Coopers Ale Yeast

I recently made a batch using Coopers Ale Yeast dry packet because the receipe specified it. It was strange that I never saw airlock bubbles. I've taken two hydro readings and the gravity is going down. Did i just miss the real active fermentation? I look at it ever morning, after work, and before bed and never saw bubbles. Plus the taste, banana! Typically my house is at about 69, we did have one day where the temp got to 71. Could that have done it.

Are you sure you have a tight seal around the airlock? I'd be willing to bet that you don't and CO2 is escaping from there. I doubt the 2 degree rise would contribute banana notes. Let the beer age and I bet those notes will disappear.

avidhomebrewer said:

I doubt the 2 degree rise would contribute banana notes.

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But fermenting in an ambient room around 70 would mean a higher fermentation temp, most seem to assume between 5-10 degrees higher than ambient

mattd2 said:

But fermenting in an ambient room around 70 would mean a higher fermentation temp, most seem to assume between 5-10 degrees higher than ambient

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Yes it would, but I would check Coopers site to see what the temperature range is. Usually, when you make an ale and get banana notes, the temp is higher than 70. He didn't say how long it has been sitting around 70, but I still think the yeast will absorb the banana notes during aging, assuming he doesn't age on the high side.

Read some Coopers guys state a few commercial brewers use their ale yeast. Some home brewers re-culture their commercial bottle ale yeast which is more estery than the dry ale yeast packs. Saved this technical post at http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25776&start=0

Coopers Homebrewing Yeast Product Specification

Description: Coopers Homebrew yeast is a robust strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which gives a rapid, clean fermentation with a relatively high rate of production of carbon dioxide. It is a pure strain that has been propagated under strictly defined conditions of nutrient and oxygen supply, temperature and pH control. The dried yeast is kept under cool storage, and packaged under dry sanitary conditions

Characteristics: Fast attenuating yeast producing a balanced flavor profile of fermentation products. This yeast has strong flocculation characteristics, particularly at low temperatures (below 5’C). Attenuation: 72-77%. Under normal fermentation conditions its use will result in a clean, rounded flavor profile comparable to commercially produced beers. It will operate in a temperature range of 16-27’C. Recommended temperature range for kit brewing is 20-24’C or 68 to 75 F.
Process Units Target Control
Parameter Value Limits

Moisture % wt <7.0 <8.0
Trehalose %dry wt >20 >18
Glycogen %dry wt >1.5 >1
Glucose uptake* minutes <65 <85
Viability % cells >90 >85

*Glucose uptake - time for 5 g yeast to remove glucose from 100 ml 5% glucose solution
at 35’C

Microbiological Control Limits
Total aerobic plate count <20000/g maximum
Lactic Acid bacteria <20000/g
Wild yeast <5000/g
Enterobactericae Absent in 1g

Packaging
Nitrogen flushed, thermal resistant foil sachets, specially packed under reduced oxygen environment to maintain its viability and shelf life. Individually packed into 7 and 15 gram sachets with the best before date stamped into the packaging.

thanks for the help guys, i'll just let it age, not worry about it, and hope for the best