Ditch's Stout?

[soupdragon]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.................................................
How can something that tastes like this come from a can?
I'd read all the glowing reports from people who've made it but until you taste it for yourself it's hard to believe. I've just had my 1st pint of it, it's only been in the barrel for a week and it's better than the majority of stouts that I've had in the pub. HOW DO THEY DO IT?

[Mogwyth]

Welcome to the club the only problem with barrelling you can't leave some to mature for a good time, 6 month old Coopers Stout, heaven

Cheers

Bill

[soupdragon]

The way it's tasting right now is superb, surely it can't get any better? Although the wherry I'm drinking really has improved over the last month
I've got a coopers bitter to put on for when the wherry has finished. I hope that's as good with the dried extract as the stout
Cheers

[manc73]

i made a batch of this a few weeks ago and had my first pint(s) last night and it was fantastic!! Far better than any shop bought stuff. I don't think my supply will last very long, but will definetley be brewing another.

[Parabolic]

I'm so jealous guys,, you all have it brewing away and I have yet to get the kit! I'm poping in to layland homebrew next thursday as i'm heading down to Bisley for my last shooting comp for the year. I will be getting 1kg of dark spray malt extract for the kit. Is there a preferance in what make of dark spraymalt extract, and also I always bottle in litre or 500ml bottles and need to know do you all use the recomended 8gram of dextrose per litre for the prime or do you use malt extract to prime for the bottle conditioning? just wondering caus everyone says to use the malt extract and no sugar, but havent read anything yet on priming.

cheers
Lee

[Ditch]

Lee; Maybe I should go back and edit one of my earliest posts on here, or something? Only, a simple misunderstanding is now looking to take over this whole thing. " DSM ". It strikes me that some people read that as Dry Spray Malt. Others see it as Dark Spray Malt.

Fact is, the original and genuine " Ditch's Stout " was made with a Kg of Medium malt, in place of the 'official' sugar.

Maybe if we all used more language and less abbreviation we'd all be on the same page?


Regards priming? I use Basic Kegs and Don't Prime. Maybe I should? Perhaps it'd be an advantage for me? I simply don't habitually have sugar in the place. It's as simple as that. I guess I just rely on the CO2 Injector to do all that for me. It works for me.

You, using bottles? Dunno. Is it even qualifyable as " Ditches Stout ", if it comes out of a bottle? To quote Clarkson; " Does It Really F**king Matter?! ".

Just get ye kit of Coopers Stout. Buy and add what ever malt You feel will best suit ye own tastes. Make and serve it as You see fit. Enjoy! I sure as hell know I do

[Parabolic]

Ditch,,, thanks for the info. Also there is no miss understanding with me about your original recipe!, I was just saying that I will be using Dark Spraymalt as a sugar as its what I want to go for,, I guess I should not have posted it under this topic as it is this is for your stout recipe and not other alternative recipe's from it. perhaps there should be a new thread titled 'Ditch's Stout varients' and folks can put up what they have tried to give different flavour? and what malt the have all tried liquid or spraymalt?

Another question; Do you use the kit supplied dry yeast and if so,, is it best to do as per instructions and sprinkle and mix in , or would you say its best to re hydrate the kit yeast with 1/2cup of water at 39-43degC and let sit for 15mins before stiring into the wort?

Lee

[Ditch]

Perhaps there should be a new thread titled 'Ditch's Stout Variants' and folks can put up what they have tried to give different flavour? And what malt they have all tried; Liquid or Spraymalt?

What a bloody good idea! It'd save me a lot of (re) explaining and certainly provide a place for people to express their individual preferences around the basic kit.

Yeast? Yeppers. Just use what comes with the kit. SafAle is generally accepted to be the best kit yeast out there, for this sort of thing. But, Coopers own yeast is equally good and so, in the case of Coopers kits ~ unlike many others ~ there's simply no need to worry about their yeast.

I've tried both methods of yeast introduction. Frankly, I now just bung it in

[OldSpeckledBadger]

or would you say its best to re hydrate the kit yeast with 1/2cup of water at 39-43degC

Only if you want to kill the yeast. That's far too hot. Aim for 30C max. Or follow Ditch's advice and sprinkle it in dry.