wilko's or Coopers Stout kit ???

[Personal91]

Afternoon all, been a while since iv been on and was wondering if I should get the stout kit from coopers or wilko

I plan to make it a coffee or chocolate stout ( possibly both if someone recommends it)

I have a coffee bean grinder and fancy coffee express machine as well as filter coffee thing and want to make the most of it

Any advice appreciated as in wilko right now and can walk away with wilkos own stout kit but can get the coopers 2moz or cycle to another store to get it if needs

Thanks in advance gents

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Both get very good reviews on this forum.
I've used the Cooper's kit to make a milk stout and it is a very nice pint.

 

[Personal91]

Hi!
Both get very good reviews on this forum.
I've used the Cooper's kit to make a milk stout and it is a very nice pint.

For the difference of a couple quid should I wait till tomorrow to get the coopers though ?

How did you make your stout a milk stout btw ?

 

[terrym]

More malt in Coopers, 1.7 vs 1.5 kg.
I have done both Coopers kits, and for me the Irish just edges it although there ain't much in it.
I use kit can and yeast, 500g dark DME, 500g golden syrup, 100g dark muscavado sugar, 4 measures of strong espresso coffee, and brew to 19 litres. There is a hint of coffee and chocolate, but it doesn't overwhelm. The muscavado contributes but again doesn't overwhelm. Very fruity one week on from packaging in the PB, but loses this and mellows after about 4 weeks on.
These kits must come in the top ten for kits, certainly for one cans.
I had a bottled stout from a small brewery over the weekend and did a comparison and preferred mine. :thumb:

 

[LarryF]

I've done the Coopers and Simply Stout kits and really liked them. At the moment I'm drinking my way through a Wilko kit and I really should have listened to the reviews it leaves a lot to be desired. Being a Smartar** I thought I could pimp it up but it falls a long way short of the Coopers or Simply Stouts.

 

[Bigcol49]

How did you make your stout a milk stout btw ?

Hi!
Add about 300g lactose when making the kit up. It's not fermentable so makes a sweeter stout.
I should add that, like @terrym I brewed short (20 litres in my case) to get morer body to the beer.

 

[Sandimas]

Just to echo what everyone else has said, Coopers Stout. I've moved from kits to extract to AG in my 6-year brewing career but I'm still making Coopers Stout, did one the other day.

I divided my last batch into two and added 150g lactose to the 2nd to make a milk stout. I always brew short, 18-20L.

 

[kakistos_uk]

I've done coopers and they are pretty great. I added 1kg of demerara sugar and 1kg of brewing sugar. I also added chocolate malt for extra body and it was pretty great.

I bottled 30 pints and then added half a gallon of home made mead to the rest and made braggot. That was best of the all but I'll add less next time - its pretty lethal, about 7.3ABV.

Good luck!