Cooper's Heritage Lager

Help! Fourth time using the Cooper's home brew kit, first time using this type of lager and first post. I followed the instructions, this one includes malt extract which I am new to using. It has been 3 days and I have no signs of fermentation. It is staying at the proper temperature. Did I miss something? The other three that I brewed called for sugar to be added, this particular brew did not. Does it need sugar to ferment or will is it suppose to work with the malt extract only? I bought the complete kit and it did not include sugar or say that it needs to be added. Thank you for any input, Scott Irvine

All Coopers kits require some sugar. Have you taken a hydrometer reading. I just had a customer that couldn't get a batch to start. I made him take a hydrometer reading and it was 1.018. He couldn't get it to start because it was already finished.

Forrest

I did that kit twice before moving up to AG brewing. The extract is the added sugar, it gives you a richer more flavorful beer. As I recall those kits did not show a robust fermentation but within a week they were usually done. Take a hydro reading as Forrest mentions. There is always the smallest of chance you had bad yeast but that is pretty rare.

I took a reading when I first started it. It was 5.000 now it is at 2.000. So I guess that means it's doing something.

The heritage lager description says the following:

Rich yellow-gold colour with a tightly packed white head, prominent European aroma hop characters dominate the nose, generous mouthfeel balanced with sufficient hop bitterness to produce a clean finish. This outstanding quality Lager demands your sensory attention!

Intended to be mixed with 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Light Malt Extract and made up to 23 litres.

Since you didn't add the 3.3 pounds of liquid extract you were supposed to add the beer is probably done. You could boil a little water and dissolve the 3.3 pounds, cool and add to the batch to save it from being a 2% beer. When made properly it is a 4% beer.
With only 2% alcohol to make I would bet the yeast took care of that while you were sleeping on the first night.
Forrest

sctirvn687 said:

I took a reading when I first started it. It was 5.000 now it is at 2.000. So I guess that means it's doing something.

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You need to read the other scale that starts with 1.000. But basically you have a 3% beer and it is finished fermenting. That is why you take a hydrometer reading to show that it is working. That is the only real way to tell.

Forrest

Thanks guys. I was use to all the bubbling that the airlock usually does for days. So, to me it looked like it wasn't doing anything, unless the seal is bad, but it seems to be sealed right. I will remember the hydrometer next time.