ditch`s stout..

[brysie]

ok now fellas....

who has brewed one of ditches bad boys and left it for 1 or 2 weeks or more?

just asking because i want to know if this stuff gets better or should we drink it at the weekend and brew some more.

[Operator]

Mine was with dark spray malt and I have to say I prefered it after only a few days, although it was still good when I finished it yesterday. Friends who had not tried it early thought it was great after a month. If in doubt, drink fast and brew more, eventually you can try at different stages

[Big Al]

I did mine with Dark Spray malt too. Kegged mine on the 15/02/09. Might have to try a half and see what its like.
Planning on trying to keep it in the keg till April

[brysie]

Planning on trying to keep it in the keg till April

now why you wanna go and do that? this has to be one of a very few you can drink early.
enjoy it, whack another one on, enjoy that, and another, enjoy.....you see a pattern forming here dont you?

[shazza]

greetings ditch et al.how's it going boy up there in lovely Leitrim.Munster man living in exile in the Wicklow hills has decided to try THE BREW.put on a double
batch (46L):2 cans.2.5Kg Muntons beerkit enhancer + freshly drawn spring water;result OG 1036.Bugger that I sez and bunged in a kilo of white sugar(the horror,the horror!) and brought OG up to 1052.Thats more like it.
anyway,pitched the yeast 48 hours ago and .........jazuzzz.mount etna on steroids from hour 24.has settled down to a steady hiss through airlock tonight.so far all tales of this brew have proved true.can't wait to rack to cornies and have a sly taste.IMHO the basic kit is so good that it would probably withstand being made just with white sugar but obviously the better the fermentable carbos the better the beer.
Is Ditch's recipe for a 3.6% beer? Guinness and Beamish are 4.2 and 4.3%. If mine ferments out to 1012 it'll be high5% and thatswhat I seek.
anyways I'll update results when available and would appreciate any feedback.
This is a wonderful little community we have going here.I remember the early 80s when Ken Shales' book and the odd Homebrew news was as good as it got and
Rotokegs were the hi-tech must-have .Praise JIM.

[drmick]

IMHO the basic kit is so good that it would probably withstand being made just with white sugar but obviously the better the fermentable carbos the better the beer.

I made my first batch of this with 1Kg brewing sugar and it came out as good as everyone says. Sadly I made it for my brother-in-law and he disappeared with the keg at the begining of January and I haven't had a sniff of it since. Going to get my second batch of it on tomorrow night with 1Kg Dark spray malt and possibly a few 100g of sugar to up the alcohol. My plan was to keg it and leave it until April before drinking but I think I might be too tempted to leave it that long - will probably prepare a few bottles and hide them to see what it tastes like after a few months

[shazza]

Holy harry!it's down to 1008 this evening. if it remains stable wil keg on friday.........just went downstairs for a sneak preview.treacle/mollasses initial hit then gentle toffee(harrowgate)aftertones with a mild but firm hop presence;loverly! and this from the FV before cooling or carbonation or aging.
one error in a previous post og was not 1052 but 1048:that makes this brew around5.3% so far.mmmmmm think I'll nip back down for another sample.cheers.

[brysie]

Is Ditch's recipe for a 3.6% beer?

i doubt it shaz,

mine was with 50/50 light and dark dsm [to try and replicate mdsm- local homebrew run out of medium]
og1040....fg 1008 = around 4.3 abv. primed with 80g glucose for bottling + approx 0.5 %.
so i reckon up around 4.7/4.8%.

i know ditch doesnt add priming sugar or muck about with hydros and stuff but i think i remember him saying that he drops the water volume a bit.
so...probly at least 4.5 ish at a guess.

[Ditch]

Hullo, Shazza. Sorry I took so long, mate. I got a PS2 on tuesday and my life may never be quite the same now! Trouble is, the continuous almighty adrenalin rush makes me throw back pints without thinking. Thus I've felt like death warmed up all day today!

Anyway, sugar? Here's a tip I've been meaning to mention as probably well worth a try: Can ye get yo a Wholefood shop? If so, ask them for some Raw Cane Sugar. It's simply the real deal, before Tate and Lyle get hold of it and nuke every shred of goodness out of it and bleach it purest white.

Thus it looks like light demerara. But the Taste is simply in a class of its own. Bloody lovely stuff. And, if ye going to go banging Kg's of sugar into Coopers Stout? That's the one I'd go with.

I've not tried that myself yet, 'mind. But likely will. Maybe make a special batch for short, sharp evenings. Anyone else gives it a spin? Please do ~ as ever ~ let us know how ye get on

[KevP]

I noticed tonight that on Coopers website they have a few tweaked recipes using their kits, like an stronger IPA with a 1kg Spraymalt and 500g Brewers Sugar, Lawnmower Lager, etc, well worth a look.

[brysie]

hey kev ive just been looking on that site and read something interesting about vigorous fermentation,

it says that particularly with the stout, its not uncommon for it to go mad and blow up through the airlock. [yes we have experience dont we??]
as a solution it recommends making the kit up to 20 litres, waiting for a few days for it to calm down and then topping up to the required amount.

i never even considered doing that.

[KevP]

hey kev ive just been looking on that site and read something interesting about vigorous fermentation,

it says that particularly with the stout, its not uncommon for it to go mad and blow up through the airlock. [yes we have experience dont we??]
as a solution it recommends making the kit up to 20 litres, waiting for a few days for it to calm down and then topping up to the required amount.

i never even considered doing that.

I'm surprised we all missed that, anyone thats made TC would know this the favoured technique, Doh!

Still, you live and learn, and it gave us some great pictures and stories!!

[shazza]

Update;pitched on monday,kegged on friday=lost rugby weekend.gorgeous stuff.got a brass converter from a local welding suppliers so pub gas works with co2
guage.this is one fabulous stout.

[Ditch]

Great, isn't it?

Shazza; Try some on a hardened Guinness drinking mate. See what he thinks.

Ye know; I was in a pub last night. Place I've only ever been to once before, ages ago. I had a pint of Guinness. And ye know what? I took one sip and Knew it was a damn good pint! I was actually moved to tell the Landlord what I thought. It truly was an exceptional pint.

Not just thirst talking either. It was still notably nice as I drained the glass and got on my way. Even walking down the road it stayed with me. And I drink my fair share of Guinness in more than one pub in my local town. They all serve 'Bland'.

Saying that; Even the best pint of Guinness I've ever tasted (and that one might well have been it) isn't even approaching a pale shadow of Coopers Stout!

[shazza]

already had a Guinness drinking neighbour in for samples;he was suitably impressed.(understatement:reeling up the lane @ midnight would be more like it!)
I've had a few pints this evening and I've just finished watching the late lamented John Martyn on RTE(paddy tv).i'm as chilled out as bejayzuz and i thank the great spirit(whatever you perceive etc.)that i can enjoy fine music,life,great beer and communicating with kindred spirits through the wonders of technology.Don't let the bastards grind you down.