# Coopers Extra Strength Vintage Ale - Recipe?



## Interloper (5/5/08)

Hi All, I had a few Coopers Vintage Ales on Saturday night as the Crows whipped North Melbourne.
 

This reminded me a lot of some very good home brews I've had: Strong Alcohol content and very malty nose and palate. All in all a damn good commercial beer - but a bit expensive at $19 a six pack.

Just wondering if anyone has a recipe or has ever brewed anything similar from kits and extracts?


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## The Big Burper (5/5/08)

The long-awaited 2004 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, described by Coopers' beer makers as the best yet, has been released through exclusive bars and hotels around Australia . 

Coopers chairman and marketing director Glenn Cooper says the 2004 Vintage Ale features new packaging with a picture of the brewery's founder, Thomas Cooper, on the front label and neck foil. 

The release is a continuation of the Vintage series, which is improving with time. 

Coopers managing director and chief brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, says this year's Vintage Ale, which has a hefty 7.5 per cent alcohol by volume, has excellent drinking qualities. 

It is the product of brewing with a selection of barley and wheat malt and specially coloured malts which provide a strong malt character, he says. This is balanced by a triple hopping with Hersbrucker, Cascade and Pride of Ringwood hops. 

The ale was pitched with a double pitching of two yeast strains and underwent an extended primary fermentation. It was then pitched again with specially nurtured yeast, which has been vitalised to enable longevity of bottle conditioning. 

The result is a Vintage Ale with a smooth taste profile and robust character which derives from our complementary malt and hop choices and shows the benefit of what we have learned over the past four vintages. 

Dr Cooper says it takes particular skill to coax yeast to make very strong beers and to produce ales that are not excessively rich and cloying. The beer would age well and could be enjoyed after prolonged storage. 

Stored under cool cellar conditions, Coopers Vintage will become more complex and interesting in flavour for up to two years or more, rewarding the patient drinker with a truly distinctive beer, he says. 

Even after one year, it may develop in aroma, roundness and balance, finally developing a creamy-fruity aroma with a honeyed palate. 

Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998 and sold out within five days. Other brews followed in 1999, 2000 and 2002. 

Each beer has become a collector's item, with a strong secondary market having developed for earlier brews. 

The 2004 Vintage Ale is expected to retail for about $16 per six pack, or $60 per carton. 

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Sounds good, recipe anyone?


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## Interloper (5/5/08)

The Big Burper said:


> "Even after one year, it may develop in aroma, roundness and balance, finally developing a creamy-fruity aroma with a honeyed palate."
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------
> ...



Well found. Go Google, Go Google!  
Yes it is a superb drinker. Readily available at Dan Murphys among others here in SA and well worth a try. Nice that they list the ingredients - now if only Coopers would publish a recipe with exact amounts and method - that would be nice.


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## brettprevans (5/5/08)

Interloper said:


> Well found. Go Google, Go Google!



An AHB search will also return results. such as here. probably the best result your going to get. each thread on AHB where they discuss tasting notes will give some ideas if your keen to read it.

I dont have a recipe for you other than whats on AHB.


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## THIRSTCRUSHER (28/8/08)

citymorgue2 said:


> An AHB search will also return results. such as here. probably the best result your going to get. each thread on AHB where they discuss tasting notes will give some ideas if your keen to read it.
> 
> I dont have a recipe for you other than whats on AHB.


Hi Guys,
Just joined today,and flicking through some older topics came across this.
I still have a case each of the 98 and 99 editions!!
Did anyone come up with reasonable recipes for this brew?
Scott.


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## Nickwrighty (18/12/08)

_Here is a quote from an earlier thread, i cant recall exactly, as i copied and saved for later use....
as i say NOT my recipe but many thanks to whom posted it.


_ 

Coopers Vintage
Brewcraft Imported English Bitter 1.8 Kg (50ish IBU, the recipe calls for 44 IBU)
Blackrock Amber Malt Extract 1.5 Kg
Morgans Dark Crystal Malt 1 Kg

Black Patent 1270 EBC 100g
Goldings Plug ~ 14g
Fuggle Plug ~14g
All simmered for 10 minutes, strain liquid to fermenter

Muntons Gold Yeast X 2

NB
If you are bottling for a long time I would seriously consider not adding any priming sugar, but at a maximum use the usual amount.

MHB


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## big78sam (4/8/09)

nickwrighty said:


> _Here is a quote from an earlier thread, i cant recall exactly, as i copied and saved for later use....
> as i say NOT my recipe but many thanks to whom posted it.
> 
> 
> ...



Thought I'd add this as I remembered reading this thread. The article below is from The Age website that reviewed the 2009 vintage.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainmen...9152550772.html

"This year's model employs a pair of German bittering varieties, magnum and perle, complemented by the English strain fuggle and the European hybrid styrian golding, used for aromatic purposes."


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## Swinging Beef (4/8/09)

I cant see that the recipies listed above would produce a dry enough finish to replicate the 7.5% vintage ale.
I reckon at least 10% sucrose goes into this beer, probably more.
Brew it like the pseudo belgian golden ale that it is.


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## Murcluf (4/8/09)

Interloper said:


> This reminded me a lot of some very good home brews I've had: Strong Alcohol content and very malty nose and palate. All in all a damn good commercial beer - but a bit expensive at $19 a six pack.



Can't complain too much when a six pack of giggle juice (pre-mix cans) are anywhere between $18 -$24 and I know what I'd buy if was going to spend the money and ain't the giggle juice. :icon_vomit:


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