Coopers Stout with Liquorice - It's on !

[lagerfeld]

Right, got this going on Thursday after much pontification.
I added 2x 10g hard liquoerice sticks to the boil plus for good measure 2x star anise and about 2 tea spoons of caraway seeds. Unfortunately I let it boil again after adding the sugar, hope that doesnt hurt it :hmm:.

 

[lagerfeld]

So, I used 500g Spray Malt Medium, 500g Brewing Sugar and about 200g Dark Muscovado Sugar.
Went into the FV and was at 25 degrees when I took the OG (1.035)

 

[lagerfeld]

The next morning, the thing was a beast.:party:

 

[lagerfeld]

After some v good advice from those who know, I added this contraption. Worked a dream.
A day later it is bubbling like normal.
Cant wait !!

 

[lagerfeld]

Took the first gravity reading tonight, showing 1.006 which will work out to around 4.4% (and still might increase) which I am happy with.

The beer is nice and dark and still a little cloudy. It has a slight smell of liquorice and a good taste of it too, more than I expected. I assume this may mellow in the bottle?

Was a tad bitter, I'm used to lagers so I hope this also mellows after some conditioning. The liquorice may have added to the bitterness.

Happy chappy so far :thumb:

 

[coopsy]

Yep, mine ready to go too, probably the weekend now due to work.....still unsure how much root powder to use, think i'm gonna go the whole 100g.

 

[lagerfeld]

Hi coopsy.

Good luck with this, I cant wait for mine to be ready.
I dont know how the powder compares to the sticks I used but with 2x 10g sticks I can really taste it in my 1st gravity reading after 6 days.

You might want to hold back a bit unless you really want a strong liquorice taste.

It may be possible to add more during fermentation but you sure cant take any out :nah:

 

[coopsy]

The powder has only a very faint taste of Licorice, your finished product will be a high concentrate of many Licorice roots boiled, so am thinking to get any sort of taste, i'm gonna have to add quite a lot. Although your right, i cant remove it once its done, so gonna settle for around 60/70g.
Will post more pics, comments etc once underway,


:

 

[coopsy]

Ok, she's on, no real Licorice aroma, or taste, but very sweet, no clumping once reached boiling point, but appeared to be a grainy mixture, not to sure weather this powder can be fully dissolved, well, we'll sit back an see what occurs, not very optimistic, but will keep you posted.
P.S. Used 70g licorice powder.

 

[lagerfeld]

Update. Still have this in the FV, no regular activity noted.
I have taken a gravity reading and getting 1.005 so I am expecting the ABV to be 4.5%

The stout looks to be clearing but is quite flat, hopefully this will improve in the bottle.
The liquorice flavour is very noticable. Not overpowering but perhaps stronger than I expected. I would use 10 - 15g next time.

Anyone got advice for the best quantity of sugar to use for priming stout? I am planning to use Coopers Carb drops as I have loads of them. ;-)

 

[coopsy]

Bottled today, wow, what a surprise, very, very Licoricey.....in fact to much so, will see if the taste mellows with time, if not i would say it's gonna be very sweet, batch primed with 100g brewing sugar, so time will tell......

 

[lagerfeld]

Looking good Coopsy:thumb:
I also bottled on Saturday and had a FG of 1.005 so I am expecting the ABV to be 4.5%

The liquorice is distintive in mine also but hopefully not too much to overpower the maltiness, but then I do like liquorice.

Will be checking the taste in a couple of weeks :drink:

 

[lagerfeld]

Oh, and I ended up using 4g of brewing sugar/500ml rather than the planned carb drops. How about you?

 

[coopsy]

I batch primed with 100g of brewing sugar. never had much success with the carbonation drops.

 

[lagerfeld]

Well, I have cracked a couple of these already and I have to say I am very pleased with the results.
Although the liquorice taste has diminished, there is still a hint. I used sugar to prime each bottle for this brew and it seems to have worked well, there is a pfssst when I open the bottle, it is not too fizzy and there is good head retention.

The best bit is that it tastes really nice. As a lager drinker it is certainly more bitter but I do like Guinness and this is not too far off.

Definitely recommend.

Need to find a way to retain more liquorice flavour (add during fermentation?)

Be interested to hear how others are doing...

 

[coopsy]

How long in the bottle ?, still must be a bit young....

 

[lagerfeld]

I bottled the same day as you so just 2 weeks.

 

[coopsy]

Well, cracked open one tonight, and very disappointed....A very dry initial taste, followed by a very, very sweet aftertaste, the licorice is very apparent, but not over powering, the sweetness spoils the flavors....Little , almost no head or head retention......

Not one i'm gonna enjoy, and may ditch at a later date if i need the bottles.

Who knows, maybe improve with age.

"I would give up drinking, but i'm no quitter".....:sick:

 

[lagerfeld]

Shame about the sweetness. I can only think it might be the liquorice powder as mine is not sweet at all.
Dont let it put you off the kit, I will defo make this again, maybe add treacle and or vanilla.