Anybody made Cooper's European Lager - Yeast Question

So this kit says that it comes with an actual lager yeast strain, but I just opened it up and it looks like the same old cooper's yeast to me. I would trust them, only when I made the pilsner from the brewmaster series the yeast package was actually different.

Anybody made this kit and fermented at the low temps with success? Did your yeast look the same as every other cooper's yeast packet? (Gold, Cooper's Yeast accross the front, 7g).

I am a little miffed, as I bought this kit because it had the lager yeast (vs cooper's lager, which actually uses ale yeast.)

Thanks in advance!!!

I've never used a coopers kit, but if it says lager yeast, and the instructions say to ferment at a lower than ale type temperature, I'd bet it is, the norm would be 60'sF for ales and 50'sF for lagers, approx. What do the instructions say for fermentation temperature?

The instructions do say to ferment at the low end (21C which I think is 70F off the top of my head) and that it can ferment as low as 13C... my concern is more that despite the fact that the instructions say it is lager yeast, and that the kit says it comes with lager yeast, it looks like the same old Cooper's ale yeast to me... (not difference in the packaging whatsoever)...

So I am wondering if this is par for the course for this kit, or if I got a poorly packaged batch or something...

Update - (just in case somebody searches and gets this later...)

The yeast is (as far as I can tell) a lager strain. The beer is currently fermenting at 11-13C/ 52-56F (as the room is not super well heat controlled.) Lots of sulpher smell.

As well... the yeast looked different from "regular" Cooper's yeast coming out of the package. The batch number also differed, in that after the series number there was a letter "P"

No idea how it will turn out though. The instructions actually recommend it be bottled for 12 weeks before trying it. I was really surprised at this from a pre-hopped kit.

I added 1.1lbs of dextrose and 1.1 lbs of light DME. I am going to let it sit at 11-13C for about 3-5 weeks, bring it up to 22C and secondary it, then back in the cold room (we have 2, so I am going to figure out which is colder) for another 5 or so weeks. Then bottle and leave to carb for a couple of months or more.

I'm hoping to bottle one of these this weekend, but I used S-04 yeast instead of the coopers. With the kit, I also used about 1/2oz Hallertau & German Tradition hops + 3.3# Munich LME.

I did one previously (when it was still called Bavarian Lager) with the coopers yeast and it turned out great -- brewed at ale temps.

I also have this same kit and planing on doing it this weekend . . .Thanks for the heads up. When I asked the owner of the LHBS about it and he just threw in 3 packages of their Brewfem $1.99 lager yeast for free . . . So I to wasn't to worried about the Coopers yeast. But will use it and keep the freebies for later.
I'll throw in a few pics for those who stumble on this thread in the future.

THANK YOU again for answering questions before they even came up . . .

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This is 1 of 3 Lagers this weekend - 1 extract - 1 partial - 1 All Grain . . .

Why do one when you can do 3. :rockin:


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HABIT said:

I'll throw in a few pics for those who stumble on this thread in the future.

Click to expand...

I am glad that it was worth following up on And the pics are a great addition.

Nice too to see somebody doing all three types at once. For comparison I guess?

Good Question . . .
I picked up the partial first and it has been sitting for over 2 weeks untill I felt comfortable with the el cheapo temp controller. http://www.chicompany.net/freezer-conversion-thermostat-remote-bulb-933.html I picked up 2 of these NEW shipped for $80 and change USD and they have been spot on and have no regrets.
I've helped do a few all grain batches at a friends but I'm intrigued with DeathBrewers all grain stove top method. But will probably incorporate the oven method to hold the mash temp. I just figured my efficiency at about 55-60% to be on the safe side and I'll check for conversion as I go.
I have friends that really like a skunky St Paulie's Girl and picked the Coopers International Lager Extract up as an impulse buy when getting the AG Bud clone. I have a few (10 couples) BMC drinkers that come over and play Euchre once a month and have a couple cases of green 22 oz. St Paulie's and Becks bottles sitting here and have been wanting to do something like this.

I guess to answer the Q . . . Sure I'll compare them in the end but my reasoning was do a few lagers (at least 3) in this freezer before it gets turned into a "keezer" and the Lagers gets shared time with the Ales in the freebie fridge I picked up last week.

P.S. Next weekend is set up to try some of YOUR wine recipes that have caught my eye. :rockin: Oh yea . . . I love posting pics


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Very cool...

I am definitely going to do my first AG using DBs method... I am aiming for having everything I need to start for Easter Weekend (gives me two extra days to add in the time lost on the first time... and enough time to do two batches if I want )

I am curious... you say my wine recipes? I thought I only posted the strawberry? I don't even want to mention how that is going... I racked it, just because 1 - I know better than to throw anything out, and 2 - although I thought it smelled disgusting (band-aid smell maybe?) hubby said that it smelled really good. Of course I don't blame the recipe for that... more the mess up with thinking 1 campden tablet = 1/2 tsp pure K-meta, so my actual fermentation didn't start until 2 weeks after I pitched the yeast. There was a really funny layer of gunk on the top that didn't drop... etc.

Sorry to resurrect an old threat, but here is some info that might to helpful to others with yeast questions regarding Coopers yeast:

Original Series:- Ac (26807)

International Series:-
Australian Pale Ale - Ac+L (26807 Int)
Mexican Cerveza - Ac+L (26807 Int)
European Lager - L (26807 P) Rumoured to be Saflager
Canadian Blonde - Ac (26807)
English Bitter - Ac (26807)

Brewmaster Selection:-
Wheat - A (26807 W)
IPA - Ac (26807 IPA)
Irish Stout - A (26807 IS)
Pilsener - L (26807 P) Rumoured to be Saflager

Premium Selection:- Ac+L (26807 PS)

Note: Ac = Coopers ale yeast, A = ale yeast and L = lager yeast

They do in fact package different yeasts in the same package. I called them on it, the first time, they mailed me a package for yeast (and even paid $20 shipping, which was riduculous, but good Customer service)
My LHBS, since got a bunch of these kits in, but the locals won't brew it... yoo much work, too long etc. We need to edumacate these folks.

Anyway, my last batch was a two can brew, since I already had two packets of yeast from my two cans and one from the mail, I pitched all 3 in one batch, brewed it as cool as I could and it is now sitting in a keg in my fridge, I'll let you know in a few weeks. For those that do use a secondary, you can take some time off the 12 week bottling period. Basically they are allowing you lager your brew in the bottle according to the instructions.