Lager Kits - Yeast And Other Questions

[Jaeger]

In preparation for winter, I've bought a couple of lager extract kits (plus additives.) I had hoped to get a couple of Malt Shovel Brewery Two-row Lager kits from Big-W, but they were sold out.

According to the instructions the Coopers Bavarian Lager kit contains a lager yeast that requires low temperatures. But to look at it it's identical to the yeast in every other Coopers kits I've brewed! i.e. gold foil, "Coopers Brewing Yeast 7g". (The exception is a sachet of "Thomas Coopers yeast 7g", which I think came out of an export kit.) Is there some way to tell if the Coopers yeast is really a lager yeast? (barcode number or whatever.)

The other kit is a Morgans Blue Mountain Lager kit, which I intend to brew with a 1.5kg tin of Morgans Amber malt. It comes with a "Morgans Lager Yeast" sachet - but it sounds like another ale yeast (15-30 deg. C on the sachet; >= 22 deg C in the instructions.)

I bought some Saflager S-23 yeast which I intended to add to the Morgans kit because I assumed the Coopers had a "real" lager yeast. Now I'm not so sure... I could split the S-23 yeast between the two kits (approx. 11g), and/or use the supplied yeasts. Suggestions?

(P.S. I've just discovered the Coopers "Burly Bavarian" recipe, which adds 500g of light malt to the usual brew; Big-W has Coopers light malt on special, so it sounds like a goer.)

 

[delboy]

yes i would just use the saflager yeast mate then you know its lager yeast.

being a retailer myself i see some of my true blue hbrs use saflarger with these as well "they recon there not true lager yeast"

might give frank or paul a call at coopers and get the low down here.

del

 

[HeXa]

which BigW? Woden?

I'm up north... so Gunghalin for me.... noticed managers special on most this week but thats only like 20-50 cents off (better prices than Coles though).

 

[Brewtus]

Coopers Bavarian Lager yeast does brew at 11-13 deg C as lager yeast should. I used it for a Bavarian and the yeast cake again on a Mex cervesa last year and both work fine at that temp.

Go with different yeast if you want but Coopers Bav lag is the only kit beer I know with real Lager yeast. I would like to know of others.

 

[blackbock]

Coopers Brewmaster Pilsner also comes with a lager yeast.

 

[brettprevans]

According to the instructions the Coopers Bavarian Lager kit contains a lager yeast that requires low temperatures. But to look at it it's identical to the yeast in every other Coopers kits I've brewed! i.e. gold foil, "Coopers Brewing Yeast 7g". (The exception is a sachet of "Thomas Coopers yeast 7g", which I think came out of an export kit.) Is there some way to tell if the Coopers yeast is really a lager yeast? (barcode number or whatever.)

The other kit is a Morgans Blue Mountain Lager kit, which I intend to brew with a 1.5kg tin of Morgans Amber malt. It comes with a "Morgans Lager Yeast" sachet - but it sounds like another ale yeast (15-30 deg. C on the sachet; >= 22 deg C in the instructions.)

I bought some Saflager S-23 yeast which I intended to add to the Morgans kit because I assumed the Coopers had a "real" lager yeast. Now I'm not so sure... I could split the S-23 yeast between the two kits (approx. 11g), and/or use the supplied yeasts. Suggestions?

I just buy the actualy yeast i want (ie Safale 04, saflarger -23 etc) and stow the yeast that comes in the kit (with exception of Muntons and similar quality brands). All the left over yeasts I have I chuck in the fridge (labled) and wait until I can be arsed making bread from scratch (interesting flavours from using brewing yeast) or until I am making an average beer for general consumption and I'm not aiming for a high quality brew. Some of the guys would term that type of brew as a 'lawn mowing' or 'freeloader' brew. just something you can knock back on a hto day or switch to once your drunk and taste the differance between brilliant beer and avg beer.

 

[Jaeger]

which BigW? Woden?

Civic, but no sign of them being on special today. As you say, it was less than a dollar off, but better than nothing. I also noticed that neither Civic nor Woden had Malt Shovel kits available; I hope they will be restocking them.

 

[Jaeger]

I bought some Saflager S-23 yeast which I intended to add to the Morgans kit because I assumed the Coopers had a "real" lager yeast.

The yeast supplied with the Coopers Bavarian Lager was indeed a lager yeast. I started the Coopers Burly Bavarian Lager on the weekend, and brewing at 21 deg C the whiff of egg was there, though it now more citrusy.

According to Paul @ Coopers Brewery on their forums:

[Coopers lager yeast] has a code number and the letter "P" ink jetted on the back.

 

[ironxmortlock]

How about the Morgan's Lager yeast? Is that a true lager yeast that can be fermented at low temperatures?


thanks,

M