Coopers Sparkling Ale

[Weizguy]

I was cleaning up (broken bottles and other assorted junk) in my beer storage room (under the house) today and spotted the remains of an old box of Coopers Sparkling Ale on the top shelf, which I had been storing to sample when aged a little (say 12- 18 months). I removed a 6-pack holder from the box, containing three bottles, and brought them inside the house with the intention of consuming them (or at least the contents).
I noticed that the cardboard 6-pack holder proudly stated: "Brewed and bottled by Coopers Brewery Ltd. Leabrook S.A. Australia".

As they have now moved operations to Regency Park, that means that it was brewed in the old premises.
After a little research, the Coopers plant was opened in Regency Park in 2001.

Holy Dooley! This is certainly "aged" Sparkling Ale.
I am currently giving the three bottles a half hour in the freezer to crash chill , and then the unveiling occurs.

Am I likely to get a slightly different yeast culture from these bottles because it was done before Coopers "cleaned up" their yeast? When did they do that?

Les the boastful brewer

 

[Frank]

Les
Have a look around the neck of the bottle, there should be a best after date stamped on their. I think the date is 3 months after bottling. Could be wrong though...
Cheers

Edit:
I found a full carton of coopers pale ale in the cellar tonight, best after 16.02.07. I think you win though.

 

[kirem]

I've got some aged Cooper's Stout and the best after date is dot printed on the shoulder of the bottle in yellow 'dot' print.

The current batch I am drinking are best after 2006. they might have had a different method back in 2001.

 

[paul]

Coopers only started putting the best after dates on a few years ago when the other breweries started putting their best before dates on.

 

[grod5]

..30 minutes later Les says....

daniel

 

[jagerbrau]

Ive still got a long neck from the last batch brewed at leabrook. Sparkling never has been the same since....or is it just me

 

[kirem]

Ive still got a long neck from the last batch brewed at leabrook. Sparkling never has been the same since....or is it just me

I agree with you

 

[neonmeate]

i agree too. and neither has the stout. back when it was 6.8% it was so good.

however at least the sparkling actually keeps a head these days!

 

[kirem]

I think the stout comes into its own after a year or more of bottle age

 

[Weizguy]

:icon_drool2: malty with a lot of caramel. This one's for U, Pat. Happy birthday! Can't go back to the 11 yr old kit beer. Coincidentally the kit beer is bottled in a Sparkling Ale bottle. Still plenty of potential yeast cultures there if I can get them started, too...but I digress (as I often do).

A lot of the bitterness has faded, but it still seems balanced, and certainly not cloying. Can you say "Yum"?





There is no "Best After" date on the bottle, due to being produced before Coopers introduced that labelling.
BTW, I still have some Batch One Coopers Vintage (which is way past its prime), if this is a competition.

Cheers
Les

 

[benny_bjc]

Just a thought... if you want to find out when it was brewed, you could send an email to coopers with the serial / barcode on the packaging and they may be able to give you an approx date!?

 

[neonmeate]

I think the stout comes into its own after a year or more of bottle age

that's for sure, although again the old 6.8% version with the blue cap was so much better with age. a while ago they seemed to never sell these behind the bar at the lord nelson and they still had the blue caps 3 years after the yellows had taken over... they were beautiful. better than the special old stout ever was.

 

[Bizier]

That is a good one Les... I love it when I leave myself presents. I have seriously been thinking about burying some strong ales on a family property, I think I need to put some travel and hard labour between me and great aging beer to stave off any temptation to try them early.