'battle Of The Toucans'

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I've had a bit of luck with a Coopers Pale Ale & Canadian Blonde can, so i'd thought i'd give it another crack.

1.7kg Coopers Pale Ale
1.7kg Coopers Canadian Blonde
1.0kg Coopers LDM
90g Galaxy hops
90g Citra hops

To 26 litres. Drank half a pint today, chilled, after 1 week in the fermenter. Passionfruit madness.. should be a good drop after a few weeks in the bottle.
 
Hi, I've just started brewing so I think I'll keep it simple and try a toucan for my 3rd brew. My first brew, (Morgans Aussie Lager kit with 500g DME, 250g dextrose and 250g maltodextrin made up to 21L) turned out fine, but is a bit too malty. I figured if I brew a slightly bigger batch, ~25L with similar quantities of DME and dextrose (no maltodextrin), the 2nd can would give me the added bitterness i was looking for. Which cans would you recommend I use for a pretty standard ale recipe? I would also like to give it some interesting aroma/flavour and dry hop it too. I like the JS Golden Ale, so I figured Amarillo and maybe something else?

Cheers.
 
Which cans would you recommend I use for a pretty standard ale recipe? I would also like to give it some interesting aroma/flavour and dry hop it too. I like the JS Golden Ale, so I figured Amarillo and maybe something else?

I use Coopers kits almost exclusively. For a good, cheap ale base, try using two cans of Coopers Original Series Lager. It has the least bitterness and colour and actually comes with an ale yeast. Two of them together should come out around 58 IBU's which is quite bitter.

For a bigger flavour, use two cans of Coopers Original Series Draught. Slightly higher bitterness, darker colour. More "oomph".

I actually have a brew in the keg at the moment that was made from 1 can of Original Series Draught + 1 can Original Series Real Ale. The Real Ale has much higher bitterness/colour than the Draught/Lager though (>30% greater bitterness) so you want to make sure you want it that bitter.
 
Well I'm sampling a 4 month old toucan of Coopers:
-English Bitter
- Old Dark
- .5 kg be2
- Fuggles tea bag
- so4 Yeast
- 24 L
Was very bitter earlier in its life but has mellowed into a bloody lovely drop.
Would probably go a 1g/L EK Goldings next time, or even some US hops & yeast...
Anyway as is would go pretty well for a quick & easy toucan.
Cheers, sf.
 
Hello,
I have a Coopers English Bitter and a Coopers European Lager that I was thinking of tucanning. I have dextrose and Safale 04.
A couple of question to the knowledgeable,
!. Does this sound like a reasonable combination?
2. How long should it ferment?
3. What should the final reading be for bottling?

Thanks for any help.
 
Probably the best toucan I have done so far was Thomas Coopers Irish Stout x 2, very tasty. :icon_drunk:


Long time reply I had not seen this but a big +1 hell of a good brew did it myself but never managed to keep it for any period of time.
 
Hello,
I have a Coopers English Bitter and a Coopers European Lager that I was thinking of tucanning. I have dextrose and Safale 04.
A couple of question to the knowledgeable,
!. Does this sound like a reasonable combination?
2. How long should it ferment?
3. What should the final reading be for bottling?

Thanks for any help.

Assuming you're doing a 23 litre batch and adding no fermentables aside from the two cans, you should end up with a brew ~4.5% ABV, OG 1.046, FG 1.012 with something like 68 IBU (which is quite high).

In your place, I would add an extra kilogram of light dry malt to even the bitterness out a bit. It would be a potent brew, ~6% ABV, 1.062 OG, 1.016 FG and still quite bitter, but the bitterness would not headbutt you in the face to the same degree. You don't need to do this, but if you're unaccustomed to bitter beer you might be shellshocked by 68 IBU's at 1.046 OG.

Needs to ferment as long as it needs to ferment. If you're uncertain, give it at least two weeks. Try and ferment as close to possible to 18C. In the future, you might consider adding specialty grains and some extra hops for aroma/flavour.
 
Assuming you're doing a 23 litre batch and adding no fermentables aside from the two cans, you should end up with a brew ~4.5% ABV, OG 1.046, FG 1.012 with something like 68 IBU (which is quite high).

In your place, I would add an extra kilogram of light dry malt to even the bitterness out a bit. It would be a potent brew, ~6% ABV, 1.062 OG, 1.016 FG and still quite bitter, but the bitterness would not headbutt you in the face to the same degree. You don't need to do this, but if you're unaccustomed to bitter beer you might be shellshocked by 68 IBU's at 1.046 OG.

Needs to ferment as long as it needs to ferment. If you're uncertain, give it at least two weeks. Try and ferment as close to possible to 18C. In the future, you might consider adding specialty grains and some extra hops for aroma/flavour.

Thank you for your information. What grains and or hops would you suggest. I would like to have a good brew first up so I may as well get it right.
 
Well, what you'll be looking to do is accentuate the English characteristics. I'd think about steeping some English hops in some hot water, East Kent Goldings or Fuggles (or both!). You don't want to boil them in wort, last thing you need is more bitterness.

For grain basically any medium crystal grain would do fine, personally I use Caramunich II when I make an English Bitter but there are a lot of choices available.
 
Well, what you'll be looking to do is accentuate the English characteristics. I'd think about steeping some English hops in some hot water, East Kent Goldings or Fuggles (or both!). You don't want to boil them in wort, last thing you need is more bitterness.

For grain basically any medium crystal grain would do fine, personally I use Caramunich II when I make an English Bitter but there are a lot of choices available.


Thanks mate,

I will get some and give it a try. Let you know what happens.
 
man, been away from ahb for a looong time. also havent brewed much this year. feeling a bit inspired but short on time. so what better way to get back into it than... a toucan!!

havent done a kit in years and never a toucan. got a two year old morgans amber (which i have done before and liked) and picked up a coopers ipa today. might add some dex to help it dry out a bit and somewhere around the 25-30L depending on gravity. want it ready for christmas so might be pushing it (kegging most and bottle the rest for later). have seom nelson sauvin hops which may end up in there also.
wish me luck!!
 
man, been away from ahb for a looong time. also havent brewed much this year. feeling a bit inspired but short on time. so what better way to get back into it than... a toucan!!

havent done a kit in years and never a toucan. got a two year old morgans amber (which i have done before and liked) and picked up a coopers ipa today. might add some dex to help it dry out a bit and somewhere around the 25-30L depending on gravity. want it ready for christmas so might be pushing it (kegging most and bottle the rest for later). have seom nelson sauvin hops which may end up in there also.
wish me luck!!
Welcome back and good luck! Morgans Amber Ale + Coopers IPA + 500gm dex in 25 litres = 5.5%abv with a whopping 70 IBU's...hop monster!!

Maybe do the toucan with 1kg of dex in 30 litres for 5.3% and nearly 60 IBU?

Not sure you need the Nelson Sauvin....but might help hide the fact the Morgan's is 2 years old?? :beerbang:
 
Welcome back and good luck! Morgans Amber Ale + Coopers IPA + 500gm dex in 25 litres = 5.5%abv with a whopping 70 IBU's...hop monster!!

Maybe do the toucan with 1kg of dex in 30 litres for 5.3% and nearly 60 IBU?

Not sure you need the Nelson Sauvin....but might help hide the fact the Morgan's is 2 years old?? :beerbang:
Thanks carniebrew. was thinking some NS at 10 min and some at flameout. not so worried about bitterness, didnt expect that much though!
 
had a go at a toucan with this IPA

"Thankyou Come Again"

1 Can Draught
1 Can Pale Ale
1kg LDME
300g Dex
1 kit yeast (as nutrient)
30g Williamette 10min
30g Cascade F/O
30g Nelson Sauvin F/O
30g Amarillo F/O

US 05 Yeast

Dry hopped day 6 with 25g ea Nelson Sauvin and Amarillo

OG. 1069
FG. 1012

Snuck a taste last night - freakin nice beer
 
Keen to hear how that goes...i've done plenty of Amarillo brews, and Cascade with NS...and later today doing an Amber with Willamette & Cascade. Have not yet mixed Amarillo with Cascade or NS though...I find Amarillo gives me a very different flavour/aroma profile that for whatever reason I like to keep on its own. But I'll mix 'em one day I'm sure.
 
Just put my first toucan on. CPA & Canadian Blonde. Made to 23ltrs. Used US05 also have 50gms each of Galaxy & Saaz that i will dry hop later on...Looking foward to tasting...
 

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