Stout/Porter tips

[RustyV8]

Hi guys

I have an empty FV just begging to be filled again :-) This time I thought id try a stout as I have yet to do one. Options are a little bit limited at the moment in my LHBS, but the following is what I have to choose from - any tips from anyone on a good one to go for or one to avoid? I should add that i'm not a huge fan of the really strong Imperial ones, so ive intentially left those options off the list....

- Coopers Irish stout
- Coopers English stout
- Coopers Original Stout
- Coopers TC Devil Half Ruby porter
- Muntons Docklands
- Festival Pride of London
- Brewferm English Porter

All comments welcome... cheers!

 

[Clint]

I done the coopers Original many times...its a winner! I also wouldn't hesitate to do anything from the Festival range.
Edit...you may want to swap a standard airlock for a blow off tube as stouts can be very messy.

 

[jayk34]

I have done the devils half ruby porter several times and it's quite good. Also tried the irish stout but can't comment on that one as mine had a weird metallic taste. Haven't tried any of the others in your list.

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

Original Coopers Stout is a failsafe kit. I've made it several times and it's always been good. A great kit for tweaking too. I added cocoa powder with the malt and then frozen black cherries mid-way through the ferment and it was excellent.

 

[Stevieboy]

I've done the Festival Pride of London, and it was excellent.

 

[London]

+1 for the Coopers.

 

[RustyV8]

Thanks for all the tips folks... I think it will come down to the Coopers Original or the Festival (mainly ive read a lot of good feedback on the Festival kits in general, and have yet to try one)

@Clint: Thanks for that blowoff tube tip also !

 

[alfajerry]

Young's American Mocha Porter.
I prefer it to the Festival Pride of London.

 

[trummy]

OLP makes a good porter - if you can get your hands on MJ 'Irish Stout' or St Petes Cream Stout both very good with the MJ shading it

 

[sdt7618]

Have just had the first few out of a keg of the Irish stout, its nice but not the standard cooper one, though it does always get better with age. will report back when the Irish is a few months old( like its going to last that long!!

 

[RustyV8]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys - I’d love to try a Young’s kit , but they are not sold here (Finland) unfortunately..

but I have a FV question now. My smaller FV with airlock is full at present (Brewferm Stromg Blonde) so I’d need to use my large Coopers one like in the photo. The earlier suggestion from Clint got me thinkingwhether I’ll have a mess on my hands with this as there is no place for a airlock or blowoff tube. Will the Krausen collar attachment alone give it enough headspace to avoid any mess if the stout goes nuclear while fermenting??

 

[London]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys - I’d love to try a Young’s kit , but they are not sold here (Finland) unfortunately..

but I have a FV question now. My smaller FV with airlock is full at present (Brewferm Stromg Blonde) so I’d need to use my large Coopers one like in the photo. The earlier suggestion from Clint got me thinkingwhether I’ll have a mess on my hands with this as there is no place for a airlock or blowoff tube. Will the Krausen collar attachment alone give it enough headspace to avoid any mess if the stout goes nuclear while fermenting??

I’ve brewed lots of stout kits in a coopers FV using the collar without any problems.

 

[Clint]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys - I’d love to try a Young’s kit , but they are not sold here (Finland) unfortunately..

but I have a FV question now. My smaller FV with airlock is full at present (Brewferm Stromg Blonde) so I’d need to use my large Coopers one like in the photo. The earlier suggestion from Clint got me thinkingwhether I’ll have a mess on my hands with this as there is no place for a airlock or blowoff tube. Will the Krausen collar attachment alone give it enough headspace to avoid any mess if the stout goes nuclear while fermenting??

I think you're fine with that bucket...mine usually pop the lid and creep out as there's only a few inches headrace in my bucket.

 

[RustyV8]

Super…. Thanks guys, that’s a relief