Coopers Original Stout Review

[4menter]

I really like Coopers O stout it always turns out nice. This brew I added molasses (300g) to the alloted sugars and its added a really nice flavour and aroma that just keeps improving with conditioning. Next time I want to experiment with a hint of vanilla and perhaps a hint of chocolate too, in fact I might test the vanilla theory with V syrup first nice1 djdavedanger you gave me the idea :thumb:

 

[Doive]

Made this kit last week straight up, only adding sugar to the kit as per the instructions. Despite being my first go, it's turned out really well, I'd say as good as some pub or bottled stouts - a testament to the quality of the kit as opposed to my skills! Looking forward to retrying the kit with some of the additions others have made in this thread.

 

[Gassman]

Does this need batch priming like a lager.

I bought the Thomas Cooper kit yesterday and is in the fv now with a kg of brewing sugar and half a kilo of light extract

I was going to get the dark but went by the tin

Would it need racking like a lager and finings adding or straight into bottles

How long conditioning before drinking

Sorry for the probably daft questions

Spotted the grain kit for Guiness while in the shop and hopefully after a good few tin kits will work my way to that

 

[Doive]

I just put mine straight in the FV with sugar and boiling water, stirred well and topped off with cold water, added the yeast and left it to it. That was before I found this thread! Next time I'll be adding a few things to see how it turns out. Fermented out for ten days, then straight into bottles with a couple of carbonation drops. Day one it was reasonably palatable, but after a week it's much better. Looking forward to trying it after two weeks. It settles out quickly and leaves a thick sediment in the bottom, probably as a result of my poor bottling.

 

[Doive]

After two weeks it's fanatstic, a litre went just like that. Bitterness on the aftertaste has gone now, still retaining a bit of fizz from the carbonation drops, but I'm expecting it to improve more with age. I've had much worse served to me over the bar...

 

[Grunaki]

Got one of those ready to go once I sterilize everything. Got to bottle a brew I have going first, but the bottles I have need boiling (got them from my wife's aunt - regular beer bottles, but she always leaves dregs in the bottom for some reason and they went moldy) and life's been kicking my **** lately in terms of having free time, so when I get some I tend to watch telly or play video games.

Going to have to do it soon though, otherwise I'll hit a gap in my maturation pattern and I might have to BUY beer! :?

 

[clarkey1230]

Hi there, I know others have spoken about this but I too am concerned. Made this up about 10hrs ago 500g dsm 500g brewing sugar and 200ml dark treacle, gave it a good mix filled to 20l temp 24deg there was a fair amount of froth on top. I added yeast and it seems to have flattened out to nothing now none of the frothing I see on pictures here, could my yeast just not of woken up?

 

[morethanworts]

Hi there, I know others have spoken about this but I too am concerned. Made this up about 10hrs ago 500g dsm 500g brewing sugar and 200ml dark treacle, gave it a good mix filled to 20l temp 24deg there was a fair amount of froth on top. I added yeast and it seems to have flattened out to nothing now none of the frothing I see on pictures here, could my yeast just not of woken up?

I wouldn't be worrying after 10 hours. 18-24 for the big krausen for me usually, with rehydrated yeast. I bet yours is OK by the time I'm writing this, though...

 

[clarkey1230]

Thanks. Morethanworts you are. Indeed correct. Woke this morning to first signs of bubbles by this afternoon a good 4 inches of froth case of newbie panic I'm afraid.

 

[Gassman]

Well after a week in the bottle I couldn't resist it and cracked one (well 5 throughout the day) and I think it is a really nice drink and I am impressed

After tasting this I think I will leave brewing the lagers

I am glad I picked 2 more up in the sale at Wilkos

 

[calisfar]

I bought one of these in the wilkinsons 50% sale then got another for fathers day so after reading these reviws I'm looking forward to putting the first one on. Thinking about outting it in a barrel.

 

[home brewer]

this is my friends first attempt at brewing. I tasted one last night, and I was impressed, he was unsure if it had turned out as expected. I was surprised that I didnt get an overwhelming hit of dark grain, it was very smooth and rich, hints of fruit ie plums, with a hint of soft liquorice or even dandelion and burdock-ish.
Its a good pint, so no probs,just wondered if the tasting sounds about normal ?

 

[musher]

As it happens I'm brewing this one tomorrow, I was gonna go with 500g of dark DME, a tin of dark treacle and make up to the desired ABV ( around 5.5 % ) with Demerara sugar..what do you guys think this will turn out like ? I could go with all DME as I have the ingredients in but just wanted to mess about a bit.

Cheers

I shall be doing mostly this tomorrow once the Wherry is kegged

 

[musher]

It's on the go :drink:

OG reading was 1060 in the end. Adjusting for the unusually hot weather, does that mean it should actually read a bit higher than that? It was about 25C in the kitchen, unfortunately I don't have a suitable thermometer for the wort.

 

[stanglish]

Hello all. Reviews of this look amazing and I'm kicking myself for not picking up any in the Wilkos sale. Pondering sticking it on soon and of course I've read the entire thread for ideas. I like punchy stouts (usually 6%+ ABV) that aren't thin. Should I be going with 1KG of the darkest spraymalt I can find + 250g Dex, or half that amount of spraymalt and make up the different with brewing sugar? Just wanted to check as I've never done any beer brews before so unsure what effect the spraymalt grades & amounts have. Planning on giving it a small tin of treacle as well for good measure.

 

[ScottM]

Hello all. Reviews of this look amazing and I'm kicking myself for not picking up any in the Wilkos sale. Pondering sticking it on soon and of course I've read the entire thread for ideas. I like punchy stouts (usually 6%+ ABV) that aren't thin. Should I be going with 1KG of the darkest spraymalt I can find + 250g Dex, or half that amount of spraymalt and make up the different with brewing sugar? Just wanted to check as I've never done any beer brews before so unsure what effect the spraymalt grades & amounts have. Planning on giving it a small tin of treacle as well for good measure.

You'll need to use a lot of additionals to hit 6%+ unfortunately.

For example:

1 Coopers Sout Kit
1kg of Brewing sugar
1kg of Extra Dark DME
120g of priming sugar (if bottling)

Will see around 5.6%

To bump that up past 6% you'll need to add 300g+ of brewing sugar/dme. If planning on treacle then the above plus 1 tin (454g) would give you 6.2% in the bottle.

 

[stanglish]

Cheers Scott - appreciate the advice. Probably will go with that - sounds like a plan. In terms of sugar types someone said they felt bottling with demerera was a winner. Anyone got any preferences here to do the initial brew with or the bottling? Do people use brewing sugar with these kits just in order to maintain the flavours in the provided syrup?

 

[ScottM]

Cheers Scott - appreciate the advice. Probably will go with that - sounds like a plan. In terms of sugar types someone said they felt bottling with demerera was a winner. Anyone got any preferences here to do the initial brew with or the bottling? Do people use brewing sugar with these kits just in order to maintain the flavours in the provided syrup?

It won't make any odds. You'll only be priming with between 80 and 120g of sugar anyway (for generic stout fizz). That amount of fermentables in a 23L batch will make no discernible difference. I go with whatever is cheapest, for the most part it's plain old white table sugar :)

Oh, just so that what I recommended is clear...

1 Coopers Sout Kit
1kg of Brewing sugar
1kg of Extra Dark DME
120g of priming sugar (if bottling)
1 tin of dark treacle

Above will be just over 6% @ 23L.

Just in case you thought I meant an extra 300g of sugar AND the tin of treacle lol.

 

[musher]

My gravity is down to 1015 from 1060. Does that really mean it's already 6 percent?

 

[stan]

Hi there
bit of advice please i am a complete novice i started my stout on 28th june with a starting gravity of 1.48 with 1kg or brew enhancer 2 it went off like a rocket but seems to have stopped for the last couple of days at 1.10 is it ready to bottle now i thought it had to be down to 1.00 to bottle, also another novice question what is best to prime the bottles prior to filling

thanks in advance stan.