Brewing A Coop[ers Pale Ale As A Lager? Yes Or No?

[simpletotoro]

hi...
heres the go... i got a thing coming up in about six weeks time and want to put down 2 brews today ...to join the one already fermenting in a different fridge...but here s the rub...the two i put down today must be able to ferment out at around 10-12/c max ...i have a can of coopers pilsner (no problems here)...but my other cans are of morgans wheat and a can of coopers pale ale (green one)...i had this thought i could take the can of coopers pale ale add my fermentables...say 250 ldm 500 dextrose and 250 corn syrup...i have varoius other bags of ldm and dex available as well...do a boil of 250 ldm with some sazs hops for flavour...green bullet for aroma...then use saflager yeast (s33) to ferment her out like a lager...anyone see a problem with this...and/or a recommended list of fermentable sugars hop schedule etc...thanks heaps if anyone replies...
cheers simpletotoro

 

[Adamt]

You can brew anything with a lager yeast, except it will be a lager. The CPA tin has pride of ringwood flavour, Green Bullet would go better with that; leave the saaz as an extra for the pilsner where it belongs!

6 weeks for a lager might be pushing it! (Unless you keg)

 

[Mr Bond]

Just to clarify you mean s23(lager) and not s33(ale ) as you have stated.

Other than that the difference between a coopers pils and pale would be insignificant in an extract brew.
its the yeast that make it a lager or ale.Both of those kits are pale extract and similar IBU, with prolly a different isohop put in(my HO only).

 

[simpletotoro]

thanks to the both of you for the replies ...yeah i'll use green bullet hops for the lager then okay...also yeah yeast is s23(lager) ...sorry about that...
is 6 weeks really no go for a lager :unsure: ..say two fermenting and four bottle conditioning...
also would you say... 10 g green bullet @ 10 mins
14 g green bullet @ flame out
sound okay...or would this make it too bitter/unbalanced?
added to kit with 250 grams LDM and 600 dextrose sound okay? saflager yeast ....ferment temp (10-13 /c)

 

[blackbock]

thanks to the both of you for the replies ...yeah i'll use green bullet hops for the lager then okay...also yeah yeast is s23(lager) ...sorry about that...
is 6 weeks really no go for a lager :unsure: ..say two fermenting and four bottle conditioning...
also would you say... 10 g green bullet @ 10 mins
14 g green bullet @ flame out
sound okay...or would this make it too bitter/unbalanced?
added to kit with 250 grams LDM and 600 dextrose sound okay? saflager yeast ....ferment temp (10-13 /c)

I don't see why you couldn't be drinking the "lager" within 6 weeks. As long as it's fully fermented and carbed of course you can drink it. CC'ing for several weeks is obviously ideal, but if you don't have the time, you don't have it. I've had lagers finished primary at 12C in six days, so 6 weeks is definitely possible.
Can't comment on the green bullet - never tried it.

 

[Trent]

Simpletotoro
I am pretty sure a lager requires not just a lager yeast, but also a lagering phase (cold conditioning). I think that 6 weeks would be pushing it a little for a lager yeast, but I would say it is possible. But, why MUST the beers be able to ferment at 10-12C? The coopers pale is actually not a bad kit with the supplied yeast, and at this time of year would be able to go at ambient temps, providing that characteristic fruitiness. Maybe you could put a wet towel over it tokeep it in the low 20's, but after a week in primary, and 2-3 weeks in the bottle, the CPA will definitely be ready, and the lager might not be in its prime after a total of 6 weeks. Fermenting the CPA cold will remove all the fruity esters and yeast flavours that make it so nice. At the end of the day, though, it is up to you. And if you wanna do a wheat beer, that is also perfect for ambient temps right now. I would do the wheat with a wheat yeast, and CPA with the supplied yeast, and you are guaranteed to have em drinking well within 6 weeks. The lager may be ready, but I think you would be pushing it. My 2c worth anyway.
All the best
Trent