English Strong Ale (Coopers Vintage Clone)

[Luxo_Aussie]

G'day All,

I'm keen to make an attempt at an English Strong Ale, not too far off from Cooper's Extra Strong Vintage Ale. I've gone through the vast array of threads on re-creating Coopers Vintage Ale but most threads are kit or ROTM focused so not 100% sure if this is the right direction for an all grain attempt. I understand they change the hops each year, but I'm not really looking to clone but rather wanted to know if this sort of grain bill/particulars is going to provide some of the richness which the brew is famed for.

Batch Size: 21.00 L | Est Original Gravity: 1.068 SG | Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Bitterness: 54.3 IBUs | Est Color: 19.8 EBC

4.000 kg Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett) (5.0 EBC) Grain
0.700 kg Wheat Malt (Brewferm) (3.5 EBC) Grain
0.300 kg Biscuit Malt (Brewferm) (50.0 EBC) Grain
0.300 kg Melanoiden Malt (Weyermann) (70.0 EBC) Grain
0.200 kg Cara-120 (Brewferm) (120.0 EBC) Grain
0.200 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (Weyermann) (4.5 EBC) Grain
20.00 g Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min, 90.0 C Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop
1.0 pkg Australian Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP009) [35 ml] Yeast

On the right track or missing the mark? Also not sure if I should go with Coopers's WLP009 strain or use something English.

Cheers & thanks in advance!

 

[Luxo_Aussie]

FYI, Coopers just posted the 2020 version on the diy website (21L) :

RECIPE CONTAINS:
1 × Thomas Coopers Family Secret Amber Ale (1.7kg)
1 × Thomas Coopers Wheat Malt Extract (1.5kg)
1 × Coopers Dextrose (1kg)
1 × Coopers Carbonation Drops (250g)

YOU SUPPLY:
1 × 400g Dark Crystal Malt Grains
1 × 15g Sultana Hop Pellets
1 × 15g Enigma Hop Pellets
1 × 15g Astra Hop Pellets
1 × 15g Cascade Hop Pellets
1 × 15g Simcoe Hop Pellets
1 × Coopers Commercial Yeast Culture (or use the supplied Brew Can yeast)

Instructions for the hops are 2/3 of the Sultana to be boiled for 25 minutes & the Enigma and remaining Sultana Hop Pellets added at flameout let steep with the lid on for 20 mins with the remaining hops to be added for dry hop around day 7.

 

[butisitart]

G'day All,

I'm keen to make an attempt at an English Strong Ale, not too far off from Cooper's Extra Strong Vintage Ale. I've gone through the vast array of threads on re-creating Coopers Vintage Ale but most threads are kit or ROTM focused so not 100% sure if this is the right direction for an all grain attempt. I understand they change the hops each year, but I'm not really looking to clone but rather wanted to know if this sort of grain bill/particulars is going to provide some of the richness which the brew is famed for.

Batch Size: 21.00 L | Est Original Gravity: 1.068 SG | Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Bitterness: 54.3 IBUs | Est Color: 19.8 EBC

4.000 kg Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett) (5.0 EBC) Grain
0.700 kg Wheat Malt (Brewferm) (3.5 EBC) Grain
0.300 kg Biscuit Malt (Brewferm) (50.0 EBC) Grain
0.300 kg Melanoiden Malt (Weyermann) (70.0 EBC) Grain
0.200 kg Cara-120 (Brewferm) (120.0 EBC) Grain
0.200 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (Weyermann) (4.5 EBC) Grain
20.00 g Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min, 90.0 C Hop
25.00 g Mosaic [12.10 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop
1.0 pkg Australian Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP009) [35 ml] Yeast

On the right track or missing the mark? Also not sure if I should go with Coopers's WLP009 strain or use something English.

Cheers & thanks in advance!

looking good on the balance. can't comment on the yeast cos i've never tried it. have done similar with wyeast yorkshire (end result yumyum). also, Lallemand Nottingham ale yeast is all over ahb forum at the moment - you could read up on that. both these yeasts handle that og.
i suppose the one thing (personal choice only), is that i tend to use carapils on wheats, pales, aus sparkling ales, where you want foam and stability and not much flavour, and doesn't do much on the abv. i'd probably trade it in on to 200g any of caramunich, carabohemian, caraaroma etc, any of which will also stabilse, but add flavour complexity in a way that carapils can't. or you could equally bump your cara-120 another 200g to cover. mmm, my experience with biscuit malt is that you may be running close to the wind there. don't know that miller's product. biscuit ages really well, but some are almost dry acrid in young beer. (there are usually 'use sparingly' warnings on most brewshop sites when they are at that end of the spectrum.) you're probably fine, but maybe run your proposed quantity by your supplier for a 2nd opinion. but if i had to change one thing, the carapils would go. but it looks good. anyway, the only difference between a bad beer and a good beer is 2 weeks, or 2 more glasses. you could also consider 50g amber malt for complexity (that IS a use sparingly, regardless of miller).
not a hops expert, so leave that to others.
say hello to the centre gare.

 

[Matty Groves]

End up making this? How did she turn out?