Coopers lager kit

kerinsp

Hi,
I've only made wheetbeer from a kit before which came out grand. I want to try a lager now but could anyone advise me on the temperature when fermenting?

I just ferment for a week in our utility room then transfer to another bucket for another week before bottling (I use 2 carbonation drops per 750ml bottle).

I've read that lager needs a cold temperature to really work. Should I do all the primary and secondary fermenting and bottling off in the garage over the winter? (the instructions are the same as for the coopers wheetbeer and coopers stout)

Thanks
Paul

Kevvv

Iv just recently done the Coopers Australian Lager, fermented it at 22c for about a week and a half before it reached its FG over a few days. Came out great, nice strong taste off it, can imagine it being very nice after a couple of weeks conditioning in the bottle.

Donadea Leo

Ok far from an expert here - but I think it depends on the yeast you use - you could use an ale yeast and ferment at room temp - but if you're using a special lager yeast you need to get the temp right down and probably need a fridge to do this effectively. I am open to correction -
If the instructions on pack (yes I know never trust the instructions) say to ferment at room temp its likely to be an ale yeast they are using I would say.

Kevvv

Yep your right there, the yeast that comes with the Coopers Lager kits tend to be Ale yeast

kerinsp

Thanks, I'm going to go with the instructions and do this at room temperature.
Paul

blueshed

im a newbie to homebrewing myself and started off with the coopers lager kit a week ago. it's in a spare bedroom atm and at a steady

18*, got it covered with a big duvet. im planning on leaving it till sat 24th before i bottle it.

did a gravity reading when i brewed and it was 1 - 038, followed this up 3 nights later and reading was 1 - 030 and just taken one now a week after the b

brew and it's at 1 - 014.

whitesands

blueshed wrote: »

im a newbie to homebrewing myself and started off with the coopers lager kit a week ago. it's in a spare bedroom atm and at a steady

18*, got it covered with a big duvet. im planning on leaving it till sat 24th before i bottle it.

did a gravity reading when i brewed and it was 1 - 038, followed this up 3 nights later and reading was 1 - 030 and just taken one now a week after the b

brew and it's at 1 - 014.

What's it at now? Keep us updated. I done my lager last night & forgot to take a reading with the hygrometer before throwing in the yeast, I got 035 & adjusted for temp 037 so I'm not far away from you.

I bought the coopers diy kit in tesco yesterday with the lager. Got it all going last night & it's looking good I think (white/brown scum/bubbles on top & loads of white stuff on the bottom ) Sound right?!?

blueshed

it's 2 weeks old now and just did a gravity reading @ 1-010. going to bottle tomorrow or wednesday evening.

it's upstairs and would it be alright to carry down to the kitchen. plus there is still white sediment on the bottom, is this normal.

lang

blueshed wrote: »

it's 2 weeks old now and just did a gravity reading @ 1-010. going to bottle tomorrow or wednesday evening.

it's upstairs and would it be alright to carry down to the kitchen. plus there is still white sediment on the bottom, is this normal.

Best bet is to move it down to where you are bottling at least an hour or so before you go to bottle to let the white sediment (trub), which is perfectly normal, settle back down. Moving the fermenter will agitate the brew. I've not had any issues with brews having moved from one room to the other.

blueshed

bottled last night but noticed that about 4 btls look cloudy and seem to have something inside, i did tilt the fermenter to get some beer out.

should i have done this, will i pour these few bottles down the sink or will they settle.

whitesands

blueshed, I bottled mine sunday night after only 6 days, silly I know but all my bottles have some sediment in the bottom & I didn't move or tilt anything till the last few bottles. They are all cloudy if I shake them.
My FG was also 010

I'm starting my 2nd brew now so I'll be a bit more patient this time around.

tteknulp

[Quote=blueshed;
The only way to help avoid this is to syphon the contents of 1st fv to a second sanitized fv and bottle from there ,its not any harm really as it will drop out when you condition in colder place 10c-15c

baron von something

i think on my coopers lager the instructions said to ferment at 27c for 4days.seems a bit high and too short though?

tteknulp

[Quote=baron von something;you wont get nice lager at those temps ,for best results get a lager yeast & brew at 14-16 ,with kit yeast youll get a pale ale .