Coopers Yeast

[jhsbaker]

I've made a Coopers Pale Ale and a Coopers Sparkling Ale using the respective bottles to obtain my yeast. I was wondering if they're both the same yeast strain?

It works out to be a great deal - you pay about $4 for a long neck of beer, a nice sturdy bottle and the yeast to make a true to original Coopers clone (having said that, I havent actually tasted either yet, but I'm sure they'll be good).

Does anyone know if they've just got a standard yeast for the pale, the sparkling and the stout? I'd be interested to find out...

cheers
James

 

[Stuster]

All the same yeast. It's a great deal, isn't it. Beer and yeast. Probably the best one to use is the PA yeast since it's the lowest alcohol level. The higher the alcohol, the more stress on the yeast.

 

[Adamt]

Yeah, yeast is all same.

I've only heard success stories about culturing Pale Ale yeast, but have heard of people getting nothing out of Sparkling Ale yeast. I'm guessing using yeast from the Mild Ale would be better. Buy the beer where there's a high turnover rate, fresher beer = fresher yeast.

Be careful when using Cooper's yeast, keep the brew below 18C, otherwise you may end up with a batch of fresh bananas! There's plenty of topics on Cooper's yeast, how to reculture it, etc.

 

[Voosher]

I've only heard success stories about culturing Pale Ale yeast, but have heard of people getting nothing out of Sparkling Ale yeast. I'm guessing using yeast from the Mild Ale would be better. Buy the beer where there's a high turnover rate, fresher beer = fresher yeast.

I've regularly recultured the Dark Ale as well. Currently I'm reculturing out of Sparkling Ale as much for a change for my palate when 'sourcing' the yeast as anything else.
Pale is probably best for the reasons stated above but any should work if you use enough (I use 3 stubbies for a litre starter) and the beer is reasonably fresh. Check the "Best After" date on the bottle.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I believe the stout uses the same yeast again.


I have a sparkling ale clone on the fizz at the moment. Couldnt keep it to 18 though... drifted to 20 a few times. I hope it is alright.....


If not, maybe add some coriander and orange peel and call it a Sparkling Heffwiezen???

Festa.

 

[Josh]

My NSW Xmas case beer is a Sparkling Ale and is in the fermenter atm. Has been sitting around the 26C mark, so I may be brewing a late emergency batch for the Xmas case if this one turns out no good.

I had recultured from a longneck of Sparkling Ale in said bottle. I decanted the starter once and stepped the yeast up in the same bottle. Last night the airlock was going berserk, so at least the yeast reculture worked. Too bad if the temps ruin the beer though.

 

[Adamt]

Josh: Give it a smell and taste, you might have more bananas than all of Queensland at that temperature

 

[RobW]

Josh: Give it a smell and taste, you might have more bananas than all of Queensland at that temperature

Almost guaranteed. I did a similiar thing last year at about 24C & the bananas were there big time. It does settle down over time but never really goes away.

Still with nanas at $15 a kilo you can shut your eyes & pretend

 

[VeeTwinTorque]

I've been reculturing the pale ale yeast lately. The first time i used it, it sat at around 20 deg for a couple of days, then 24-30 deg for the rest of the week. Didnt understand the whole "Banana brew" concept untill i tried to drink it. (I still drank it of course....) This first batch also had carbonation problems. Even after 5 weeks in the bottle some were still flat. I figure this yeast settles very well in the fermenter if you leave it too long.

After my first try, it was off to mashmaster online for a fridgemate. Second try was at constant 18deg without any of these problems. I've used it a few times since.

 

[Whistlingjack]

I use this yeast regularly, but I only got the bananas in my last batch. This was due to my impatience waiting for the wort to get down to pitching temp.

The one in the fermenter now is going at a steady 20C with no hint so far of bananas.

 

[Josh]

SG down to 1.010 today. Unfortunately I wil have to keg this one and go back to the mash tun on Sunday to get it brewed in time for drop off.

Talk about bananas!

I might donate the keg to our basketball end of season drinks, but it won't be going in the xmas case.

 

[poppa joe]

My Brew Shop said to use a Sparkling Ale....
would One bottle be enough for a brew....?
PJ

 

[Josh]

My Brew Shop said to use a Sparkling Ale....
would One bottle be enough for a brew....?
PJ

I used one longneck. Gently pour the beer into your glass, leaving the yeast behind. Might help to have two glasses ready so you can keep the bottle pouring and don't disturb any yeast.

I then boiled up some dry extract in water and then cooled it down to pitching temps. whisked it for a minute to try and aerate a bit. Then poured into the longneck leaving 5cm at the top. I then put a cork stopper and airlock in the top of the bottle.

After a few days, I put the bottle in the fridge for a day, decanted the liquid off and repeated the process.

I'm pretty sure there's more complex methods available to avoid infection, but all my gear was sanitised with iodophor and everything seems to be working okay. Apart from the hot fermentation that is

 

[Doogiechap]

G'day PJ,
Josh has it in one !
For more info take a look at this basic guide that I found helpful from Grumpy's Website
Cheers
Doug

 

[poppa joe]

Going shopping tomorrow (beer stuff)...
Have to put one one my list...(or two)
Cheers
PJ

 

[Mackers]

I figure this yeast settles very well in the fermenter if you leave it too long.

I concur Girds. I left mine for 4 weeks before bottling - due to circumstances beyond my control - and its been a bugger to gas up.

 

[jimmy01]

I figure this yeast settles very well in the fermenter if you leave it too long.

I concur Girds. I left mine for 4 weeks before bottling - due to circumstances beyond my control - and its been a bugger to gas up.

Also agree. Left mine in secondary for 2 weeks. Took ages to carbonate in the bottle.

I fermented at 20+ C but didn't pick up any banana in my Pale Ale. Just luck I guess.

:lol:

 

[Josh]

Having my second attempt at this Sparkling Ale tonight. Will primary at 18C for about 8 days, then drop to fridge temps for a couple of days to drop out some more yest before bottling.

 

[Doogiechap]

I have just started sampling my most recent batch of Jayse's SFPA which was fermented at 20 with a Coopers Sparkling. Left in fermenter for 3 weeks. Used carb drops/ stubbies. Bottled for 2 weeks thus far, reasonable carb levels (no different to liquids yeasts in time v's carb rates), and tastes fantastic, some minor bananna aroma but certainly not excessive.
Cheers
Doug

 

[jimmysuperlative]

I've got a no starter ...

Drank and collected sediment from 5 pale ales. Added to 600mL starter and 48 hours later ...still nothing?

I know one solution is to get some more cooper's ales and start again ...but, I was wondering if the dried yeast from coopers kits are worth using?

Is the dried yeast from the same strain as that in the bottle?

I sort of expect the answer to be a "no" ...afterall, why would we re-culture it?

Anyone know anything they can share with us re: cooper's dried yeast versus bottle yeast?