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Coopers Sparkling Ale is one of the world’s great ale originals, an unfiltered, bottle-conditioned, naturally cloudy Australian ale at 5.8% ABV that has been brewed by the family-owned Coopers Brewery in Adelaide since 1862. It’s the most interesting Australian beer clone in terms of technical challenge: the bottle conditioning, natural yeast haze, and distinctive fruity ester character from Coopers’ house yeast create a profile that rewards authentic technique over shortcut approaches. I’ve brewed this clone multiple times and it’s one of my favorite results.
Coopers Sparkling Ale clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.060, FG 1.010, ABV ~6.3%, IBU 25, SRM 4–6, naturally hazy golden with white foam. Grain bill: 10 lbs (4.54 kg) Australian Pale Ale malt or Maris Otter, Coopers uses Australian pale malt; Maris Otter is a good substitute that produces slightly more biscuity character but works well. 0.5 lb (227g) Crystal 15–20L, light caramel sweetness, barely perceptible but present in the balance. 0.25 lb (113g) wheat malt, Coopers Sparkling Ale uses a small wheat malt addition for head retention and the natural haze that is part of the product’s identity. Hops: 1.0 oz Pride of Ringwood (60 min), 20 IBU. This is the authentic Australian hop choice and produces the characteristic woody-herbal note that’s part of Coopers’ flavor signature. 0.5 oz Pride of Ringwood (15 min), 5 IBU. Total IBU: 24–26. If Pride of Ringwood is unavailable: substitute East Kent Goldings for a different but acceptable British character. Yeast, the single most critical variable: Coopers’ house yeast produces a distinctive fruity-estery character (stone fruit, apricot, mild tropical) unlike any common homebrew strain. The closest approximation: White Labs WLP099 Super High Gravity Ale Yeast, not ideal but attenuative. The better option is White Labs WLP009 Australian Ale Yeast, specifically described as producing Australian ale character, fruity with slight sulfur that dissipates. Alternatively, the real Coopers yeast is available in some Australian homebrew markets directly from Coopers. Ferment at 20–22°C (68–72°F), warm ale fermentation develops the ester profile. Water: Adelaide’s water is moderately hard with notable chloride, target: calcium 80 ppm, sulfate 60 ppm, chloride 100 ppm. The higher chloride reflects Adelaide’s water and supports the malt sweetness. Process: Single infusion mash at 67°C (153°F) for 60 minutes, moderate temperature for body retention. 60-minute boil. Ferment at 20–22°C (68–72°F) for 12–14 days. Do not fine or filter, Coopers Sparkling Ale’s natural haze from yeast in suspension is a defining characteristic, not a flaw. Bottle condition with fresh Coopers yeast and dextrose for 3.0–3.2 volumes CO2, the high carbonation drives the “sparkling” designation. Allow bottle conditioning at 20°C (68°F) for 3–4 weeks before refrigerating. Serve by rolling the bottle to resuspend the yeast sediment before pouring (Coopers’ traditional serving instruction).
Common Questions
Why is Coopers Sparkling Ale cloudy and should I pour all the yeast sediment in?
Coopers Sparkling Ale is naturally cloudy because it’s bottle conditioned, live yeast added at packaging ferments the residual priming sugar to create CO2, and the yeast remains in suspension rather than being filtered out. This is the same process used by traditional British bottle-conditioned ales and Belgian monastery beers. The cloudiness is genuine yeast haze from living organisms, not artificial haze from filtration or starch. Whether to roll and pour all the yeast: Coopers explicitly instructs consumers to roll the bottle before opening and pour all of it, yeast sediment included, this is the traditional serving method and the hazy, yeast-suspended result is the intended experience. The yeast contributes to both the appearance and the flavor (a slight fresh-bread, yeasty note that is part of Coopers’ character). Some drinkers prefer to pour carefully leaving the yeast sediment behind for a clearer beer, this is a valid preference but reduces the characteristic cloudiness. For your homebrewed clone: the same choice applies. If you bottle condition correctly (fresh yeast at packaging, adequate conditioning time), you’ll have living yeast sediment in each bottle. Roll and pour all for authentic Coopers experience; pour carefully for a clearer version that emphasizes the hop and malt character over the yeast. Both are good, the full pour is more faithful to the original.
