Wilko's Dark Velvet Stout

[Lager Tank]

I put one of these on back in August with 1kg of BKE and a 454g tin of T&L black treacle.
It's been in pint bottles for 5 weeks now and whilst being an enjoyable drink the treacle flavour is a bit overpowering. It may mellow with time I suppose?
If you're considering adding treacle to one of these kits I'd recommend no more than half a tin, otherwise you might end up tasting nothing but the treacle.

I've got another one to put on soon (legacy of the great Wilko sale) and fancy adding a packet of cocoa. Any recommendations as to the quantity I should use? I'd like some choccy flavour but without overpowering the beer.

Cheers.

Lager Tank

 

[Grotzilla]

I just took a gravity reading, its not quite ready yet but I decided to drink from the sample jar.

OH MY!!! What a beer! I was so surprised with the recent failure of my wilko cerveza I wasn't expecting much of this brew. How wrong could I be..... I can't wait till Christmas for the 1st bottle!

For anyone wondering I brewed short to 21L users 500g of DME and 750g of muscavado sugar.

 

[Bubblehead08]

I started this one on Friday night.

I brewed short to 21L, adding 1kg DME and 500g Demerera sugar. I also made a cafetiere of strong coffee, using cold water and added 1.5cups of it to the FV. Considering that my last brew fermented out as expected without even making the airlock bubble once - this one blew the water out of it on day 2.

I'm just hoping I haven't put too much coffee in.

 

[Bluezephyr]

Bought one of these today with a kilo of brewing sugar for £10!

Will be a week or so until I start it, anybody tried dry hopping it?

 

[Bubblehead08]

I started this one on Friday night.

I brewed short to 21L, adding 1kg DME and 500g Demerera sugar. I also made a cafetiere of strong coffee, using cold water and added 1.5cups of it to the FV. Considering that my last brew fermented out as expected without even making the airlock bubble once - this one blew the water out of it on day 2.

I'm just hoping I haven't put too much coffee in.

Well this had well over two weeks in the FV and has now had about ten days in the bottle - it's absolutely lovely. It's not holding it's head very well as its not had long in the bottle bu taste wise, I'm very impressed and will be making this one again.

 

[jeg3]

Put a brew of this on last night with 500g dark muscavado sugar, a tin of black treacle and 400g of medium spray malt. Left to cool and pitched the yeast at 22 degC. OG reading was a bit low given the amount of fermentable stuff I put in - 1.040, so I figure some of it did not dissolve properly.

Anyways, it's gone off like a bat out of hell today, very aggressive. It's about 20 degrees ATM, I plan to get it down to about 1.010, then secondary ferment before bottling.

 

[gl0ckage]

These have gone up to 12 now.

 

[Dusty]

I've done two of these,and one in stock which I got while they were on sale but as you say they're 12 quid now and by the time you add dme and other bits and pieces is it worth it? maybe it's time to try a two can stout kit,what do you think/ :

 

[Antony]

anybody tried dry hopping it?

Yes, Dont do it. I think it will be drinkable, however it might be a year or two, burnt black treacle taste, and hoppiness do not go together at all....

 

[MattN]

If you like it the way that you have done it (as I do) why feel the need to mess about with it? :nah:

 

[jeg3]

So after four days it's down to 1.010. Will probably leave it another week then bottle.

Tasted the trial jar last night and it is already very nice. Can't wait until it's had a few weeks conditioning

 

[beechwood]

barrelled this one up today, the sample tasted real nice. brew it slightly short to 22lts with 1.5kg of brewing sugar
set the heater to 24c and left for 7 days. OG was 1044 and FG came out at 1002 so makes it about 5.6%
will leave it for about 3 weeks before sampling.

 

[lloyd]

Just brought one of these kits today there on sale at £8! what I want to do is make a double chocolate stout. been looking on forum but cant find much info. can anyone tell me the best way to add the chocolate? should I add chocolate, coco powder or chocolate malt? or can I buy a chocolate extract? and when to add the chocolate? any ideas!!

 

[beechwood]

I would think coco powder would be your best bet, I don't know how much to add though as I've never tried.
I would imagine that if you add too much coco powder it could give it an added bitterness.

 

[devexwarrior]

Just put mine on now - Got an OG reading of 1033 (after correction) which seems a little low. The pitching temp was probably nearer 23(base on STC external probe temp-colnd't be bothered to tramp to the garage for my thermometer) than 20 as I'd and the water warming in the brew fridge but had forgotten to allow for the extra heat of the boiling water for the mix. I'll see what the FG is like and if I get near the expected 4% (brewed short to20L)

As long as it tastes ok I don't mind.

 

[devexwarrior]

I switched mine from warm to cold conditioning today so cracked a bottle to see what it was like. Good head (batch primed with 100g) and no sediment (fined and crash cooled). During fermentation there ha been a slight burnt twang (I get it with Speckled Hen which is why I don't drink it much) but that has gone. Not as sharp as the Coopers I have in the barrel -sweeter with hint of chocolate and vanilla (how pretentious does that sound?). I'll leave it for another couple of weeks but I think this will turn out very well.

 

[devexwarrior]

I have to admit that I probably won't be doing this one again. There is nothing wrong with it but there is a taste that reminds me of the reason I don't drink Speckled Hen very often. There is a slight burnt tang to it which I don't particularly get on with. I'll spent an extra couple of quid and get a Coopers kit.

 

[Berk]

I've just taken my first gravity reading of this kit. This is my first home brew for a few years, and this time I've taken care to get things right (I even actually sterilised the turkey baster, I think last time I brewed I just stuck the unsterilised hydrometer straight in the FV).

The current gravity is 1.008, so I'm thinking it's there but will check again in 3 days. I, of course, had to drink the beer in the trial jar, and found it was quite pleasant. It was quite light on the tongue, and a bit sweeter than I expected from a stout, but these are early days yet. So far I'm pleased with my efforts.

 

[Slid]

I've done two of these,and one in stock which I got while they were on sale but as you say they're 12 quid now and by the time you add dme and other bits and pieces is it worth it? maybe it's time to try a two can stout kit,what do you think/ :

They've been on sale now for a while at £7.50, so I decided to brew to 6 galls (27L) with 2 cans and a kilo of sugar.

Put both yeast sachets in and it has krausened up in less than 24 hrs. 21 C in the airing cupboard is about the coolest stable temp in the house.

I am fond of the Coopers kit, and have always liked stout with cider, so here goes...

 

[stout les]

I think this will be my next one to do.
Wilko Dark Velvet Stout.
1Kg BKE.
300gms soft dark brown sugar.
2 espresso cofees.
Brewed short 20 ltrs.

does anyone think the cofees would be ok or would 2 cups be to much & would it effect the head at all.:hat: