What to brew - Winter

davekate · Post by **davekate** » Thursday Jul 28, 2005 8:21 pm

Hi All,

Although Sydney winters are not to bad, i was wondering what i should put down next, i have an area that stays pretty cool 5-10C.
Maybe a Lager of some description?

I have graduated from K&K to things like Grumpys masterbrews so nothing to hard!

Thanks
D

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Jul 28, 2005 10:07 pm

Hi Dave,

I've waited all summer to brew a good larger and have put down 2 brews so far. North of Sydney it gets a bit cold down to near 3c but mainly stays around 5-15c.
see the latest 2 brews at http://www.simonalberry.com/BBB.htm .
The first I've tried is a ESB Pilsner with Saaz which so far 3 weeks after bottling is a cracker. the one brewing now is a Coopers Pilsner. Simple stuff using modified kits. I'll get to a mash when I know more about it....

The largers apparently love the winter temps. Great Summer drinking. Luuuvely.

Post by **Oliver** » Saturday Jul 30, 2005 4:10 pm

davekate,

I'd give the Cooper's Pilsner a go. It comes with a genuine lager yeast. Add some extra Saaz hops if you like.

It will need to stay above 9C to ferment, so wrap it in a towel to trap heat generated during fermentation. Ideally you'd get it to 12C.

Remember, too, that at these temperatures fermentation is going to be slooooowwwww.

Cheers,

Oliver

Sarge · Post by **Sarge** » Monday Aug 01, 2005 9:45 am

What sort of yeast do you use. If I was to do a low temperature ferment am I better off using Saflager or just the kit yeast? I'm a novice brewer so as technical as it gets for me is boiling extra hops or adding extra malt, etc. I just thought that the normal yeast doesn't ferment at really low temps?

Cheers,
Sarge

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Aug 01, 2005 8:53 pm

Sarge,

With the Cooper's Pilsner, as I mention above, it comes with a true lager yeast, so in the 9C-15C range is OK. It will ferment higher, but you won't get the true lager characteristics. About 12C is ideal if you can hold it there.

Pitch the yeast when the wort is about 18C and let it get down to 12C over the course of 12 or 24 hours. This way the yeast will multiply quickly due to the higher temperatures, then do their best work (creating alcohol) at lower temps.

So yes, just use the yeast that comes with it, which I think is a Saflager brand yeast anyway.

But not all "lager" or "pilsner" kits really do come with a true lager yeast. Cooper's Pilsner does.

Does this answer your question?

Cheers,

Oliver

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 11:14 am

Oliver,
Do you get sick of doing Cooper's work for them?
Jay.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 11:28 am

Oliver,
Do you get sick of doing Cooper's work for them?
Jay.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 11:29 am

Don't know why that doubled up sorry.

Paleman · Post by **Paleman** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 5:49 pm

Oliver does do a lot of work for Coopers doesnt he.

He's a bloody legend though, i base all my kit brews on either Coopers or Grumpys, and Oliver has helped me out hundreds of times through the years just reading his material. Must be the love of the hobby.

Scorpio · Post by **Scorpio** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 7:21 pm

I'm going on holidays for 2.5 weeks over the back end of this month, am going to do that exact beer over that period, and gamble with it fermenting slowly while I'm not around in the cold of August. It's actually the Brewmaster Pilsener - I think I've seen the regular Coopers Pilsener on the net, but never seen it in shops up here. Will brew it with 500g malt and 500g dextrose.

I've got a Cascade Lager in the wort at the moment - it's been in for 16 days and it's still going. Temps have fluctuated between 14-22 deg (generally 16-20 deg). Looks like it'll be a 21 day brew.

Antsvb · Post by **Antsvb** » Tuesday Aug 02, 2005 10:19 pm

I'd give the Cooper's Pilsner a go. It comes with a genuine lager yeast. Add some extra Saaz hops if you like.

Have just done similar for my first with a lager yeast. Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsener with Saflager and some extra Saaz hops.

Remember, too, that at these temperatures fermentation is going to be slooooowwwww.

Too true. I am still suprised despite all the warnings. Just over 3 weeks now and still going. And thats with it being 16-18 degrees since racking (struggling to keep it any colder since we've lost our winter).

Post by **Oliver** » Wednesday Aug 03, 2005 3:06 pm

Jay wrote:Oliver,
Do you get sick of doing Cooper's work for them?
Jay.

Actually, I have worked for Cooper's before. But only for three weeks filling in on their homebrew line, and that was a good five years ago, during the move to the new Regency Park brewery (I was based at Leabrook, but they'd stopped brewing there).

It may seem like I have an unhealthy affection for Cooper's products, but I do reckon that they make a good product, plus they're Australian owned and made, and the Pilsner comes with a lager yeast.

Cheers,

Oliver

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Thursday Aug 04, 2005 5:56 pm

No arguments there Oliver. Every second brew of mine is a Cooper's.

Just meant that you seem to provide more info on Cooper's than they do either 1) on their website and 2) on their labelling.

Cheers,
Jay.

Post by **Oliver** » Thursday Aug 04, 2005 8:03 pm

Jay wrote:Just meant that you seem to provide more info on Cooper's than they do either 1) on their website and 2) on their labelling.

You won't get any arguments from me about that

Their approach to maintaining customers (i.e. keeping homebrewers coming back for more) certainly amuses me sometimes.

It seems that they just sell them a homebrew kit and let them fend for themselves. They'll tell you all about the forum on the Cooper's site (only available to Cooper's Club members though) and the "Homebrew Hotline" (but try to find a number for this "hotline" on their website or in the phone book).

Oliver

beermeister · Post by **beermeister** » Friday Aug 05, 2005 11:14 am

Oliver,

Are you on the Cooper's mailing list? I joined for free and I get discount vouchers ($5 off a can etc) and they send me notification of new products. I usually get something from them every few months.

BM

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sunday Aug 07, 2005 8:55 am

beermeister wrote:Oliver,

Are you on the Cooper's mailing list? I joined for free and I get discount vouchers ($5 off a can etc) and they send me notification of new products. I usually get something from them every few months.

BM

I just went to the Cooper's site to join but couldn't find it. Can you provide a link?

Sarge · Post by **Sarge** » Sunday Aug 07, 2005 4:04 pm

Oliver wrote:Sarge,

With the Cooper's Pilsner, as I mention above, it comes with a true lager yeast, so in the 9C-15C range is OK. It will ferment higher, but you won't get the true lager characteristics. About 12C is ideal if you can hold it there.

Pitch the yeast when the wort is about 18C and let it get down to 12C over the course of 12 or 24 hours. This way the yeast will multiply quickly due to the higher temperatures, then do their best work (creating alcohol) at lower temps.

So yes, just use the yeast that comes with it, which I think is a Saflager brand yeast anyway.

But not all "lager" or "pilsner" kits really do come with a true lager yeast. Cooper's Pilsner does.

Does this answer your question?

Cheers,

Oliver

Thankyou for the information. I love Coopers kits. I'm particularly fond of the Traditional Draught made with 1.5kg light malt extract.

I'll be bottling the premium sparkling ale made as recommended on the can soon too.

I've got a Muntons continental pilsner to make now with DCL Saflager yeast. I'm going to try and keep the temp down for this one.

beermeister · Post by **beermeister** » Monday Aug 08, 2005 10:44 am

Guest,

I didn't join the via the web, I sent a coupon (by post) that comes with the kit instructions (under the lid on every can).

BM

Redsicks · Post by **Redsicks** » Monday Aug 08, 2005 3:05 pm

Anonymous wrote:I just went to the Cooper's site to join but couldn't find it. Can you provide a link?

Try here,
http://www.coopers.com.au/club/club-main.asp#

Proost - Redsicks

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday Aug 08, 2005 8:00 pm

beermeister wrote:Guest,

I didn't join the via the web, I sent a coupon (by post) that comes with the kit instructions (under the lid on every can).

BM

As far as I was aware, the only way you can join for free is if you buy the full Coopers Homebrew Kit. Everyone else needs to pay the $35/$42 membership fee.