Lager/Pilsner

[Jeff]

The bloke at the HBS suggested using a 1Kg Brewcraft Czech Pilsner No 62 Converter pack to make a Euro style lager. I also have a Coopers Bavarian Lager to which I was going to add the Coopers Brewenhancer #1 with 500g of light dry malt (as per recipe on their website)

I was about to swap the Pilsner Converter and add it to the Bavarian when I had the thought that maybe it would un - balance the Kit and perhaps add too much in the way of hops.

Am I better off using ther Pilsner converter with a basic Coopers Lager kit and sticking with my original plan for the Bavarian Lager??

As always, ta for any help

[munkey]

tis reply probably wont help you an awfully lot but ill give my 2 cents anyhow.

in my experience of using 2 kits i have had disasters, the fact that it is a kit and it designed to make up a certain amount of beer means that using 2 kits will unbalance this,
but i also understand that some styles are well within he guidelines to have a kick up the arse and get them into a whole different league, so using 2 kits may just do it for you.

another thing to note is that as kits progress along there shelf life, so do the hops within them, this affects the hops flavor and ultimately the beers hoppyness.

the answer to your question is purely subjective, and best answered with experience of this particular combination.

[r.magnay]

You been drinkin' munkey?
I am sure you know what you just said, but you sure have me snookered!

[munkey]

in a nutshell, and purely in only my opinion

2 kits bad,
1 kit good,

but
sometimes kits can be blended if there contents add up to a brew within personal guidelines.

(guidelines; meaning the typical balance between final gravity and hopping rate, of already well established favored Beer types)

[Shaun]

From the brewcraft web site

#62 CZECH PILSNER
A classic malty Pilsner style. Genuine Bavarian hops provide unmistakable aroma. Pilsner is the style on which many Australian beers are modelled. There's nothing quite as good as the original but this comes close. Add to Pilsner or lager kits.
CLASSIC BAVARIAN PILSNER Make a Beermakers Czech Pilsner with a #62 kit +500g Muntons light malt powder (no glucose required).

http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=108

Reading this you will still need the 500g of light malt but replace the coopers brewenhancer with the brewcraft converter kit #62 however it should not unbalance the kit.

I however do not like brewcrafts converter kits as you do not know what you are adding to your brew the kit says it comes "Genuine Bavarian hops" well what hops. They also do not tell you the amounts of the diffrent fermentables.

[bobbioli]

I guess I will stick my nose in. 2 kits good 1 kit average. just abit sweet

[bobbioli]

to clarify a bit. The last couple I used 1 kit 1.7 and a smaller kit 1kg 300g of dex, lager yeast. turned out pretty good

[Shaun]

If you have a look at Jeff's original post there is no mention of 2 kits!!

He is looking at using:
1 x Tin of Coopers Bavarian Larger
500g Light Malt Powder

Then adding ether
Coopers Brew enhancer No1 (1kg of fermentables)
or
Brewcraft converter kit No 62 Czech Pilsner (500g - 1kg of fermentables and hops)

Where are the two kits (Tins of wort) coming from?????????????????

[Tyberious Funk]

I didn't think the brewcraft converters were really a "kit" so to speak... therefore you aren't really doing a 2-kit brew. Anyway, I don't like the idea of them much, since as Shaun says, you don't really know what you are getting.

Back to the original poster...

I have made the Coopers Bavarian. Although, I did reduce the amount of water quite significantly which left me worried it might be a bit too bitter. It actually turned out very good. So I guess your brewcraft converter is unlikely to make the Bavarian undrinkable. Besides, the extra hops are probably Saaz... which you would be mainly using for aroma. In other words, I reckon you'd be fine...

However... I personally wouldn't mind seeing how well the converter works on a regular lager. Coopers Lager is probably the most common homebrew kit in BigW, Kmart, Coles etc... they sell for under 10 bucks and can sometimes be bought on sales for $7-8. If a $9.90 converter from Brewcraft can actually turn it in reasonably authentic Czech pilsner, then they are damned good value.

[munkey]

i dont use kits.

thought he was refering to 2 kits

[Jay]

What does go best with the Cooper's Bavarian lager? Coopers suggest the brew enhancer 1 and 500g light dry malt (23L). Does this make a good beverage?

Cheers,
Jay.

[Shaun]

I made this recently trying for something like a Becks

Coopers Bavarian lager,
500g Dextrose,
250g Maltodextrin,
250g Light malt,
350g Honey
15g Tettnanger stepped 10 min after boiling the rest.

It is now in the keg and is very very nice.

[thehipone]

my opinion is that all of the lager kits need at least some finishing hops. They just arent quite right without em.

[undercover1]

my opinion is that all of the lager kits need at least some finishing hops. They just arent quite right without em.

You will get no argument from me. They also need some malted fermentables, as well as dextrose/sucrose, but then I think all kits do. And they need racking, too, and to be bottled in 375ml or 740ml brown glass bottles, not PET. And then they need a good long rest of a month or so before you tap them gently on the shoulder and then rip their little heads off.
Sorry, got carried away there....

[Guest]

for someone who owns a mash tun you seem to do a fair share of kits + dextrose/sucrose/coopers enhancer undercover. what's the story there?

[undercover1]

For someone who has read enough of my posts to know I have a mash tun you don't seem to have a login ID- whats the story there?

In any event, it turns out that it is not much good owning a mash tun unless you also own A/ a brew pot of at least 25-30 litre capacity, B/ a really big gas burner & C/ a wort chiller of whatever type.

[Guest]

In any event, it turns out that it is not much good owning a mash tun unless you also own A/ a brew pot of at least 25-30 litre capacity, B/ a really big gas burner & C/ a wort chiller of whatever type.

A/ a partial mash (2-3kg of grain) only requires a brew pot of 15litres (& produces the equivilent of 1kg of fermentables in maltose - far tastier than a kg of dextrose or coopers brew enhancer IMO)
B/ a 15litre brew pot does not require a really big burner. just a regular stovetop.
C/ a 15litre brew pot does not necessitate a wort chiller. just a standard laundry sink, cold water/ice

no offence. just curious.

[Jeff]

OK then, I'll take the advice from Mr Funk and put down the cheaper Coopers Lager with the #62. By the way, the man at the HBS told me the pack has saaz hops in it and needs a 10 minute boil.

Can I assume the Coopers Lager kit has a lager yeast or do I need to brew at a warmer temp

[Tony]

Jeff,

The Cooper's lager in the classic/original range (white can with green lid) contains an ale yeast, so ferment at 18+

Tony

[Jeff]

Thanks Tony,

I was hoping it would be a lager yeast because I've got temps in the 10 - 16 degree C range at the moment. Should I try the kit as suggested but with a lager yeast