coopers australian bitter

[Lee G]

hi, has anybody tried this kit and if so whats it like, i know it says its a bitter but with it being australian im thinking it may be more like a lager, i need to know to decide whether to bottle it or keg it. if its like an english bitter i'll put it in a barrel but if its lager i'll bottle it
thanks
Lee

[Rocketcrab]

Supposedly, and I have to admit I'm not 100% sure on this, it's Cooper's take on Victoria Bitter, or VB as the Aussies call it. According to what I've read on the Interent [which must be correct, right? ], VB is the best-selling commercial beer downundah. Even though it's called Victoria "Bitter", it's not a bitter in the UK-sense - it's actually a lager. I am interested in doing this one, too, which is why I did some checking.

[Lee G]

thanks for that, looks like its going into bottles then.

[Cheshire-cheese]

Supposedly, and I have to admit I'm not 100% sure on this, it's Cooper's take on Victoria Bitter, or VB as the Aussies call it. According to what I've read on the Interent [which must be correct, right? ], VB is the best-selling commercial beer downundah. Even though it's called Victoria "Bitter", it's not a bitter in the UK-sense - it's actually a lager. I am interested in doing this one, too, which is why I did some checking.

I think it depends on your definition of lager. I'm pretty sure its made with an ale yeast and is a bitter in its own right, however, my Aussy friends drink it cold. I would go ahead and bottle it, but I'd have trouble calling it a lager.

[Rocketcrab]

Believe me, I understand what you are saying, but this is from the MakeBeer.net website, an on-line Coopers distributor here in the States: "The request, “A couple of pints of bitter thanks mate.” will draw different outcomes, depending on whether it be aired across a bar in the UK or Australia. A glass of Bitter served up in the UK is likely to contain a copper brown coloured ale, at a temperature of about 11°C, low in fizz with not much (if any) foam. It will probably display some malt and fruit aromas with anything from subtle to overt hop character. The taste should comprise various malt flavours filling the palate with a firm bitter finish. While a glass of Bitter in Australia will most likely contain a very light coloured lager, high in fizz with at least 1cm of foam and refreshingly cold (about 1°C, Brrrrrr!). It should display subtle aromas (subdued by the low temperature), a light to medium taste on the palate with soft malt characters and a clean, moderately bitter finish. The differences between these two styles of bitter are significant enough to shock the patron expecting one but getting the other, “C’mon mate, I asked for bitter. What do you call this @#*%?!” Therefore, when home brewers contact us regarding Coopers Bitter we clarify whether they mean our International Series English Bitter (follows the UK style of bitter) or our Thomas Coopers Australian Bitter (developed to capture the characteristics of popular Australian bitters). One would think the image of a glass of beer on our International Series English Bitter would go a long way to avoiding confusion. Well, it does, 99.9% of the time! Apart from the issue of mistaken identity, both products make excellent beer true to intended style. So don’t be “bitter and twisted”, try them both. "

To add to the confusion, the yeast that is supplied with the kit is the ale/lager blend that Coopers uses with several other kits. So, I guess y9ou could make it as either.

[bigdave]

I wouldnt use the yeast supplied to gauge the style of drink as Coopers Aussie Lager comes with an ale yeast too. In fact I think its only the Coopers European Lager that has a genuine lager yeast.

If its a Victoria Bitter clone then its a lager by UK definition but that doesn't mean you can't dry hop and under prime it to serve as a more of a light summer ale.

[Rocketcrab]

Trye, bigdave, very true. By the way, did you name the batch you are currently conditioning after my ex-wife?

[bigdave]

Trye, bigdave, very true. By the way, did you name the batch you are currently conditioning after my ex-wife?

haha.. Its for my wifes birthday barbecue in june!

[DrWorm]

haha.. Its for my wifes birthday barbecue in june!

You are a either very brave or very foolish.

[antinomy]

Sorry to drag this thread kicking and screaming back into the daylight, but -

If you were making this kit and dry hopping / adding a hop tea, which hop and how much would you use? I've done a couple of coopers kits with hop teas recently with a good degree of success but I'm afraid my knowledge of hop varieties is still sadly lacking!