Cooper's Barvarian Lager

[Brewtus]

I am trying my first Lager. I am going with the Cooper's bavarian as it comes with lager yeast. I mixed in Brewiser brew enhancer and have put it in a Canberra garage in winter with insulation around it. It sits at about 13 deg. After a week I gave it a rest and it went to about 16 deg in the laundry for about 4 hours (hope that was long enough) and a day later it had a gravity reading of 1014 (from 1038 original). I will probably bottle on the weekend at 14 days if the grav settles.

Has anyone eles tried it? How long do I need to store it and at what temp?

 

[Thunderlips]

Has anyone eles tried it? How long do I need to store it and at what temp?

I've tried it a few times. I think it's one of Coopers best
I keg it instead of bottling and find it good straight away though it has a slight sulpur smell which goes away after a few days.
I do find it odd that Coopers recommend a ferment temp of 18c-21c which seems a bit high for a lager yeast.
I'd heard that it's actually a combination of a lager and ale yeast.

 

[DrewCarey82]

With that one they recommend you ferment it @ 14 degrees.

And agree its a pretty nice drop.

Steer clear of the brewiser body bags and go for Coopers Brew Enhancers, better quality.

 

[Wardhog]

If you've got the means of putting it in a secondary fermenter or another food-grade container and refrigerating that for 2-3 weeks before bottling, do so.

I bought a couple of 10 litre food-grade plastic jerry cans (Bunnings sell them for putting water in), and they fit neatly into the little bar fridge I've got.

It really helps clear up your beer, and gives it a crisp taste. Makes lagers that much better, in my experience.

 

[Thunderlips]

With that one they recommend you ferment it @ 14 degrees.

Do they?
Been a little while since I've bought a tin and looked at the instructions but it certainly does say 18c to 21c for "Burly Bavarian" at the Coopers site.
http://www.coopers.com.au/homebrew/makeBee...d=4&bid=115

 

[DrewCarey82]

In the leaflet it says 14 degrees.

 

[Steve]

Brutus
I havent tried this one. Just from experience though ignore what the instructions on the tin and leaflet say about brewing temp. Dont use the yeast under the lid as it may not be an actual lager yeast that comes with your lager tin. Buy a replacement one (safale or saflager) and brew it to the temps recommended for that yeast.
Normally you would do your diacetyl rest for 24-48hrs. Preferably after its rest rack to another fermenter and lager in a fridge at 2 degrees for as long as you can wait. If you dont have another fermenter make sure its finished fermenting and bottle. Store bottles at room temp in the laundry for a couple of weeks. Try one after a couple of weeks.
Cheers
Steve

 

[redgums500]

Brutus
I havent tried this one. Just from experience though ignore what the instructions on the tin and leaflet say about brewing temp. Dont use the yeast under the lid as it may not be an actual lager yeast that comes with your lager tin. Buy a replacement one (safale or saflager) and brew it to the temps recommended for that yeast.
Normally you would do your diacetyl rest for 24-48hrs. Preferably after its rest rack to another fermenter and lager in a fridge at 2 degrees for as long as you can wait. If you dont have another fermenter make sure its finished fermenting and bottle. Store bottles at room temp in the laundry for a couple of weeks. Try one after a couple of weeks.
Cheers
Steve

Steve

The coopers Barvarian is a lager yeast and the same as the Coopers Pilsner yeast . Best not throw it away.I brew this a lot , at around 10degrees for 14days. Into the secondary for another 14 and bingo... a crystal clear crisp ( try saying that three times with a shirt full ) lager on tap . PS I make it with 1kg of dry light malt and a hand full of hersbrucker hops.

Cheers

Redgums :super:

 

[Steve]

No worries Redgums Brutus should be right then. Sounds like a nice drop. My favourite is the Coopers Heritage lager with W34/70...also crystal clear and very quaffable on a hot summers day.
Cheers
Steve

 

[BrissyBrew]

I tried it ages ago, but did not like the coopers dried larger yeast finish.

 

[Jazman]

I did with a partial amsh and lots of hal hops and the wyeast 2206 it was a damm good beer

 

[hughman666]

i've done a couple of these at 16-18c with saflager yeast & 1 kilo of dried light malt.

after 7 days, rack to secondary and dry hop with 2 hersbrucker hop plugs in a hop sock for a remaining 5-7 days.

straight into the keg and begin drinking after 1 week. beautiful! :chug:

 

[Brewtus]

Thanks for the tips. I have a bar fridge and can get to Bunnings so I may try that. Do I need to put bubblers on the lids? I want to use the yeast to do a Mexican Cervisa with it. I assume I can put it in the fridge for a few hours while I clean the vat and get the next brew ready. Is that correct? How much do I use? 2 table spoons?

It seems like lager yeast as the smell is sulpher and it is happy at 13-14 deg. The instructions say the Bavarian Lager has different yeast.

 

[mike_hillyer]

My dad did this with a kilo of white sugar years ago and he put it in crown lager bottles and it was quiet palatable. Reflects the quality of the kit to survive a kilo and be drinkable, Didn't realise the yeast was a lager yeast. I can't go past the 3kg ESB Bav lager these days for a good lager. I find 10/12 C gives better lager qualities.

 

[Wardhog]

Thanks for the tips. I have a bar fridge and can get to Bunnings so I may try that. Do I need to put bubblers on the lids?

I want to use the yeast to do a Mexican Cervisa with it.

No, I don't put bubblers on the lids, there's not much action happening in the jerry cans while it's in the fridge (lagering - or the closest I can get to it with the gear I've got). The primary fermentation is finished when the brew goes into the jerry cans, and the yeast kinda goes into hibernation while being kept at 4 degrees.

The latest batch I've bottled out of the jerry cans was the Cooper's Mexican Cervesa. I fermented at 12 degrees with SafLager 34/70, and added 15g Saaz hops boiled for 30 minutes, and 15g Saaz hops boiled for 5 minutes in about 2 litres of water. 750g light malt extract + 250g dextrose.

This beer is crystal clear, and smells wonderful. Only a week to go before I can drink one.

 

[JimmyXR6T04]

hi guys, i'm new here :beer: i've done a few previous brews, all lagers as i'm in canberra and couldn't be bothered worrying too much about temps. I bought this brew today, but i'll go to the brew shop and buy a decent lager yeast like w-34/70 or similar. I've used this yeast in all my previous lagers and they've been great! The temps are usually 12-14deg, its pretty spot on.

I did do one ale, Morgans Canadian Light - and i kept the temps up... and its so far the best i've had! Although the ESB bavarian lager is up there too.

I can't wait to try the coopers bavarian lager. Also, i use the brewcraft malt/hops/dextrose brew enhancers and they've come up with the goods so far.

How does the coopers brew enhancer compare to the brewcraft? I used the czech pilsner enhancer for my bavarian lager, and will probably use the same for the coopers bavarian lager too.

 

[Steve]

hi guys, i'm new here :beer: i've done a few previous brews, all lagers as i'm in canberra and couldn't be bothered worrying too much about temps. I bought this brew today, but i'll go to the brew shop and buy a decent lager yeast like w-34/70 or similar. I've used this yeast in all my previous lagers and they've been great! The temps are usually 12-14deg, its pretty spot on.

I did do one ale, Morgans Canadian Light - and i kept the temps up... and its so far the best i've had! Although the ESB bavarian lager is up there too.

I can't wait to try the coopers bavarian lager. Also, i use the brewcraft malt/hops/dextrose brew enhancers and they've come up with the goods so far.

How does the coopers brew enhancer compare to the brewcraft? I used the czech pilsner enhancer for my bavarian lager, and will probably use the same for the coopers bavarian lager too.

Onya Jimmy on your first post! New canberra brewers popping up all over the place recently.
Cheers
Steve

P.S. Sorry cant answer your question :beer:

 

[JimmyXR6T04]

hi guys, i'm new here :beer: i've done a few previous brews, all lagers as i'm in canberra and couldn't be bothered worrying too much about temps. I bought this brew today, but i'll go to the brew shop and buy a decent lager yeast like w-34/70 or similar. I've used this yeast in all my previous lagers and they've been great! The temps are usually 12-14deg, its pretty spot on.

I did do one ale, Morgans Canadian Light - and i kept the temps up... and its so far the best i've had! Although the ESB bavarian lager is up there too.

I can't wait to try the coopers bavarian lager. Also, i use the brewcraft malt/hops/dextrose brew enhancers and they've come up with the goods so far.

How does the coopers brew enhancer compare to the brewcraft? I used the czech pilsner enhancer for my bavarian lager, and will probably use the same for the coopers bavarian lager too.

Onya Jimmy on your first post! New canberra brewers popping up all over the place recently.
Cheers
Steve

P.S. Sorry cant answer your question :beer:

must be because we're all alco's down here in canberra... as other states would tell us, there's nothing else to do down here :beerbang:

 

[Trough Lolly]

hi guys, i'm new here :beer: i've done a few previous brews, all lagers as i'm in canberra and couldn't be bothered worrying too much about temps. I bought this brew today, but i'll go to the brew shop and buy a decent lager yeast like w-34/70 or similar. I've used this yeast in all my previous lagers and they've been great! The temps are usually 12-14deg, its pretty spot on.

I did do one ale, Morgans Canadian Light - and i kept the temps up... and its so far the best i've had! Although the ESB bavarian lager is up there too.

I can't wait to try the coopers bavarian lager. Also, i use the brewcraft malt/hops/dextrose brew enhancers and they've come up with the goods so far.

How does the coopers brew enhancer compare to the brewcraft? I used the czech pilsner enhancer for my bavarian lager, and will probably use the same for the coopers bavarian lager too.

Onya Jimmy on your first post! New canberra brewers popping up all over the place recently.
Cheers
Steve

P.S. Sorry cant answer your question :beer:

must be because we're all alco's down here in canberra... as other states would tell us, there's nothing else to do down here :beerbang:

G'day Jimmy,
Cheers from another new Canberra brewer!
IMHO, I rate the brewcraft stuff marginally ahead of the coopers stuff, but you need to remember that any so-called enhancer with dextrose is quite some way short of using Liquid / Dry malt extract, or using steeped grains, or better still partial or all grain mashing...
That said, I had reasonable success many years ago with this kit. From memory it went along the following lines:

Trough Lolly Bavarian lager
Steep a grainbag holding 250g of pale crystal malt and 250g of Weyermann Carapils in a stock pot, half filled with cold tap water and slowly raise to 70C - stirring regularly to avoid scorching the bag and making sure that all the grains are soaking.
Once you get to 70C - and the grains have been immersed for at least 30 mins, lift bag out into a colander and allow to drip drain into the pot - don't wring the bag out or you'll possibly release tannins into the sweet liquor.
Add 1kg of pale dry malt extract, top-up the stock pot to the handles and bring to the boil - watch the pot like a hawk and turn down the flame to avoid boilover since you've nearly filled the pot to the rim - always allow a couple of inches or you'll cop it from the missus!!
Add 20g of Hallertau hops and boil for the full 60 minutes to bitter the extract liquor.
Add 15g of Hallertau at flameout / the end of the boil for flavouring and aroma.
Chill stock pot in cold sink full of iced water - gently stir in one direction and using a separate spoon, stir the icy sink water in the opposite direction to reduce chill time. Do not splash or aerate wort until below 60C.
Once mini wort reaches sub 20C rack into fermenter (I don't strain out the hop matter and break material) - add kit, top up with cold water to reach 1.050 or 23L whichever comes first.
Pitch yeast (I recommend W34/70 yeast - and toss the kit yeast into boil in the last 5 mins of the boil to provide yeast nutrient!)
Ferment under 14C for 2 weeks, rack to secondary and lager at sub 4C for at least 6 weeks.
Bottle (prime with dextrose) or keg thereafter and enjoy a nice lager, IMHO!

Cheers,
TL

 

[JimmyXR6T04]

hi guys, i'm new here :beer: i've done a few previous brews, all lagers as i'm in canberra and couldn't be bothered worrying too much about temps. I bought this brew today, but i'll go to the brew shop and buy a decent lager yeast like w-34/70 or similar. I've used this yeast in all my previous lagers and they've been great! The temps are usually 12-14deg, its pretty spot on.

I did do one ale, Morgans Canadian Light - and i kept the temps up... and its so far the best i've had! Although the ESB bavarian lager is up there too.

I can't wait to try the coopers bavarian lager. Also, i use the brewcraft malt/hops/dextrose brew enhancers and they've come up with the goods so far.

How does the coopers brew enhancer compare to the brewcraft? I used the czech pilsner enhancer for my bavarian lager, and will probably use the same for the coopers bavarian lager too.

Onya Jimmy on your first post! New canberra brewers popping up all over the place recently.
Cheers
Steve

P.S. Sorry cant answer your question :beer:

must be because we're all alco's down here in canberra... as other states would tell us, there's nothing else to do down here :beerbang:

G'day Jimmy,
Cheers from another new Canberra brewer!
IMHO, I rate the brewcraft stuff marginally ahead of the coopers stuff, but you need to remember that any so-called enhancer with dextrose is quite some way short of using Liquid / Dry malt extract, or using steeped grains, or better still partial or all grain mashing...
That said, I had reasonable success many years ago with this kit. From memory it went along the following lines:

Trough Lolly Bavarian lager
Steep a grainbag holding 250g of pale crystal malt and 250g of Weyermann Carapils in a stock pot, half filled with cold tap water and slowly raise to 70C - stirring regularly to avoid scorching the bag and making sure that all the grains are soaking.
Once you get to 70C - and the grains have been immersed for at least 30 mins, lift bag out into a colander and allow to drip drain into the pot - don't wring the bag out or you'll possibly release tannins into the sweet liquor.
Add 1kg of pale dry malt extract, top-up the stock pot to the handles and bring to the boil - watch the pot like a hawk and turn down the flame to avoid boilover since you've nearly filled the pot to the rim - always allow a couple of inches or you'll cop it from the missus!!
Add 20g of Hallertau hops and boil for the full 60 minutes to bitter the extract liquor.
Add 15g of Hallertau at flameout / the end of the boil for flavouring and aroma.
Chill stock pot in cold sink full of iced water - gently stir in one direction and using a separate spoon, stir the icy sink water in the opposite direction to reduce chill time. Do not splash or aerate wort until below 60C.
Once mini wort reaches sub 20C rack into fermenter (I don't strain out the hop matter and break material) - add kit, top up with cold water to reach 1.050 or 23L whichever comes first.
Pitch yeast (I recommend W34/70 yeast - and toss the kit yeast into boil in the last 5 mins of the boil to provide yeast nutrient!)
Ferment under 14C for 2 weeks, rack to secondary and lager at sub 4C for at least 6 weeks.
Bottle (prime with dextrose) or keg thereafter and enjoy a nice lager, IMHO!

Cheers,
TL

thanks mate,

I'm yet to try a liquid malt with my brews, perhaps that will be my next little experiment. I'm really only just beginning the whole home brew thing, but its really interesting, and quite rewarding. Can't wait to get a bit more recipes down, and get a few good "base" beers, and then i can work on them from there.