Coopers Original Stout Review

[terrym]

I've banged on about this a few times on here (apologies for the repeat!) but the Coopers Russian Imperial recipe comes out absolutely superb:

http://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/view/id/49/

I bottled mine last August, and have 30-odd left. It was good from bottling but now it's by far the best thing I've brewed. It's a beast of a beer though - went into the bottle at about 9.5%, so probably 9.7 - 9.8 after conditioning. Not a midweek tipple!

That really does look serious stuff.
Not exactly as session beer :drink:

 

[Linalmeemow]

Yes I've seen this and similar, but the cost
Is it that good ??
I've been tempted to do a coopers stout with chocolate type grains
I like my stout thick chocolatey with a coffee hit
But I'am still learning the ways off the brew

You have to think of it in terms of how much a commercial RIS would cost vs a standard commercial stout. Normally they'll set you back at least a quid or two more, so you should expect a homebrewed version to cost more too. If you wait for a Tesco sale you can get the Cooper's kits for £10 each so it ends up around £30 for 60 bottles. Still not too shabby, and it really is a cut above anything else I've brewed - complex, rich (REALLY rich) and delicious.

 

[chesters-mild]

Went to Tesco this morning & got the stout kit + no2 1kg beer enhancer, I've just pitched the yeast in - made to 17lit. with a hop tea (25 grm.) has an og of 1.048
From reading the many comments on this thread it should be a good drink - I'll let you know in a few weeks time!

 

[SheepDog]

I've made this kit twice, 1st time was my very first brew after many years and so I made the kit standard with 1kg tate and lyle! I wasnt impressed so tried it again with 1kg extra dark spray malt and 250g of brewing sugar.. Absolutely awesome pint!! I brewed to 18 litres, thought it had stopped on day 3 but left it in the fv for 12 days. Was nice to drink at that point, but 2 weeks in secondry and a week in the garage it it probably my favourite stout ever.

Going to try again, but will add treacle instead of the brewing sugar. Highly recomend this kit

 

[chesters-mild]

24 hours later, 1.036 on the hydrometer, and going like a bomb!:mrgreen:

 

[DarkHorse]

I've just clicked on the Coopers strong ale recipes page, WOW, I can see I'm going to be busy!

 

[chesters-mild]

I've just skimmed the top of the beer - it's now got a reading of 0.017, given it a rouse - at this rate I'll be casking it by weekend. May bottle 3 or 4 lit. just to see if it's better in cask or bottle.

 

[terrym]

I've just skimmed the top of the beer - it's now got a reading of 0.017, given it a rouse - at this rate I'll be casking it by weekend. May bottle 3 or 4 lit. just to see if it's better in cask or bottle.

My advice to you is to leave it longer in the FV before you bottle/keg.
First, SG 1.017 (I assume that was your reading) still has some way to go. And second it's usually best to leave ordinary strength beers in the FV for about 2 weeks or so (see the numerous posts on here advising 2+2+2 = primary, carbonate, condition). The extra time in the FV after the primary has died down gives the yeast chance to 'clean up after itself' which will improve your beer.
I found that the PB version is best compared to the bottled version. But either way the two I have done are excellent.
And keep the lid on as much as you can.
Otherwise enjoy when its ready :drink:

 

[00bygrees]

My Coopers Stout

Additions:
Brew Enhancer 2
1/2 tin treacle
100g muscovado sugar

Brewed short to 19l
S.G. 1.052 24/01/16
F.G. 1.012 06/02/16

Primed with 80g of sugar and kegged.

Result - a fantastic pint, would definitely recommend this one. Even non-stout drinkers love it.

 

[pelsy81]

I am going to start one of these in a couple weeks. I have brewed a Wilko stout which was ok but I got a bit bored with it so I want to experiment a bit with this. So I am thinking of brewing with 1kg DME, 250g treacle to 21 litres. I have 4 five litre water bottles that I have been brewing wine in so after initial fermentation I want to transfer the stout into these and add the following in secondary:
1 - nothing
2 - coffee, 1 heaped teaspoon of good quality ground cofee dissolved in 100ml of boiled water.
3 - 50g of baking cocoa powder dissolved in 200ml of boiled water.
4 - vanilla, I currently have no idea of quantity for this yet so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[dad_of_jon]

You have to think of it in terms of how much a commercial RIS would cost vs a standard commercial stout. Normally they'll set you back at least a quid or two more, so you should expect a homebrewed version to cost more too. If you wait for a Tesco sale you can get the Cooper's kits for �£10 each so it ends up around �£30 for 60 bottles. Still not too shabby, and it really is a cut above anything else I've brewed - complex, rich (REALLY rich) and delicious.

yes if you want a brookyn black chocolate stout which is 10% that will set you back £3.50+ Nearer £4 more like for a 330ml bottle. There's just a shedful more fermentables in a ris than your average brew.

 

[DarkHorse]

Got mine kegged this afternoon, looking good. Fv came in slightly higher than last time at 1012 but doing the sums that makes it 5% so I'm happy with that. I'll give it a couple of weeks and start enjoying it.

 

[IainM]

I am going to start one of these in a couple weeks. I have brewed a Wilko stout which was ok but I got a bit bored with it so I want to experiment a bit with this. So I am thinking of brewing with 1kg DME, 250g treacle to 21 litres. I have 4 five litre water bottles that I have been brewing wine in so after initial fermentation I want to transfer the stout into these and add the following in secondary:
1 - nothing
2 - coffee, 1 heaped teaspoon of good quality ground cofee dissolved in 100ml of boiled water.
3 - 50g of baking cocoa powder dissolved in 200ml of boiled water.
4 - vanilla, I currently have no idea of quantity for this yet so any advice would be appreciated.

Option 1 sounds similar to the brew I did (500g dark DME, 1kg Young BE, 250g black treacle, brewed to 19 litres), and I'm very very pleased with it. So much so, that in the fv I have one with 1kg dark DME, 1kg Youngs BE and 250g lactose, brewed to 18 litres, to which I will add creme to cacaoe essence. Still, from what I've gathered from reading many threads here, JBK, HBT, and elsewhere, all four of your options sound like different shades of awesome :thumb:

 

[chesters-mild]

Well here's mine - fresh from the cask! The taste is very good - they are on sale at £10 so I've got a can for a future brew.
:mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

[Linalmeemow]

It's another 6 weeks on from the last one of the Cooper's RIS batch I had (8 1/2 months post-bottling) and it just gets better and better. If you like big stouts and can be patient this is an absolute must...

 

[GlentoranMark]

Love the glass Chester ^^

I put this kit on Saturday week ago. Just followed instructions and used normal table sugar. I didn't bother taking a gravity reading as I expect it to turn up as planned.

I might buy the Tap-a-Draft system so I can inject Nitrogen for a creamy head.

It's finished fermenting but I won't bottle until this weekend, possibly next.

 

[henrik67]

Just bottled this at the weekend, 2 weeks in the FV with a bag of granulated sugar, had a wee taster prior to bottling and was surprised how nice this tasted even at this point so will have a bottle at the weekend but intend leaving this a month or 2. if I can wait that long!

 

[sdt7618]

Well she is off, and after 24 hour is trying to climb out the fv.

Went with 1kg golden sugar and a few glugs of vanilla essence. Really looking forward to this with all the great reviews. Can see this being a staple brew and flavours being added a lot.

 

[henrik67]

Tried one at the weekend and it was like a lovely treacle! Be grand in a few weeks.

 

[Clint]

Hello all,
having read this thread about the Coopers stout I'm inspired to make this my second brew after the Wherry has finished. Picked up a tin this morning from Wilco for a tenner and a kilo of medium spray malt as that's all they had,also got some brewing sugar. Just wondering. .should I bung in all the spray malt and 500g of the sugar or just the malt? And....is the supplied yeast good to go?

regards

Clint