Cooper's Mexican Cerveza Beer Kit

I've brewed the Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit as per coopers' direction and I and some of my Corona and Dos Equis drinking friend like it. At two weeks of conditioning one said it tasted like Dos Equis Lite. (I'm not sure if that was good or BAD) It does need a month or more to condition in the bottle. It's a good hot weather beer that is also very good in a warm house in Northern Minnesota in January.

Beer made from kits varies a lot in quality. For lagers, if you just use the standard yeast, Coopers range of lagers are good. They use their own yeast strain, dried for them by Maori. No other beer kit out there contains that strain.

It is generally a very decent strain for lagers, unfortunately they use it across the range and it isn't equally good on the ales.

Muntons use S33 from LeSaffre for their "Standard" kits. This is actually a baking yeast strain which is rebranded as brewing yeast. It works well, never any problems, but it does produce beers that all taste alike because of its rather brutal fermentation. For their Premium Kits, they use SO4 instead, a very good strain particularly for promoting fruitiness.

For really good quality beer kits, it is unfortunately often necessary to exchange the yeast for something else, Nottingham, SO4 etc.



John Bull

I've decided to give this kit a try. My time to brew over the next month or so is going to be limited, so this sure beats a long AG brew day, especially since I was going to try the Amigo Lager recipe that is on White Labs website anyway so I'd have a nice light lager for summertime. $30 shipped on Amazon for the Kit, BE2 and Carb drops isn't bad either for 6 gallons.

I haven't found much on the web as it relates to people who have tried to lager this, or at least what the results were. I'm going to give this a shot with WLP830 or Wy2206, since I want to wash the yeast to use in my Marzen I'm brewing in June. If anyone here is interested in how this beer comes out lagered, I'll update with my results when the lagering is done and the beer is carbed and ready to go.

gonzoflick said:

How do you think fermenting in higher temps would affect this beer. I am desperatly looking for a good modelo product clone (either corona or modelo especial) that I can make in my 74 degree home.

Thanks

Click to expand...

have you tried Walmart for a cheap fridge about 200 ? that will do a lager I think if turned down all the way a fridge should be the right temp . I looked it up once but forget the exact temp but think it was around 45 degrees .

JBhimself said:

Beer made from kits varies a lot in quality. For lagers, if you just use the standard yeast, Coopers range of lagers are good. They use their own yeast strain, dried for them by Maori. No other beer kit out there contains that strain.

It is generally a very decent strain for lagers, unfortunately they use it across the range and it isn't equally good on the ales.

Muntons use S33 from LeSaffre for their "Standard" kits. This is actually a baking yeast strain which is rebranded as brewing yeast. It works well, never any problems, but it does produce beers that all taste alike because of its rather brutal fermentation. For their Premium Kits, they use SO4 instead, a very good strain particularly for promoting fruitiness.

For really good quality beer kits, it is unfortunately often necessary to exchange the yeast for something else, Nottingham, SO4 etc.



John Bull

Click to expand...

I use a lot of muntons and I always add in a pack of safale 04 along with their yeast and it turns out good but you are right their yeast makes beer all taste the same .

veggiess said:

Anyone try this? I really love mexican beer in the summer, and thought I might give one a try. Any suggestions or opinions about this particular kit? Thanks!

Click to expand...

I just opened a bottle . After a month in bottle I found that the beer is all flat and has a bitter taste a bit like a dos equis , yuk . So much for my luck . Could be the directions they gave since I used them or perhaps the new capper I bought is not sealing them off well . I will find out if my other batch of export stout comes out flat .
Now off to find a yeast for this mexican beer so I can re bottle it . I think some more yeast and sugar should fix it .



Well I am editing this to report a new finding . Only a few minutes since last post . I opened up another bottle to try and add yeast and sugar . It was carbonated quite nicely . Difference being that the bottles I used that were from retail beer did not have any carbonation as opposed to the bottles I bought from the beer supply store . Only difference from any other brew was I used a different capper . Been using a cheap one , hand squeeze type black beauty i think , with no problems . bought the new bench type and it appears it does not like the retail bottles but worked well on the ones I bought from beer supply store .

I will allow this bottle to get cold as I recapped it and stuck it in fridge . Then I will taste it and re post the results of the flavor . Hot , it seemed to taste okay .

I also put yeast and a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in a flat one and recapped it . will let you all know what happens .

Shambolic said:

The ingredients and procedure sound fine to me too.

Click to expand...

i like to say that

So I tried a ice cold coopers cerveza and found it to be a bit lacking on carbonation and quick to lose what is there . how ever the beer tasted okay . A little bit of bitter taste and more like a light beer perhaps . Not enough alcohol for my taste . About 3.2 beer I think .

My suggestion is to add in another pound or pound and a half of sugar . I would use light malt as sugar will make this too thin . also it would benefit from a bit of malt flavor in my opinion. Perhaps a flavoring of willamette hops ? I would definitely use more priming sugar than called for in instructions .
here is a hint on priming sugar . I used 3/4 teaspoon in my stout and it was heavy on the carbonation . 1/2 might be right for this mexican beer.

ianac1 said:

Doesn't all that tipping the bottle kick up all the sediment while your drinking it though?

Click to expand...

I always drink from the bottle as pouring in a glass makes me guzzle the beer . the sediment is stuck in the bottom fairly well . With partial mashes i get a bit more and when getting to the last swallow must go slow or you can just shake it up a bit and drink it from the start . I like it . Adds a little bitter to the ale .

gonzoflick said:

How do you think fermenting in higher temps would affect this beer. I am desperatly looking for a good modelo product clone (either corona or modelo especial) that I can make in my 74 degree home.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I ferment almost all my beers in about that temp and sometimes it gets around 78 . I also bottle condition in same room and try to keep it at 72 or so and then after a few weeks I put it in my front room where it is hot all day around 78 or so and it all comes out great . I even bottle conditioned some at around 80 after the few weeks in 72 to 78 and they are real good .