First Brew - Coopers Stout

[Cleggy]

Well its time to get my feet wet.

I've got a coopers stout kit which i'm roughly following ditchs stout recipe.
500g dark spray malt 500g brewing sugar.

I'm planning to steep 200g chocolate malt and 100g roasted barley for 30 mins at 65ish degrees.
I'm tempted to add some cocoa and vanilla pod to this. (titanic chocolate and vanilla - mmmmn)

Add this to the can contents, make up to 20l and see where we go from there.

Am i making any glaring boobs obvious to you more seasoned brewers.

Appreciate any advice.

[araldite]

hi cleggy
not made any additions like that but ive just bottled one which was made up with 1kg of dark bke which is roughly what youre putting with the malt and sugar.

now i normally make it up to 20l and top up to 23l when it dies down a bit, for a change i didnt just left it at the 20l.

me an a mate tried a bottle the other day, bearing in mind its only a week old when we try it, gotta say thats my new house stout dont know about the other additions but i promise you will be pleased

araldite

[Cleggy]

Sounds good Araldite!
I think the waiting will be the hardest part!

[araldite]

Sounds good Araldite!
I think the waiting will be the hardest part!

tbh mate ive found you can drink it young i once tried it a couple of days old from the barrel and not a problem at all.

ive tried it with all malt and also did 1 with just sugar and seem to have settled on the dark bke from leylands homebrew as my preference.

but having tried all the different additions i can promise you this kit is fool proof no matter what you do you will get a good drink(within reason of course)

[Ditch]

Well its time to get my feet wet.

I've got a coopers stout kit which i'm roughly following ditchs stout recipe.
500g dark spray malt 500g brewing sugar.

I'm planning to steep 200g chocolate malt and 100g roasted barley for 30 mins at 65ish degrees.
I'm tempted to add some cocoa and vanilla pod to this. (titanic chocolate and vanilla - mmmmn)

Cleggy; No offence, mate but; What's That got to do with " Ditch's Stout " ? The only, vague similarity there is that it's based around a Coopers Stout kit. Err ..... Period!

At this rate, people will be pouring a bottle of Pernod into a Coopers Stout, made by the tins instructions. Pronouncing the result Vile. Then saying " Ditch's Stout " is crap!

Sorry but, I really just have to draw a line somewhere. I never asked for 'my' method to be named after me. But, at this rate? They'll be calling Anything so much as shown a Coopers Stout kit tin " Ditch's Stout ".

Maybe I should write up the Original and Genuine recipe. Ask Jim to Pin it. Then we'd all know what was what ~ and what Isn't.

It's my name being bandied about here, after all

[FlourPower]

I urinated in a coopers stout tin once. Handed it round as Ditch's Lager!

[Cleggy]

Ditch - Sorry no offence meant.

So what was the original recipe - CS kit + 1kg of Med Spray malt?

2 mins in and already upsetting folk!

[Ditch]

Cleggy, you're upsetting no one, mate. Like I said; " No Offence " <---

I just feel the confusion round here is on the point of spawning a life of its own. FlourPower isn't so far from the truth with his own piss take.

" Ditch's Stout " / Coopers Stout the way I like it? Yeppers. Kit of Coopers Stout made up with 1 Kg of Medium dry malt.

I'd just add to that that this is definitely a kit best made / served in the warmer months. I find serving it cold renders it thin and tasteless ~ like Chilled Guinness, in pubs.

Of course, I live in a stone built cottage with 18" thick walls. So, how warm does it get, in here during the height of summer? Dunno. Probably not as hot as the average 'house'. Yet, having bare concrete ~ at best ~ floors, it may get colder than a normal house in winter.

My best advice then would be do what ever ye see fit to 'Condition' " Ditch's Stout ". But then serve it at a temperature ye wouldn't mind sitting in of a day. " Room Temperature ", probably. But, not something stupid like 70+ F. 60 or so should be about optimum.

That way it won't freeze ye tongue and ye should get the flavours

[Cleggy]

lol...love that smiley!

Blimey ditch you must still be defrosting after this winter.

We've got 1880's solid wall's here, so it gets pretty chilly at times.

1 frozen boiler and 1 burst pipe so far this winter, all with boiler on constant!

Anyway - cheers for the advice, i shall temperature condition a bottle between the other halfs cleavage!

[Ditch]

Photo's!!!

[Cleggy]

..............

[barl_fire]

i shall temperature condition a bottle between the other halfs cleavage!

just spilt my tea and nearly choked on a hob-nob

[Cleggy]

Well, this went in the FV last night.

However, I was rushed at the end of the process by the Mrs dragging me to the pub so I didn't hydrate the yeast before pitching.

I sprinkled on the dry packet yeast that came with the kit , the wort was at 28 degrees.
(I didn't stir it in, should I have?)

Should this have any detrimental effect?

Its in the cupboard with a fish tank heater set to 20 degrees.

No action in the bubbler yet 11 hours after pitching, is that uncommon?

It's like worrying about your first born all over again!

[scottmoss]

Hi,

I never hydrate the yeast and just sprinkle it on like you did and never had any problems. I would think you should see some action this evening.

[Cleggy]

Hi,

I never hydrate the yeast and just sprinkle it on like you did and never had any problems. I would think you should see some action this evening.

Really?

What about the beer though?

You've calmed my nerves thanks Scott.