'battle Of The Toucans'

[ian4379]

ive been doing some all grains, am short on time and wanted to "stock up" for the summer in a hurry. so i've just dropped this down this arvo. modelled on some coopers extra strong vintage ale 2012 recipes and a bit of what i had in the cupboard.

1 can coopers pale ale
1 can coopers real ale

boiled up
500gm ldme - 5 litres water with
10 gms citra 15 mins
10 gms nelson sauvin 15 mins
10 gms nelson sauvin flame out

steeped
50 gms crystal 120
50 gms carared

bry 97 yeast

23ltrs 6.4%

 

[Clemo]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned in this thread, but roughly how strong is a toucan without adding and sugars and filled to 23l?

 

[rheffera]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned in this thread, but roughly how strong is a toucan without adding and sugars and filled to 23l?

4.5% keg / 4.9% bottle

 

[Clemo]

Thanks rheffera

 

[Ninegrain]

Thought I would say farewell to Kits as I move to all extract with a Toucan, it was also only $8 a tin at Woolies so my inner cheapness couldn't resist. Going to do this tomorrow after I pick up the grain.

Is a Toucan red porter-

2x 1.7kg Homebrand Draught Tins
600g Caraaroma (Steeped)

15g Galaxy
15g Citra
15g Cascade

all @ flameout for the boiled steeping liquor, rest for 5 minutes

Add tins and make to 23L

Ferment at 18'c with Nottingham?? (Suggestions?)

Dry hop at 7 days with 10g ea of Citra and Cascade

OG= 1.050
FG= 1.013
IBU =45.6 + flameout addition
EBC= 43.8
%Alc= 5.3 in bottle

Any thoughts on how this will turn out? Only matching beer I could find in Ian's spreadsheet was for the Robust Porter

 

[menoetes]

Ninegrain, that sounds like it has the potential to be a lovely fruit salad toucan ESB, Are you gonna dry hop at all? Maybe 15-20g of galaxy?

I've made a few extract recipes myself now but I still go back to Kit & bit brewing one brew out of two just to keep my beer shelves stocked. They are easier and I don't mind rushing them a little as they seem to handle it better (and aren't as expensive).

My next toucan (on after my current Cheeky Cherub extract brew is finished) will be:

1 x can of Coopers Australian Pale Ale
1 x can of Coopers Lager
250g of crystal malt
10g of Amarillo @ 10min
15g of Amarillo @ 5min
15g of Amarillo - dry hopped about 4 days into fermentation.

Hopefully bottled before Xmas.

 

[Ninegrain]

Yeah I have 10g ea of citra and cascade down for dry hopping. That's the last of my cascade but have more of the others if I feel it needs it.

Mmmm Amarillo. I would love to use some of that in this recipe, I just love that hop, but don't have any on hand. May get some though if the price is right at my LHS. Your recipe does look tasty. Those apa kits are a good base imo.


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[Yob]

Those apa kits are a good base imo.

Gotta agree, they were my go to base when doing partials.

 

[Ninegrain]

Slight changes as I got hold of some Amarillo and my LHS did not have CaraAroma so got CaraRed instead. This is the result of today's brewing session-

2x Homebrand Draught 1.7kg tins
600g CaraRed (Steeped for 60mins)

20g Amarillo
15g Galaxy
15g Cascade

all @ flameout for boiled steeping liquor. Added tins, then dumped the pot into chilled laundry tub of water to cool.

Made to 23L and its now cooling to 16'c, at which I will pitch the Notto. I have read about Notto being a beast and stripping hop flavours so I'm opting for a cold ferment temp to try and control this. The EBC was estimated to be much lower than it would have been with CaraAroma so it may not quite be a red beer after all but should still be tasty I hope

I plan on dry hopping with 10g ea of the same hops at 7 days

Oh yeah, I ended up having an OG of 1050 as predicted so yay for efficiency!

 

[menoetes]

I just finished putting this sucker down 5 minutes ago, here's how I decided to go in the end;

1x 1.7kg can of Coopers Australian Pale Ale.
1x 1.7kg can of Coopers Lager.
300g Crystal Malt (steeped).
300g Light Dry malt.
20g Amarillo Hops @ 15 minutes.
15g Amarillo Hops @ 5 Minutes.
10g Cascade Hops @ 5 Minutes.
15g Amarillo Hops - to dry hop on day 4 or 5.
10g Cascade Hops - to dry hop on day 4 or 5.
1/2 teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
1x packet of US-05 rehydrated and pitched @ 24'c

Made up to 28lts and into the brew fridge to get it down to somewhere between 18 - 20'c with an OG of 1038.

Estimated FG somewhere around 1010-1012. Estimated IBU's 44. Estimated ABV (after bottling) 3.7% (thanks to Ian for the spreadsheet as always).

It looks like it should turn out to be a lovely summer session beer that I could be enjoying in the new year. I'm pretty happy with it as it stands.

I shall name it my 'Armadillo & Toucan Bitter'.

 

[eungaibitter1]

Just cracked my first toucan after a month in the bottle.
Coopers real ale
Coopers sparkling ale
Fuggle 2x tea bag
500g ldme
Both kit yeasts.
Quite strong and bitter. Didn't calculate the alcohol content. Hops hardly evident. A short boil and or dry hop would've been better. Reminds me a bit of some sort of strong Polish drop. Its not too bad but at the same time, not quite one for the greatest hits collection.

 

[menoetes]

A straight toucan is never going to be brilliant without some extra work but is certainly quite good for the minimal work and cost involved IMHO. Because you are using two pre-hopped kits your IBU's will already be in the 45+ range before any additions (depending on the volume you made it up to) basically making it an Extra Strong Bitter (ESB) from the get go.

As you've started with two can that are already quite bitter (I know the real ale is 30 IBU more than twice that of the Cerveza and almost twice that of the APA) you have probably got a very bitter ESB.

How long did you boil the Fuggles for? Most toucans only really need the finishing and dry hops, as you've worked out. A boil of over 15 - 20 minutes could be adding another 6 or 7 IBUs to your already strong tasting brew.

If you don't like bitters then this might not be the brew for you. Having said that, I wasn't sold on my first toucan at the start but it quickly grew on me and soon I was planning my next one. See how you go after a few more bottles.

 

[eungaibitter1]

Could get a taste for it. The fuggles were just the tea bag variety. Not boiled but added before the yeast. I have a couple more toucans in the waiting which I employed the short boil. 20 min I'm sure. This one is more of a two longnecker. Three tops, rather than getting stuck well into it. I don't mind the bitter or the strength. A bit more hop presence would be the key.

 

[boingk]

Sounds good mate, although I've never been one for Fuggles, bi too earthy for my tastes. Could do well with some Galaxy or Centennial to cut through the double canning?

- boingk

 

[menoetes]

I used Amarillo (with a little cascade) which, from the taste of it out of the fermeter, has done a great job of cutting through the toucan bittering effect. I'm sure that Galaxy would do just as well and though I have never used Centennial, from what I have heard of it I don't doubt it would be pretty effective. From what I have learned so far, I have to say that late hopping a toucan is an excellent idea.

 

[eungaibitter1]

Amarillo works well. Since above post I've cracked the home brand toucan with Amarillo. Much more palatable than the coopers/fuggle. Galaxy seems to get a pretty good rap though I've not tried it yet. About to replenish stocks soon and will include some galaxy for sure.

 

[aamcle]

Sugestions please, I have to hand, 2 x bitter and 1 x lager kits, and a range of hops n grains.

I got the kits because they were stupidly cheap and well in date, what could I make as a toucan?

Should I get a stout ( sadly full price) and go for a RIS, I like dry stout so maybe S05?

Atb. Aamcle

 

[menoetes]

Toucaning two bitter kits will produce something extraordinarily bitter. Some have tried it before and most say that they can't drink it. A bitter and a lager kit together, made up to 27lts or so will still be very bitter but if you like ESBs (and other beers of the bitter breed) than you should be ok.

What hops do you have? I try using the more floral/fruity hops to cut through the bitterness, thought in my last brew I used over 70g of amarillo and cascade late in the boil and you can only just taste them over the isohops. Someone has mentioned using galaxy previously and as it is very fruity I would certainly consider it for a toucan (maybe with some citra). Just keep in mind that you'll be trying to balance an extremely bitter beer.

If you are worried about the kits being a bit old, why not just make up three hoppy brews? The used by dates on these things are never the actual date of spoilage, in fact they are rarely even close. The Bitter cans could make for a nice base for a couple of IPAs and a faux lager late hopped with some galaxy could make for a very drinkable session beer...

 

[aamcle]

Menoetes thanks for responding, I think I'll either get a can of stout and make a RIS (coopers recipe) or go with IPA as you have suggested.

ATB. Aamcle

 

[Forever Wort]

I have done sixteen extract and kit brews now, with the seventeenth fermenting in the wardrobe as I type.

For some reason without exception my most popular beer has been the following toucan:

The Wales St Lager

1x Coles Lager kit
1x Tooheys Lager kit

20g Perle @ 40 mins
20g Perle @ 20 mins

Both kit yeasts used and fermented for seven days at 20-22 degrees. OG 1040, FG 1013.

What gives? I have no idea. It is a nice drop but nothing special. Mid-strength in alcohol, easy to drink, nice clear light colour, dry bitterness. In my own opinion I would put it in the mid-range of the beers I've done; not the worst, nowhere near the best. Yet the popular verdict is this is The Beer of The Heavens and I must Repeat It Or Perish.

I put this recipe out there for those who are looking to try something different, to succeed in unusual ways but mostly because I don't want to brew this beer again but am interested in what more beer aficionados think of it for the laity have spoken and their judgement is bizarre.

 

[Wigarus]

I have done sixteen extract and kit brews now, with the seventeenth fermenting in the wardrobe as I type.

For some reason without exception my most popular beer has been the following toucan:

The Wales St Lager

1x Coles Lager kit
1x Tooheys Lager kit

20g Perle @ 40 mins
20g Perle @ 20 mins

Both kit yeasts used and fermented for seven days at 20-22 degrees. OG 1040, FG 1013.

What gives? I have no idea. It is a nice drop but nothing special. Mid-strength in alcohol, easy to drink, nice clear light colour, dry bitterness. In my own opinion I would put it in the mid-range of the beers I've done; not the worst, nowhere near the best. Yet the popular verdict is this is The Beer of The Heavens and I must Repeat It Or Perish.

I put this recipe out there for those who are looking to try something different, to succeed in unusual ways but mostly because I don't want to brew this beer again but am interested in what more beer aficionados think of it for the laity have spoken and their judgement is bizarre.

Well at least it looks cheap for a toucan anyway...

 

[jkhlt1210]

Anyone got a killer stout toucan??

 

[eungaibitter1]

I've got this in the secondary at the moment.

Coopers Stout
Coopers Dark Ale
500g DME
300g roasted barley steeped
30g goldings 20 min.
Nottingham yeast
20ltr.

Bout to bottle it. Wort from hydrometer tests has tasted great. OG 1060. Around 1010 now. Pretty basic but should come up nice.

 

[jkhlt1210]

I've got this in the secondary at the moment.

Coopers Stout
Coopers Dark Ale
500g DME
300g roasted barley steeped
30g goldings 20 min.
Nottingham yeast
20ltr.

Bout to bottle it. Wort from hydrometer tests has tasted great. OG 1060. Around 1010 now. Pretty basic but should come up nice.

Keep us posted..... That sounds great !

 

[Droopy Brew]

Cams 2can IPA- one of the best I have made. And pretty easy with just a bit of pimping.

OG: 1.065
FG: 1.017
IBU: 54
ABV: 6.3%
Volume: 22L

2 cans of Coopers Lager
1x Goodies pack (400g DME light, 400g Dex, 200g Cornstarch/maltodextrin)
250g Medium crystal (135)
Cascade 20g @ 5min
Simcoe 10g @ 5min
Galaxy 10g @ 5min
Cascade 20g dry hop
Simcoe 10g dry hop
Galaxy 10g dry hop

Packet of Bry 97 West coast Yeast
Ferment 10 days, dry hop on the 8th day then cc for 4 days.


This is a photo of the first pull after 3 days in the keg. It has cleared up significantly since then and is a very nicely balanced beer. Plenty of sweet maltiness to balance out the bitterness- even the missus can drink a few of these and she normally cant touch anything greater than 30IBUs. The head lasts to the final deliceous drop.

This one will be made again without doubt although I may even up the dry hop schedule a bit next time for more aroma.

 

[Tahoose]

Droopy that looks the goods, think I might do something simular but maybe with 1 tin and a half batch...

I really want a pint of that IPA now...

 

[Droopy Brew]

Just a tease- 7 days in:

High tide



Low tide

 

[Tahoose]

It was straight after I posted yesterday that I realised that my IPA fresh wort kit that I bottled 2 weeks ago was good to go, so off I went to the fridge and did manage to have a couple of IPAs

Mind you yours still looks good

 

[Droopy Brew]

Bonus!

I read your thread on your AG cherry. I've been meaning to get into it for a few months now and after going to the link to the 2v system you provided Im finally going to give it a go. Turning out a brew like this in an hour but makes it hard to commit to a 3 hour process, if all my extracts were this good I wouldn't bother to be honest, alas they are not.

 

[Tahoose]

Do it mate, that system works for me and is good efficiency wise. It is worth the extra time, believe me... As long as you enjoy it your time is free, so it takes a couple of hours longer but you get great beer then who cares.

I just bought a second pot today so I'll be moving up from 12ltr batches to full batches (23-24)...

I would suggest if time was a massive issue then maybe BIAB is another option to consider.

Make sure you let us know how it all goes and photo's are always good.