Coopers Bavarian Lager

[mitysa]

Hi all,
I thinking about putting down the Cooper Bavarian Lager, what should I use with it?? eg. all malt or be2 and also what hops would well with this kit.. i might add i'm still fairly new to the home brew scene, so be kind!!

 

[ironxmortlock]

Hi all,
I thinking about putting down the Cooper Bavarian Lager, what should I use with it?? eg. all malt or be2 and also what hops would well with this kit.. i might add i'm still fairly new to the home brew scene, so be kind!!

The Cooper's Bavarian Lager is a great kit. I put one down 6 weeks ago and it is now a just about at the right stage for drinking. I drank a few last night and I was quite impressed with the results.

I just used BE2 (equivalent) and the can.

 

[mitysa]

would any additional hops help out with aroma and flavouring???

 

[wildschwein]

Yeah, this is a really good kit and it comes with a real lager yeast, so try to keep the ferment temp down low, like 12-14C if you can. I added about 20g of Saaz hop pellets to mine which was boiled in two 10g batches for 10 and then 5 minutes in 1.5L of water along with my fermentables bill. This included 700g of dried light malt extract and 300g of dried dark malt extract. I also steeped 100g of choclate malt in the 1.5L of water (from above) at 66C for 1/2 and hour. This was only to make it a litte darker. After 2 weeks in the fermenter and a month in the bottle this a really good beer. At first I thought it was a little too malty because I'd been drinking a lot of wheat beer, but I now I reckon this Coopers Munich Lager is great. I just went all malt I so it would taste as German as possible but you're probably alright using BE2. If you wanna add any hops I reckon German or Czech would be best, like Saaz, Hallertauer, Tettnanger, Hersbrucker, Spalt etc. I don't think the kit needs bittering (and I like bitter beers) so just do an aroma addition.

 

[simpletotoro]

Hi all,
I thinking about putting down the Cooper Bavarian Lager, what should I use with it?? eg. all malt or be2 and also what hops would well with this kit.. i might add i'm still fairly new to the home brew scene, so be kind!!

hi heres what i did last sunday
don't ask me what it like it is still fermenting and is the first time i've used this kit
for what its worth heres the recipe...
1 x 1.7 kg tin coopers barvaria
1000g LDM
300g dextrose

grains
carapils 250g [steeped 70-80/c then boiled 1/2 hour]
crsytal malt 250g [steeped 70-80/c then boiled 1/2 hour]

hops schedule
10g nz saaz @ 30 mins
5g mt hood @ 30 mins
10g mt hood @ 10 mins
10g mt hood @ 1 min

yeast coopers lager yeast from tin [is pilsner yeast ]
ferment 10-14/c

 

[MSR]

Did one of these the other week. Wanted to get something in the fermenter really quick, didnt have time to go to the brew shop so just used what I had in the cupboard.

Kit
BE1
200g wheat malt
500g LDME
Kit yeast

Kept in fermenter for 2 weeks then bottled. Smelt really nice.

 

[mitysa]

Just another quick question, with the yeast supplied with this kit will it ferment as low 8-10deg, or get another yeast?

 

[wildschwein]

Just another quick question, with the yeast supplied with this kit will it ferment as low 8-10deg, or get another yeast?

Yes it will go even lower I believe. It's actually a saflager. It'll do everything you'd expect from a lager so you don't really need to get another one.

 

[MSR]

Yes it will go even lower I believe. It's actually a saflager. It'll do everything you'd expect from a lager so you don't really need to get another one.

Yep that's right, a lager yeast it is. I brewed mine at 10 degrees.

 

[shamus]

Yep that's right, a lager yeast it is. I brewed mine at 10 degrees.

I brewed mine at about 9-10 degrees and it has an unbeliveably strong sulphur smell. Its been in 2ndry for about 7 weeks now and still smells really strong

 

[wildschwein]

Yeah that does clear up after a week or two in the bottle. The kit's instructions actually inform you of this, describing it as an egg smell which is a common by-product of lager yeasts.

 

[simpletotoro]

I brewed mine at about 9-10 degrees and it has an unbeliveably strong sulphur smell. Its been in 2ndry for about 7 weeks now and still smells really strong

yeah...all my previous lagers have had that smell initially...i think cold conditioning (or lagering as i think its called for lagers )is what is used to help get rid of that smell quicker.(could be wrong though)...this time i intend to give it a burl and see what happens...

link below to thread on cc if anyone is interested
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-3.html

and lagering link and all things lager according to john palmer http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-5.html

Yeast Starters and Diacetyl Rests (again john palmer)
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-4.html

cheers simpletotoro

 

[RobboMC]

Hi all,
I thinking about putting down the Cooper Bavarian Lager, what should I use with it?? eg. all malt or be2 and also what hops would well with this kit.. i might add i'm still fairly new to the home brew scene, so be kind!!

I'd go with a can of malt, either light or amber.

If you want extra hops, consider Halletau for that german touch.

And if you're really game make it 2 cans of malt and you'll have a Bock.

 

[mitysa]

thanks for the replies, really helps me out

I going to try it with 1kg LDM, 300grm dex and aroma with 10m saaz at 10min and 5min additions, total 20grms

Ferment out at 8-10deg for 3 wks, then cc for another 4 wks, then bottle

at what rate of carbonation woud this require??i was thinking at 180grms dex or sugar for 23ltrs would be right!!

thanks
mike

 

[wildschwein]

thanks for the replies, really helps me out

I going to try it with 1kg LDM, 300grm dex and aroma with 10m saaz at 10min and 5min additions, total 20grms

Ferment out at 8-10deg for 3 wks, then cc for another 4 wks, then bottle

at what rate of carbonation woud this require??i was thinking at 180grms dex or sugar for 23ltrs would be right!!

thanks
mike

180g of dex or sugar for 23L will work just fine and give you reasonably high, but safe, carbonation.

 

[brettprevans]

thanks for the replies, really helps me out

I going to try it with 1kg LDM, 300grm dex and aroma with 10m saaz at 10min and 5min additions, total 20grms

Ferment out at 8-10deg for 3 wks, then cc for another 4 wks, then bottle

at what rate of carbonation woud this require??i was thinking at 180grms dex or sugar for 23ltrs would be right!!

thanks
mike

Im with RobboMC. use a bit of halletau for a nice finishing touch. but im biased I love saaz and halletau.

 

[mitysa]

I'll stick with my original choice for this one, then back up with second batch on the yeasty cake but try with halletau for aroma, to I can check out the difference with the two hops.

the only hops i've used so far are saaz and POR

i'm still unsure of which hop combinations that work together??

mike


edit:more info added

 

[simpletotoro]

thanks for the replies, really helps me out

I going to try it with 1kg LDM, 300grm dex and aroma with 10m saaz at 10min and 5min additions, total 20grms

Ferment out at 8-10deg for 3 wks, then cc for another 4 wks, then bottle

at what rate of carbonation woud this require??i was thinking at 180grms dex or sugar for 23ltrs would be right!!

thanks
mike

not trying to tell you what to do but are you going to give it a diacetyl rest ?...
i'm no guru was just wondering is all?...
cheers simpletotoro

 

[mitysa]

yeah sorry, left that out in prev reply, after 3wks approx, 2-3 days at 16-18deg, then to cc

cheers thanks
mike

 

[brettprevans]

the only hops i've used so far are saaz and POR

i'm still unsure of which hop combinations that work together??

mike
edit:more info added

see this post. its about personal preferenaces of hop combinations. not a bad 'ideas' guide for experimenting with to see if you like the flavours.

Theres no hard and fast rules. There is also another thread on AHB that lists all the characteristics of most hops. thats helpful. Come to think of it I think its a spreadhseet that bconnery posted for promash or beersmith. here it is (post #4).