Coopers Pilsner question.

The Mulk

I am ready to bottle my first batch, a coopers canadian blonde. So for my second brew I decided to order a different brew kit this time and go with the coopers pilsner
I have received it and it states 'comes with a true lager yeast' and requires fermentation at below 20C.
Can I use a different yeast as I've read here about the difficulties of lager yeast and temperature control.

BeerNut

People here have done it at room temperature and it worked out. But if you want to switch, any ale yeast will still get you beer.

Mashtun

Primary lagering temps are usually 10-12°C which would have been achievable a few months ago if ya left the vessel outside but not now. However secondary fermentation temps are a lot lower for, for example i have a marzen style beer 'lagering' at 2°C which goes on for 8 weeks. I'd say just leave the fermenter in the coolest place ya can find and leave it ferment out and see what it's like.

The Mulk

Cheers, i'll try it out Saturday, fingers crossed.
In the instructions it can be fermented at 21c, just the words 'Lager Yeast' put me off.

Lugh Ildanach

You have any luck with this? I bought this Pilsner kit at the weekend and was planning to do it. My house is a little cool, I could easily find a room with a constant temperature of 15 degrees, if not lower, especially if we get another cold snap as predicted.

I had left my last batch (Coopers Cerveza) with blanket around it and it brewed fine at around 16-18 degrees, although the worry was that the house wasn't warm enough. Does the yeast in this kit change things? Should I leave the blankets off this time and start worrying that the house isn't cold enough?

The Mulk

did this back in may, so the weather was a bit better. Had in the bottom of the wardrobe at about 18 C. Turned out perfect, made it exactly the way Coopers suggest, but added 30g of Saaz hops after a week. Definitely the best to date, perfect at about 8-10 weeks.

The instructions state it can be brewed as low as 13 C

http://www.coopers.com.au/the-brewers-guild/how-to-brew/lager/pilsener

poitinstill

Im going to do this but have no saaz. I have cascade, northen brewer , northdown any of them any good for pils

The Mulk

Sorry, can't help you out there.I've only used the Saaz, on the advice of a fellow boardsie.

Looking to add some Cascade to an IPA i have fermenting at the moment. i'll have to drop into Rathmines this week to pick some up.

Lugh Ildanach

Well I have mine in the primary now, no dry hops (maybe next time) room is about 14 degrees. It says on instructions that fermentation can take up to three weeks. Should I wait this amount of time before transferring to the secondary, or is that total fermentation they're talking about?

Last time I moved a beer into a secondary I think I killed off the fermentation. Is moving it into a secondary more or less important for a lager yeast? Or is it the same as for others?

The Mulk

Hi Lugh,

I bottled after 15 days in the primary,didn't use a secondary fermenter, I had about 3 identical consec. gravity readings.

The bottles were kept for 2 weeks in the same spot as the fermenter and then out to the shed.

Used 2 carb. drops in a 750ml bottle.
Excellent served nice and cold

Lugh Ildanach

Bottled this at the weekend, it fermented at approx 13-15 degrees, moved to a secondary after 2 weeks, and it stayed there another 2 weeks while I gathered bottles. It had dropped to a gravity of 1002 from an original gravity of 1040, so looking good, and tastes great even before the carbonation! Definitely will be doing this one again!

Stedub

i am about the start the pilsner too but i also got a can of Thomas Coopers light malt extract, what do you think about using this instead of the recommended 500g of LDME and 300g of Dextrose

Lugh Ildanach

Stedub wrote: »

i am about the start the pilsner too but i also got a can of Thomas Coopers light malt extract, what do you think about using this instead of the recommended 500g of LDME and 300g of Dextrose

I'm new to this, only my second brew so wouldn't know. I used the recommended 500/300 and it seems to have worked great.

covey09

I put this on at the weekend too, and like previous batchs the room is a constant 14C but the the Thermometer on the side of the frementer states 18C, which means it generating its own heat. All my batchs have done this Lager or ale so does it really matter what temp the room is if it seems to self regulate?