Cooper's New Irish Stout

[jrugman]

I have an empty Corney that I want to fill with stout. I intend to use the Cooper's New Irish kit but with just 500g spraymalt and without the 300g sugar (as Cooper's suggest), made up to just 4 and not 5 gallons. I like my beers to be full flavoured and around 5 - 6% ABV. If I reduce the brew length in this way, am I going to get a very strongly flavoured beer which might be unpalatable? Any advice from stout drinkers would be welcome.

Cheers,
John

Drinking: own AG recipe Porter, bottled.
Theaktones Old Peculier clone, bottled.
Fullers ESB clone, bottled.

Two empty Corneys.

[Ditch]

" Coopers New Irish Stout " ??? Am I missing something here?

Anyway, I've tried reducing it. 'Coopers Stout' that is. Can't say I found the results that favourable, to be honest. But, then it's all a matter of personal tastes, isn't it? Have a go and see what ye think of it yeself?

[jrugman]

Ditch - the kit is listed in Hop & Grape website, as is what I take to be their usual stout. I don't usually drink stout and wanted a quick fill for one of my Corneys - hence the kit rather than AG. Also I only have to hand pale malt, choc. malt and black malt, no roasted barley or flaked barley which I understood are necessary for an Irish type stout.

Cheers,

John

[Ditch]

Ahh! I have it now, John. No; That's Coopers Premium kit, that is. I've got one here I'm just lining up to put on myself

The 'New' is just because they've only just got it in. Actual kit's been around long enough.

I use Coopers 'basic' Stout kit, myself. That's the one I make " Ditch's Stout " from and it suits me ~ and a good many others, by all accounts.

Their " Irish " Stout is said to be off the scale though Better get mine on. Little birthday treat for myself!

[KevP]

Birthday Ditch? have we missed it?

[Ditch]

My birthday's the last day of the year, Kev'. 31st. I don't know how old I am though. Lost track a couple of years ago and my Dogs can't tell me, so I just figure I'm another year older.

Anyway, point is, that gives me plenty of time to get the couple of 'special' Coopers' in that I've been sitting on for so long now. Coopers Irish Stout and their Dark Old Ale. I have two empty FV's ( I know! Shame! But it's only been a couple of days now) and then I can crack on and have a mammoth cleaning session, preparing my 30+ Gallon FV.

Oh; And I'd better get onto my man, Shane, too. I'll be wanting some more Basic Kegs! I only have eight!

[EoinMag]

My birthday's the last day of the year, Kev'. 31st. I don't know how old I am though. Lost track a couple of years ago and my Dogs can't tell me, so I just figure I'm another year older.

Anyway, point is, that gives me plenty of time to get the couple of 'special' Coopers' in that I've been sitting on for so long now. Coopers Irish Stout and their Dark Old Ale. I have two empty FV's ( I know! Shame! But it's only been a couple of days now) and then I can crack on and have a mammoth cleaning session, preparing my 30+ Gallon FV.

Oh; And I'd better get onto my man, Shane, too. I'll be wanting some more Basic Kegs! I only have eight!

DItch, try this new guy from Galway out, he's a lot cheaper than Shane at HBC, especially on Coopers stuff.


http://homebrewwest.ie/index.asp

Brian is his name, nice dude.

[EoinMag]

Only 10.75 for Coopers stout, http://homebrewwest.ie/coopers-original ... g-11-p.asp

He was supposed to be getting budget kegs, don't see them there yet.

[Ditch]

Cheers for the heads up, Eoin I'll take a look in just a minute. I put an order Shane's way that he's probably still talking about to this day ( ) If he gets enough BK's, sharp enough, I'll compare prices. Once I have that Big FV ready, I'll be on a schedule to get some more BK's!

[jrugman]

Ditch - glad to have cleared up that little mystery! I have heard of your legendary stout, of course, but can you tell me the secret of your success?
What do you add to the can and how much? And what % ABV do you expect to get? Hope I can pick your brain before it becomes as addled as mine!

Cheers,

John

[Ditch]

No mystery about what I do, John. And, what I do I picked up on here anyway. Put simply; " Ditch's Stout ", as they're want to call it, is simply a kit of Coopers Stout which I make up, substituting 1 Kg of Medium dried malt, instead of sugar. (Industry standard, in this day and age). Coopers own yeast does the rest. Volcanic fermentation comes as standard.

I'd only add that I haven't yet bothered with adding sugar ~ or anything else ~ to my Basic Kegs, to promote 'secondary fermentation', or what ever it's called. Primary fermentation's quite enough experience for me! This isn't due to some archaic and occult knowledge. It's simply that I don't have any sugar in the cottage and so have got used to things my way.

I also tend to wind up attacking my produce Young. Couple of weeks in the BK max. As above. No reason other than I just can't brew enough to keep myself going. Thus I've bought a 30+ gallon FV and shall buy some more kegs. I need to produce excess so that I can become 'self sufficient' in my production.

OG /SG ? Dunno. I drink my stuff because I enjoy it. It has enough alcohol that it rounds my mood out, I know that. But, it doesn't curtail my evenings enjoyment by rendering me a blabbering idiot. That OG / SG suits me, what ever it is. I can't be doing with faffing around with Hydrometers, Calculators and sliding charts, ffs. It just is what it is.

Wanted to get slaughtered, fast and cheap? I'd look at that 'Turbo Cider' stuff. If I thought I had the taste buds of Solomon? I'd go AG. I don't. I enjoy my Coopers

There. I've deliberately outlined, perhaps, more than ye required here? Now, if they'd Stick it, or something, it should answer most other peoples questions and save me regurgitating it again, and again

Oh well. Till next time .....

[EoinMag]

Oh well. Till next time .....

Ye love it really

[KevP]

Oh well. Till next time .....

Ye love it really

He does alright, like the wise old sage stroking his beard in front of his Stout disciples.

[jrugman]

Thanks Ditch

Having made a few bitter kits - not all that good - I recently went AG and am well pleased with the results. So I had heard of your famous stout but didn't want to take the plunge without consulting the guru (whose name shall be revered for all time to come). May you live long and prosper!

Cheers,

John

[At. Ailbhe's Brewery]

If I brew this stuff at home will it blow the roof off my house?

What precautions do I need to take? (Nailing down furniture, taping up windows, sending Granny to live with her sister up the road...)