# Coopers Pale Ale Yeast Temp



## Moray (28/2/08)

Hi all,

I'm planning on culturing the yeast from some coopers pale ale.
Does any one know what temp would be best for this yeast to brew with?

I'm think 22 degrees.

anyone have any other suggestions

cheers
Moray


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## alowen474 (28/2/08)

Moray,
From what I have read about this yeast, 22 degrees will work well. It can apparently work up to and over 25 degrees without adding to many odd flavours to the brew.
I haven't heard any bad reviews about it.
Enjoy.


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## kevnlis (28/2/08)

I use this yeast at 16C ambient (18C if you have a wort probe). Any higher and the result is far less than pleasing!


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## mikelinz (28/2/08)

Australian pale ale style (aka coopers sparkling ale/Original pale ale) is supposed to have medium to high fruitiness. Coopers now brew at 20c but traditionally temps would have been higher.


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## Uncle Fester (28/2/08)

16-18 degrees works best for me.


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## Hutch (28/2/08)

beerforal said:


> Moray,
> From what I have read about this yeast, 22 degrees will work well. It can apparently work up to and over 25 degrees without adding to many odd flavours to the brew.
> I haven't heard any bad reviews about it.
> Enjoy.


The higher end of things produces a lot more banana character, and is not to everyone's liking - 25 degrees is likely to taste like a banana sandwitch. 
It ferments well down to 16deg, and I'd recommend staying at the low end (17-18) for close resemblance to Coopers Pale. 
Well worth the trouble IMHO!


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## Daawl (28/2/08)

I just started the reculter of some Coopers Pale Ale yeast last night.
Anyone got some suggestions on the best way to keep the starter at a reasonable constant 18-20?

I don't really want it to get any warmer as I read in another thread that if you get the banana in the starter it will transfer.


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## Hutch (28/2/08)

Daawl said:


> I just started the reculter of some Coopers Pale Ale yeast last night.
> Anyone got some suggestions on the best way to keep the starter at a reasonable constant 18-20?
> 
> I don't really want it to get any warmer as I read in another thread that if you get the banana in the starter it will transfer.


Fermentation fridge.
Esky with ice blocks.
Make sure you pitch a nice big starter to ensure it attenuates well (Coopers finishes about 1.006).


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## Daawl (28/2/08)

> Fermentation fridge.
> Esky with ice blocks.
> Make sure you pitch a nice big starter to ensure it attenuates well (Coopers finishes about 1.006).



Unfortunately can't use Fermentation fridge, its currently set for lager with brew in it.
was thinking about the esky option.

I used 4 stubbies for the yeast into 800ml of about a 1040 mini wort. Would that be sufficient?


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## kevnlis (28/2/08)

Don't worry about the temp of the starter, just put it in the fridge once it has fully fermented and then once it has settled pour the beer off the top and just pitch the slurry.


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## Hutch (28/2/08)

Daawl said:


> Unfortunately can't use Fermentation fridge, its currently set for lager with brew in it.
> was thinking about the esky option.
> 
> I used 4 stubbies for the yeast into 800ml of about a 1040 mini wort. Would that be sufficient?



4 stubbies is a good start, though you'll probably still find that this takes several days for the culture to grow and ferment out the starter.
Last time I did this was from 4 stubbies, into 500ml starter, and it took 5 days on a stir-plate!
If you have the means, best to ramp your starter up to 1.5 - 2Ltr for a really good pitching rate, and as kevnlis suggested, settle out the yeast in the fridge before pitching just the slurry.
Alternatively, just brew a batch of some simple kit as a test-run (and bottle the result if you must!), then repitch 1 cup of the slurry into your Coopers Clone. This will probably work out a better pitching quanitity the second batch. My current Coopers slurry has been reused 5 times, and still producing nice beers!

Good luck with it, and enjoy the result.


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## chris.taylor.98 (28/2/08)

Daawl said:


> I just started the reculter of some Coopers Pale Ale yeast last night.
> Anyone got some suggestions on the best way to keep the starter at a reasonable constant 18-20?
> 
> I don't really want it to get any warmer as I read in another thread that if you get the banana in the starter it will transfer.



When propagating yeast you want it keep it at its optimal growth temperature ( around 26C ), remembering you are primarily making yeast with the starter, not beer.

I have a heater in a fridge to keep the temperature up that high while propagating the yeast.

If you are worried about the resulting starter wort (which you probably should be after propagating at 26C), cold crash the starter and pour the starter wort off before pitching.


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## mikelinz (3/3/08)

Lauri Strachan - The complkete guide to beer & brewing 2006

Australian sparkling ale (Coopers it the only historical example)

"the most important property of coopes yeast is that it fermentts strogly and true at quite high temperatures, up to and over 25c without creating toomany fruit flavours. It also gives a light fruit character to the beer. 

All the info I have tread seems to suggest that coopers yeast should be fermented above 20c (coopers themselves ferment at 20c). However they all include sugar in the recipe as this is supposed to be "authentic practice" for true australian ales except that coopers denies using sugar. Any thoughts?


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## 0M39A (3/3/08)

where do coopers deny using sugar in their beers?

i thought it was a well known fact that coopers use sugar, around 10%-15% isnt it? helps keep their gravity low (1.007 isnt it?)

going from memory here, so please dont quote me on any of this.


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## kevnlis (3/3/08)

Coopers use 15% sugar in almost all of their beers. I can say with near certainty that they do not ferment at 20C, try that yeast at 20C, and then at 16C, I am sure you will understand after this.


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## mikelinz (3/3/08)

Interesting to note that I red Strachans recipe and he says to ferment at 16-18, despite his earlier comment.

I will get back to you with the Coopers info on Temperature and sugar. as I want to make absolutely certain I am not misquoting. Will have more info soon. It does seem to be a universal assumption that coopers use sugar.

rgds mike


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## poiter (3/3/08)

Very safe temp is 18 deg. This is hard to maintain in summer without some sort of temp control. It can get away from you easily.

I have had very good results at this temp without any sugar in the recipe as the yeast doesn't give up on any available fermentables, so you still get a dryish finish with balanced fruit, malt and yeast characters.

It is also easy to propogate. Only one stubbie's sediment in 250mL of wort, then stepped up to 1L gets a 23L batch up and running in no time.


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## QldKev (3/3/08)

IMHO I don't think there is one given temp for a strain of yeast. It will depend on what I am going to brew.

Using the Coopers PAle Ale yeast

18 for a larger
20 for a draught
22 for a Pale Ale; I do want some fruity flavours here.

Remember its all about your personal taste buds too.

QldKev


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## paul (3/3/08)

Just wondering if qldkev has used coopers recultured yeast at 22 degrees before. If you have you'll know that you'll make banana beer. Try it at 16 - 18 degrees for the real thing


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## Adamt (3/3/08)

Coopers no longer use sugar in their pale ale. Sparkling ale, stout, etc. have sugar in the grist.


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## BoilerBoy (3/3/08)

Used this yeast many times and have had great success at 16C

Only got bananas in of my earlier attempts at 20C,

Its a great yeast and even at 16C you still get that subtle apple/pear character.

As far as sugar goes I would find it difficult to believe they are able to get the level of attenuation they do without it.

BB


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## QldKev (3/3/08)

Honestly I have not actually made a 22 degree batch. I have done a 20 for a draught beer, and didn't find it that fruity. (this was to be a Pale Ale but my brew room didn;t agree with ingredients on the day) From what I have read I think 22 would be good for a fruity beer like Pale Ale. I could be totally wrong, and 22 may be completely over the top for fruity flavours. 

Also I do tend to perfer most my beers fermented a degree or so higher that most. 

mmm thinking I may have to try this in 2 weeks when I do my next brew run (I just put 2 fermentors in the brew fridges tonight) 

QldKev


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## BoilerBoy (3/3/08)

Just another point about Coopers and sugar...

Wasn't it one of their advertising selling points on the release of their "Mild" that it was 
"All malt" ?????
Like it was something particularly significant with this beer, or in other words "not something they ordinarily do"

Cant remember exactly...

Cheers
BB


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## kevnlis (3/3/08)

I think that is common amongst us Bundy and far north brewers to like a bit more ester. We have become used to it in our HB experience. I must however disagree with your temperature recommendation and say that I was not impressed by the level of ester and fusel I got at 20C. I have also heard from other brewers who had the same experience. I tried 18C and it still was not quite right, but at 16C is hard to tell from the real thing! This is not only my opinion, but there are no less than 3 other people who have sampled these brews and agree with me (I come from a family of home brewers who like to share!).

I also realise there are other factors that can impact the outcome, but I have now done 3 CPA clones at 16C and all have been excellent!


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## mikelinz (3/3/08)

I think I might try a 5L batch at 16, 20, 22 using the same recipe. Will be a fun experiment. Aust Pale ale is the melbourne brewers current club brew so I will be able to get them judged. Never brewed one and never put my beer up for a tasting, so that will depend on whether they are drinkable ;0 Anyone willing to part with an all grain recipe for a coopers style ale.


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## haysie (3/3/08)

Coopers is like diesel here in Victoria, no bubbles, no life, no head, bugger all anything. Do they just send us Vic`s all the bad ones? <_< 

I am yet too taste a good one, Saying that Boiler Boy and AndrewQLD have had good results from previous post`s.

Haysie


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## drsmurto (4/3/08)

The lager, mild and light all say 'All malt' on the label like its a badge of honour implying that the others contain sugar. As others have said, to get a final gravity in the 1.007 range requires the addition of sugar. I believe they have a 'silo' full of liquid sugar at the brewery. Is there a mega brewery in this country that doesn't use sugar? 

All the info i have read suggests CPA is fermented at 16 with a HUGE volume of yeast enabling it to ferment in 3 days flat. I have tried this yeast at 20-22 in the past and did not like the results. 

I have a batch of CSA in the ferment fridge now at 16C and its chugging along nicely. 

As for the starter, the ideal temperature for yeast is near on 30C. Not ideal for beer making but perfect for yeast orgies. Just tip the beer away.


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