Coopers Cultured Yeast...what A Gas!

[barrg0]

Hi Brewers

Well Ive just finished my first brew of CPA using Coopers Cultured Yeast and Enerjex's instructions and WOW did it go off. Compared to my previous batch using the kit yeast, this Cultured Yeast took off within 3 hours of pitching. Admittedly the pitching temp was a bit high (26 deg) I tried to lower the temp during this time and it ended up at around 20 deg for most of the ferment, but worked feverishly for 3 days to the point where the foam on top of the brew started to push the water out of the airlock!!. I had to keep filling the airlock (3 times) to monitor all the activity but has since stopped.
​

Q. Is this normal for cultured yeast? I only had 23 litres in the fermenter.
How long should I leave it now that it has stopped working. It is now at 18 deg.
Am really looking forward to trying this one. It really smells good with that banana ester to it.

Regards

barwee :beer:

 

[MarkEinOz]

Hiya Barwee,


Are you using a hydrometer? If not , go and get one. You simply cannot make reliable beer without knowing how much of the sugars the yeast has removed. If you need help using it, then let us know and we can help you out. Cheap as chips and is mandatory for making great beer.


Failing that........ if there has been no noticable airlock movement for 3-4 days and if you crack the lid and no bubbles seems to be forming, even when you move it around a little, then your probably ok to bottle. The curse of not knowing what is left in there to ferment is that you can end up with bottle bombs (although with your ferment I doubt it!!!)

good luck :beer:

 

[BoilerBoy]

Hi Brewers

Well Ive just finished my first brew of CPA using Coopers Cultured Yeast and Enerjex's instructions and WOW did it go off. Compared to my previous batch using the kit yeast, this Cultured Yeast took off within 3 hours of pitching. Admittedly the pitching temp was a bit high (26 deg) I tried to lower the temp during this time and it ended up at around 20 deg for most of the ferment, but worked feverishly for 3 days to the point where the foam on top of the brew started to push the water out of the airlock!!. I had to keep filling the airlock (3 times) to monitor all the activity but has since stopped.
​

Q. Is this normal for cultured yeast? I only had 23 litres in the fermenter.
How long should I leave it now that it has stopped working. It is now at 18 deg.
Am really looking forward to trying this one. It really smells good with that banana ester to it.

Regards

barwee :beer:

When you say the top of the brew started pushing the water out of the airlock do you mean Co2 prodused from fermentation or was the wort itself literally entering into the airlock? and how many days has it been in primary?

Its a great yeast, I love it, but try and keep it down no higher than 18C, some have had no issues brewing with it at 20C (personally I brew it at 16C), but you risk it throwing an intense banana ester which some claim to enjoy but doesn't do this yeast the justice it deserves.

Cheers,
BB

 

[barrg0]

When you say the top of the brew started pushing the water out of the airlock do you mean Co2 prodused from fermentation or was the wort itself literally entering into the airlock? and how many days has it been in primary?

Its a great yeast, I love it, but try and keep it down no higher than 18C, some have had no issues brewing with it at 20C (personally I brew it at 16C), but you risk it throwing an intense banana ester which some claim to enjoy but doesn't do this yeast the justice it deserves.

Cheers,
BB

Yes the wort itself.

 

[barrg0]

Hiya Barwee,


Are you using a hydrometer? If not , go and get one. You simply cannot make reliable beer without knowing how much of the sugars the yeast has removed. If you need help using it, then let us know and we can help you out. Cheap as chips and is mandatory for making great beer.


Failing that........ if there has been no noticable airlock movement for 3-4 days and if you crack the lid and no bubbles seems to be forming, even when you move it around a little, then your probably ok to bottle. The curse of not knowing what is left in there to ferment is that you can end up with bottle bombs (although with your ferment I doubt it!!!)

good luck :beer:

Yes I have a hydrometer and I will check the SG in a day or so to see what I get. It measured 1035 before pitching.

Cheers

 

[BoilerBoy]

Yes the wort itself.

That's a tad unusual for only 23L, even with the temp being too high.
Some yeasts certainly use alot of head space, but never seen coopers yeast do that!

Let us know how it tastes in a few days.

Cheers,
BB

 

[barrg0]

That's a tad unusual for only 23L, even with the temp being too high.
Some yeasts certainly use alot of head space, but never seen coopers yeast do that!

Let us know how it tastes in a few days.

Cheers,
BB

Will do. BTW how do you manage to keep it at 16 degrees? I cant get it below about 19 at the moment.

 

[BoilerBoy]

Will do. BTW how do you manage to keep it at 16 degrees? I cant get it below about 19 at the moment.

This time of year I find a couple of places where it stays at 16C without doing anything, but other times I use an old dead fridge and rotate soft drink bottles frozen with water, you can even do lagers at 8-10C in it any time of year

BB

 

[Sammus]

I just started renting a place that has a cool room in the centre of the building downstairs. I can't justify having it turned on, but it certainly is great insulation and keeps very nice stable temps down there I guess thats not a lot of help though lol...

 

[barrg0]

That's a tad unusual for only 23L, even with the temp being too high.
Some yeasts certainly use alot of head space, but never seen coopers yeast do that!

Let us know how it tastes in a few days.

Cheers,
BB

:angry: I've just done an SG reading and it is still at 1020. There is no activity in the airlock and is sitting on about 17-18deg. Is there anything wrong? Did it ferment too quickly? Do I wait longer too see if the SG comes down? I hope it is still OK.

Regards

barwee

 

[Darren]

This time of year I find a couple of places where it stays at 16C without doing anything, but other times I use an old dead fridge and rotate soft drink bottles frozen with water, you can even do lagers at 8-10C in it any time of year

BB

Hey Boiler Boy,

I have probably misinterpreted this and the above post but are you fermenting the CPA yeast at 16 C??

cheers

Darren

 

[BoilerBoy]

Hey Boiler Boy,

I have probably misinterpreted this and the above post but are you fermenting the CPA yeast at 16 C??

cheers

Darren

G'day Darren,

Yes 16C

BB

 

[pint of lager]

Barwee, could you give a bit more detail so we can make some suggestions.

What was the recipe?

What date did you make the brew?

Please confirm, was the sg at the start 1.035?

You say it is now 1.020. Please list any other sg readings you have taken and the dates.

26 degrees is definitely too high. How long did it spend at 26 deg? If it spent a few days at this temperature, it is likely to be finished.

 

[barrg0]

Barwee, could you give a bit more detail so we can make some suggestions.

What was the recipe?

What date did you make the brew?

Please confirm, was the sg at the start 1.035?

You say it is now 1.020. Please list any other sg readings you have taken and the dates.

26 degrees is definitely too high. How long did it spend at 26 deg? If it spent a few days at this temperature, it is likely to be finished.

Hi Pint of Lager
Recipe was
1 can Coopers pale Ale Extract
1 pkt BE2 Enhancer
600mls. Cultured CPA yeast.
Brew made on 4/6/08
Start SG 1.035
Current SG 1.020 9/6/08 (only reading taken)
Cooled down to around 19-20deg over 4 days.
Currently at 18deg.
Airlock began to bubble after only 3 hours of pitching and didnt stop until 3 days later. Have not noticed any activity since.

Regards
barwee

 

[Darren]

Hey Boiler Boy,

I have probably misinterpreted this and the above post but are you fermenting the CPA yeast at 16 C??

cheers

Darren

Interesting. That is bordering on lager temperatures. Nice info though as when ever I used the yeast I got too much banana.

cheers


Darren

 

[barrg0]

Interesting. That is bordering on lager temperatures. Nice info though as when ever I used the yeast I got too much banana.

cheers


Darren

darren
There is definitely a banana ester to it but not too bad. Just worried as to whether it will still be OK. Should I wait another few days to see if the SG comes down any more? If it doesnt what does this mean?
barwee

 

[pint of lager]

The usual start gravity of a kit and kilo is 1.045. I suspect the brew wasn't thoroughly mixed at the start and the reading is skewed too low.

1.020 is definitely too high. It may still be working but the fermenter is not sealed and that is why the airlock isn't bubbling. Or, it may be a stuck ferment. Pick the fermenter up and gently swirl the contents (with the lid on.) Try not to splash around the lid.

Going from 26 to 18 degrees over four days, it may have spent a couple of days at 26 which is way too high for that yeast. Maybe another user of that yeast can comment on its behaviour at high temps.

Grab a couple of takeaway food containers. Make sure they are as clean as your bottles, fill with water and pop lids on. Freeze these down and next time you brew is too hot, drop one or two in as large iceblocks. That way your brew will be at the right temperature.

 

[BoilerBoy]

Interesting. That is bordering on lager temperatures. Nice info though as when ever I used the yeast I got too much banana.

cheers


Darren

Darren,

It was someone from this site that first either did it, or suggested it, I can't remember who?
Anyway, I have since used this yeast many times at 16C and never had the banana problem again.
Infact I remember you tried a CSA clone of mine some time last year which you really enjoyed and commented that it had that nice apple & pear ester, so even at that lower temp the yeast still seems to give that distinctive desirable character.

I'll pass another one onto you when I do it again in the near future and see what you think.

Cheers,
BB

 

[Darren]

Darren,

It was someone from this site that first either did it, or suggested it, I can't remember who?
Anyway, I have since used this yeast many times at 16C and never had the banana problem again.
Infact I remember you tried a CSA clone of mine some time last year which you really enjoyed and commented that it had that nice apple & pear ester, so even at that lower temp the yeast still seems to give that distinctive desirable character.

I'll pass another one onto you when I do it again in the near future and see what you think.

Cheers,
BB

Hey Boiler Boy,

Yes I remember the beer well.

I tried bottle dregs many years ago but the overwhealming banana made me believe that it was a different bottle strain. Now I will have to try the cooler ferment.

cheers

Darren

 

[Yorg]

Posting here is off-topic.
It really makes a forum unusable if posts are not kept to topic.