers yeast might be a goer. I'm no big fan of galaxy but push the aussie thing it might yes Yoda.


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## pk.sax (4/2/12)

Coopers could really make a start of it by forgetting to put the 'instructions' into the lid of every tin and definitely leave out the booklet/cd from the starter kits.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

I think this thread is about their commercial beer offerings.


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## manticle (4/2/12)

It's about things vanishing mysteriously into the ether.


VOOM


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## Clutch (4/2/12)

Lecterfan said:


> Tell it like it is, sister!



I lol'd.


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## Rina (4/2/12)

Okay I will write. Though in this day and age of the internet I expected somebody from Coopers to reply to this thread and tell me to f*ck myself.


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## bum (4/2/12)

WarmBeer said:


> Sorry mate, gotta call you out on that one. Invalid stout is a fine drop, I put it on par with Coopers BES.


I agree with pretty much everything else manticle said but I was going to say almost exactly this myself. Invalid is perhaps a bit thin - but for what it is and how easy it is to get it, it is probably in front of the Coopers for my money.

Worth pointing out that I pretty much only ever buy a sixer of something when I'm on my way out somewhere so this undoubtedly influences my opinion. Invalid can be had (refrigerated) at pretty much any supermarket year round. Much less susceptible to the damages of poor handling than the Coopers too (but perhaps it could be argued it leaves the brewery pre-damaged?).


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## Clutch (4/2/12)

Rina said:


> Okay I will write. Though in this day and age of the internet I expected somebody from Coopers to reply to this thread and tell me to f*ck myself.



I also lol'd.


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## Pennywise (4/2/12)

^ like


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## DU99 (4/2/12)

shame i am not related


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## Ducatiboy stu (4/2/12)

Coopers are bringing out an anniversery ale this year.. :icon_cheers: 

And that came straight from Dr Tim himeself


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## Liam_snorkel (4/2/12)

Tell us more good sir


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## emnpaul (4/2/12)

manticle said:


> Never had sheaf.




Don't bother. It's like VB with a handfull of roast barley thrown in as an afterthought. Really it's crap. You could be forgiven for thinking they really *were *trying to make it taste like shit. 

Save your money and put it towards a tallie of Southwark stout and a stubbie or two of Cascade stout. :icon_cheers:


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## JesseGray (4/2/12)

Well on a whole different tangent why do Coopers make the best home brew tallies but the label sticks like shit to a blanket! I just scrubbed about 20 of the bastards off!


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## bradsbrew (4/2/12)

JesseGray said:


> Well on a whole different tangent why do Coopers make the best home brew tallies but the label sticks like shit to a blanket! I just scrubbed about 20 of the bastards off!


Soak them in water for a few hours and they will fall off.

Cheers


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## Fat Bastard (4/2/12)

bradsbrew said:


> Soak them in water for a few hours and they will fall off.
> 
> Cheers



I soak them in a bucket with some napisan for a few days and the labels fall off, the glue dissapears from the bottle and the ink on the label starts flaking off. The "Imported by" sticker on Timothy Taylor's Landlord bottles survive a week of this and still need to be scraped off!


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## JesseGray (4/2/12)

Fat Bastard said:


> I soak them in a bucket with some napisan for a few days and the labels fall off, the glue dissapears from the bottle and the ink on the label starts flaking off. The "Imported by" sticker on Timothy Taylor's Landlord bottles survive a week of this and still need to be scraped off!



Cheers! I thought an hour in hot water with bottle cleaning solution would be enough but the front label hung in there. Honestly I tip my hat to them for having quality labels.


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## ben_sa (5/2/12)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> Coopers are bringing out an anniversery ale this year.. :icon_cheers:
> 
> And that came straight from Dr Tim himeself



Yep, I heard this straight from the horses mouth also while on a brewery tour a few weeks ago...

But thats about all they could tell us... I was having a solid look around trying to spot any bottles/labels/cartons, ANYTHING to do with the anniversary ale, but couldnt find a thing


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## Rina (5/2/12)

After seeing the update I was going to send them a question regarding their Anniversary Ale (since it seemed the most pertinent) but it seems they're purposely holding that one to their chest. I wouldn't mind a good barely wine but an IIPA or a RIS would be more interesting. 

Any way I am going to send them a link to this thread since their seems other questions people want answered as well.

Also I've had the Southwark from Dans and can vouch for liking it more than the Coopers. I may have had the sheaf but it was obviously forgettable.


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## Lecterfan (5/2/12)

Rina said:


> Carlton Black. Probably more widely available than Coopers Dark Ale depending on the state.



...and infintely less drinkable. Not even comparable to tooheys old IMHO.



JesseGray said:


> Well on a whole different tangent why do Coopers make the best home brew tallies but the label sticks like shit to a blanket! I just scrubbed about 20 of the bastards off!



I've long been fascinated by the obsession of ensuring the labels come off the bottles...does it really change the flavour of the beer you put in them that much?


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## emnpaul (5/2/12)

Lecterfan said:


> ...and infintely less drinkable. Not even comparable to tooheys old IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> I've long been fascinated by the obsession of ensuring the labels come off the bottles...does it really change the flavour of the beer you put in them that much?




Yes. A VB label can taint a beer by being in the same room.


It's getting harder and harder to find but there is another commercial brew called ld". Kent Old is worth a look if you can find it. It's more along the lines of a nut brown ale although I think it's actually a larger. Pretty good session beer though.


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## Goldenchild (5/2/12)

emnpaul said:


> Yes. A VB label can taint a beer by being in the same room.
> 
> 
> It's getting harder and harder to find but there is another commercial brew called ld". Kent Old is worth a look if you can find it. It's more along the lines of a nut brown ale although I think it's actually a larger. Pretty good session beer though.



+1. When I'm back home this is my pub beer. Alot of central coast\newcastle pubs have this in there fridges and is Often cheaper then the standard beers on tap too and much much tastier.


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## drsmurto (5/2/12)

Coopers is a large brewery not a craft brewery.

Why would they make a craft beer such as an IPA as you suggest that a fraction of a percent of people will buy? It makes zero commercial sense on anything other than a small scale. 

The BUL Sapporo is a nice example of a german pilsner. Went on the tour last week and was surprised by it. The rest of the lagers are boring. Dark ale is simply pale ale with a roast barley addition. 

Mild Ale is also a very nice drop for a mid (late Saaz addition), other than LC Rogers how many other breweries do a mid strength ale?


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## pk.sax (5/2/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Mild Ale is also a very nice drop for a mid (late Saaz addition), other than LC Rogers how many other breweries do a mid strength ale?


Blue sky do a mid strength ale. Punters seem to like it too.
Literally all the big brewery 'gold' beers are lower strength versions of the full strength mainstays but cost just the same, from what I see, 4x gold sells more up here than 4x. In bluesky's case, I was made to understand that the mashing was done differently to retain a full beer body while doing a mid.


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## manticle (5/2/12)

XXXX gold etc are mid strength lagers. Coopers and LC mids are more in line with UK mid ale - low alc, full flavoured malty ales.

Not sure about blue sky, haven't tried it (or seen it for sale - are blue sky a major brewery?)


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## Rina (5/2/12)

I mean if Lion Nathan can see the commercial value of 'craft beer' (James Squire) why not Coopers? Nobody is asking Coopers to be DFH but Coopers do make already beers that are not popular mainstream beers such as the Vintage and the mild. If they are as commercial as you imply they would of gotten rid of the lines long ago but obviously they think it is important to have these lines for the sake of tradition or the 'brand'. Hell manticle thinks they deserve props for the audacity to sticking with ales this day and age. It's not like asking CUB to make an IPA.


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## pk.sax (5/2/12)

They are the only brewery up here, so as independent major in a regional scale as it gets. Coopers on the other hand have been around forever, yet, they do their best to do as little as possible to cater to the evolving 'Australian' beer scene.

This is not a criticism of their beer, rather a criticism of their sluggishness in giving the customers what they want. Considering so many of those drinking craft beer these days would've picked up a coopers a few years ago, it would've been refreshing to see them keep up to some extent. I was up in port Douglas a few months ago, the only 'craft' beer available was coopers, wouldnt hurt the drinker if coopers pushed some decent beer through their good name.

I suppose, in some day bygone, fosters and cub used to make good beer too...

PS: a lot of smaller names making great beer would kill to get some penetration into the pubs.

PPS: at the risk of another nazi mod, coopers being pretty much the biggest known HB kit maker and also the non fosters/4x brewery in Australia give both HB and craft beer a pretty bad image and actually hurt the uptake of good beer by the masses. who gives a crap what I or you think, it's what the publican and the drinker thinks. And they think coopers is craft and craft is crap so they go back to non-craft crap.


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## Rina (5/2/12)

I'm no marketing expert but I don't understand 62 Pilsner. Sure the euro lager is a huge market but its competitive as well. I'm not sure who they were trying to 'convert'.

I like Coopers- if I'm not feeling adventurous I'll pick up the PA or SA and think they're a nice introduction to well lets say 'ales'


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## insane_rosenberg (5/2/12)

Coopers: The largest Australian owned brewery. 

And they make ales. 

And they introduce (almost) all of us to home brewing.

Seriously, do they need to do more?


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## pk.sax (5/2/12)

Shane R said:


> Coopers: The largest Australian owned brewery.
> 
> And they make ales.
> 
> ...



THIS: http://www.yourshout.co.nz/beer.html



> We've all had those friends who, in the past, have made brews that only he/she could actually enjoy drinking and they always forced it upon us gentle folk who were too polite for our own taste buds.
> Well, things have changed, homebrewing has come of age!!
> 
> Brewing your own beer, these days, is as easy as making a cup of coffee and it tastes GREAT !!
> ...



The bile kit makers spew.

It's the same crap a majority of HB (water purifying) shops say to sell coopers kits.


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## Liam_snorkel (5/2/12)

practicalfool said:


> PPS: at the risk of another nazi mod, coopers being pretty much the biggest known HB kit maker and also the non fosters/4x brewery in Australia give both HB and craft beer a pretty bad image and actually hurt the uptake of good beer by the masses. who gives a crap what I or you think, it's what the publican and the drinker thinks. And they think coopers is craft and craft is crap so they go back to non-craft crap.


are you saying that by producing HB products, Coopers is damaging their reputation as an 'actual' brewery?


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## pk.sax (5/2/12)

No, I just don't get the admiration they get. They make the same crap as everyone else, tooheys whatever. People make crap beer out of it and call HB shit.
It's more agreeing with the OP that for a brewery that claims to be so different, their products are barely so.

Also, I've been relatively sober today.


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## DU99 (5/2/12)

their pale ale rated No16 Hottest 100 Beers Of 2011..rates better than some..and how many HB's use there yeast even their dreg's/slurry


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## Rina (5/2/12)

To be fair it is because it is viable and cheap. 

Are they 'megaswill' or are they 'craft'? Surely the answer is the middle. I don't expect them to become the Samuel Adams or Sierra Nevada of Australia (though it would be nice) but one or two craft lines or a seasonal couldn't hurt.


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## super_simian (5/2/12)

It would be nice if they canned the 62 Pils and/or the Clear in favour of an IPA or another interesting style, but enough people must be buying it that they are still making it.


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## mmmyummybeer (5/2/12)

I don't get the 62 Pils either I think Coopers were doing well by keeping there tradition and history as being dedicated ale brewers. Through out history the company stayed true to its belief in going against the mainstream lager breweries and brewing what they were passionate about 'Ales'. Since they started producing lagers it seems like a bit of a sell out of their traditions to me.


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## drsmurto (5/2/12)

Coopers is a big brewery.

They cater to mass beer drinking public, not to overly nerdy home brewers like you and I who can make our own beers to suit out own tastes.

Once you understand that simple fact you'll understand why they won't be brewing a beer to cater for you any time soon.

But no, let's keep this thread with a bunch of homebrewers debating about what a commercial brewery _should_ be brewing going.

Exactly how many cases of coopers do you buy per week Rina? 

Buy a lottery ticket and dream about what a brewery should be brewing.

Until such time brew your own like we all do and stop whinging.


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## thebeemann (6/2/12)

Picked up some original pick axe stubbies the other day and 1 of the labels was for a coopers old gold lager ..... i havnt heard of it , but the bottle also said i would get 4c refund at marine stores in S.A , anyone remember this brew ?


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## MHB (6/2/12)

I like Coopers been drinking it for over thirty years, when I first started going to pubs I didnt like the on tap offerings but you could get Coopers most places if you asked.
Coopers have just finished expanding the brewhouse with the addition of the second mash mixing tank, taking their daily capacity to about 12 mashes of 10.5 Tons at dam near 100% brewhouse efficiency. They needed the extra capacity because their sales are growing through the roof.
Right now they are probably the most successful brewer in Australia.

Naturally they are doing it all wrong and should stop all that and start making your version of your favourite beer as if.
Mark


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## MarkBastard (6/2/12)

I think it's a shame that Coopers don't innovate on what it means to make an Australian ale. For example Coopers should have done Stone & Wood Pacific Ale before Stone & Wood even came into existence.


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## petesbrew (6/2/12)

Rina said:


> Man all these posts keep getting deleted. No reason why.


Lol.


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## craigo (6/2/12)

Rina said:


> I'm no marketing expert but I don't understand 62 Pilsner. Sure the euro lager is a huge market but its competitive as well. I'm not sure who they were trying to 'convert'.
> 
> I like Coopers- if I'm not feeling adventurous I'll pick up the PA or SA and think they're a nice introduction to well lets say 'ales'




I was told that the 62 came about because they got the contract to make budwiser so they bought all the ingredients but the contract fell so they made a pilsner instead and named it coopers 62. Dont no if its true or not.


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## Philthy79 (6/2/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Coopers is a big brewery.
> 
> They cater to mass beer drinking public, not to overly nerdy home brewers like you and I who can make our own beers to suit out own tastes.
> 
> Until such time brew your own like we all do and stop whinging.



+1


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## HoppingMad (6/2/12)

Coopers Stout is awesome.

Invalid Stout is its thinner and sweeter cousin, which doesn't have the yeasty kick and big grain flavour of the Coops.

Try one side by side and you'll see. I'm pretty sure Invalid is brewed with CUB's house lager strain which means it's cleaner in taste but lacks the estery complexity a Coopers Stout has.

Someone mentioned Cascade Stout - now you're talking, a good example there, although some might find it too sweet or porter-like. I do like the roast that comes up on that beer.

Like Mants I haven't tried the Sheaf either, will have to look for it.

Don't understand why so many folks love the Coopers Pilsener 62. We got a case for free at work when they were running a promotion, and the carton we got given tasted like cut apple/acetaldehyde. My office colleagues reached around that beer in the fridge for weeks preferring to drink Carlton Draught & Crown instead - it languished there until I think the cleaner started to drink it. Not a great beer, but I guess if you stick stuff in a green bottle someone out there will think it's sophisticated.

Coopers do Ales well, even Coopers Light is a great flavoursome beer when you compare it to others out there, but Coopers 62? No thanks.

Hopper.


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## drsmurto (6/2/12)

craigo said:


> I was told that the 62 came about because they got the contract to make budwiser so they bought all the ingredients but the contract fell so they made a pilsner instead and named it coopers 62. Dont no if its true or not.



Coopers 62 pilsner

Kroneburg 1662. :icon_cheers:


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## Nick JD (6/2/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Coopers 62 pilsner
> 
> Kroneburg 1662. :icon_cheers:



Two years off there, Doc. You mean Kronenbourg 1664?


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## Rina (6/2/12)

> You can only wonder what founder Thomas Cooper would make of Coopers 62, the latest brand to roll out from the family-owned brewery he established back in 1862. Coopers 62 takes its name from that date and is branded as a “pilsner”, which is a significant diversion for the Adelaide-based outfit which made its mark with cloudy ales and stouts.
> ....
> “We were also looking for a top-end pilsener replacement for Grolsch,” he says, of the Dutch lager which Cooper’s had the Australian distribution agency for until last year when the Grolsch family sold out to the SAB Miller group. The green, embossed Coopers 62 bottle was even designed to look a bit like the Grolsch equivalent, he says




http://www.microbrewing.com.au/news/articl...62-pilsner.html


lolz


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## drsmurto (6/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> Two years off there, Doc. You mean Kronenbourg 1664?



Bugger.

Confused some of the stuff they told me on the tour only a week ago.

I blame Monday morning and a severe lack of caffeine.


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## Nick JD (6/2/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Bugger.
> 
> Confused some of the stuff they told me on the tour only a week ago.
> 
> I blame Monday morning and a severe lack of caffeine.



I'd like to do a Coopers tour. What was the lager like?


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## ploto (6/2/12)

Problem if they had another beer is it would only take sales away from the green and red. And taps of green are eyed with enough suspicion as is in many pubs, not much chance of changing to a new coopers, let alone two - how often do you see red and green both on tap in the same pub?

That said, I'd love it if they tried to get the vintage on tap more often, even if just in places like the Taphouse etc.


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## Mayor of Mildura (6/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> I'd like to do a Coopers tour. What was the lager like?


I did the tour with Smurto and a couple of other guys. I enjoyed the tour. The brewery is bling. My favourite lager that I tried in the sampling was the coopers lager. So much so that I bought a carton for the boys at cricket on Saturday.


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## Nick JD (6/2/12)

mayor of mildura said:


> I did the tour with Smurto and a couple of other guys. I enjoyed the tour. The brewery is bling. My favourite lager that I tried in the sampling was the coopers lager. So much so that I bought a carton for the boys at cricket on Saturday.



Coopers Premium Lager is quite different to the famous Coopers ales. This lager produces a refreshing flavour with a good balance of malt and hop characters and is brewed using no sugar. With its subtle fruity esters and light golden colour, combined with a judicious blend of *Pride of Ringwood* and Saaz hops. This produces a Lager with a crisp malty full flavour.

Dirty mongrels! PoR in a Euro Lager?!!!


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## Mayor of Mildura (6/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> Coopers Premium Lager is quite different to the famous Coopers ales. This lager produces a refreshing flavour with a good balance of malt and hop characters and is brewed using no sugar. With its subtle fruity esters and light golden colour, combined with a judicious blend of *Pride of Ringwood* and Saaz hops. This produces a Lager with a crisp malty full flavour.
> 
> Dirty mongrels! PoR in a Euro Lager?!!!


I don't think it's meant to be a euro lager. More like a premium aussie lager i.e hahn, cascade etc.


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## drsmurto (6/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> I'd like to do a Coopers tour. What was the lager like?



I didn't rate any of their lagers except the Sapporo they brew under license. I would happily buy a case of that. My favourite was the mild ale but i drink that regularly at my inlaws. 

Really enjoyed the tour, the guide was quite open with his information (burtonised water, which beers used sugar in the kettle etc) and the bling was crazy. 

Mash filter - yes please. 

1200 bottles per minute (20 per second) on the bottling line - watching that go at full speed was impressive.


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## the_new_darren (6/2/12)

How does the mash filter work?

tnd


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## Mayor of Mildura (6/2/12)

the_new_darren said:


> How does the mash filter work?
> 
> tnd


They crush their grist to powder. They mash as per normal. Then they pump the mash to the mash press (It is a series of filter plates with a ram on the end about as long as a bus). The mash gets pressed and it squeezes the sweet wort out. It looks like something from DR Who.


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## MarkBastard (6/2/12)

mayor of mildura said:


> They crush their grist to powder. They mash as per normal. Then they pump the mash to the mash press (It is a series of filter plates with a ram on the end about as long as a bus). The mash gets pressed and it squeezes the sweet wort out. It looks like something from DR Who.



LOL sounds like Bribie G's wet dream.


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## drsmurto (6/2/12)

the_new_darren said:


> How does the mash filter work?
> 
> tnd



You'd have to ask someone who was technically minded but i believe they pump the mash in, a piston drives plates that force it against the filter/membrane, the pistons withdraw, sparge water is pumped in, the process is repeated and then the spent grain falls out and is sent off to a silo. Any more detail the guide mentioned went right over my head.


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## Phoney (6/2/12)

What do they do with the spent grain? They could feed an entire chicken farm.


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## Mayor of Mildura (6/2/12)

phoneyhuh said:


> What do they do with the spent grain? They must feed a lot of chooks.


Pretty much. The guide reckons they sell it off to be turned into stock feed.


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## MHB (6/2/12)

They are using a Meura 2000 filter
M


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## matho (6/2/12)

I found this PDF on the IGB web site the second page has an in depth explanation of how a mash filter works on page 2

View attachment 12___Mash_separation_systems.pdf


cheers


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## stux (6/2/12)

manticle said:


> I was joking about the Kriek. I was not, however joking about writing to them. They may take your suggestions on board.
> 
> I forgot about Carlton Black although reviews I've read have compared it to things such as melted car tyres.
> 
> ...



Grolsch do a dark, Heineken do a dark

Coopers, CUB and Tootheys too...

Any more examples required?


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## stux (6/2/12)

Rina said:


> I'm no marketing expert but I don't understand 62 Pilsner. Sure the euro lager is a huge market but its competitive as well. I'm not sure who they were trying to 'convert'.
> 
> I like Coopers- if I'm not feeling adventurous I'll pick up the PA or SA and think they're a nice introduction to well lets say 'ales'



I think they were trying to convert Sapporo. 

"we can brew lagers too"


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## manticle (6/2/12)

Stux said:


> Any more examples required?



Never seen the heineken or grolsch. I was talking about Australian large scale commercial breweries though (although coopers is really the only wholely aussie one as far as I know). Coopers is easily available to me so I see it (probably wrongly) as more ubiquitious.

Anyway point taken (re tooheys and CUB). I've been wrong before and I'm happy to be wrong today. Dark beers aside, I stand my my earlier assertion that they make beers that offer something a little different to the other large scale commercials.


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## stux (6/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> Coopers Premium Lager is quite different to the famous Coopers ales. This lager produces a refreshing flavour with a good balance of malt and hop characters and is brewed using no sugar. With its subtle fruity esters and light golden colour, combined with a judicious blend of *Pride of Ringwood* and Saaz hops. This produces a Lager with a crisp malty full flavour.
> 
> Dirty mongrels! PoR in a Euro Lager?!!!



Sounds a lot like Vic Pale Lager

Edit:wtf


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## Nevalicious (6/2/12)

From our little tour the other day, one of the most amazing facts was what they do with the yeast... 

Apparently it gets cubed up in 1000-2000L plastic "cubes" and shoved into a shipping container, sent over to Japan (it was Japan right... Smurto, MoM??) to be used in a whiskey. They are apparently chasing the flavour profile from the Coopers yeast. And here I was thinking it got made into Vegemite


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## freezkat (7/2/12)

Coopers is what it is. (Anhueser InBev doesn't make malt extract.) They are serving their market pretty well. With some tweaking, you can make better beer than you can buy. 







versus






Don't make the mistake of trying to compare these 2 items either. 

There is a level of elitism from parts of this brewing hobby that belittle extract brewers. It reminds me of the Linux OS snobs that belittle the GUI users that wont use the command line. AG is harder to do, messier, takes more time and space, isn't much cheaper and there is a greater risk of failure. It benefits all of us to make this hobby as accessible as possible.


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## beerdrinkingbob (7/2/12)

The last 6 months i've been selling the house and have been keeping coopers in business one to two slabs a week (haven't been able to brew), still waiting for my vip card in the mail :icon_drunk: 

Bubs was due yesterday so i've been on the mild the last couple of weeks, really enjoy it.

My 2c, coopers is doing a great job :beerbang:


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## Nick JD (7/2/12)

mayor of mildura said:


> They crush their grist to powder. They mash as per normal. Then they pump the mash to the mash press (It is a series of filter plates with a ram on the end about as long as a bus). The mash gets pressed and it squeezes the sweet wort out. It looks like something from DR Who.



Sounds like exactly what I do.  

They must have a really, really big grinder.


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## sama (7/2/12)

My local has kent brown and kent black on tap.


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## Ducatiboy stu (7/2/12)

They still brew kent.....AWSOME :icon_chickcheers:


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## petesbrew (7/2/12)

sama said:


> My local has kent brown and kent black on tap.


Kent black? Never seen that one!
Haven't had kent in aaaaages.


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## Florian (7/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> Sounds like exactly what I do.
> 
> They must have a really, really big grinder.



They call it hammer mill, at least in Germany. Same procedure there when i visited 'the' brewery in Berlin. Loved the mash filter, clearer wort than a Braumeister can ever produce...


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## Innes (7/2/12)

Rina said:


> It's not like asking CUB to make an IPA.


Isohop Pale Ale <_<


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## Back Yard Brewer (7/2/12)

Rina said:


> Also you could find Sheaf Stout in Victoria at Dans.





:icon_vomit: Me personally, I don't rate the Sheaf Stout at all


BYB


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## soundawake (9/2/12)

I spoke to someone at the brewery the other day and tried to pry some Anniversary Ale info out of him...

He was pretty tight lipped but did say it will be around 5%.. so more of a session beer rather than a knock your socks off 7.5% like the Vintage Ale.


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## Snowdog (9/2/12)

Nick JD said:


> Coopers Premium Lager is quite different to the famous Coopers ales. This lager produces a refreshing flavour with a good balance of malt and hop characters and is brewed using no sugar. With its subtle fruity esters and light golden colour, combined with a judicious blend of *Pride of Ringwood* and Saaz hops. This produces a Lager with a crisp malty full flavour.


I don't mind Cooper's Lager myself, or Cooper's Light when my father-in-law is coming over, as he is a XXXX Gold man.

But I do buy the Cooper's Dark and Cooper's Pale on occasion when I'm on a budget.


Anything to the bit of news that circulated awhile back that Cooper's was going to license-brew that King of Adjunct American Beers Budweiser?


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## redunderthebed (15/3/12)

DU99 said:


> some beer's they make you can only get SA.try getting Dr timms premium ale can's..



Why in f*ck name would you want to chase that stuff its crap. Had a couple of tinnies of coopers lager at BDO that wasn't bad. 




Jace said:


> I actually seen that at a bottle shop on High st.
> Asked the guy working there and he said it was just Coopers PA, but he got it in so people could take it to festivals. I'm gonna right pissed off if he was wrong lol



Its similar but even more crappy. 




super_simian said:


> It would be nice if they canned the 62 Pils and/or the Clear in favour of an IPA or another interesting style, but enough people must be buying it that they are still making it.



The clear isn't too bad and i love the 62 its a dumbed down pilsener however is very tasty and decent session drop. 



mmmyummybeer said:


> I don't get the 62 Pils either I think Coopers were doing well by keeping there tradition and history as being dedicated ale brewers. Through out history the company stayed true to its belief in going against the mainstream lager breweries and brewing what they were passionate about 'Ales'. Since they started producing lagers it seems like a bit of a sell out of their traditions to me.



I don't give a rats arse i would if they ditched say dark ale for 62 but they don't



craigo said:


> I was told that the 62 came about because they got the contract to make budwiser so they bought all the ingredients but the contract fell so they made a pilsner instead and named it coopers 62. Dont no if its true or not.



You obviously hadn't tried budweiser 62 has about 100x times the flavour and i'm sure i didnt taste a single hop in bud. 




Snowdog said:


> I don't mind Cooper's Lager myself, or Cooper's Light when my father-in-law is coming over, as he is a XXXX Gold man.
> 
> But I do buy the Cooper's Dark and Cooper's Pale on occasion when I'm on a budget.
> 
> ...



Not true its imported from US of A.


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## Bribie G (15/3/12)

I think we have a conflation of two separate issues here. 

Coopers lost the contract to _distribute _- not brew - Bud in Australia, to Lion Nathan. 

Last year Coopers signed a deal with Sapporo to BUL here.


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