Coopers Irish Stout Review

[old_git]

Quick update - 2 weeks later

Had another taste and the licorice is still present. How long does a stout take to mellow? I'm hoping by the autumn should be enough.

I added maltodextrin to make up for the lack of body in my brew. It works! As I said previously, more dried dark malt extract would also be a solution. Should your brew come out thin due to too much sugar, maltodextrin would be the way to go. I've read that mixing it with priming sugar in the bottling bucket is the best way to add it.

I've noticed that there is some acidity. Perhaps it's an infection, perhaps not - but if it isn't, it might be to do with the water and the roasted grains. Regarding this, there seems to be some discussion about Dublin water and it's alkalinity. Might there be a Grain of truth or two in replicating this to get an authentic irish stout brew? if so, adding some bicarb of soda to your water prior to primary fermentation would possibly recreate the magic.

I'll be sure to try these things out on my next attempt!

 

[old_git]

Another update - 2 more weeks.

I have now given the length of time required to mellow the roasted grains. It's official - my brew is crap.

I can't fault coopers for their work with the can kit in this case. This beer is rubbish for two main reasons:
1) it's difficult to make a good stout
2) I didn't follow the instructions

All the same, I've learnt tons in the process so maybe it's a tenner well spent? There's not much else for me to do but chuck the whole batch down the drain. Sadly, this is one brew that's not fit for purpose.

To any newcomer thinking of brewing this here's my top tip - follow the instructions. Stouts are hard work to get right so you need lots of experience hopping grains and adding things to add body and character. This is probably not something for a complete newcomer to mess with - having saying that, if you like a steep learning curve, this one'll definitely give you something to think about...

 

[terrym]

Two months on from putting my Coopers Irish Stout into the PB it has come into it's own. And I think its better than the Original Stout like for like. It seems to be smoother.
Definitely be doing this one again and not the Original Stout.
Delivered from a PB with a creamy head really suits this beer.

 

[old_git]

I'm planning on making this again. Despite my saying "follow the instructions" to newbies, I'm now graduating up a notch or two so my rules don't apply to me! (Cheeky I know)

I'm gonna attempt it this way in the next try:

Coopers irish stout can
1kg dark dried malt extract boiled for 90 mins with 25g magnum pellets
500g steep chocolate malt

Will let you all know how this next one comes out! I'm sure it will be an improvement on the last batch (ugh) for sure

 

[BeerCat]

I'm planning on making this again. Despite my saying "follow the instructions" to newbies, I'm now graduating up a notch or two so my rules don't apply to me! (Cheeky I know)

I'm gonna attempt it this way in the next try:

Coopers irish stout can
1kg dark dried malt extract boiled for 90 mins with 25g magnum pellets
500g steep chocolate malt

Will let you all know how this next one comes out! I'm sure it will be an improvement on the last batch (ugh) for sure

Seems like a lot of extra hops to add to me unless you want it really bitter. Only need to boil the chocolate for 15mins. If you find your kits just dont taste right try using WLP004 yeast. Its the Guinness one.
I had a tin left and just brewed this up again. Its not bad but not as much Choc taste as last time.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyzQ5L_TyPM[/ame]

 

[old_git]

Ah - thanks beercat, for your thoughts on this. I appreciate it as I'm still unsure how to tweak this kit.

I worked out the hop addition using brewers friend calculator (what a useful bit of software it is for us homebrewers) but it was a poor attempt at guessing as I cannot put pre-hopped kits in with the fermentables seperate from hops in the boil. I added a 1.7 kg dark malt liquid in and brought the IBU's up to that of the kit, then added the dried extract and chocolate. This dropped the IBUs back down. Then I added magnum to the mix to hit my target. I'm aiming for 41 a la Guinness.

The problem with doing it this way is it assumes you're adding the hops to the whole fermentable total in the boil, when actually its only going into 1 kilo of dried extract. I plan to do a cold steep of the chocolate in the fridge for 24hours and add this to the wort near flameout so the hops will not touch them. Thanks for warning me about the boil time for choc malt! Didn't know about this when doing hot steep.

Even so you could well have saved me from over-bittering my stout here and making a second bad batch! I'm still guessing somewhat so learning loads in the process. Thanks for the video too - I'll have a look and pick up tips that can help me in the process.

Hope you've been having good luck with your brewing experiments recently. All the best dude.

Og

 

[old_git]

Haha - beercat, I just checked the vid - that's Gash Slugg. I like his vids. I saw this one before - he's the one that gave me the cold steep idea. Good one!

Gash is probably making the most consistently watchable brewing vids in my opinion. Its a shame he hasn't got the time/money to do more of it at the moment as he is also down to earth and entertaining. I've learned a lot from him - cheers Gash if you're out there mate!

 

[BeerCat]

Haha - beercat, I just checked the vid - that's Gash Slugg. I like his vids. I saw this one before - he's the one that gave me the cold steep idea. Good one!

Gash is probably making the most consistently watchable brewing vids in my opinion. Its a shame he hasn't got the time/money to do more of it at the moment as he is also down to earth and entertaining. I've learned a lot from him - cheers Gash if you're out there mate!

:thumb: Yeah he is funny and very watchable, makes some good beers and videos. I screwed up a few kits by boiling hops and adding them. A couple were ghastly. First time i did his Choc Stout recipe it tasted like a milk shake, this ones less in your face and to be honest i cant really taste the vanilla even though i added loads. Still a really nice drop with no twang. Coast be about 3 times as much as doing my normal AG Stout but still worth it. I added extra dark spray malt to mine and some lactose. Cheers

 

[old_git]

Bottled the stout today. Wow, it tastes great - now I can appreciate the roasted barley present in the coopers irish stout tin. Unlike my previous attempt, there isn't an overwhelming taste of licorice. This is an excellent homebrew dry stout kit.

I ended up boiling 1kg extra dark dried malt extract with 300g chocolate malt cold steeped, rinsed through with hot water. After boiling for a short while I added 35g goldings for 10 mins before cooling and adding in the fermenter along with the coopers kit and finally the yeast. S.g. was 1.042 and f.g. was 1.012 which is roundabout 4% which is what I was shooting for. Body of the beer is good and thick while the colour is pitch black (owing to all that chocolate malt)

I will reduce the chocolate malt next time as I hear it should be under 10% of the grain bill. Possibly add some oats or even a soured beer to get a tang. There's always something new to try, that's why I love homebrewing :-)

 

[terrym]

Bottled the stout today. Wow, it tastes great - now I can appreciate the roasted barley present in the coopers irish stout tin. Unlike my previous attempt, there isn't an overwhelming taste of licorice. This is an excellent homebrew dry stout kit. :-)

I rate this kit too. One of the best.
I am just at the end of my last one, with another in my store waiting its turn.
I put mine into a PB and they are ideally suited to that method of dispensing, lovely creamy head etc :thumb:

 

[HarryFlatters]

Holy thread bump, Batman...

Anyone tried one of these kits and added lactose for a simple milk stout?

 

[terrym]

If you use the forum search engine and put in 'lactose' and 'stout' it comes up with a lot of posts, so you could have a look through them for ideas.
Also I still rate this kit and although I am not a big stout drinker will always have one in a PB.
I seem to have settled on kit can plus kit yeast, 500g GS, 500g Dark DME, 125g Dark Muscavado sugar, 4 shots strong coffee (not instant), 190g Chocolate Malt in a steep, brewed short to 19 litres. OG about 1.047 FG about 1.011.

 

[HarryFlatters]

I had a bit of a search, but nothing came up with regards to this particular kit with lactose, and nothing newer than 2016.

However, I think incorporating some of the ideas from AG & other kit recipes I might make up this kit with a kilo of dark spraymalt, 200g lactose, then add cacao nibs and vanilla as I've been itching to try a chocolate milk stout for months.

 

[stephen1546]

Was looking at this kit today, i fancy trying a cheaper kit whilst adding in other stuff to improve the brew.

 

[terrym]

Was looking at this kit today, i fancy trying a cheaper kit whilst adding in other stuff to improve the brew.

'Cheap' often means less, as in a one can 1.5kg LME. And then you have to spend more on the other stuff or brew short. So the cost often works out the same or sometimes more. I buy my stuff from the Homebrew Company and currently this kit is only £10.75 in a sale, so it's not exactly expensive (but you do have to buy £70 of stuff to qualify for free P&P). If you read the reviews of this kit and the Original Stout you will see it is well thought of and both provide a good base to work from.

 

[stephen1546]

Aye, ive seen it on a few threads here. Im lucky enough to have the Edinburgh Brewstore near my work, a short walk away. Gonna get one tomorrow. Ive currently got a 30 bottle wine kit in my bag. Keeps me fit lugging them about..

 

[BridgeBrew]

If you want a cheaper Stout kit try the simply kit, it's 99p cheaper and 1.7kg. Had one in a keg since July made with 500g dark DME, 1kg of dark demerara , 500g of lactose, US-O5 yeast. Lovely, but not a lot left now

Was looking at this kit today, i fancy trying a cheaper kit whilst adding in other stuff to improve the brew.

 

[mickthetrick]

If you want a cheaper Stout kit try the simply kit, it's 99p cheaper and 1.7kg. Had one in a keg since July made with 500g dark DME, 1kg of dark demerara , 500g of lactose, US-O5 yeast. Lovely, but not a lot left now

the simply stout kit is a winner in my book. turns out a real nice stout. i like it better than cooper irish stout.

 

[BridgeBrew]

Just having one this very minute. I have done the simply stout quite a few time's now, with various yeast's etc, etc. Had great result's with US05, not so good with nottingham, next one i do will be with a CML Cali Common. A great yeast

 

[HarryFlatters]

I'm collecting my kit, a kilo of dark spraymalt and a bag of lactose this afternoon. Looking forward to this one