Should this make a pretty good stout?

Lounge Lizard · 11-29-2005, 07:43 PM

Right now I'm not set up for AG, and this is about as challenging as my equipment will allow as well. I have to use a stinking hot plate just to boil with. No way can I do a full wort boil.

2 cans Coppers Stout Beer Kit
1/2 pound Crystal malt 80L
1 lb. Coppers (or other) Light Dry malt extract
1/2 pound Black malt
1/2 pound Flaked Barley
1/2 pound Roasted Barley
1/2 ounce Northern Brewer leaf hops
1 vial White labs WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast
1 1/4 cup Light DME (priming)

Steep grains in 2 gallons of cold water until the water boils. Then remove and discard grains. Dissolve all the malt extract, stir and return wort to a boil. Add the hops and boil for 15 minutes.

Add to 3 gallons of cold water in a fermenter and drop to a temp of 65 degrees. Then pitch liquid yeast. Let ferment 4-6 days, then transfer to a secondary fermenter for an additional 10 days. Bottle and let condition at room temperature for one month.

This recipe is courtesy of Coppers in the Dec. issue of BYO.

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Comments? Any ideas for a little tweaking?

Maybe more hops or dry hopping in the secondary are in order?

Edited: to fix the priming info

**Walker** · 11-29-2005, 07:47 PM

Is the extract in your kit marked as a 'stout' extract, or is it a generic 'unflavored' extract? If it's marked as a stout extract, it might very well already contain the roasted grains. You might be over-doing it by adding more to it.

my $0.02

-walker

**Walker** · 11-29-2005, 07:49 PM

oh... but other than that issue, the recipe looks tastey!

However, 1 pound of DME for priming seems a bit too much. You want about 1.25 to 1.5 CUPS of DME to prime a batch. I don't know the density of the DME, but I imagine that 1 lb is a lot more than 1.5 cups. You might be making glass grenades with that!

I'd suggest setting the DME for priming aside and tossing the rest into the boil with the LME.

-walker

Lounge Lizard · 11-29-2005, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walker

Is the extract in your kit marked as a 'stout' extract, or is it a generic 'unflavored' extract? If it's marked as a stout extract, it might very well already contain the roasted grains. You might be over-doing it by adding more to it.

my $0.02

-walker

The recipe calls for this:

It is "stout" extract. Maybe with just having the grain in the pot 'til it hits boiling temp, would be too much. I don't know. Supposedly this recipe comes from Boston Brewery Supply, and is tailored to use Coopers products.

I might have to go without some of the exact grains anyway, if my HBS doesn't have everything.

**Walker** · 11-29-2005, 07:58 PM

well.. if the recipe came from a good source, I'd say to run with it as-is. (Though, I'd still be scared as hell throwing 16oz of DME into the batch for priming.)

good luck!

-walker

Lounge Lizard · 11-29-2005, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walker

oh... but other than that issue, the recipe looks tastey!

However, 1 pound of DME for priming seems a bit too much. You want about 1.25 to 1.5 CUPS of DME to prime a batch. I don't know the density of the DME, but I imagine that 1 lb is a lot more than 1.5 cups. You might be making glass grenades with that!

I'd suggest setting the DME for priming aside and tossing the rest into the boil with the LME.

-walker

Yikes! You may be right about that. It does sound like a lot of DME for priming. Maybe they call for so much because it isn't as fermentable as corn sugar?

**Walker** · 11-29-2005, 08:13 PM

malt extract is, as you said, partially fermentable, but even the least fermentable extracts are 65% fermentable. That would be like priming with 0.65*16oz = 10.4 oz of corn sugar! That's 2.5 times the recommended dosage (4oz is suggested.)

General rule of thumb for priming:
3/4 cup corn sugar
... OR ...
1.25 cups DME

Honestly, I'd double check and see if they maybe said "1 CUP DME" and not "1 POUND DME".

Stouts are lower in carbonation than (for example) pale ales, so 1 CUP of DME seems like it would be right for a lower carbonated stout.

-walker

**Baron von BeeGee** · 11-29-2005, 08:15 PM

You might drop byo a line. I'm a huge fan of the magazine, but like any other they do occasionally have a misprint.

Lounge Lizard · 11-29-2005, 08:19 PM

Okay... I'm convinced. Thanks!

The recipe tear-out card does say one pound. Not 1 cup. I hope BYO magazine (and Coopers) doesn't cause people to have exploding bottles all over the place... lol

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Anyone else have any comments about the recipe?

Lounge Lizard · 11-30-2005, 02:03 AM

*bumping* this back to the top for more responses.

I can't decide if I want to go with this recipe or not for my second batch tomorrow. I picked this recipe because I want to get away from all extract brewing.

Does everyone agree with Walker in thinking the extra grains could be a problem? Not that I don't think he knows what he is talking about, just curious what some of the rest of you think.

Don't make me drink another sixer of Fat Tire waiting to hear from you... lol