'battle Of The Toucans'

[riverside]

I did 1xcan morgans blue mountain larger with 1x brewcraft can mex cer, filled to 25 litres and added some saaz finishing hops.. not to bad at all. My mates loved it and keep asking me to do another !

 

[kjparker]

I was looking to do the following:

1 * Coopers Dark ale
1 * Coopers Australian pale ale
1 * be2
probably 500g brown sugar.

How do you reckon this would turn out? I havent read all 22 pages of this thread, so please forgive me if this one has been discussed already!

 

[earle]

I was looking to do the following:

1 * Coopers Dark ale
1 * Coopers Australian pale ale
1 * be2
probably 500g brown sugar.

How do you reckon this would turn out? I havent read all 22 pages of this thread, so please forgive me if this one has been discussed already!

I've done a few toucans with the dark ale and the euro lager which have come out quite nice. The pale ale and euro lager have the same IBU so you will get something fairly similar. I just add 200-300g of crystal and ferment with Windsor, this adds/leaves enough sweetness to cut back the bitterness a bit. There's some malt in that BE2 of yours which will help in that respect but not having used brown sugar in a brew I can't advise what effect that will have. You have a bit of fermentables there but mine is probably a bit low on the alc% for a porter style anyway. I reckon do it.

 

[kjparker]

I've done a few toucans with the dark ale and the euro lager which have come out quite nice. The pale ale and euro lager have the same IBU so you will get something fairly similar. I just add 200-300g of crystal and ferment with Windsor, this adds/leaves enough sweetness to cut back the bitterness a bit. There's some malt in that BE2 of yours which will help in that respect but not having used brown sugar in a brew I can't advise what effect that will have. You have a bit of fermentables there but mine is probably a bit low on the alc% for a porter style anyway. I reckon do it.

Any idea of what alc% I should be expecting?

I was intending on using both kit yeasts, or pitch on top of the yeast cake from the coopers "lager" I have going at present.

 

[Braumoasta]

Any idea of what alc% I should be expecting?

If it's going to be made up to 23 litres it would probably be around 8.5% (if bottle conditioned).

 

[earle]

Any idea of what alc% I should be expecting?

I was intending on using both kit yeasts, or pitch on top of the yeast cake from the coopers "lager" I have going at present.

I get 6.12% with the brown sugar and 5.3% without. The yeasts with all those kits will be the same strain, as the packs are small even two packs could be a bit light on, pitching on the yeastcake sounds like a good option, just watch out as it will probably take off and generate a high krausen.

Edit: add 0.5% or whatever for priming sugar

 

[Braumoasta]

I get 6.12% with the brown sugar and 5.3% without. The yeasts with all those kits will be the same strain, as the packs are small even two packs could be a bit light on, pitching on the yeastcake sounds like a good option, just watch out as it will probably take off and generate a high krausen.

Edit: add 0.5% or whatever for priming sugar

How did you get those alcohol percentages. Did you use the BE2 as 500g dextrose, 250g dried malt extract and 250g maltodex.?
And the pale ale kit has a different yeast, it is an ale/lager blend.

 

[earle]

How did you get those alcohol percentages. Did you use the BE2 as 500g dextrose, 250g dried malt extract and 250g maltodex.?
And the pale ale kit has a different yeast, it is an ale/lager blend.

I did use those quantities for the BE2 and Beersmith gave me OG 1063 FG 1016 ABV 6.12% (would then need to add 0.5% for priming sugar if not kegged)
Would be curious to get someone else to confirm which of us is correct.

Whether or not his lager yeast is different to the Pale Ale yeast depends on which coopers 'lager' he is using. Linky
My first statement regarding the yeast probably was a bit too broadsweeping.

 

[kjparker]

Whether or not his lager yeast is different to the Pale Ale yeast depends on which coopers 'lager' he is using. Linky
My first statement regarding the yeast probably was a bit too broadsweeping.

It was the original lager series, the same one as comes in the starter kit

 

[earle]

Then your "lager"'s yeast seems to be the same as the one with the dark ale while the pale ale yeast had some some s-189 in it which is a proper lager yeast.

Yeast makes quite a contribution to the flavour of your beer which is why I generally get another yeast anyway. That way you know for sure what you've got and can choose something appropriate to the beer you're trying to create rather than what coopers chucks in with the can. If you purchase from some of the sponsors the pack is twice the size of the coopers yeasts to help you get off to a good start, especially if you pitch dry.

 

[Braumoasta]

I did use those quantities for the BE2 and Beersmith gave me OG 1063 FG 1016 ABV 6.12% (would then need to add 0.5% for priming sugar if not kegged)
Would be curious to get someone else to confirm which of us is correct.

Whether or not his lager yeast is different to the Pale Ale yeast depends on which coopers 'lager' he is using. Linky
My first statement regarding the yeast probably was a bit too broadsweeping.

I've made a very similar recipe; Coopers toucan stout (Stout and Dark ale can) with BE2 and 500g dextrose and got:
OG 1073
FG 1014

Using one online calculator and a manual method I get alcohol percentages of 8.6% and 8.4%

which is pretty close to what this estimator for the same recipe gives for both recipes (assuming brown sugar is 100% or close to 100% fermentable): http://homebrew.com.au/wa.asp?idWebPage=96...p;idDetails=120

 

[earle]

I think the difference must be coming from the figures we use for each ingredient.
From my beersmith:
Kits/liquid malt extract 1.035
DME 1.044
Dextrose/brown sugar 1.046
Maltodextrin is set up as an miscellaneous so I think it doesn't add anything in for gravity, but this shouldn't affect the alc% calcuation as it doesn't really make any alcohol.

I may need to start comparing actual gravities with the estimated a bit more. The above figures tend to be an estimate from a range anyway. I'm not that concerned with the alc% of my own beers anyway but perhaps I'll refrain from calculating % for others unless I check the calibration.

 

[kjparker]

I think the difference must be coming from the figures we use for each ingredient.
From my beersmith:
Kits/liquid malt extract 1.035
DME 1.044
Dextrose/brown sugar 1.046
Maltodextrin is set up as an miscellaneous so I think it doesn't add anything in for gravity, but this shouldn't affect the alc% calcuation as it doesn't really make any alcohol.

I may need to start comparing actual gravities with the estimated a bit more. The above figures tend to be an estimate from a range anyway. I'm not that concerned with the alc% of my own beers anyway but perhaps I'll refrain from calculating % for others unless I check the calibration.

Be2 is a mix of dme, dextrose, and maltodextrin, so that could be the difference.

I do have about a half kilo of dex, and about a half kilo of dme. Do you reckon these would be better in the fermenter as opposed to the be2? Along with the brown sugar?

 

[going down a hill]

I read on these forums a while back (so it has to be true, I read it on the internet) that BE2 is 50% dex, 25% maltodex and 25% dme. If I were you I would use what you have, maltodex is a junk adjunct dme wins for me every time.

 

[kjparker]

I was looking to do the following:

1 * Coopers Dark ale
1 * Coopers Australian pale ale
1 * be2
probably 500g brown sugar.

How do you reckon this would turn out? I havent read all 22 pages of this thread, so please forgive me if this one has been discussed already!

Ok, Going to put this down as soon as the fermenting fridge is free.

I have the choice of using either three kit yeasts, they should be all the same, or on the US-05 yeast cake I will have when the current batch is done.

Thoughts?

 

[mwd]

Collect about 300ml of the US05 yeastcake and use that. You can boil up a packet of kit yeast and add it as yeast nutrient.

I have done stout toucans with 05 and never had any go ballistic and climb out of the fermenter.

 

[petesbrew]

Coopers European Lager
Coopers Canadian Blonde
180g Carapils - Steeped
25g Oz Saaz - dry hopped
S-189 Swiss Lager yeast

Filled to 20L - OG=1050
Been sitting in the garage between 11-14c. Not too worried about the swing, and it's tasting promising for a toucan lager.
Currently down to 1012.

 

[bigalwhat]

This thread is really informative but a little overwhelming to read also


I just need a bit a advice... I have 3 brews under my belt and they have all turned out really well.
But I had a mate gave me a can of coopers stout and a can of coopers Australian pale ale.
Would these be OK to make a toucan brew? If so do I use both yeast sachets?
And should I add some dextrose and anything else like malt extract.

Any help from you brew gurus out there would be really appreciated

 

[mwd]

Cherry Stout toucan ???

Coopers Stout + Coopers IPA
500g Wheat Malt
500g Raw Sugar

Nottingham yeast

2x cans of Coles Black Cherries and juice mashed with potato masher and added after 4 days.
( heard that sour cherries work better than sweet ones but they are not ready available in supermarkets )

SG is reading 1.020 presently but looks like it has stopped.

tasted the hydro sample and could not detect any hint of cherry at all Oh well.
Leave it in the fermenter longer and see if the SG drops some more and picks up a bit of cherry.

Bottled 10th June had one or two drinking quite well. Don't think I can detect cherry but who cares.
Stout can and IPA go together quite well. Trying to hold off to see how it improves with bottle age.

 

[mwd]

This thread is really informative but a little overwhelming to read also


I just need a bit a advice... I have 3 brews under my belt and they have all turned out really well.
But I had a mate gave me a can of coopers stout and a can of coopers Australian pale ale.
Would these be OK to make a toucan brew? If so do I use both yeast sachets?
And should I add some dextrose and anything else like malt extract.

Any help from you brew gurus out there would be really appreciated

Should be fine you can use both yeasts or buy some Nottingham or S04 may make an improvement.

Depends how alcoholic you require the finished brew on whether or not to add dex or malt extract.

See above recipe for an idea. I didn't run the figures but reckon it is between 6 and 7% I am not one who worries too much about the technicalities just do it and see how it turns out.

Here is a calculator that will give a rough and ready alcohol level Brewcraft brew calculator

 

[timryan]

Completely random but good night for a toucan in Melbourne tonight.....

 

[Caffeine Dealer]

Put this one down on Friday evening and it is now WELL under way...bubbling like a you know what. Still waiting for it to exit stage air lock though?

In the end i went with 25g Cascade @ 10 minutes and 10g Galaxy @ flame out boiled up with 2 litres of water along with 200g of LME.

Stay tuned!

Drinking this one currently.

It is bitter but not too much so that i cant put away multiples.

My description is passion fruit aroma and full flavoured bitter like an IPA...very nice and it has had the thumbs up from all tasters.

Next time though i think i would skip the IPA and use 2 cans of the Canadian blonde.

Successful

 

[Ryan WABC]

I'm looking at putting down a two-can in a week or so.

2 x Coopers Lager Kits
25g Hallertau Hops @ 20 Minutes
25g Tettnanger Hops @ 10 Minutes
Saflager W-34/70

How does this sound? Will it be too bitter?

 

[wqijno]

So long as you're topping it up to about 24 litres then it should be good. I probably wouldn't boil the hops for that long though. Maybe 10 and 5 mins? The euro lager I'm making at the moment used 1 can of lager but the batch is only 12L even though it's designed for 23L. Bitterness is perfect.

 

[Ryan WABC]

I'm thinking of just going 25 grams of Hallertau at 10 minutes. Don't want to make it too bitter.

 

[6tri6ple6]

Was thinking of doing a coopers stout + dark ale toucan and adding some spices and turning it into a christmas beer. I have Jamils recipe from Brewing Classic styles and I wanted to adapt the toucan to resemble something like it.
Here's what I was thinking:

Coopers stout kit
Coopers dark ale kit
1kg dme
500g brown sugar
15ml licorice extract

Spices as per the recipe:
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

Does this look ok? I'm keen to get any thoughts. I'm not sure on yeast yet. Any ideas?
Will the bitterness still be too overpowering for the spices. I was also thinking of adding a bit of lactose to sweeten it up a bit.
Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Ryan WABC]

The only advice I can give when using spices is you're better off using not enough than too much. I made a spiced Christmas beer a few years ago, used too much spice and it turned out terrible. It only became drinkable after two years in the bottle. No joke.

And after saying that, those quantities look pretty good to me. Just don't boil them for too long.

 

[Salt]

Off to get some Coopers kits on special from the supermarket to try my first toucan...

Keen to brew up a stout/dark beer...

Read quite a bit through the various posts over 23pgs and see a lot of toucans for Stout and Dark Ale kits, but wanting to know if a Stout and Real Ale kit would combine well.

Going to make it nice and simple, no grain this time round.
Stout Can
Real Ale Can
500g LDME
500g Dex

and possibly add 500mls of dark strong filter coffee. Is this enough to get a subtle Coffee hint, or too much? Considered dry hopping with Coffee beans too - anyone tried that?

So I guess my q's are;
1. Stout and Real Ale? Or should I still with Stout and Dark Ale?
2. Adding Coffee? Good idea/bad idea? How much filter coffee?
3. Dry hopping with Coffee beans?

Going to make it up to 28lts instead of my usual 23Lt brew just so its not too strong (and to get a half dozen quart bottles extra drinking).

Thanks all....

 

[Cube]

Stout and dark mate. Had good results from these. The real ale is not a great kit IMO. The stout is already quite a burnt/coffee kit and with the dark it is a good combo. Try it out in a batch without coffee as it may well be way over powering. Made to 24 or 2L was great for me and had a nice strong beer or two as I can't session drink stouts.

 

[chrisso81]

Speaking of the Stout/Dark toucan, how does this recipe look?

1 can Coopers Stout

1 can Coopers Dark Ale

1 can Coopers Dark liquid malt extract

25 grams Fuggles dry hopped.

Or Goldings? I have no experience with Noble hops, is there a commercial example where I can taste the differences, or is it just much of a muchness?

Yeast? I wouldn't mind this brew finishing a bit sweeter so was thinking of using Windsor, but then I was thinking I could use Nottingham with say 300gms(?) of Lactose to sweeten it slightly. My aim here would be to balance some of the bitterness, I don't mind a bitter beer (love the Coopers stout in this weather) and will probably be leaving this bottled until next winter anyway, so it should balance on its own.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated, cheers and beers :icon_cheers: