Recipe ideas for Coopers Dark Ale

[stevonz]

Hi, I scored some Coopers Dark Ale on the cheap. I normally brew from fresh wort kits, but as the price was nice and cheap I thought I'd give this a crack for a cheap drop.

I got 4 cans of the stuff. From my reading here on AHB, a decent kit brew is enahanced by using LME/ DME when brewing. I've also head that another option is to use 2 x cans of extract and water only - thoughts?

I typically like Ales (Pale, American, Summer) and have also done an Irish Stout and Pilsners, and ginger beers.

Any recipe ideas to turn this Coopers Dark Ale into a decent drop?

 

[damoninja]

I'd do a dark ale.

 

[stevonz]

I'd do a dark ale.

Just per instructions or 2 x cans ... I din't mind Dark Ales - just looking for a good result using an extract

 

[damoninja]

Seriously though

I wouldn't do the 2 can thing, I've done it before and it's not my preferred approach, quite a harsh with all that bitterness and sorts and didn't really amplify chocolatiness that people say. That's my view though.

20L, enough DME to make it 6% abv, **** loads of late hops, US05 call it a black IPA.

If you want to do something on the less hoppy side I'd opt for about 5% again all malt but throw in 200g medium crystal and some east kent goldings, could get away with the kit yeast but I'd opt for S04 it's great in darks.

 

[Gigantorus]

Have a go at the Cooper "Ol Brown Dog" recipe. An American Brown Ale. It takes 1 x can Dark Ale and 1 x can Amber ale, 500grams of LDME and some American hops. I've also added to this a good steeping of grains - up to 1.2kg of grains too. Those like shepherds delight, choc rye, a little Belgium special B, etc.

Attached is the recipe I did last time, which was fantastic.

Cheers,

Pete

View attachment Gs Spicy Grizz Ale 2016.pdf

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I liked it like this when I did extract brews.
20lt brew
1 can coopers dark ale
500g LME - 10min
500g Dextrose - 10min
90g Fresh grated Ginger - 5min
4g Whole Cloves - 2min
1/4 Ghost Pepper - 2min
Rind of 1 lemon - 2min (oops, Actually rind of 2 oranges for the dark ale is better)

The kit yeast in the gold pack was a good yeast back then. A small starter helps too.

 

[stevonz]

awesome responses. Cheers!

 

[shacked]

I'd keep it simple and do an american brown:

1x dark ale
1kg to 1.5kg of Light DME

Adjust to your desired strength.

Some cascade or amarillo dry - maybe 20g or so. US05.

You could do an english version with some dry east kent or styrian goldings hops with S04 or Nottingham yeast.

Steep a little medium crystal - 200g if you are feeling adventurous.

 

[djsmi4]

I did a straightforward Coopers Dark Ale + 1kg BE2, no hops or other additions. It was ok, your typical "Coopers taste" given the quantity of dex in the BE2 & the standard yeast.

I think you're on the money with using a kilo of LME/DME with a can of Dark Ale. Maybe start with that as a benchmark & then become more adventurous from there with the other 3 tins?

 

[Gigantorus]

I've found that Choc Rye really works a treat with the American Brown Ale style. Will be bottling my latest version this weekend, which has 700grams Choc Rye, 400grams Caramel Rye, 300grams Shepherds delight & 100grams Belgium Special B in a steep. It all adds nice body and flavor.

Cheers, Pete

 

[Wolfman1]

Second the Ol brown dog recipe.
It's a cracker and can cope with heaps of different hops combos and weights. It's been my favourite brew and I'm on at least the 5th edition now.
I'll be trying to do an AG version in a few brews time
I've always used more hops and normally done it with us05

 

[ChefKing]

Just put this down today...

Kinda my version of the cooper's "ol brown dog"

Recipe:
1 x Coopers dark ale kit
1kg of BE3
500gms LDME
200gm Dark brown sugar
200gm Carapils spec grain
200gm Toffee malt
200gm Medium crystal spec grain
50gm Cascade hops
20gm Mosiac hops
US-05 yeast (re-hydrated)
Fermented at 18c for 2 weeks, cold crashed, and kegged with finings...
IBU: 34.8
ABV: 5.3%

 

[stevonz]

Fermented at 18c for 2 weeks, cold crashed, and kegged with finings...

You put finings into the keg or when cold-crashing? I would've thought most of the particles would drop out of suspension when cold-crashing (that's all I typically do).

 

[ChefKing]

You put finings into the keg or when cold-crashing? I would've thought most of the particles would drop out of suspension when cold-crashing (that's all I typically do).

I re-hydrate the finings and add to the keg... Always has worked a treat for me!

 

[stevonz]

sooo... finally got through the kegs in my fridge so I could use the fridge as temp control for fermenting (too warm in Brisbane).

I kept it simple:

Recipe:
1 x Coopers dark ale kit
1.5 KG Liquid Malt Extract
US-05 yeast

I don't bother with OG/ FG anymore, just leave for 2 weeks and then crash chill, keg/ bottle.
I had it fermenting beside an AG American Pale Ale I made up a few weeks back in a no chill cube.

Surprisingly, it was a nice drop with a good head, colour and clarity were there too. First kit I have done in ~25 years, having been using mainly FWK's and the odd AG. I give all my beers a name and since I scored 4 of these kits for $20, I called it the 5iver.

The APA was good too.

I'll try some more adventurous recipes on the next brew. Thanks again.

 

[pablo_h]

Wish I could find some that cheap. It's my favourite kit for winter (prefer it over the stout)
Roughy, and going from memory:
Porter:
1kg LDME
200g crystal
200g choc malt
15-20g fuggles or EKG at "flameout"

Strong ale:
1kg LDME
200g dark crystal
100g black patent malt
100g choc
200g treacle or mollassas
no hops

Choc Stout
1KG DDME
200g choc
50g black patent
200g roast barley
no hops

E: All with windsor, s04 or kit yeast, or nottingham for the stout, (or whatever takes your fancy if you have better liquid yeasts)

 

[peterlonz]

Where can I find the Old Brown Dog Recipe

 

[Lix]

on the coopers web site https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/ol-brown-dog.html

 

[stevonz]

Haha this old thread. Just put the Porter version in the fermenter

 

[peterlonz]

Hate to reveal my ignorance, but what exactly is DDME?
And where is the rest of the fermentable material in the choc stout "recipe"?