Looking To Make A Different Dark Ale

[Brownie]

Hey all,

I am looking at doing another Dark Ale, but with a difference, not something way out there, but not your standard Dark Ale, and not a Stout either.

Currently have the following ingredients:

1 x Can Coopers Dark Ale
Safale S-04 Yeast
1Kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
Dark Brown Sugar
300g LDME
Tea Bag Fuggles Hops
Tea Bag Goldings Hops.

Not limited to these ingredients, but due to time constraints and such like was going to explore using any grains this time around.

Whilst the above ingredients would make an OK Dark Ale, and I have made a few before and the last was a good one IMHO (http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4205&highlight=dark+ale)

So any thoughts about other ingredients to add or styles to clone with at least the above ingredients, something Belgiumy or German or whatever.

Look forward to any ideas.

Cheers

Brownie

 

[simpletotoro]

hi
i made this one up a while back came out pretty good...could have done with some wheat malt say 1/2kg in place of instead of dextrose and some of the LDM...ended up more black in colour then brown though...have used goldings before but prefer willamette for flavour to it ...probably not to style but tastes ok...i did one similar with orange and corriander as well and it came out ok-ish but probably wouldn't do it again...

1*1.7 kg tin brown ale
1 kg ldm
200 g dextrose

grains

220 g crystal malt [steeped for 1/2 hour at 70-80/c then boiled]
30 g chocolate malt [steeped for 1/2 hour at 70-80/c then boiled]

10 g fuggles @ 10 mins
10 g willamette @ 10 mins

8 g fuggles @ 2-3 mins
6 g willamette @ 2-3 mins
yeast us-56

cheers simpletotoro

 

[Fatgodzilla]

['Brownie' date='Dec 28 2007, 06:36 PM' post='272676']

I am looking at doing another Dark Ale, but with a difference, not something way out there, but not your standard Dark Ale, and not a Stout either.


Whilst the above ingredients would make an OK Dark Ale, and I have made a few before and the last was a good one IMHO (http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4205&highlight=dark+ale)

So any thoughts about other ingredients to add or styles to clone with at least the above ingredients, something Belgiumy or German or whatever.

Will depend on how much "maltiness" or "burnt maltiness" you want. Being a Canberra boy you have no doubt tasted Tooheys Old. Use thata s a base - where do you want to take that flavour ? More malt ? less malt ? sweeter, increased bitterness ? Are you looking more for a porter ? or a german swartbier ?

 

[Brownie]

mmmmm Tooheys Old.......yummmmm, yeh I like Old, and have made one similar IMHO.....looking for something different, the last Dark I made was Maltier than an Old and it was good.

I have made various clone attempts, Hoegardden, Chimay (Bavarian), Yorkshire Bitter, etc etc.

Simpletotoro, Hmmm maybe some wheat might be good, will think about that one.

Anyone have any other suggestion for additions?

Brownie

 

[Fatgodzilla]

mmmmm Tooheys Old.......yummmmm, yeh I like Old, and have made one similar IMHO.....looking for something different, the last Dark I made was Maltier than an Old and it was good.

I have made various clone attempts, Hoegardden, Chimay (Bavarian), Yorkshire Bitter, etc etc.

Simpletotoro, Hmmm maybe some wheat might be good, will think about that one.

Anyone have any other suggestion for additions?

Brownie

If looking at K & K only, Morgans 1kg Chocolate malt (unhopped) may be a good investment. Other varieties also might be worth following. Use sparingly - say one quarter in first batch - look at colour, see if you like. Taste wort to see if "burnt flavour suits you. This stuff can be put in freezer until you want to use again. Do / can you mini mash grains or steep grains ? This will help people advise on potential additives assuming you use the can of extract as your base.

 

[Bongchitis]

Hey Brownie,

I've just made a Dark ale with 300g steeped crystal and 300g Golden Syrup (on top of a dark ale kit and another can of unhopped goo). It was nice but too sweet/syrupy even for me.

I know you said you don't want to use grains so stuff like Golden syrup (be using 150g/23L next time) and Molasses works a treat in a dark ale and you just tip them into the fermenter and dissolve as you do the rest of the goo.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

Cheers..........Bongchitis

 

[capretta]

i would probably agree with previous posters that adding crystal would be the simplest and most effective way of boosting the flavour of a dark ale in a positive way. B)

 

[Brownie]

Will/maybe make the following, thoughts?

1 x Can Coopers Dark Ale
Safale S-04 Yeast
1Kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
Dark Brown Sugar (unsure if good for this style?)
500g Dry Wheat Malt
Tea Bag Fuggles Hops
Tea Bag Goldings Hops.

Brownie

 

[KHB]

Will/maybe make the following, thoughts?

1 x Can Coopers Dark Ale
Safale S-04 Yeast
1Kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
Dark Brown Sugar (unsure if good for this style?)
500g Dry Wheat Malt
Tea Bag Fuggles Hops
Tea Bag Goldings Hops.

Brownie

I did a dark ale a while ago came out great

coopers dark ale can
1/2 kg dark malt
1/2 kg dex

had a really nice molasses aftertaste to it next time im gonna swap the dex for ldme and use a better yeast

 

[65bellett]

Replace the Fuggles tea bag with Pride of Ringwood. Last year I made up a kits and bits Porter with a generous dose of P.O.R and it was very yummy.

 

[Katherine]

Add two tablespoons of cinnamon... YUM

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Add two tablespoons of cinnamon... YUM

The nett effect being ????????

where's the taste - up front on tongue or back in throat ?

 

[brettprevans]

how bout this (DK's recipe) - belgian strong

DLME 2.75kg
black grain (crushed) 300g
dark Belgian candy sugar 500g
creamed honey 350g
bittering hops hallertau 50g @ 40
bittering hops goldings 25g @ 40
WLP500
final volume 20litres

Add all ingredients to 7L water and boil for 40 min then strain and adjust to 20 litres with cold water.

If you still dont want to use grain then I guess you could sub the grain for more dark malt extract (maybe some choc and dark)


Or

Choc Stout Mahogony
1 x coopers Stout,
1 x Cascade Choc Mahag Porter,
500g DDME,
0.25kg Choc Malt Grain
28g. EKG @ 60 min.
12g Fuggle @ 15 min.
22L
windsor or similar
OG 1.060, FG 1.022, 5.6% (6.1% after bottling)


or shake it up and
1 x mahogony porter
0.4kg DDME
0.5kg morgans masterblend dark crystal LME (or similar)
0.3kg Choc Malt Grain
0.150kg Roasted Barley
0.2kg Crystal
28g. EKG @ 60 min.
12g Fuggle @ 15 min.
should give OG1.043, FG 1.012, 4.6%

 

[brettprevans]

if you run with your recipe, sub the dark brown for some muscavado for a nice change. maybe a little treacle or golden syrup.

 

[KingPython]

I was thinking about this as a dark ale (more sweetish) though still not sure about hop additions:
1 x Coopers Dark Ale
1kg x LDME
200g Medium Crystal (or something similar) malt [steeped for 1/2 hour at 70-80/c then boiled]
20g Fuggles @ 30
10g Fuggles @ 5

Would this be too sweet? Thanks.

 

[Adamt]

Looks good. Definitely won't be too sweet. Don't spoil it by using dodgy yeast, get some good quality dry yeast (US-05 or god forbid, Nottingham!) and keep it at 18-20C.

 

[KingPython]

Thanks for the info.

 

[drsmurto]

FWIW this dark ale was a huge hit with mates and actually got at least one of them into the game.

Coopers lager kit
1 kg LDME
250g light crystal
250g dark crystal
200g choc malt
50g black patent malt
15 g POR @ 30 mins
20 g Fuggles @ 15 mins
20 g Fuggles @ flameout
Safale S-04

I would make this to 20L, its not a strong dark ale, prob around the 4-4.5% mark.

 

[KingPython]

I probably should steep some chocolate malt as well. Is there a particular brand that will give me more of a chocolate flavour than a burnt or coffee flavour (according to craftbrewer Joe White would seem to be the go)?

 

[Adamt]

Bairds pale chocolate is less roasty than other chocolate malts... it can be tricky to get a hold of though. You're not going to get a chocolate milk type taste, more of a cocoa flavour.