1st brew- coopers treacle stout

[ScouseBrew]

So last night i made the brew from my previous post and it's now in its fv- got up this morning expecting to see a vigorous ferment has taken place overnight- nothing? No bubbles from airlock and no bulging lid. Am I too eager to expect it to start fermenting so soon? Pitched yeast at 20° and I'm tempted to drive home from work in luck to check it....

 

[IainM]

It can take a while to get going. If there are still no signs of fermentation in a couple of days, then it would indicate that the yeast was dud, but I'm willing to bet it'll kick off by then.

 

[chub1]

It can take a time to start off as such. It may well not go mad anyway. Not one of my beers(as yet) has made one single bubble go through the airlock so i wouldn't be too concerned at this point.

 

[ScouseBrew]

Checked this morning and although still no bubbles I think a krausen (?) Has formed so fermentation underway?...

 

[chub1]

Checked this morning and although still no bubbles I think a krausen (?) Has formed so fermentation underway?...

Should be good. Don't keep taking a gander though and do not fear if no bubbles go through the airlock,as i said as yet i have never had one do it!. You should be able to make out the krausen stain from outside the FV:thumb:

 

[ScouseBrew]

Cheers chub1 😊

 

[Linalmeemow]

I did a Coopers stout with treacle as my first ever brew as well - it's a great choice as the kit is rock solid and the treacle adds a little extra flavour (and strength!). I can't remember how long it took to start but once it got going it really took off, I've never seen a krausen like it. It looked like it was growing tentacles!

 

[Slayer]

I did a Coopers stout with treacle as my first ever brew as well - it's a great choice as the kit is rock solid and the treacle adds a little extra flavour (and strength!). I can't remember how long it took to start but once it got going it really took off, I've never seen a krausen like it. It looked like it was growing tentacles!

Linalmeemow
I have a Coopers stout ready to go next, after reading positive reviews I went straight out to Wilkos and got one.

What did you use? I think I've read on here:
1kg DME
454g black treacle
and then 80g of sugar...??? Would you recommend that into the FV or was it used to prime the keg?

Can't wait to get it under way:)

 

[Linalmeemow]

It's about 18 months ago now so I can't be 100% sure, but I think it was the kit, about half a 454g tin of treacle (there was no science to this, I just lobbed in whatever was at hand!) and also a box of Cooper's beer enhancer. If you use the DME and the whole tin of treacle you'll come out with a great beer though.

The sugar is for priming, yes.

 

[Pirate_Pete]

Linalmeemow
I have a Coopers stout ready to go next, after reading positive reviews I went straight out to Wilkos and got one.

What did you use? I think I've read on here:
1kg DME
454g black treacle
and then 80g of sugar...??? Would you recommend that into the FV or was it used to prime the keg?

Can't wait to get it under way:)

I made a Coopers Irish stout a few months ago. Having been told by various people to halve the priming rate, I used 90 grams of dextrose which was a bit more than half. It was undercarbed. Not very enjoyable.

I recently did a toucan. Cooper stout and coopers dark ale. I carbed that with 160 grams dextrose and after 4 weeks it's great. I'd say 140 grams for priming minimum. Watching the rugby now. I'm going to have one of those stouts in a minute.

 

[ScouseBrew]

Right, I've resisted the urge to fiddle (ooo-err) with the brew and it's been in for a week and 2 days. Do I wait until Sunday (two weeks) or does it need checking on? Cheers all

 

[Slayer]

I'm waiting for the hot weather to pass until I kick this off.

I've checked the instructions and it says mix with water etc. Like previous kits I've tried I assume they mean boiling water to breakdown the wort????

Sorry for the dumb question

 

[ScouseBrew]

I dissolved my dark sugar in a large pan of boiling water then poured that into the fv, leat if for a couple of minutes then added the treacle, wort and malt extract. Getting it down to temp was a bugger- next time I'm going to freeze more than one bottle of boiled water....

 

[Slayer]

Kicked this off on Sunday. Remenants of foam visible throught the FV (not loads as previously reported), indicator seems to have stopped bubbling this morning.

I used:
1kg brewing sugar
500g dark spray malt
small tin of black treacle.

When I added the hot water to the mix, the dark spray malt appeared to solidify but after plenty of stirring the lumps appeared to dissolve. It's the first time I have used spray malt, is this normal?

 

[terrym]

When I added the hot water to the mix, the dark spray malt appeared to solidify but after plenty of stirring the lumps appeared to dissolve. It's the first time I have used spray malt, is this normal?

Yes its normal. It's difficult to get it to dissolve unlike sugar since it clumps together as soon as it get wet. However even what's not fully dissolved at the start DME will finally go into solution and get munched by the yeasties.

 

[Slayer]

Yes its normal. It's difficult to get it to dissolve unlike sugar since it clumps together as soon as it get wet. However even what's not fully dissolved at the start DME will finally go into solution and get munched by the yeasties.

Thanks! That is reassuring.

I've been looking forward to this brew for a while. I'm going to stick with the 2+2+2 philosophy! I've purchased some Coopers PET bottles to use rather than barrelling. It'll be my first time bottling but I need to get into it to enjoy chilled stout and lager.

 

[Slayer]

The indicator has stopped bubbling. I can see evidence of trub forming at the bottom of the FV. Sunday is 1 week into it and I'll check the SG then to make sure it hasn't stalled. :)

 

[sdt7618]

Slayer, to be fair if she is going then leave it be at least the two weeks, then check with the hydro. then check again the two days. if it is unchanged then its ready, if not leave well enough alone.

I did this kit with just dark sugar and a good glug of vanilla essence, its lovely. even better now I have resisted for two month conditioning!! :)

 

[ScouseBrew]

I bulk primed mine on Sunday using dark brown sugar and the brewer's friend batch calculator. Put a bottle in the fridge yesterday and popped it when I got home tonight, tastes really good but nonly carbonation at all yet, I'm assuming it needs a lot longer than 4 days to carb?

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I bulk primed mine on Sunday using dark brown sugar and the brewer's friend batch calculator. Put a bottle in the fridge yesterday and popped it when I got home tonight, tastes really good but nonly carbonation at all yet, I'm assuming it needs a lot longer than 4 days to carb?

Yes, it'll need a while to carb up. I've opened one up after a week in warm weather and it's been OK. Generally I leave for two weeks before sampling. Depends on the temperature and what yeast you've used.

It's winter here and my lagers carbed up a lot quicker than the ale I made.