What Yeast Is It?

[JaffaMan]

I have noticed there is different instructions for coopers brewmaster pilsener in the kit instructions, but no other kits that I have brought from coopers has specific instructions for the yeast (as they do for the pilsener)

I was thinking it must be lager yeast, but was then wondering why they havent put this yeast with the Heritage Lager? (they also havent really explained what yeast it is either).

I had a pack left over from when I used safale instead of the kit yeast, I used it in a basic mexican cerveza recipe. Kept the temp at about 18, it had a very different smell compared to most of my brews.
Due to thinking it was lager yeast I brewed it for 3 weeks at 18-20 degree.

Anyone know what yeast it is, or even better, what different yeasts they use for the brewmaster range.

 

[felten]

According to what i've read on these forums, most of their cans come with an ale yeast (or apparently ale+lager yeast as reported in some threads).

BUT a few of their cans come with a genuine lager yeast. As for which yeast is packaged with what cans, I can't say off the top of my head. but it's on the forums if you can find it in a search.

 

[manticle]

Due to thinking it was lager yeast I brewed it for 3 weeks at 18-20 degree.

?

Too high for most lagers. 18 -20 (or 22) is a good range for ales. Lagers should be 7-12 (might be able to push to 14 in a pinch)

I'm fairly sure that a couple of the coopers kits come with genuine lager yeast. If the instructions differ on the kit then that's probably one of them.

 

[JaffaMan]

I think the instructions where aimed at 18-25!! Why dont they ever give you proper info?

 

[manticle]

Kit instructions are aimed at basic, entry level homebrewers and seek to make it as uncomplicated as possible. The yeasts often have quite wide and forgiving temperature ranges and they want to encourage through simplicity rather than discourage through complexity.

That said - encouraging making bad homebrew will turn a lot of people away (except for those who are STOKED that each longneck only cost 30c that being their only concern).
A few will go on to wonder how to make better beer and will research, learn and experiment.

The website suggests fermenting the pilsner at 13 degrees though

http://www.coopers.com.au/homebrew/makeBeer.php

 

[Adamt]

If the kit producers tell homebrewers how to make good beer, demand for commercial beer will go down, Considering those who produce the kits also produce commercial beer - this isn't their in their best interests!

The Coopers BM Pilsener does contain strictly a lager yeast (W34/70)... many of the others (including the heritage lager) actually contain an ale and a lager strain in the same packet.

 

[manticle]

I reckon that's a bit cynical. Most people can't be arsed making what they can buy even if it is a good product. The homebrewing market doesn't eat massively into their commercial market which is why coopers are generally quite encouraging of homebrewing. It's hard to to include the first 6 chapters of how to brew on a tin.

 

[bum]

They could put correct temps on the tin though.

(not that I agree with the conspiracy theory above)

 

[Adamt]

No, I'm not being cynical, it's just business!

 

[AussieJosh]

This is from the coopers club members forum.........................


HI ALL,
JUST SO WE DONT ASK THE SAME QUESTION OVER N OVER......HERE IS THE COOPERS YEASTS STRAINS FOR EACH HOMEBREW KIT,SO YOU CAN WORK OUT WHAT YOU CAN N CANT MIX WHEN IT COMES TOO YEASTS!!
So to extend the inital listing to include yeast sachet codes if they were packaged today being the 268th day of 2007:

Original Series:- Ac (26807)

International Series:-
Australian Pale Ale - Ac+L (26807 Int)
Mexican Cerveza - Ac+L (26807 Int)
European Lager - L (26807 P)
Canadian Blonde - Ac (26807)
English Bitter - Ac (26807)

Brewmaster Selection:-
Wheat - A (26807 W)
IPA - Ac (26807 IPA)
Irish Stout - A (26807 IS)
Pilsener - L (26807 P)

Premium Selection:- Ac+L (26807 PS)

Note: Ac = Coopers ale yeast, A = ale yeast and L = lager yeast

 

[bum]

I...that means almost nothing at all.

 

[manticle]

No, I'm not being cynical, it's just business!

Yes but you're assuming that if they put good instructions on their kit, that beer drinking people (lazy as they generally are) would all of a sudden decide to stop buying commercially and start making their own. While KK is relatively easy to do, I would argue that even if the average punter could make your best AG equivalent by adding a kilo of sugar to a tin of coopers malt+isohop, that they'd still opt for buying a slab at the local because it's even easier.

I don't think the homebrew market will ever really impinge on the commercial market. If it was a real possibility why would they even offer the kits? Why not make it as hard as possible for people to make their own?

I...that means almost nothing at all.

Not really - it tells you which coopers kits have lager yeasts and which have ale yeasts (the original question being "What yeast is it?"

 

[bum]

It tells me what coopers wish to claim the yeast is but it tells me nothing about how to actually treat the yeast.

 

[manticle]

But following logically from that - if you know that yeast a is a lager yeast and you know how a lager yeast should be treated you can conceivably ferment appropriately.

Most of the info is on their website and with the additional benefits of understanding that 27 is probably too high, you can get from point a to point Beer.

 

[bum]

I guess my point is that a Coopers "lager" yeast may not have the same properties as Wyeast 2206.

 

[Adamt]

Well an ale yeast you keep around 20, and a lager yeast you keep around 10!

The lager yeast (L) IS W34/70, so google/search for that for optimal treatment. The Coopers Ale Yeast (Ac) is a special Coopers strain (not their commercial ale yeast and not Mauri 514). The ale strain (A) is actually Windsor ale yeast.

Manticle: Of course not, however the better the instructions, the more people will be less inclined to purchase commercial beer for home consumption.

 

[bum]

The lager yeast (L) IS W34/70, so google/search for that for optimal treatment. The Coopers Ale Yeast (Ac) is a special Coopers strain (not their commercial ale yeast and not Mauri 514). The ale strain (A) is actually Windsor ale yeast.

See, that's the information missing from the original that might make it useful.

 

[manticle]

Manticle: Of course not, however the better the instructions, the more people will be less inclined to purchase commercial beer for home consumption.

Which would account for 1% of their potential market (official figure pulled out of my arse but anyway).

It's up there with instructions from coles on how to make gravy - not because they're worried people might start going to the local butcher and getting beef bones and caramelising them with stock base brunoise, deglazing with red wine and simmering with a bouquet garni for 24 hours then reducing to a glace, it's because no-one wants to know.

Welcome to a world where Iain Hewitson is considered an authority on haute cuisine.

 

[bum]

I dunno. I reckon his fans like him because he's not haute cuisine and he's not everything BribieG doesn't like about Masterchef.

Also, I've never spent so much on commercial beer in my entire life as I have since I started brewing (but that is probably just me).

 

[manticle]

His fans like him because he legitimises the idea that opening a packet that you only half read will impress your friends when they want a night off eating lean cuisine.

If you had to pick a tv chef who made cooking good, fresh food easy enough for the average television watcher to understand and is devoid of wanky/traditional french cooking terms it would be Jamie Oliver. Love or hate his lisp and wacky expressions, I much prefer his approach to cooking in which tries to demystify making good food from scratch and involves getting back to basics.

Hewitson is the equivalent of someone holding a brewday using a tin of tooheys draught home brew and a kilo of caster sugar.