Coopers Pale Ale

[Aussie Tiger]

Hi just bought a Coopers Pale Ale brew and was wondering what temp is best to brew it at,

Cheers AT

 

[rclemmett]

I would ferment it at about 18C if you're using the coopers kit yeast.

 

[raven19]

I would ferment it at about 18C if you're using the coopers kit yeast.

+1, 18 to 20 degrees ideally for ales.

 

[seemax]

I found the kit yeast to be very disappointing in this kit.

I've since tried it with cultured yeast from a CSA, US-05 and S-04, the clear winner is the bottle yeast.

$2.50 for a stubbie, it's cheaper than a yeast packet !!

 

[Steve]

$2.50 for a stubbie, it's cheaper than a yeast packet !!

howd you get enough yeast from one stubbie seemax?

 

[fergi]

i agree here with seemax, as an avid coopers pale ale maker i usually always use yeast from a coopers stubby, build it up over about 4 days to a litre starter, its a great yeast for that can,dont just bomb in a kilo of sugar, go to your lhbs and get an adda pack to suit and then use the coopers yeast, if you dont wont to wait use the us 05 i use this sometimes, turns out really nice slightly more hop bite from this one than the coopers stubby yeast.
cheers
fergi

 

[BoilerBoy]

I found the kit yeast to be very disappointing in this kit.

I've since tried it with cultured yeast from a CSA, US-05 and S-04, the clear winner is the bottle yeast.

$2.50 for a stubbie, it's cheaper than a yeast packet !!

This has been discussed many times but Its the yeast (bottle yeast) that gives this beer its real character, but you have to be sure of your temp control.

Some have said they get great results at 18-20C. However, many have also found as I did that at that temp it will throw bananas at you.

I haven't experienced this since aiming for 16C and still get that wonderful apple/pear esters that makes this a great yeast, 18C would be the limit IMHO.

Otherwise just use your US-05 or S-04,

Cheers,
BB

 

[robbo5253]

On another note, seen as though the yeast has been discussed... what is a good Coopers Pale Ale recipe to make it similar to the real thing, I know you cant recreate, but want to replicate something similiar.

At the moment, my standard house brew is CPA tin, with BE2 from LHBS which has Malt 500g, Dextrose 25g and Corn Syrup 250g... (i know its not great but everyone seems to like it)

Looking at experementing a bit more and going all malt and looking at steeping some grains in a pot or a small esky and doing hop Boils.
(have done a few of the Still Brewing kits) which have turned out great.

Anybody have a good Recipe for me to work from?

Cheers

Robbo

 

[BoilerBoy]

Contact Phil or Brad at Stillbrewing, the partial mash recipe on the old Grumpy's site use to be (from memory)

1.0kg pils malt
400g unmalted wheat
300g Flaked barley
400g sugar (inverted)

You could use a can of unhopped goo and add some POR to the boil for improved flavour or just use a CPA tin.

The mash consists of only 1.7kg of grain and well within the range of standeard kitchen equipment.

Just ask Brad or phil and I'm sure they would put together a brew for you along with all the advise you need and I guarantee together with a recultured Coopers yeast (essential!) it would be a massive improvement on any kit you may have tried previously.

Cheers,
BB

 

[fergi]

On another note, seen as though the yeast has been discussed... what is a good Coopers Pale Ale recipe to make it similar to the real thing, I know you cant recreate, but want to replicate something similiar.

At the moment, my standard house brew is CPA tin, with BE2 from LHBS which has Malt 500g, Dextrose 25g and Corn Syrup 250g... (i know its not great but everyone seems to like it)

Looking at experementing a bit more and going all malt and looking at steeping some grains in a pot or a small esky and doing hop Boils.
(have done a few of the Still Brewing kits) which have turned out great.

Anybody have a good Recipe for me to work from?

Cheers

Robbo

ok boiler boy has thrown up a good recipe to start, but if you are not that adventurous keep the same kit you are using and reculture some coopers pale ale yeast,"use search function" if you dont know how to reculture yet, this will have a big improvement towards the coopers flavour you are after.
cheers fergi

 

[Hefty]

Here's a link for the wiki article on re-culturiung coopers yeast
and
here's the discussion thread for it.
I'll always remember my first CPA "clone" (for want of a better term :icon_cheers: ) with re-cultured Coopers yeast.
Simple kit and bits but still really noice:
CPA tin
700g LDM
300g Dex
12g POR morgans finishing hop tea bag in fermenter (nowadays I would boil the same amount for 20mins with some LDM instead)

As mentioned previously in this thread, keep fermenting temp at 16*C ideally but definitely no more than 18 and make sure you do a decent size (eg 1L) starter a few days in advance.
High temps and stressed yeast from underpitching cause heaps of banana esters.

Enjoy!
Jono.

 

[syd_03]

I have just done one of these kits and it has been in the bottle for 3 weeks.
Had one at two weeks as I couldn't wait. Was slightly Bitter, but aroma and flavour was good. My experience so far is that after around 4 to 6 week the initial bitterness dissipates.

I used:
CPA Kit
1 kg LDME
Cultured yeast from two longnecks of CPA
30 grams cascade pellets.

Boiled 200 grams of the malt in 2 litres of water and added 15 grams cascade for a 15-20 minute boil.

Added 7.5g cascade at flameout.

Added kit and remaining malt to fermenter and dissolved in water added the boiled extract which had by that stage been sitting for 10 mins and topped to 23L dry hopped 7.5g cascade at this point and put lid on. When temp was around 24 degrees I emptied in my cultured yeast and sealed. Once fermentation was evident (the next morning when I got up) cooled to 18 degrees for two weeks.

 

[itguy1953]

I have just done one of these kits and it has been in the bottle for 3 weeks.
Had one at two weeks as I couldn't wait. Was slightly Bitter, but aroma and flavour was good. My experience so far is that after around 4 to 6 week the initial bitterness dissipates.

I used:
CPA Kit
1 kg LDME
Cultured yeast from two longnecks of CPA
30 grams cascade pellets.

Boiled 200 grams of the malt in 2 litres of water and added 15 grams cascade for a 15-20 minute boil.

Added 7.5g cascade at flameout.

Added kit and remaining malt to fermenter and dissolved in water added the boiled extract which had by that stage been sitting for 10 mins and topped to 23L dry hopped 7.5g cascade at this point and put lid on. When temp was around 24 degrees I emptied in my cultured yeast and sealed. Once fermentation was evident (the next morning when I got up) cooled to 18 degrees for two weeks.

I punched these ingredients into Beersmith and I have a problem understanding the results.

I get OG 1.038, FG 1.009, EBC 6.3, IBU 23.8, ABV 3.75%. I am assuming a yeast attenuation of 75%.

Does anyone agree with the figures?

It seems as if Beersmith is underestimating the IBU, especially if you say your brew was on the bitter side. I suspect it is also underestimating the ABV, as 3.75% seems low.

Can anyone help?

Barry

 

[syd_03]

No idea about the beersmith sorry, as I haven't used it ever. I am still fairly new to brewing. I just do kits and bit and muck around with different hops and quantities.

I can tell you however that OG was 1042 and FG was 1008. Around 5% with bottle priming.
I think Coopers say their CPA kit is 340 IBU I am not sure how you convert this to the final IBU though. As I only did a 15 to 20 min boil I would assume no extra bitterness added?

It isnt true bitterness like I said, it does dissipate after 4-6 weeks. Maybe more a harshness to the hop flavour?
I am no expert in describing these tastes. The initial taste is a lil harsh but after 4-6 weeks it is smooth and tastes good.
Perhaps green is the word to describe it?

 

[itguy1953]

No idea about the beersmith sorry, as I haven't used it ever. I am still fairly new to brewing. I just do kits and bit and muck around with different hops and quantities.

I can tell you however that OG was 1042 and FG was 1008. Around 5% with bottle priming.
I think Coopers say their CPA kit is 340 IBU I am not sure how you convert this to the final IBU though. As I only did a 15 to 20 min boil I would assume no extra bitterness added?

It isnt true bitterness like I said, it does dissipate after 4-6 weeks. Maybe more a harshness to the hop flavour?
I am no expert in describing these tastes. The initial taste is a lil harsh but after 4-6 weeks it is smooth and tastes good.
Perhaps green is the word to describe it?

I have had this sharp bitterness flavour before in kit beers. I think it comes from the bittering hops that the manufacturers use. They typically use isohops, which are the bitterness oils extracted from the hops, and stored in a liquid form. they are very concentrated and harsh. You can add IBU to your brew by added a few drops, cannot remember the amounts, but it was something like a few drops added 4-5 IBU in 18 litres. These isohops mellow in the keg or the bottle.

The worst example for this that I have tried was the Thomas Cooper Australian Bitter. It is supposed to be 26.9 IBU, but after a week in the keg it was almost undrinkable. I blended it off with a sweeter beer to get through it. Several months after finishing the keg, I was getting desperate for a bottle or 2, and I found one in the fridge. I cracked it open and it was a very refreshing quaffer. Made me feel sorry that I only bottled a few tallies. I have bought another can to try it again, but this time I will bottle and condition for a few months over winter, so it is right for next summer.

Barry