# Poor Man's Porter



## The Duke (1/12/04)

what would happen if you put, say, 2 litres of Coca-Cola in with a kit instead of a kilo of dextrose/LME or whatever?


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## MCWB (1/12/04)

I'd be worried about the taste you're left with when you ferment all the sugar out of coke, but it would be an interesting experiment.


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## sam (1/12/04)

Yeah, I've thought about fermenting coke before. Probably taste pretty wrong, and they yeast may not like the stuff, but I don't know.

I can see it ending in pain for all involved, still, it could be fun.

Sam


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## Guest Lurker (1/12/04)

According to the coke website 2 l of coke has 200 g of sugar in it, so if you use instead of 1000 g of dextrose you will make a light beer.


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## big d (1/12/04)

diet porter coke :lol: 
have a try duke as its the only way to find out unless some other experimentor has tried it already.

cheers
big d


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## Jovial_Monk (1/12/04)

Hmmm vaguely remember a thread on the HBD, think the conclusion was the result was awful  Mind you, I think they just fermented a bottle of Coke

Jovial Monk


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## deebee (1/12/04)

Doesn't it have orthophosphoric acid (aka one shot et.al.) in it? 

Would it even ferment?


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## johnno (1/12/04)

Sounds dodgy.
Whose going to try it?


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## big d (1/12/04)

i nominate the duke.  after all it was his thread that started this idea.
we welcome the feed back duke. :lol: <_< 

cheers
big d


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## The Duke (2/12/04)

o.k. 
I'll be the guinea pig. A fermentor will be freed up this weekend and I will prepared the concoction;

The Duke's Poor Man's Porter;
4 lts coke
1 tin cooper's stout
200gms maltodextrin
500gms LME

reckon this has enough fermentables to make me warm and fuzzy after a few bots.

stay tuned for developments


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## The Duke (2/12/04)

hang on,
scrap the stout........i'm going to use a nut brown ale instead.


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## Backlane Brewery (2/12/04)

Hey, Luke, what mix are you gonna use? 

Fermented Coke- yeeuch.


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## The Duke (2/12/04)

What an honour to have the chief of Backlane on board!

Can you be the first to try this recipe? First to go blind.


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## Backlane Brewery (2/12/04)

After we discussed this yesterday I was all set to pick up a $7.00 Farmland lager mixer & 2 litres of Coke (only 88c each!) and whack it on last night.

HOWEVER when I got to the brewery I found 14 litres of apple juice & a tin of Munton's Golden Saaz Pilsener waiting.

So- we bottled Black Rock cider, put on Munton's Pilsener, mixed 7 litres of the juice into a plain cider, then added cloves, cinnamon nutmeg & honey to the rest for a spiced cider to drink warmed in winter.

Drank a few then mopped the floor and went home.

Currently running 6 kegs, ran out of airlocks last night...may not be able to put the Coke monster on for a week or two.


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## Weizguy (2/12/04)

Has anyone thought that this is another caffeine beer? It was my first thought.
I might have a go at it using my dedicated ginger beer fermenter - coz it's no use for anything else any more. Everything that comes out of it tastes of ginger.

I'm thinking that it might be OK with a Coopers Dark Ale can and 500g DME and Wyeast London Ale.

Sound OK?


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## Backlane Brewery (2/12/04)

OK it's settled.
The Duke will knock up a batch of "Poor Man's Porter" using a Coopers Nut Brown ale & 2 litres of Coca-Cola.
I will put on "Coke Fiend" using a lager (Tooheys or Farmland) & 2 litres of Coca-Cola as soon as I have some keg space.
No Diet Coke, no Pepsi, and definitely no Fanta allowed. I don't plan to add any other fermentables.
We will report back in due course...may have to arrange some sort of tasting meet.

Anyone want to predict the outcomes?


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## neonmeate (2/12/04)

it'll probly come out pretty close to carlton black...


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## GSRman (2/12/04)

HEY! i actually like carlton black


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## Backlane Brewery (2/12/04)

neonmeate said:


> it'll probly come out pretty close to carlton black...


Is that the nut-brown version or the lager, or both?

More worried that it's going to have too much fruitiness from the (presumably) cane sugar used to sweeten it. Maybe the caramel & other flavours will help.


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## barfridge (2/12/04)

you crazy guys! I love it. The craziest I have done is ferment ribena to make riboozer. Came out a tad too dry, but still blackcurranty and about 6.5% ABV.

Just make sure you use a monster of a starter, with all the preservatives and the low pH of coke, I think the yeasties may have a hard time.

Another option is to have some champagne yeast ready to roll if the first yeast fails, that stuff will ferment just about anything!


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## big d (2/12/04)

not that i ever intend to brew one non the less im eagerly awaiting the outcome.

cheers
big d


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## Backlane Brewery (6/12/04)

Well, my batch of "Coke Fiend" went in yesterday. Bought a can of Home Brand draught & the required 2 litres of Tooth Fairy (aka Coke. Why? Because it makes your teeth disappear) and bunged it in.
Fizzed like a demon, had a huge foamy head, and was quite dark. Through the side of the keg it looked just like a 23 litre glass of cola. 
Smelt like one too. SG was only 1020, so I added 250g of white sugar to up the ante a bit, got her up to around 1035 but there was so much foam it was a bit hard to see the hydrometer.
Got to admit I was a bit over everything by then, had a had a long afternoon sorting & washing bottles & farting round with the chilli beer. Hopefully I got everything scrubbed up right & this will work out somehow. Be ready to drink by Christmas.


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## Backlane Brewery (8/12/04)

The Duke popped in last night for a quick tour of the premises & some sampling. 

We had a poke at the Coke Fiend- the massive head has now collapsed leaving a very unpleasant looking ring of dried black foam around the fermenter. 
Fermentation has slowed right down, if not stopped, but when I ran a sample into the test jar it came out with a huge head, soagain difficult to get a reading. I will try again tomorrow.
We had a sip...I could be charitable, and say after three days it's too early to tell, or be honest and say it is absolutely revolting. 
I make a point of smelling & tasting every batch as it works through, and I have NEVER tasted anything like this. Oversweet underhopped green beer with a distinct cola tang. 

I will keep at it, though at this point all I can say is 1/ I am glad I didn't use a more expensive kit, & 2/ I think this may be some kind of decisive point in my brewing efforts, a clear pointer that I am losing focus, and need to step up to extract brewing at least. Soon.

And the idea for a witbier made with Passiona is hereby officially off the agenda.


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## The Duke (8/12/04)

While The Duke was impressed with many things about his visit to The Backlane Brewery, the "Coke Fiend" expirement left a sour taste in my mouth. 
This was soon replaced with the magical taste of Backlane's "Nose Bleed Hard Lemonade". Most refreshing, most enjoyable and has inspired me to follow suit.
Now I am left with a dilemma.....do I put on that Poor Man's Porter? 
Maybe if I add it to a cheap stout and hop it up .... but then again, a poor man wouldn't be too fussy..... I am going to go ahead with it.


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## Backlane Brewery (14/12/04)

Well, in answer to the original question- yes, you can make brew (of a sort) using Coca Cola.
A few days after the last sampling, I tried the "Coke Fiend" again, and it had settled down to a suprisingly OK drop, considering it was only a HomeBrand can & had no special care or attention. And no expectations, really either. Think it will need a while in the bottle though.
Anyone who's based in Melbourne who really wants to try one, get in touch, and we'll see what can be arranged.
Bottled it on Sunday, jeez the black crud in the fermenter was caked on hard when it was cleaning up time.

Duke, how is your effort coming along?


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## big d (14/12/04)

doesnt johnno live in melbourne  :unsure: :chug:


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## Weizguy (5/1/05)

My apologies for reviving this thread (and then editing it...), but I brewed this tonight.
The mighty Coke Poorter.  
Recipe - Coopers Dark Ale + 500 g DME, 3.3 litres of coke (some was leftovers) + London Ale yeast in my old ginger beer fermentor.
It _is_ a bit foamy and scummy after U add the Coke.
I reckon that that a poor man (with good taste) could stretch himself to about 500g DME in the brew. Fair call? Maybe some Willamette pellets in every second batch...

Just about to pitch. C U L8R.

Seth


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## Weizguy (6/1/05)

BTW, OG is 1.038

Seth


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## Backlane Brewery (6/1/05)

I actually drank a few bottles of Coke Fiend over the break, gave a few out too.
It's not a great beer, but not too bad- light with an very subtle cola aftertaste. Not much body.
And not good enough to make the Passiona & wit beer an attractive proposition, though of course if anyone else feels up to making that they are welcome..

The offer still stands- anyone based in Melbourne who wants to try the Coke Fiend, get in touch. I'll even label a few more.

Will have to chase up the Duke & see how he is coming along with his effort.


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## The Duke (6/1/05)

The "poor man" is in the bottle.
After doing the usual sniff and sip during the bottling stage I was not expecting much. I had a sip of an immature poor man(10 days) and was pleasantly surprised. fairly raw and a little sweet but there were some interesting rich flavours. I will let another poor man out at the month stage. I think he will be a lot tastier by then.
I vote the melbourne brewers that are keen to go to mountain goat(feb 4 .... thanks Backlane!) meet in some park and have a sip together. I will bring my poor man for all to try.


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## Weizguy (6/1/05)

When I got home from work 2day, the "black beast" has spewed through my airlock and seeped from under the lid and run down the sides of my fermentor.  
It's an old leaky fermentor, OK & hasn't been used for a while.
Must have been enough yeast in my 600ml Coke bottle starter.

Will report more when something worthwhile happens.

Seth out :chug:


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## Backlane Brewery (7/1/05)

> I vote the melbourne brewers that are keen to go to mountain goat(feb 4 .... thanks Backlane!) meet in some park and have a sip together. I will bring my poor man for all to try.



Jeez you're a class act Duke...drinking in Richmond parks now is it, you'll get us all arrested!

Seriously, bring a few, I may have a couple of mine with me.


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## Bionic (7/1/05)

Did you guys ever though of shaking the crap out of the coke so it releases some of the Co2 so its not as fizzy when you poor it in the fermenter??


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## Weizguy (8/1/05)

Bionic,

I released the gas periodically for a few daze b4 I brewed the beast. The leftover Coke from my fridge was already flat. Adding it to the wort released all the remaining CO2, but mine didn't foam up a lot.

Thanks for the tip. Hopefully won't need to use it again. Or at least until I make the Passiona Wit, or the Lime Radler. :lol: 

Sethule


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## Weizguy (12/1/05)

Checked the gravity. It's down to 1.012ish.
If it's still there tomorrow, I may be bottlling.
Shocking to say, but it tastes OK out of the flask.
Stay tuned for more lolly-water beer.

Seth


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## The Duke (17/1/05)

Here's the latest on The Poor Man;

After some tinkering in the vegie patch yesterday I felt like a beer. Daily decision time.....which cupboard do I harvest? Since the cricket was on I went for the Aussie Pale Ale to show some support to my team. While grabbing an Aussie, The Poor Man on the shelf below caught my eye.....time to give him another go.

When it came time to drink, I showed some respect and allowed The Poor Man an openning berth. His done three weeks in the bottle now and after much sniffing, sipping, viewing and discussing to a deaf ear(michelle), I have come to a harsh conclusion.

COKE DOESN'T GO WELL WITH BEER.

It was smooth and sweet, slightly refreshing. The Poor Man has a proud, long lasting head, hints of malt but no hops. If I had felt like a coke it would have been a nice alternative. 

That's as polite as I can be to The Poor Man.....but then again, a poor man wouldn't complain - shit, it still gets ya pissed! Perhaps a good kiddies drink.

So if there are any poor men willing to take a bottle or two off my hands and free up some precious cupboard space, let me know.


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