Coopers Ale Yeast

[braufrau]

I'm having my first go at culturing coopers yeast.

I made a 250ml starter with 1 tbsp of dme.
Should I step up to 2l before pitching?

Do I jump straight to the 2l or have an intermediate starter size?

-braufrau

 

[Voosher]

You can safely step starters up by a factor of 10 when the small starter is active.
While you could therefore step your starter up to 2 or so litres you should only need a starter of about a litre or so for a standard brew.

 

[Kai]

250mL is quite small, I would be stepping up to 1-1.5L following that.

 

[hockadays]

after you pitch it into your brew dont let the temp get above 19degc or you will end up with bananas....

 

[braufrau]

after you pitch it into your brew dont let the temp get above 19degc or you will end up with bananas....

Thanks guys.


My CSA yeast has just started to show activity. We're going to a pool party tonight where
I'll have my eye out for a 2l bottle. (My friends are used to me ferreting through their rubbish now)

19C might be a problem in this weather but I'm going to try the tee shirt and fan trick. If that doesn't
work I'll go to plan B ... not sure what that is though. :unsure:

-braufrau

 

[BruceL]

Plan B

Buy a 100can cooler from K-Mart ($20). I recently got one and easily kept my last brew at 18C (even when the weather was >35C) by simply using bottles of frozen salty water. I only needed to use one 2L bottle at a time, which lasted 8 -12 hours. I do however keep the brew in the laundry not a hot shed. I didnt put a hole in the lid I simply laid a few towels over the top. I have used the wet towel method (which I did find effective); however the can cooler works a lot better.

 

[braufrau]

Plan B

Buy a 100can cooler from K-Mart ($20). I recently got one and easily kept my last brew at 18C (even when the weather was >35C) by simply using bottles of frozen salty water. I only needed to use one 2L bottle at a time, which lasted 8 -12 hours. I do however keep the brew in the laundry not a hot shed. I didnt put a hole in the lid I simply laid a few towels over the top. I have used the wet towel method (which I did find effective); however the can cooler works a lot better.

Thanks Bruce. I'll toottle to K Mart if the wet tee shirt plan doesn't work!

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Speaking of Cooper's yeast does anyone know what the difference is between the Coopers Premium Sparkling Ale can kit yeast and the stuff they brew their sparkling ale with?

I love this can kit yeast, and use it as a good general ale yeast (amber ales, porters, stouts etc). Seems to brew ok at temps above 20C as well without the bananery flavours.

 

[Snow]

after you pitch it into your brew dont let the temp get above 19degc or you will end up with bananas....

Sorry but I have to disagree with this statement. I regularly brew with Coopers yeast and my standard procedure is to pitch at 18c, then raise to 22c over 3 days, then let finish at 20c. I have never had ester problems in my Coopers brews. If you have good sized, healthy starters, well aerated wort (I aerate mine overnight after pitching) and don't let the temp fluctuate wildly, you won't have a problem.

Cheers - Snow

 

[The King of Spain]

[/quote] I recently got one and easily kept my last brew at 18C (even when the weather was >35C) by simply using bottles of frozen salty water.

Salt water has a lower freezing temp in case your wondering. Ive had it in solution still at -5C

 

[poppa joe]

Got a carton of CSA..Sitting in the fridge..Was 2..... :beerbang:
Left over from Xmas Party..Made sure we drank the VVVBBB and the
Carlton Cold first.. done a starter with some of it.. For a brew..Secondary tomorrow.
Any suggestions .? for saving the yeast ..before i drink and waste the rest....
PJ

 

[hockadays]

Sorry but I have to disagree with this statement. I regularly brew with Coopers yeast and my standard procedure is to pitch at 18c, then raise to 22c over 3 days, then let finish at 20c. I have never had ester problems in my Coopers brews. If you have good sized, healthy starters, well aerated wort (I aerate mine overnight after pitching) and don't let the temp fluctuate wildly, you won't have a problem.

Cheers - Snow

I dare say I did unpitch somewhat when I got bananas as the second time I used it I pitched it I used lot more yeast but kept it cool and didn't have ester problems. But I still wouldn't let this puppy get to warm.

 

[Kai]

Sorry but I have to disagree with this statement.

I would have to agree with Snow's disagreement. Of course, keeping the yeast cool is still a good idea but in my experience cool is below 23-4 or so. Good yeast management is important, of course.

 

[sah]

There are warnings flying about all over the place with this thread. I think rightly slow. This is a yeast to be careful with.

My first experience was indeed my first experience with culturing a yeast and I stressed the poor colony with too much warmth and by witholding sugar and they rewarded me with a plantation of bananas.

Since I have been more respectful and have been rewarded with some bready flavours. I've yet to reap the fruity CSA flavours.

Good luck.
Scott

 

[Whistlingjack]

I've cultured this yeast a few times.

I usually start with 50g of LDME in 500mls. Over the next two days I increase this by 500mls in two batches, ending with 1500ml of active starter.

I haven't got it together to build my plate stirrer, but a good shake every now and then seems to work.

The only time I've had bananas was when I impatiently/drunkenly pitched the yeast when the wort was too warm. In the time it took me to cool it (after realising my mistake), the damage was done. The esters dropped out after about four weeks in the bottle, making it very drinkable. I usually ferment at 20 degrees.

 

[braufrau]

Well the stepped up starter is brewing away (I hope) in the beer cupboard, which
is the most stable place in the house. It currently at 24 and should get a little cooler
with this change in weather.

I don't let brauherr get stuck into the booze until its been in the bottle at least 6 weeks
so, fingers crossed, the esters wont be a problem.

And yet, some fruity esters are a desirable feature of the yeast! :blink: