Help with stout recipe - kit plus malt additions

[Mark77]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to make a full bodied heavy stout in the style of Coopers Best Extra. I'm personally not a huge fa of Coopers, but I reckon their stout is world class. I have just bottled my first attempt but i'm looking for a bit of advice on how to improve my next batch. The recipe I used was:

1 can Coopers Stout
250g Light Dry Malt Extract
500g Dark Liquid Malt Extract (I used Briess Traditional Dark Malt Extract)
250g Dextrose
1 Pkt Coopers Dry Yeast (from the kit)
Brew to 18 Litres only
Bottle Conditioning----5 weeks (min)

Starting SG 1.050. 8 days later (a few days after it stopped bubbling SG 1.015).

This works out to be about 4.6% which seems a little low for the style of beer i'm after. I realised this when I measure the starting SG at pitching time but was hoping it would ferment out more than 1.015. I really wanted to push the alcohol a fair bit higher than this - maybe 6.5-7%.

Also the brew tastes bitter (quite bitter) but lacks body - a bit more of a watery style like Guinness.

Can I get a bit of advice on how to boost this recipe up a bit?

My gut feeling is to use a fair bit more Light Dry Malt Extract - maybe 750g? I am also thinking about adding a little lactose to cut back on the bitterness but I am new to all of this so don't really know if this will achieve the style i'm after. I'd like to keep it simple - the kit plus whatever I need to add.

Cheers.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I'm personally not a huge fa of Coopers

Why....?....What dont you like about them, the beers..the kits...?

 

[Matt Browne]

Hey here's a Coopers stout brew I've made many times that has always gone down well!!
Hope it helps!!

1 Tin Coopers Stout
1kg Dark Dried Malt
100g Roasted Wheat
200g Rolled Oats
100g Chocolate
100g Crystal
2 handfuls of Rice Hulls
S04 yeast.

 

[Mark77]

I'm personally not a huge fa of Coopers

Why....?....What dont you like about them, the beers..the kits...?

Yeah a bit of a broad statement sorry. I mean the original commercial beers - I don't really like the Pale Ale or Sparkling Ale. I forgot about the Vintage - I do like that but I think the alcohol flavour is too prominent for the style. I haven't tried the newer Thomas Coopers kits so can't comment on them yet.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I don't really like the Pale Ale or Sparkling Ale. I fo

Guessing your more a VB man......

 

[maaark]

Have a go at Cooper's own clone recipe if you want something close to their Best Extra Stout:

1.7kg Coopers Stout
1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Liquid Malt Extract
500g Coopers Dextrose (or table sugar)
Acitve Coopers commercial yeast culture plus brew can yeast
20 litre brew

Approx 6.8% ABV.

You can read how to reculture Cooper's commercial yeast here -> http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/faqs/faqs/?fw4=fi5

 

[Mark77]

Guessing your more a VB man......

VB would have to be the worst commercial beer I have ever tasted...

 

[Mark77]

Have a go at Cooper's own clone recipe if you want something close to their Best Extra Stout:

1.7kg Coopers Stout
1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Liquid Malt Extract
500g Coopers Dextrose (or table sugar)
Acitve Coopers commercial yeast culture plus brew can yeast
20 litre brew

Approx 6.8% ABV.

You can read how to reculture Cooper's commercial yeast here -> http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/faqs/faqs/?fw4=fi5

Thanks. This is exactly what i'm after. Cheers,

 

[stewy]

If you want to enhance the mouthfeel to make it seem thicker, I would add 200-250 grams of Carapils (can be steeped). Works great to add body to extract stouts & porters

 

[Feldon]

Here's a recipe I copied as an image from the Coopers forum back in 2009.

The poster PB-2 (Peter) works for Coopers and knows his stuff.

Its a 'toucan' recipe (two Coopers kit cans).

Makes an outstanding stout for such an easy brew.

This brew can be volcanic. So pay particular attention to the last comment about making it up to 18 litres to begin with, then adding water up to 23 litres after the foam has subsided.

 

[Joel Mcleod]

Try a longer fermentation. 8 days seems pretty short.

 

[Mark77]

Here's a recipe I copied as an image from the Coopers forum back in 2009.

The poster PB-2 (Peter) works for Coopers and knows his stuff.

Its a 'toucan' recipe (two Coopers kit cans).

Makes an outstanding stout for such an easy brew.

This brew can be volcanic. So pay particular attention to the last comment about making it up to 18 litres to begin with, then adding water up to 23 litres after the foam has subsided.

Coopers stout recipe 1.png

Coopers stout recipe 2.png

Thanks mate. I'll give this one a try.

 

[Mark77]

Try a longer fermentation. 8 days seems pretty short.

Unfortunately I don't have temp control yet. I live in a small apartment. One day.. But coming into winter will hopefully slow things down a little.

 

[griffo17]

I too have made this brew quite a few times and it's very very close to their stout. I'm actually going to put one down on the weekend because it's so tasty and I also love a good winter stout.
It can foam up through the airlock a bit initially so you can follow the instructions on the Coops website about adding the final couple of litres of water later.
If you make it as per their recipe, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers & beers,
Griffo

Have a go at Cooper's own clone recipe if you want something close to their Best Extra Stout:

1.7kg Coopers Stout
1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Liquid Malt Extract
500g Coopers Dextrose (or table sugar)
Acitve Coopers commercial yeast culture plus brew can yeast
20 litre brew

Approx 6.8% ABV.
You can read how to reculture Cooper's commercial yeast here -> http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/faqs/faqs/?fw4=fi5