Slow start to Coopers Euro Lager?

[mikey]

I don't do many lagers as QLD temps lend themselves to ales with the warm winters we have. I have put down a Coopers Euro Lager and at teh same time a Cerveza and a Real Ale. Air temp is aorund 15 - 17 in the kitchen. Both the Real Ale and the Creveza are going fine but I'm not sure if the Euro Lager is doing it's thing. It has a krausen on the top of the wort and there is condensation on the inside of the lid of the fermenter - signs I believe that mean it is fermenting.

The fermenter is a push down lid type (i.e. not screw type) so I don't think I have a leak for the gas to be escaping. It does seem to have some pressure being formed as the airlock is almost ready to pop.

I know 15 degrees is not ideal for a lager but am led to believe that the Coopers Euro Lager does not use a really true lager yeast.

Any advice from the more experienced lager brewers re slow starts?

[Lachy]

From what you're describing, I'd say it's definitely fermenting. The krausen, the condensation, and the pressure evident in the airlock all point to this. There's two reasons why the airlock is a bit quiet: one, in my experience the lager yeasts work a bit less energetically than ale yeasts and two, I'd say you've got a leaky seal somewhere amd CO2 is escaping, which won't have an effect on the beer anyway.

Relax, have a homebrew.

[earle]

but am led to believe that the Coopers Euro Lager does not use a really true lager yeast

Most of the coopers kits come with ale yeast but there are a couple that come with a lager yeast, I think the Euro lager kit is one of them.

[Bum]

Yeah, it is reported to have a proper lager yeast.

Get some frozen bottles of water around that fermenter asap. Not too late to save it. Even just shaving a few degrees off will be better. It will probably have a few probs with unwanted esters though.

Or you could just tell people you wanted to make a fruity steam beer. "I totally meant it, guys!"

[mikey]

Thanks guys. I thought that might be the case but always best to check when unsure.

I brewed one ofthese last year which came out quite nice but the temps were a little bit cooler. When I planned this one I hadn't checked the weather forecast and we've had a bit of a spike in the temperature with the rain. Cest La Vie.