Coopers Headbanging Stout ????

[aneray]

I really do have a thing about stout. I have brewed quite a few of the Coopers Kits over the last six months and enjoyed every pint. The last one I made was short brewed to thirtytwo pints and the sugar was replaced with spraymalt giving me a brew of 6.5%. This got me thinking :hmm: :hmm: If I bought two Coopers Stout Kits, added enough medium or dark spraymalt to bring the SG up to 1085 - 1090 and made a five gallon brew, would this make an acceptable drink if matured until the end of the year. I know that a different yeast would have to be used to get the required abv but I am thinking that it would be about thirty quid down the drain if it turned out undrinkable.

Cheers Neil

 

[Muddydisco]

See here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3033

Reviews

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4382

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3777

 

[aneray]

Thanks MD for a great post. Just a couple of questions !!

As I already have a kilo of dark spraymalt, would this make much difference in the final taste compared to light.

How much ground coffee did you add to your brew, just checked the cupboard and found about a third of a bag of tesco expresso ground coffee ( about 90 grams)

Cheers Neil

 

[Muddydisco]

I'd go with the dark it'll add abit more roast flavour, and less coffee than me so I'd go with enough to make 6 cups of coffee in one cafeteria then add that into the brew before fermenting, it was a good drink in about 2 months, but it's still getting better! 6 months down the line

 

[aneray]

Cheers MD, great advice as always :thumb:

Will start this tomorrow.

 

[Muddydisco]

Once it's fermenting and got a good head which it will if you use nottingham yeast, take a clean sterile spoon and have a taste of the head. Yes I know it sound's wrong But just try it you'll be surprised!

 

[aneray]

Well, the brew is made. Starting gravity is 1083 so if it finishes around 1015 I will have a brew around 9%. I have used a Nottingham Yeast and in four days time I will make a starter with another Notty yeast and add as Muddydisco advised. I am really looking forward to this one and can't wait to try the froth after a few days.

Cheers Neil. :) :)

 

[Muddydisco]

Ooops Sorry I never did put the second lot of yeast in as the pics showed it left the Fv in the first day or so! I hope you have it in a bin bag! :shock:
I'm going to edit my original post now as this is the second person this week making this brew! I want photos! :evil:

 

[aneray]

Oh dear MD, what have you done to me. Its twenty to one and I'm sat here with a coffee with a two inch foam on top of it from the fermenting vessel. First you get the creamy taste then bang, a rich strong coffee flavour assaulting my tastebuds.

I love it, love it, love it :) :) :clap: :clap: :thumb:

There was a very small foam on the top this morning and now its trying to force the bloody lid off. Guess I will be drinking a lot of coffee over the next few days.

Cheers Neil

 

[Muddydisco]

I always said I would try this as AG but have never got around to it.
Glad I have converted another to the coffee side!

 

[aneray]

UPDATE FOR THE BREW

Used a Nottingham Yeast for the first time, spent the last three hours scooping the yeast cake from top of the FV every ten minutes, its bloody everywhere. There again, it does taste good.

Cheers Neil

 

[aneray]

LAST UPDATE FOR THE DAY

FFS, this brew is literally bubbling. From clearing the yeast cake, replacing the FV lid and starting again is now taking about five minutes before I have to start again. Have just said to SWMBO " sorry babe, in the morning just leave it, I will sort it when I get up, I know there is going to be a mess". She looked at me with one of her thicko looks and said "just put it in the sink for the night and there will be no mess". My God, women are so intelligent !!!!!!!.

Cheers Neil

 

[chiefstoker]

LAST UPDATE FOR THE DAY

FFS, this brew is literally bubbling. From clearing the yeast cake, replacing the FV lid and starting again is now taking about five minutes before I have to start again. Have just said to SWMBO " sorry babe, in the morning just leave it, I will sort it when I get up, I know there is going to be a mess". She looked at me with one of her thicko looks and said "just put it in the sink for the night and there will be no mess". My God, women are so intelligent !!!!!!!.

Cheers Neil

What was she after?? I would never refuse an offer :lol:

 

[Muddydisco]

:rofl: wheres the pics!

 

[aneray]

Have just taken a few pics. I will upload later when

I have found my usb cable
When i can work out how to do it !!

Seems to have calmed down a little now.

Cheers Neil

 

[aneray]

Chiefstoker

I don't know what she was after but she was asleep within two minutes !!

Cheers Neil

 

[Sean_Mc]

LAST UPDATE FOR THE DAY

She looked at me with one of her thicko looks

:rofl: Glad its not just me who gets them

 

[chiefstoker]

Chiefstoker

I don't know what she was after but she was asleep within two minutes !!

Cheers Neil

Ohh.. that old chestnut eh? :lol: Unleasheth a pail of water upon her tired brow :lol:

 

[aneray]

Sorry about no pictures at the moment but still can't find the bloody usb lead, its about but SWMBO has a week off so she should come up with the goods in the next few hours.

The brew is now down to 1038 and is coming on well. Have had a sneaky taste and the end product tastes promising.

Cheers Neil


After all this time I finally remembered to upload the pictures I promised .

At its worst, I was cleaning around the barrel every five minutes !!. Thank God I didn't use two packets of yeast in the beginning

 

[aneray]

Its four days since my last post and the brew is now coming towards the final stages. Yesterday it was down to 1020 and today it is 1018. I think I might wrap the electric blanket around it tonight to try and get as much as I can out of it.

I had a desertspoon full a few days ago and had a really good swill. It certainly isn't a session beer. Its heavy, thick, treacly, but so bloody smooth considering its going to be at least 9%. The coffee flavour was so overpowering in the beginning I thought it was knackered in the early stages. I have just had another taste in the last few minutes and I get a taste of liquorice but the coffee is now in the background. The brew is now nowhere near as heavy as it was. You can now tell that I have a seriously strong brew which will need at least six months maturation. It's so bloody tasty at the moment I could dip a plastic jug in it right now and fill my pint glass right to the top, but patience boy, it will get even better.

On a different forum I was advised that this brew might not work. I see where the member might be coming from. Even though I said the brew can only get better I still think it is missing something. There again, what else can I do except make it again and again until I find the perfect pint. Everybody has different tastes so I think that if it is good enough for me then it is a brew well made.

Cheers Neil