Coopers 62 Pilsner

[Gerard_M]

I had one for lunch today & it was pretty good for what it was. I reckon I would even drink it from the stubby, which is a big change for a snob like me. Wouldn't like to put it up against some of the Pils that are coming out of the micro's around NSW at the moment, we are certainly spoilt for choice.
Cheers
Gerard

 

[sah]

Add to the $40 euro list konig lunig, heinekin, carlsberg, becks.

Then there are the noname euro lagers in the low $30s which are equally as good.

 

[discoloop]

Tried one of these last night. After reading the reviews here I wasn't expecting much yet I still managed to be disappointed. Bland, bland, bland! Give me an Oetinger any day!

I know most light lagers can be considered an interpretation of the pilsner style, but when I see the label "Pilsner" on a beer, I have a few expectations - some sort of noble hop character, a slightly sweet malty backbone and a pronounced bitterness. Coopers 62 delivered on none of these IMHO.

 

[Bribie G]

How can they call this a Pilsener? Bought a six pack just now and drank one in the car looking out over the passage. To me it tastes like a love child of Haagen, Hammer and Tongs and Tooheys Extra Dry. Very disappointing seeing as it's from Coopers. I had been expecting something at least on the level of Cascade Premium Lager or Hahn Premium (if you can still get it).

Sad

 

[Kai]

Agreed. Tastes like watered down DMS. I wasn't expecting much, but I was expecting more.

Ah well, I'll stick to coopers pale ale when I want a quaffing beer

 

[Wimmig]

I tried this the day before it hit public in NSW, and have to say...i don't like it.

As it has already been said, calling a beer a pilsner implies certain requirments. And as far as i am concerned none of them have been met with this beer. It lacks bitterness, carbonation (although at least on the batch i tried this seems to vary) and seems sweet.

I don't know what kind of sweet i am thinking of though. Somewhere between a Baltika #8 and corn syrup. I am a massive fan of Coopers and the beers they make are without any question fine examples of the respective styles. Loved both local and on the international front. I just can't see what the hell they though with this?

It reminds me of a product that is;

A) Made on market request (ie on contract).
B) Made for export market.
C) Made for the club market.

Now the club market doesn't exactly exist in AUS. In Europe it is a different story (355ml/330ml some with in-base bottle openers). Franziskaner & Weihenstephaner are good examples of products available in club market being in slim, "cool" packaging sometimes with different brewing to match a "hip" market.

What i had hoped when i both first saw, and tried the new Coopers is that is was a public production of their long gone home brew kits. Somewhat of a seasional production of sorts. I don't think this is the case. I have no doubt it will be enjoyed by many, that's the idea afterall. As for me, i'll stick to their other fine products.

God forbid they bring out a lowcarb. :unsure:

 

[Kai]

They did

 

[drsmurto]

Tried one of these last night. After reading the reviews here I wasn't expecting much yet I still managed to be disappointed. Bland, bland, bland! Give me an Oetinger any day!

I know most light lagers can be considered an interpretation of the pilsner style, but when I see the label "Pilsner" on a beer, I have a few expectations - some sort of noble hop character, a slightly sweet malty backbone and a pronounced bitterness. Coopers 62 delivered on none of these IMHO.

:icon_offtopic: Sweet? Pilsner? Hell no! It should be dry and crisp, something i am yet to achieve in a pilsner. The other points i agree with.

 

[AussieJosh]

Im drinking it now....
Its not all that bad! I think its a hell of a lot better then the low carb beers on the market!...yer i know thats not saying much...
The price were i got mine from was $52 a carton! I think they need to drop that by about $10 if they want to sell a lot of it!

 

[Fourstar]

From the site:
Quote:
Coopers 62 is based on a classic Bohemian-style Pilsner, with a straw-to-golden colour and dense, rich foam. Hopped, using a combination of traditional Saaz and Hersbrucker varieties, it has a medium-bodied palate and is generously fermented to produce a well-attenuated lager. The hop flavours are perfectly balanced by an all-malt recipe of Australian-grown malted barley to finish with a residual sweetness, typical of this style of beer. The end result is a crisp, full-flavoured taste with a smooth, satisfying finish, brewed just for you.

Bohemian Style Pilsner - its more like a German, it finishes dry and is spritzy, no rich/sweet malt present.
Dense rich foam - ?!? Wha? A bottle of Carlton Draught has more head on it than this. The whole glass didnt have any lacing whatsoever.
Residual Sweetness - mildly residual. nothing like a budvar or matilda bay bohemian pils.

Verdict? Made for the Adelaide Club scene.

Im drinking it now....
Its not all that bad! I think its a hell of a lot better then the low carb beers on the market!...

Except it ain't a low-carb beer...

 

[Bribie G]

...............................
Verdict? Made for the Adelaide Club scene.
..............................................

But inflicted on the rest of Australia

Edit: do they have clubs in Adelaide? Apart from mass murder clubs where they stuff bodies into drums with caustic soda. Hmm might move there h34r:

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I had a few on the weekend at the pub. I am not a lager drinker, but I do like this one. Its not an in-your-face beer like a lot of micro's would brew.

I did find it a bit soft on flavour, but, it is a beer I could drink all day without issue, (I couldnt drink Matilda Bay pils all day.)

We as Brewers are probably expecting something a bit full on, but that wont work for the general drinking public

 

[beers]

WTF is "generously fermented" supposed to mean?! :huh:

 

[Luka]

I tired it last week, not good Im afraid. Doesnt seem like a Pilsner to me, actually had a flavour that reminded me of my very first Coopers can home brew! When I had no idea what I was doing and just followed the instructions and voila! The only consolation is that at least I didnt pay for it. The are soooo many better lagers out there both domestic and import and cheaper too.

 

[Fourstar]

Edit: do they have clubs in Adelaide? Apart from mass murder clubs where they stuff bodies into drums with caustic soda. Hmm might move there h34r:

App the clubs in Adelaide are quite decent, although ive been told if you dont go during a peak period (footy finals, footy nights holiday periods) they are only 1/2 capacity. Oh and lots of Cougars!

We as Brewers are probably expecting something a bit full on, but that wont work for the general drinking public

I dont think thats the issue Stu, I think we as brewers know this is not a 'Bohemian Pilsner' style beer. If it tastes like a standard lager, call it one.

Ive said this before but its a pet hate of mine when people clain a pilsner to be a Bohemian or German when it clearly isnt. E.g. Just because it has Saaz hops, doesnt make it a pedigree Bohemian Pilsner. You also need low (detectable) mineral profile, rich sweet pilsner flavours and aromas and has to be malt forward with a balanced malty/hoppy finish.

A very hard style to get right IMO, its not just as simple as slapping a recipe together and calling it what you want. Which is the way it usually turns out. <_<

 

[manticle]

OT: You'll be a hard man to please with my vic case swap beer then.

Currently tastes like bread which is ok on the malt front and some sweetness from pils malt is definitely there. No water additions though and IBU might be too low for you.

I may consider doing a small pils mash with high saaz bittering additions and blend. I was considering brewing a munich/pilsner lager for blending but I so wanted SMASH that I think anything else would be a compromise

 

[kegpig]

i was expecting something better when i bought mine as a traveller, i hadnt tipped a beer out for a long time before this one.

 

[Fourstar]

OT: You'll be a hard man to please with my vic case swap beer then.

Nah mate, Just call it just a pilsner, nothing more and i'lll be happy. Unless of course it is a true representation of that specifc style.

The way i look at it, most people if you asked them show you a recipe for a german and bohemian pilsner side by side. i'd say most of them would only change the hops. Or not even hint at water modification (e.g. german pils requires high sulphate water)

 

[manticle]

There'll be no fancy names from me, believe me. SMASH pilsner or if I did blend with munich/pils thingy I would call it 'hybridised and bastardised pilsner'.

 

[AussieJosh]

Bohemian Style Pilsner - its more like a German, it finishes dry and is spritzy, no rich/sweet malt present.
Dense rich foam - ?!? Wha? A bottle of Carlton Draught has more head on it than this. The whole glass didnt have any lacing whatsoever.
Residual Sweetness - mildly residual. nothing like a budvar or matilda bay bohemian pils.

Verdict? Made for the Adelaide Club scene.




Except it ain't a low-carb beer...

I must admit my foam was rich and it did lace my glass.

Club scene!? Being 28 Im to old for clubbing now but when i was a young lad i went to a number of clubs in NSW and VIC and there not all that great!

Maybe 62 is Coopers way of pay back for all that VB/CUB shit you guys send here!

I like to think 62 is Coopers way of breaking in to the USA (Bud market) before unleashing there heavnly Ale upon them!