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Gout

Bentleigh Brau Haus
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Ferntree Gully - Melbourne
Ok guys, i have 4 empty kegs, and not much time for a AG for a week or so. (while i rebuild the system)

I have some liquid malt and kits though that i should use...

Coopers classic old dark ale
Coopers Nut brown ale
Coopers Draugh
Beermakers dutch Lager

also light / amber / dark LME

and almost eaver steeped grain (dont want to mini mash - cant be bothered)

have some lager and ale Wyeast but might even go a kit yeast it its ok?


ideas of Kit + steeped grains? etc

Ben
 
Topic title changed. :lol:

Doc
 
Not much help, but I thought I should let you know that I once did a double can kit brew of the Old Dark. I added some cara aroma and some chocolate malt, as well as some Fuggles. Used the packet yeast and it turned out to be probably the worst beer I have made in 2 years. I can't pay anyone to drink it.

- Snow
 
well Mr snow.... i wont be making that then hahaha :)

I have been told its a great kit and makes a very good "Old dark"

I'll give it a rip and see what its like
 
Now nut brown is a nice style

try steeping 500g crystal (for a twist, crystal wheat or rye) and about 35g choc malt

15g fuggles boiled 15 mins


Jovial Monk
 
Quite frankly, why buy expensive kits?

Buy a 28K bucket of Coopers light liquid extract for $85, $3.04/K

Leaves plenty of room for specialty grains, hops and good yeast. Use a 20L plastic bucket fitted with a honeygate.

Cheaper, better beer. OK, have to do one hour boils as the extract is not hopped, but $$$ cheaper!


Jovial Monk
 
fuggles...............my old nemesis <_<
 
JM I have these as left overs, plus if i am doing a full boil i'd do a mash, but with time tight, and the boiler not ready i will use a kit. They are sitting on the shelf and i want to use them up.

Fuggles..... YUCK!!!!!!!
 
In fact i think i'll make a Toohey's Old copy, the only recipy i have is:

Coopers Old
500g Dark Malt Extract
500g Dextrose


sound very crap and boring to me. So i might use London ale Liquid yeast, add some goldings? (can't use fuggles yuck.... maybe only a tiny bit)

what grains should be steeped in a recipy like this... i dont want to make it to think as OLD is not thick, this is mainly brewed for a mate that likes it and only has a beer now and then.

maybe some choc mmm how much with out it being overpowering...

now to bring the Alc up to say 4.5% should i add dry malt light 500g? + ...200g crystal (what style?) + choc (steeped and how much?)

thanks
I'f i run out of time i might use the crapy kit yeast as the stonger flavour in a dark beer should still taste good.(if i can get away with it i cant be bothered steping up a starter for it..maybe)
 
What is a honey gate
Do you buy the coopers LME from a homebrew shop.
 
Tooheys Old Recipee

Coopers Old
500g Dark Malt Extract
500g Dextrose
Add the following
Steep 250gm Xtal, 150 choc, 50 Roast barley for 3 hours overnight in 10ltrs of cold water.

To the saucepan/kettle add:
200 Dark Brown Sugar
200 Lactose 35 gms POR - FWH
500g Dark Malt Extract
500g Dextrose
and the steeped water minus the grains. Boil for 40mins.
20mins in add 25 gms of Nth Brewer/EKG for last 20 mins.

Use Windsor ale or liquid london ale/1028.
Rack after 10 days and dry hop with 50gms of cascade for 2-4 weeks.
Cold condition in the secondary if possible.

Enjoy....
 
ahhh the kit master... now my ownly worry is cascade dry hopped? you will really taste/aroma with this and i have never thought of them being in a OLD???

Is this a ken special, or will it turn out similar to the bottled item?

i'll get the london ale out tonight i guess, brew monday maybe

will the 50 roasted barly make it a bit sour / stout like - burnt flavour.
(not saying i dont like it, just want to get as close as i can)

what xtal would you use in the 250g addition
and does that amount of lactose make it sweet? is old sweet?


sorry about all the questions :)
 
It is a ken special - there is alot of history behind this - even to the extent that some judges thought it was Tooheys Old - long story.

It is more in line with the Hunter Old.

My preferance is Winsdor Ale Yeast.
I find Tooheys Old too bitter/burnt on the after taste.
Hence only 50 of roast - enough to give a pesence but not overwhelmingly so.
Lactose is for balance - so that the beer is not too harsh.
Xtal is usually Bairds xtal - cara wheat is good too.

Also, as you are using the Coopers Dark - it is more roasty/bitter than my normal Beermakers Old - ie not quite as mellow.

Same as the coopers stout is closer to Irish stout than Morgans Dockside stout that is my preferred mellow stout.

Hope this helps - let me know how it goes....
 
what strength (colour) is it you used dark or light? (xtal)

and you would still say add the 50g dry hop cascade? (bit worried here)

i thought it would have been a all POR beer being boring aussie beer
I dont have windsor so its kit coopers or london :)
 
As to cascade in dark ales, I have fiddled with a bit of cascade late addition in a stout. Just barely taste it and it's good, if not strictly true to style.

There was a post on grumpys recently about cascade in a commercial old dark ale, (Lawrence Victor Old Ale) just a trace of cascade flavours and supposedly a good drop.

So I have fiddled further and first wort hopped 15g of centennial (like a 9.1% version of cascade) in an American brown ale flavoured with willamette. Still in secondary but gravity samples are very interesting. Maybe not true to style, but definitely no clash of flavours between willamette and centennial.
 
i think i will go very light on with the cascade its a strong bugger, some likr it (me) some dont. And old in the bottle aint very tasty or hoppy.

I'll try it and let you know the results
mmm beer
 
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