Hoegaarden from a Coopers Pale Ale kit?

[jimmyfozzers]

A mate brought round a few bottles of his first home brew attempt today - they are about 5 months in the bottle. It was a standard Coopers Australian Pale Ale kit, kit yeast, fermented at ambient temperatures indoors (mid-twenties apparently).

I drank some of this a few months back and it was fine - no real off flavours. Pretty bog standard home brew.

Anyway, this evening, sat down to drink one after drinking my CPA home brew this afternoon (standard CPA kit with recultured yeast) and it was a totally different beast. Real lemony aroma when you get your nose in the glass and a really citrusy taste. It really reminded me of a particular beer, but I couldn't put my finger on it, then a few swigs into the glass and it hit me. Hoegaarden! Just to check I took it into SWMBO and asked her what it tasted like. First thing she said was Hoegaarden.

I guess my question is, how on earth has he achieved this without trying? Is the Coopers kit yeast known for giving these flavours and aromas in the mid-twenties? Anyone else ever noticed this?

 

[givemeamash]

any possibility of a slow infection that tastes that way???

 

[jimmyfozzers]

That's certainly a possibility. I'll see if the next one tastes the same, as he left me a few bottles.