Coopers Stout mini mash

[mike-os]

Here's the plan....

Coopers stout
2kg mo malt
150 crystal malt
100 chocolate malt

Mash at 67c for 1h in 8l
3l sparge
1h boil
whirl floc at 15 min (nicked off the kit review)

up og to about 1.044 to 1.050 with treacle? (check at 15 min and add to boil)

how do I raise my water hardness and what ix a suitable level? My water is very soft, and understand thus will benefit from harder water

Anything I have missed or messed up?

 

[clibit]

I have very soft water. Calcium chloride is the recommended addition, I've done lots of stouts with and without, and I wouldn't bother tbh. I get great stouts with no water additions.

I would either leave the treacle out or use a small amount, myself. 100g or so. A bit of brewing sugar would up the OG, maybe 200g, without reducing the body significantly.

 

[HarrowBrewer]

I did a very similar brew with a Cooper's kit, details on this thread
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55390
I added some roasted barley as well, which I think helped.

 

[clibit]

Yes, roast barley would be a great addition. :thumb:

 

[mike-os]

Ok what would work? 100 roasted barley?

 

[clibit]

Somewhere between 100-200g depending how much dark roast flavour you want. 150g probably.

 

[mike-os]

Keep everything else the same?

 

[clibit]

Yeah it's all good.

 

[HarrowBrewer]

Maybe a little less chocolate malt. I find it a bit overpowering but that might just be me.

 

[clibit]

Maybe a little less chocolate malt. I find it a bit overpowering but that might just be me.

Actually I'm with you - but i know a lot of people like it. I like choc malt a lot, in small quantities.

 

[mike-os]

ok so

2kg mo
150 crystal malt
75g chocolate malt
100g roasted barley

50% treacle/brew sugat to raise sg to 1044-1050

 

[clibit]

That looks good to me. You don't want to over do the roast grains cos the kit already has roast grains included in the tin. Those amounts should liven up the flavours nicely. Add freshness, along with the pale malt.

 

[Smileyr8]

Have done a Coopers Stout mini mash myself, this weekend will be the forth since kegging, I have had a few and last weekend it was really good, can't wait for this weekend for another sampling.

 

[mike-os]

just hope my local has everything.... hoping to do this at the weekend

thanks for the help chaps, will let you know how it goes

 

[mike-os]

Mashing now..... smells great :-D

 

[mike-os]

It's in.... hope it goes ok...

Had to add some dme as I was a bit low on sg, but I only had 1750g base malt, so no surprise.

lessons learned

Partial mash is as much work as ag
The only reason to do extract/part mash is because you can't do a full boil
I need a wort chiller ASAP. .... having a look in the workshop to see what copper I have kicking about tomorrow, chilling just takes too long

 

[mike-os]

AS others have commented elsewhere there is a big head on this... krausen is about the same as youngs AIPA, in the region of 100-125mm... so an "normal" fv is going to leak or blow the top

The "new" style coopers FV with the krausen ring works a treat, still got another 100mm headspace, si i cant see these overflowing unless you go to abut 27-28l

 

[mike-os]

I just tried one.... really good... still a little flat, but that suits it well, very pleased with this

Should be perfect for xmas