Add ons using Coopers Stout (Feedback please)

Hey guys, I have not done a coopers kit in a long time. I know alone they don't end up being much for a beer lover such as myself.

I am trying to figure out if adding some extras will make it come out better
here's what I got:

1.1lbs of LDME (light Dry Malt Extract)
1 box of brew enhancer 1
1 can of DME (Liquid Dark Malt Extract)
1 can of Coopers Stout.

I'd like to add some roasted cocoa nibs as well to add some chocolate flavor.

I am hoping to achieve a stout that is about 5% - 6% in abv with a nice head and mouth feel.

Hoping it will be a little thicker and have a higher abv than the usual coopers stout done with the kit.

I'm thinking of using the WPL001 California Ale yeast.

Have you ever tried the commercial Coopers Best Extra Stout? I think it's an awesome stout. Here's the recipe from the Coopers site.

Best Extra Stout (20 litres)STEP 1: Mix
Our commercial Best Extra Stout is an outstanding beer, hence the numerous awards. This recipe is an approximation to the former version of Best Extra Stout at 6.8% ABV, which was also sold as a bottled-aged product called Special Old Stout. We reckon the extra alcohol increases the longevity of the brew. It’s a great beer to cellar and taste periodically to see how it develops. To get as close as possible to style, it’s important to ferment at 21C using the commercial yeast culture. Look in our “Talk Brewing” area for a guide on growing our commercial yeast.

Ingredients
• 1.7kg can Original Series Stout
• 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract
• 500g Sugar/Dextrose

tomheff said:

Have you ever tried the commercial Coopers Best Extra Stout? I think it's an awesome stout. Here's the recipe from the Coopers site.

Ingredients
• 1.7kg can Original Series Stout
• 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract
• 500g Sugar/Dextrose

Click to expand...

This is close to what I was thinking. But the single thing that I think improves a canned stout kit, some additional roasted barley.

It seems like when using roasted malts in a partial, they're less prone to getting lost flavor wise then other malts.

Okay so I brewed it tonight, I boiled 10 oz of cocoa nibs in a op bag for 15 minutes, I added 8 oz of dark Belgian candy sugar into the boil to melt it all down. Then I added a 3.3lb can of dark malt extract and the can of coopers stout. I choose a packet of Nottingham yeast to ferment with.

OG was 1070

Should end up similar to an American stout (I hope)

I would go with half of the brew enhancer and the LDME.
Then if you are bottling add some strong (read as very strong) coffee at bottle time.
I put in 5ml per 630ml bottle and it is great!

I actually over time learned to stay away from things like brew enhancers. I use malts DME or LME to raise ABV and increase the complexity. I will even sometime do specialty grains for a 20 minute steep before using extract kits. I've learned a lot in four years.

I went from those recombinent AE brews to pb/pm biab myself. Many more possibilities with partial mash.