New from Coopers

[NTRabbit]

Has anyone else noticed the small change in the Coopers lineup?

Was in a Booze Brothers catalogue i got yesterday, the Regency Light and Regency Draught labels have been dropped and replaced with Coopers Lager and Coopers Light, both with big *NEW* signs next to them. Dont know if there is a recipe change or not.

[Oliver]

But in true Cooper's fashion, the website still says "Regency Draught" and "Regency Light".

http://www.coopers.com.au/beer.php?id=131&pid=2

And if you open the Draught Beer Nachos recipe link on that page, the bottle is one of "Cooper's New Draught" (which is what it was called when the brewery moved to Regency Park, and which they got into strife from Toohey's (Lion Nathan) about. How ironic!).

Oliver

[undercover1]

Oh dear- whenever I hear the words "premium lager" my tastebuds shrivel. Think Hahn, or Crown.
Why can't they just try to push more pale ale?

Coopers set sights on lager market.
South Australia's Coopers Brewery, best known for its ales, is now hoping to capture a substantial portion of the Australian lager market.
Coopers, Australia's third largest brewer, has launched two new premium lager beers - the Coopers Lager and Coopers Premium Light - as part of a shake-up of its lager portfolio. The new lagers, which replace the Regency Draught and Regency Light, are already available in SA and will be supplied to interstate markets later.
Coopers chairman and marketing director Glenn Cooper said he was confident the beers would change drinkers' perceptions about Coopers and lagers. "Australian drinkers have clearly shown that they have an extremely high opinion of our traditional ales with sales across Australia booming," Mr Cooper said.
"In the past, that demand has not translated through to our lagers but we believe the new Lager and Premium Light will change that situation."

[NTRabbit]

I dont have a problem with them making lagers, so long as they are good. Not everyone is an Ale drinker, so why should lager drinkers miss out on Coopers?

http://www.coopers.com.au/media/files/1225.pdf

[Oliver]

It turns out that the new beer was distributed before Cooper's announced it on their website

The text of the link above is below.

Two points of interest from the news release.

1. They've brought in a bloke from Boags. Here's hoping it's nothing like Boags Premium (sorry to Boags Premium lovers).

2. They're using Saaz hops for late hopping to make it "similar in style to premium European lagers".

Another point of interest, from the Cooper's Club forum:

Claire from Cooper's says: "This week product was released to South Australia, other states may follow later."

So, it seems that those outside South Australia may never get to taste taste it unless they visit SA, get some sent/brought to them or order it from an online shop. Not happy, Jan.

When someone's tasted it, please let us know.

NEW LAGERS INTRODUCED BY COOPERS
November 3, 2005

Coopers Brewery has launched two new premium lager beers to replace Regency Draught and Regency Light as part of a shake-up of its lager beer portfolio.

The new Coopers Lager and Coopers Premium Light will spearhead a drive by Coopers to capture a substantial portion of the Australian lager beer market and complement the runaway success being enjoyed by its traditional ales, particularly Coopers Pale Ale.

Production of Regency Draught and Regency Light stopped in early October, with stocks of Coopers Lager and Coopers Premium Light now available in hotels, clubs and bottleshops in South Australia. The beers will be made available to interstate markets later.

The new beers are available in high-quality basket carry packs and pre-print cartons that reflect their premium status.

Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said he was confident the new beers would change drinkers’ perceptions about Coopers and lagers.

“Australian drinkers have clearly shown that they have an extremely high opinion of our traditional ales with sales across Australia booming,” he said.

“In the past, that demand has not translated through to our lagers, but we believe the new Lager and Premium Light will change that situation.”

Coopers Managing Director and Head Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, said development of the new lagers owed a lot to the work of Brewing Manager, John Hood, who joined Coopers from Boags in Tasmania last year.

“John is a specialist lager beer maker and he and the rest of the brewing team have worked hard to develop these new products, which we believe will have a significant impact on the premium lager market in Australia,” he said.

“Coopers Lager and Coopers Premium Light are distinctly different beers from the Regency range of lagers and those that preceded it. We are confident that they will find ready acceptance among drinkers looking for a premium lager.”

Dr Cooper said the key differences were the use of different yeasts and hops and changes in production techniques, while the installation of a new bottle filler had minimised oxygen levels, improving flavour stabilisation.
He said brewing materials had been restricted to barley malt, hops, yeast and water with no sugar or other brewing adjuncts, making for a purer beer.

“For drinkers it means a new beer that will change the way people think of Coopers as a lager maker,” he said.

Glenn Cooper said the high quality beer and packaging would be available at prices normally associated with domestic beers, giving drinkers the opportunity to enjoy premium beers at the best price.

Tasting Notes
Coopers Lager
Coopers Lager has a crisp, refreshing flavour with a good balance of malt and hop characteristics, similar in style to premium European lagers.

It has a light golden colour, high clarity and an excellent head. The aroma is fresh and clean with fruity esters and floral late hop notes.

The flavour is initially smooth and malty followed by a firm, mid-palate bitterness and crisp, non-lingering after-bitterness.

The malt is from top quality South Australian-grown Sloop and Gairdner barley. Australian Pride of Ringwood hops have been used to provide the majority of the bitterness, while late hopping with Saaz hops provides distinctive floral hop notes.

The yeast is a bottom-fermenting type selected for its ability to ferment at low temperatures and provides appealing fruit-estery characteristics.

After fermentation at low temperatures, the beer is chilled below zero for lagering and finally cold filtered before being kegged or bottled using state-of-the-art equipment that prevents air contacting the beer and causing oxidisation that damages flavour.

Coopers Premium Lager has an alcohol level of 5%.

Coopers Premium Light
Coopers Premium Light is brewed using traditional lager brewing materials and techniques to produce a full-flavoured light beer which at 2.9% alcohol is 40% lower in alcohol than Coopers Premium Lager.

The aroma is fresh and clean with floral late-hop notes while the flavour is initially slightly dry and refreshing followed by a moderate mid-palate bitterness and finishing with a non-lingering after-bitterness.

The malt is from top quality South Australian-grown Sloop and Gairdner barley. Australian Pride of Ringwood hops have been used to provide the majority of the hop bitterness, while late hopping with Saaz hops provides distinctive floral hop notes.

Brewing methods typical of low-alcohol lager production have been used in the brewhouse to reduce the fermentability and limit alcohol production during fermentation at low temperature.

The beer is chilled below zero for the cold storage or lagering period, cold filtered and then kegged or bottled using state-of-the-art equipment.

[undercover1]

"Not happy"? Oliver???
jeez & i thought you had their pickaxe logo tattooed on yr butt.

[NTRabbit]

"Not happy"? Oliver???
jeez & i thought you had their pickaxe logo tattooed on yt butt.

I believe that, being a Melbourne dweller, Oliver is unhappy that Coopers wont be sending them his way in the immediate future. I'd feel the same way if I had to live in Melbourne too, let alone without Coopers

[anti-fsck]

I'd feel the same way if I had to live in Melbourne too, let alone without Coopers :wink:

Bastard. May you find Carlton Black in your favourite beer shop next week. Nothing wrong with Australia's most liveable city.
Hang on, technically I don't live there ...

[db]

tried the lager on tap at the exeter in adelaide a coupla days back.. quite drinkable & 'coopers like' if that makes sense didn't really detect any saaz.. mainly p.o.r.
i'd drink it again... if i couldnt find any of their ales

[silkworm]

tried the lager on tap at the exeter in adelaide a coupla days back.. quite drinkable & 'coopers like' if that makes sense didn't really detect any saaz.. mainly p.o.r.
i'd drink it again... if i couldnt find any of their ales

Is there anything there for a hops head or is it quite subtle?

[db]

tried the lager on tap at the exeter in adelaide a coupla days back.. quite drinkable & 'coopers like' if that makes sense didn't really detect any saaz.. mainly p.o.r.
i'd drink it again... if i couldnt find any of their ales

Is there anything there for a hops head or is it quite subtle?

i wouldnt say it was subtle (& i consider myself to be a bit of a hophead ) just didnt have a nice hop flavour or aroma to it.. i dont really get into lagers but i did enjoy it. it wasnt as 'stripped back' & 'watery' as i expected. definatly better than an average euro-lager imo

[Wally]

I tasted the lager over the weekend. It tastes very much like South African Castle Lager , but with a bit more of a malt flavour. For those that know South African beer I would describe it as a cross between Castle Lager and Windhoek Lager.

[Oliver]

Windhoekis a fabulous beer.

I can't wait to try this new Cooper's lager now

Oliver

[aussie]

We were going to buy the new lager at the bottle shop the other day, but we werent 100% sure weather we should risk it. we asked the young bloke there and we asked him weather it was a bit of a risk..he said yea fellas i proabbly woulnt risk it if i were you guys..

looks like ill probably try it soon, sounds like it could be good

[kurtz]

The aroma is fresh and clean with fruity esters and floral late hop notes.

The yeast is a bottom-fermenting type selected for its ability to ferment at low temperatures and provides appealing fruit-estery characteristics.

What a Brave New World, or is Brave Antipodes that we live in.
We have lived for years with two major selling lagers describing themselves as bitters..is this pay back time!!
A fruity - estery lager...name me just one other anywhere in the galaxy...oh dear ...

Kurtz

[Oliver]

Interesting article about the success of the new line-up.

Coopers taps a giant lager thirst
By CAMERON ENGLAND
06jan06
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/co ... 13,00.html


COOPERS Brewery's new lager has sold more than five times what the company was expecting without significantly affecting its core brands.

Coopers said yesterday it had sold more than 200,000 litres of lager in bottles in December, with another 36,000 litres sold on tap.

Chairman Glenn Cooper said the tap sales were particularly encouraging.

"Getting a new lager on tap these days is hard work," he said.

"As you realise, most of the taps are locked out.

"It's been very well accepted on tap and the word's got out. That's the real test, whether you get repeat buyers in."

There had been some substitution, with drinkers switching from the core Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale brands, but the net effect had been positive.

"I'd have to be honest and say there was a bit of substitution, but putting the two together the benefit far outweighs that alteration," Mr Cooper said.

"Pale Ale sales for the month of December were still 13 per cent up from the start of the financial year."

Coopers is specifically targeting drinkers of competing beers West End Draught and Victoria Bitter.