Dark Lager (using Coopers Toucan)

[manga]

For those interested in a dark lager made on the cheap, here is my receipe that I made recently
with a Coopers Lager kit and a Coopers Dark Ale kit.

I was experimenting to see if these two beer kits could be combined and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Somewhat bitter, but goes well to counteract the roasted malts.

I used a lager yeast and fermented around 18c, and dry hopped.

1.7kg Coopers Lager kit
1.7kg Coopers Dark Ale kit
Dissolved in 15c water until I had 18L volume in the fermenter.
Gravity was 1.055

Aerated the wort and then spinkled Fermentis Saflager S-23 yeast and stirred until dissolved.

Fermented for 16 days around 18c. On the 9th day, dry hopped with 10g Hallertau hops.

Bottled when gravity was 1.009.

Result:
Very dark red-brown colour.
Very clean flavour profile, bitter with a lingering roast flavour from the dark malt.
Alcohol is quite high, probably 6%.
I was, however, expecting more aroma from the dry hopping. Maybe try 20g next time.

Overall, I give it a 4/5

 

[PaulG79]

That looks awesome. I've made a few dark lagers from Cooper's recipe kits, I always find them undercarbed in the bottle unless I use two packets of w34/70. Did you keep it to 18L so you could keg it? I kinda feel like this beer would be better if it was at 20 or 22/23, might cut down that bitterness a little.

 

[manga]

Did you keep it to 18L so you could keg it?
No, I only have bottles. I was aiming for the gravity to be approx. 1.050, as a lot of my other brews were weak in alcohol (around 21L volume). At 18L volume, I got a reading of 1.055 so I stopped adding water.

I kinda feel like this beer would be better if it was at 20 or 22/23.
That's volume right ? At that volume I would get a weak alcohol beer. Adding some unhopped malt and extra water would help in cutting the bitterness.