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

[Andris]

oh boy, its ON!

after reading this, I just could not stay away....



*** edited

rite, its now sitting in the fermenter!

[Ditch]

Interesting twist there, Andris. Using 'liquid' Malt Extract, rather than the DME I use.

I've never used LME because I've never got my hands on any ~ well; Not since when I started home brewing, back in the day. Then I used to create this foul tasting, mud coloured stuff. But, two litres of that sh!t and ye simply passed out! Can't remember how I did it. No way on gods earth would I ever wish to make it again, now.

Leads me to wonder though; How that stuff'll make yours taste and what the potency will be like.

Once again though ~ for the record ~ it won't be the stuff I make and am talking about here. I guess we'll have to mark it down as another " Inspired By ..... "

[Kev888]

Good stuff; hope it turns out well!

I've used LME quite a bit over the years, provided you account for the difference in weight in the recipe/qty the only time I've noticed any real difference between dry and liquid is if the LME is getting on a bit (in my view it ages less well but is easier to mix in), otherwise I'd say they're fairly comparable taste-wise.

Cheers
kev

[Andris]

will let you know!
as for the liquid malts - you wont believe, but there are no dry malts available or any brewing sugar for that matter, thank god, I can still use Coopers cans for brews... expensive, but beats sugar.

***
just an update - is it normal for Stout to go thermonuclear and produce in 3 days 1.013 from OG 1.040 at 23C?

already tastes great, I think I need a bigger sampling jar!

[shazza]

"supplier then had a rush on Coopers Stout and only had their Irish available in a hurry." (Ditch)

Sorry about that,Ditch old chum,but I had to get the supplies in before I get snowbound (hopefully)in these here
Wicklow hills.BTW I'm now making my own BKE with Dark(as opposed to Med)Spraymalt:significant improvement.
I might even be tempted to ditch the 50% glucose and go Ditch after my first public outing in years where I was free to imbibe to my heart's content and consumed a gallon of the finest Guinness I'd had in many a decade.It was
decidedly maltier than my own brew and had far more hop complexity.Guess the R&D has to continue.

[Ditch]

So, it was You, ye bugger?! Keep ye hands off my supplies!

Actually, just popped in here to say, 'Glad You Lot Are Not Here!' I've just come home and kegged a brew. This was pretty much my standard, as above. Only, A/ I stuck a SafAle 40 ~ or what ever it is ~ yeast in, because I'd ballsed a yeast at some point and finally got a fresh pack for this kit.

B/ I was out of sugar. So, I slung a mug of " Organic " in, two or so days into the fermentation. Had to get to town to buy it, see?

Blah, blah, blah. Yeast went in, evening of the 22nd. Just put it in the keg and pulled a pint. F**k Me!!!!! The first sup hit me like an express train! Treacle! The over whelming taste is of treacle ..... maybe with coffee undertones?

Ohhh, This is f**king GORGEOUS!!!

And I'm gonna drink it All! All to myself! Because it's f**king stupendous and I'm a greedy, selfish c***!

You lot can just sit and sulk. Wondering what it must ever be like to taste that which is made by the hand of The Master! Well; Unless any of ye drop by in the next few days, that is. I'd f**king Love to lay a pint of this on someone ~ see what they thought of it

[aleian]

Well, having read so much about it I just had to try this for myself. It sat in the fermenter for two weeks, stuck it in a keg on Wednesday and tried a taster last night - bloody superb! Even after just three days conditioning it's a fine brew, rich and sweet, can't wait to see what it's like when I move it to the cellar in a couple of days. Think I'll have to buy another barrel so I can keep one of these going all the time!

Thanks Ditch for sharing this one with us!

[Andris]

rite, just bottled my liquid dark malt version, will have a taste in about 10 days! it looked, smelled and tasted fantastic already, just was a bit on the flat side and warmish - just outta fermenter.

will keep ye posted.

[Ditch]

Spliffy; I'm gonna get me a Spreads Mixer!

Is Ditch full of it ....?





Genuine, " CK " branded Spreads Mixer! Picked it up in town today.

I'm looking forward to trying this baby out. Let ye know, in due course, how the beer turns out from it

[Andris]

just outta curiosity - what are you planning to use this mixer for?

[Ditch]

Andris; It's for stirring in and Thrashing my gear, mate. I've found my food mixer not up to the job. Its little whisks are barely able to get beneath the surface. This bugger though I'll be able to plunge right down into it. It'll also be running on a power drill, so it'll hand out some serious stick

[aleian]

I'd be scared of painting the ceiling with that Ditch, hope you've got a good trigger finger! Let us know how it goes, it fair knackered me thrashing my last brew to your instructions. Might consider investing in one but looks dangerous!

[Andris]

uhm... rite, if its just for aerating wort - I use shower head on a hose attached to tap - it pisses nicely and aerates it.... less stirring and it wont paint your ceiling if you miss with it

[RugbyAl]

Just coming to the end of my 'Ditch's Stout' and what a fantastic beer it's been!

Brewed with 1kg of medium spraymalt and 200g (1 cup) of cane sugar (I'm not posh enough to buy 'organic' ).

The only difference in my case is that I don't treat my water - also my water is so 'ard it comes out of the tap with 'bovver boots' on!

I started drinking it after only 1 weeks conditioning when it was quite thick and tasty - more draught Guiness like. Now 3 weeks later it is starting to thin a little and is getting more 'Original' Guiness like.

May try the Coopers Irish Stout next, the only difference I see is the quoted bitterness level......

Alan

[Ditch]

Alan; I find it much closer to 'Draught' Beamish, from a can, than Guinness. In fact, if I have a glitch in my self supply, I'll go miles out of my way to get some cans of Beamish, rather than canned Guinness locally.

The " Irish " Stout? I have precious little experience of it. Probably done it just four times now? One of those is in the keg as I type. I did two at once. Only, something went wrong and they're both horrible. But, that's got to be something I've done ~ or not done. Insufficient mixing and thrashing, I suspect

I have another one here. May well put that on today. Use my new Spreads Mixer on it.