dark brew sugestions

[GOBLIN]

Hi everyone, im wanting to make a dark beer with lots of flavour but since this is only my 3rd brew I still want to keep it simple. So I am thinking of using:

Coopers dark ale can or similar maybe Morgans Iron bark
1kg LDMA or dark dma
250g or 500g Choc Malt
500g Dark brown sugar
Goldings hop teabag steeped then leave in fermenter

made up to 23 litres at about 18- 22 degrees for 2 weeks, then condition for a month or more.

not really sure what hops to use and if I should dry hop as well.

Any suggestions for really good flavour or types of hops ?

 

[warra48]

Whoa there Goblin, scale back that Choc Malt, or you'll be drinking bitter espresso.

Go the Coopers Dark Ale
Up to 100gr Choc Malt.
Lose the sugar, it will fully ferment out, and do nothing much for your beer other than to up the alcohol content, without body etc
Choose the DMA rather than the LDMA, as the L stands for Light, and you want a dark beer, right?
Get yourself down to Asquith Home Brew, and ask the helpful guys there to sell you some real hops, not those silly teabags.
Goldings is good for a UK type ale, also consider Fuggles, and anything the nice guys at Asquith Home Brew advise you.
Those hops are good for steeping and also dry hopping.
Also, ask them to recommend a decent yeast, although the Coopers Dark Ale can yeast might be OK.

If you still want to darken your beer even more, ask for some Carafa Special III, and steep a little of that.

PS: I'll be flogging the little white ball around Asquith Golf Course in a couple of weeks time, my old club when I lived in Sydney.

 

[carniebrew]

I think he means Dark LME vs Dark DME? Dunno what a DMA or LDMA is?

DME = Dried Malt Extract
LME = Liquid Malt Extract

LDME = Light Dried Malt Extract, although I prefer to write Light DME so it's not so confusing.

 

[GOBLIN]

oops sorry I meant dme,

so you recon:

coopers dark ale
1kg dark dme
100g choc malt
fuggles.or goldings hops dry hopped?
would safale 04 yeast be good enough?
any suggestions are apprieciated.

 

[warra48]

Reckon that would make a nice beer.
Either of Goldings or Fuggles, or the two combined, would be good for dry hopping.
Goldings if you want a more spicy soft aroma, or Fuggles if you like it a bit more spicy and earthy.

 

[Let's Brew Beer]

I tried 15g of goldings in a dark ale and also dry-hopped with them n it tasted like beef stock...wonder where I went wrong?

 

[emnpaul]

I'd use the Dark Ale kit and the Dark DME along with either 500g of dark brown sugar or 350g molasses. I'd also consider dropping the volume down to 21 litres. No hops. Neutral yeast such as us05. It will come out quite similar to Dragon stout. http://homebrewandbeer.com/reviewsfolder/dragonstout.html

 

[Dan Dan]

I'd use the Dark Ale kit and the Dark DME along with either 500g of dark brown sugar or 350g molasses. I'd also consider dropping the volume down to 21 litres. No hops. Neutral yeast such as us05. It will come out quite similar to Dragon stout. http://homebrewandbeer.com/reviewsfolder/dragonstout.html

What does molasses bring to the party? I tried dark brown sugar in a ginger beer, and it turned out pretty good. Then I used it i a coopers dark ale, and it was noticeable for months (in the bottle). Really didn't like it.

 

[emnpaul]

It adds a rummy, liquorice like flavour.