" Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

[Ditch]

I don't know, Dave. Everyone who raves about Coopers Irish Stout says it's rich in chocolate and coffee tones.

As said above though; I definitely prefer and want chocolate.

[Andy]

Ditch, you could always consider getting some crushed malted dark grain, steeping it in water and boiling up with your coopers kit.

Have a read of this -> http://www.tradeger.co.za/tech_beyond.html

Can get coffee notes from dark malts

[Ditch]

Cheers, Andy. I've started reading that and it's appealing. Only, I'm so physically shattered, right now, I don't reckon I'll get the best from it tonight. Tomorrow night, I must make this half dozen kits up. That after another full day, brush cutting rushes!

Book marked it and I shall sit and absorb it over a pint. Once the rush rush is over.

God, I ache!

[Tom Sawyer]

Blimey, at last. 37 pages including a train journey from Aberdeen to Preston! Hey up fellas, I'm more of a lurker than a poster but have finally got round to having a go at this recipe (as near as I can) Ditch I have a question. I know that you, prior to acquiring the drill attachment, used to give the mix a "good thrashing". I have done a few coopers kits - APAs, Canadian Blondes, English Bitters IPAs etc but have always had a bit of a stir with the long handled spoon and nothing more.

Now, do you use the drill attachment / thrash to get the fermenting process moving quickly and so adding to your efficient brewing and quick drinking time or does it actually need it for another reason and does this process add to or actually create the spewing.

Sorry for the questions but I'd like to avoid the spew if possible (although it wouldn't be the end of the world) but don't want to detract from the quality of what sounds like a great drink.

Thanks for your input by the way, as well as the practical side it has been a very entertaining read!!

Tom

[Ditch]

Tom; The short and simple answer to ye question(s) is that I was once employed, as a Brickie's Labourer. I was working for Costain and actually building the very Royal Mail 'MLO' structure that would, later. give me seven years of employment.

Funny, really. Because I only lasted seven months with Costains, before I 'broke my back' and they medevac'd me. Seven years with the mail and I lost my f**king mind and They medevac'd me!

Now I'm here. Listening for the sound of choppers ....!

F**k! Now, where were we? Oh, yeah. The drill attachment. Simple: " Clem ", the bricky I was labouring for ~ nice bloke. Rode a moter bike up from Somerset, and back again, each weekend. He once said one of the Most memorable things to me.

He said: " Ditch: As ye go through this life, ye'll find there's Always a Hard way, and an Easy of doing Anything. Always look for the EASY Way. "

I've revered Clem's words of wisdom this last four decades. And thanked him, so often, as I've lived by them. As I'd pass them on to you, Tom.

Why wreck ye bicep and shoulder, thrashing around like a teeth gritted lunatic, with a plastic paddle? Plug that f**ker in! Under sixty seconds of day dreaming and it's job done! I make SIX kits at a time! Can ye imagine hand thrashing That lot?! I'd be dead!

No. Artex paddle. Power drill. Thankyou, Clem!

Any further problems? No. Spew's the same, what ever. Leave it for 48 hours. Then top up, once the foam the drill causes has died down.

Hell. Thought I'd explained all this already?

[Tom Sawyer]

Thanks Ditch, and I'm almost posting this through my fingers as I imagine you getting angrier and yes I have read the whole thread , but unless I'm being monumentally stupid (which is quite likely) I don't understand the need for "thrashing like a lunatic" or the use of a drill. I do get your point about the drill attachment making life easier to save the physical labour but would a quick stir around not do the trick as I have done with my kits or does the stout in particular need that level of mixing to get the fermenting going?

thanks

Tom

[Ditch]

Sorry, Tom. I'm actually handling a quite 'Intense' situation, on another forum, as I handle this. Maybe my tones are mixing?

I'm also working with a virtually bald key board. Can't see what the hell I'm trying to type, half the time. Correcting what I have typed, the rest of the time!

Sensible answer to ye question? It's widely ~ if not Universally ~ accepted that yeast kicks off better in aerated water. And, getting the optimum level of oxygen into 20 litres of 'water' takes some doing.

The vast majority of people seem to 'Buy Into' the " Plastic Paddle " idea, and stay there. Developing arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

You, perhaps, have perfected some Tantric Yoga method, where by ye Breathe oxygen in there. Perhaps via ye willy?

Myself? With 120 Litres to thrash into an optimum yeast environment? I just plug in the power drill and go all f**king " "


Please do forgive me, if my seeming manner, right now, isn't to ye exact tastes or expectations. I'm dealing with other idiots, on other fora, as we speak.

No. That's NOT to suggest You're an idiot! But, these other dicks demanding my attention just now are! Please do forgive and excuse me ~ for the moment .....

[milo]

Hey Tom
1 word - aeration

Good aeration is key to getting your yeastie friends to work well.

I don't use a mixing paddle, I prefer to pour water from a height then thrash malt in and then top up to finished level.
What ever works for you! Just ensure you get good aeration.

Milo

D'oooh, what he said!

[Tom Sawyer]

Thanks fellas, I suppose I'm so eager not to mess it up I've got caught up in the details. I know about the aereation but for some reason as I'd read through the thread, that side of it seemed to come through as more important and I was wondering why and so asked a what now seems a fairly stupid question.

Ditch,no worries thanks for your patience and advice which as always was delivered in an interesting and entertaining way.

Anyway the brew is going on tonight, so I'll keep you informed!

[spliffy]

Plasterers paddle mixes your brew thouroughly and aereates it brilliantly in a few seconds. No need to make a waterfall to pour the water and makes life a lot easier. Made Ditch's a few times.. bloody nice.. And the coopers kits seem to be idiot proof.
On a different thread does anyone know if there is a thread on this site about HB shops.. I mean the good and bad? Just had a bad experience and would be interesting to share the knowledge on these shops Thrifty seems to have dissapeared which is a real shame

[Ditch]

Plasterers paddle mixes your brew thouroughly and aereates it brilliantly in a few seconds.

Yep. That's been mentioned, on here and else where, Spliffy. That's how I managed to knock up six FV's the other day, and walk away with perfectly relaxed arms

Does anyone know if there is a thread on this site about HB shops.. I mean the good and bad?

This is what Ye'd be wanting.

[spliffy]

grassy arse Ditch. Aware of the paddle being mentioned a million times. you and i had the dubious pleasure of talking about it sometime ago before you started using it.. I did not want to dive in head first on a completely different topic, hence mentioning the plasterers paddle yet again.. Devious or what? lol. But cheers for the link

[Ditch]

Actually, Spliffy ..... As the subject of Paddles is in the air again, I'll cunningly seize this oppertunity to mention something that occurred to me, the other day, as I made a load up:

My own paddle is a 'chrome' plated one. As ye'd know, they come in various finished. Orange 'paint' being another, popular. finish.

Only, that orange paint is prone to flaking off. I don't know why or what sort of paint it is?

Now, my own one has actually developed a spot or two of rust on it, in a couple of places. Would ye believe, I use it regardless? Swift pish of Iodifor and it's good to go. Never presented any problems.

But, it did come to me; If ever I suspected there could be a potential problem with the finish on a paddle? I'd happily dump it into a good, oil based paint. Let it get a good coating and carry on regardless.

Strikes me a fresh dip coat of paint's going to lock in just about anything, for the foreseeable future. Isn't it?

[spliffy]

had mine for a few years.. Its blue.. Not had a problem with the paint flaking, pitting or anything else.. I guess dont mix plaster with it as well..lol. but in all fairness they are not exactly expensive so if mine shows signs of flaking etc I will probably just but a new one. I think I got mine from screwfix if i remember correctly

[Ditch]

Ye know, it's weird; I could swear I had an orange painted one and it flaked. How else would I 'know' they're liable to it?

So; Is your one painted, or powder coated blue? I reckon powder coating would be the ultimate ~ if available.

Nice to discuss something pertinent to this thread, without just going over old ground again. Without my power drill and paddle, I doubt I could manage a couple of FV's at a time. Let alone half a dozen!