Xmas Kits! Chocolate Stout and Coopers Special IPA

[Hoppkins]

Just set my 2 xmas kits going.

Got John Bull Chocolate Stout (3kg kit) and Coopers Special Reserve IPA made with 1kg light malt.

Set Chocolate Stout going on Saturday and the IPA yesterday. Hopefully they will be "somewhat" ready for xmas tipples

The chocolate stout is going like a bat out of hell. The IPA was started at about 5pm Sunday and this morning was no activity in airlock, but im not totally convinced the winemaking vessell my dad game me is airtight ¬_¬ Might still be too early for activity anyway.

Anyone tried the chocolate stout before? Only got it because upto now ive only done (with the exception of the Ambiorix) pale/usual bitter till now.

Wrapped em both in towels and dressing gowns and have a 1kw oil filled radiator coming on every few hours for a bit to keep them nice and warm

[mattfuzzy]

my chocolate stouts in primary till thursday (10 days?)
then ill rack to secondary for around 3 to 4 weeks ready for christmas.
good luck, my airlock went off like a bomb aswell
-matt

[Hoppkins]

Turns out my IPA "WAS" going but the wine vessell given to me wasn't properly sealed around edge since it was slightly warped.

So Daabs advice of "Dont pay attention to airlock activity" is sage

Here are the 2 vessells in my spare room wrapped up nice and warm. I have a 1kw oil filled radiator coming on every few hours for 30 mins to keep them toasty.



Here's the head on the chocolate stout. It really DOES smell like chocolate!



And heres the head on the Coopers Special Reserve IPA



IPA has slowed down a lot but the stout is going like a bat out of hell still! Weird considering the IPA was started last but it IS closer to the radiator. So i moved the radiator round the front of them.

May also be because the stout is a 3kg kit and the IPA is a 1 can kit with light malt.

[Minus The Bear]

Th stout kit sounds great, i will be keeping an interest in your progress as i am planning this as a possible next kit!

[pongobilly]

i also might pick up a chocolate stout kit as flagon and cask sell that kit, so i would like to know how good this kit is

[Hoppkins]

Thats exactly where i got it from

[pongobilly]

its where i normally get my stuff from, although i was dissapointed when she said she souldnt get hold of the milestone kits

[mattfuzzy]

racked off my chocolate stout today, that safale s04 yeast produces good sediment! very compact after 9 days
its now in secondary where it shall remain for a month to clear, while having taste tests ofcorse, then im kegging it in my new corni, id say if you havent done a kit yet, go do one!
id also say that about most things to brew though, including the likes of turbo cider!
-matt

[dean_bpm]

I have had a Coopers Stout kit in priming for a few weeks. Made it with 1kg of Dark DME and oomphed it up a bit with 50g roast barley boiled for 20 minutes and added to the wort then primed it with muscavado sugar. I had a sneak taste last night and its the best brew i have done so far. It actually tastes like a commercial stout. Lovely. I shall not be touching it again till xmas eve though.

[Hoppkins]

Checked gravity of the IPA and its down to 1.13. not far to go!

Going to London tonight to work so will keg it Wednesday night

Stout still seems to be going, not checked gravity yet.

[Hoppkins]

This is my LAST LAST beer for xmas

Geordie Lager kit made up to only 19 or so litres with 1kg of glucose. Also hopped it with my dads organic hops (fuggles)

Used coopers yeast

Look at it go!

[booldawg]

What FG did the Chocolate Stout end up at? I've got one on the go at the moment and guess getting down to 1010 or below will be a little too well attenuated for a stout?

[Hoppkins]

Gonna keg mine tomorrow, not checked FG. Still a tiny bit of activity though.

[mattfuzzy]

mine ended at 1.010 i think.
-matt

[Hoppkins]

Yeah mine ended at ~1.010

IPA ended a little higher.

My geordie lager kit with our organic hops needs another few days at least