1st Coopers Dark Ale Kit-Success

[DrunkCanuck73]

Just tested my 1st batch, and it happened to be a Coopers Dark Ale. I had enough beer to fill 30(750ml)bottles and almost enough to fill a 335ml Dos Equis XX bottle. This was bottled on Jan.11th and brewed on Jan.3rd. I used the kit, and added 1.3kg Muntons Brewers Syrup, 1.1lb of dark DME, and pitched the dry yeast on top at a temp of 21*c. It fermented like crazy. OG was 1.046, FG 1.010. I used Coopers carb tabs to prime.

It smelled so good bottling it, so curiosity got the best of me and I tried the not quite full bottle in the Dos Equis bottle. It was nicely carbed, but let me tell ya, wow, tasted like crap. Horrible medicine after taste. I was freaking out to say the least. After some research I discovered there was still hope for this batch, that the not full bottle probably oxidized. Curiosity got the better of me an hour later, so I chilled one of the full bottles, opened and it smelled great, nicely carbed, good pour. Bam, I did it. I just made delicious, and I mean delicious, homebrew. So happy about not having to dump this. I know from everyone on here, that it will only get better with age.

Lessoned learned about not filling bottles! Now I know what oxidized beer taste like. Second batch is the Coopers Lager that came with my kit. Has been in the primary since Jan.8th. In no hurry to bottle this batch, know that I have more knowledge, thanks to this site. Cheers.

 

[unionrdr]

Sounds like you turned the dark ale into a stout. When I brewed it,I added 3lbs of plain amber DME,& 2oz of English style hops. It came out tasting like a dark cream ale. Had a ruby glint to from the light too. Glad to hear you made somethin good out of it too! I used the recipe I described to make my whiskely ale.

 

[DrunkCanuck73]

Had a couple friends over last night, and they really enjoyed it. Said they are going to buy me another kit. I know the A B V is good, because I just called in sick.

 

[DrunkCanuck73]

definitely better with age.The carbonation is actually in the beer now if that makes any sense. Nice head on the one I'm drinking now. I can see me making this again.

Maybe I will try 3 lbs of light DME next time. It looks like a Stout, but not a thick mouth feel like one.

 

[unionrdr]

I tend to think the amber DME is better. Light might not add enough. Or maybe,as I was thinking,keep the 3lbs of plain amber DME & add 1lb of plain dark.

 

[DrunkCanuck73]

just thinking out loud here, as I am pretty much a newbie to the whole brewing seen, but would 3lbs of DME be too malty,like unbalanced,no hop taste? Not really a hop head, but I do like to taste a little hop.

Was at the LHBS today, and they had no Coopers Dark Ale left, so I bought a Morgans Canadian Pilsner instead. Any suggestions to kick it up a notch "unionrdr"? I was thinking of adding 2.2 lbs of Muntons brew enhancer(its DME & maltodextrin i think) plus 1lbs of light DME as my fermentables. Any thoughts?