The old toucan

[Pints]

Hi all friends,  just want to address an already discussed topic.

I want to do the stout and dark ale toucan, without anything else added.  Will the head retention suffer without any other fermentables? Any advice welcome. Will do 23L. What abv should I expect ?

Edited October 18, 2021 by PintsAtMeLocal

[Malter White]

@PintsAtMeLocal Head retention will be excellent without any extra fermentables. You're making something similar to Russian Imperial stout. Sorry I don't know how to calculate ABV on those brewing spreadsheets that others use but I estimate you'll end up of around 6%.

[Pints]

36 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

@PintsAtMeLocal Head retention will be excellent without any extra fermentables. You're making something similar to Russian Imperial stout. Sorry I don't know how to calculate ABV on those brewing spreadsheets that others use but I estimate you'll end up of around 6%.

Brilliant thanks Muz

[Thirsty Jim]

Not quite right. 

Two 1.7kg cans of extract = 3.4kg of fermentables  If you add nothing else in 23 litres the spreadsheet says 4.8% ABV  (OG 1.046  FG 1.011)

A traditional toucan stout also contains a kilo of dextrose to get 6.1% in 23 litres. 

 

[Pints]

1 hour ago, Thirsty Jim said:

Not quite right. 

Two 1.7kg cans of extract = 3.4kg of fermentables  If you add nothing else in 23 litres the spreadsheet says 4.8% ABV  (OG 1.046  FG 1.011)

A traditional toucan stout also contains a kilo of dextrose to get 6.1% in 23 litres. 

 

Cheers Jim I don't really wana add dex maybe a wee bit of DME. Otherwise 4.8 sounds fine actually 

[Pints]

1 hour ago, Thirsty Jim said:

Not quite right. 

Two 1.7kg cans of extract = 3.4kg of fermentables  If you add nothing else in 23 litres the spreadsheet says 4.8% ABV  (OG 1.046  FG 1.011)

A traditional toucan stout also contains a kilo of dextrose to get 6.1% in 23 litres. 

 

Perhaps a small wheat or oat addition for body.  I'll chat to the guys at my local HB shop.

Just waiting for payday, coopers is pricey this side of Africa

Edited October 18, 2021 by PintsAtMeLocal

[Classic Brewing Co]

Every time I have made a Toucan with Coopers Stout/Dark Ale I have used BE3 & since swapped it for about 1.5kg LME, works like a treat, it would easily be above 6% but the flavour & head retention are awesome, it also gets better if it it's stored for a few months. I have also used Wheat LME & that was even better. 

[Thirsty Jim]

I have never made it.  I just punched the numbers into the spreadsheet and they bear our your impressions.

It doesn't matter much to the ABV what fermentables you use as much as the total weight of the fermentables you use.   Adding 1.5kg of Light Liquid Malt or Liquid Wheat Extract will give you 4.9kg of fermentables and ABV of 6.8%.  If you used 1.5kg Dry Malt instead of the liquid the ABV (7.3%) is higher because the overall water content in the fermentables is lower.

I agree that 4.8% is fine for a dry stout.  My concern would be more for the bitterness but the reports on the toucan stout seem to be universally good.  

 

[Malter White]

23 hours ago, Thirsty Jim said:

Not quite right. 

Two 1.7kg cans of extract = 3.4kg of fermentables  If you add nothing else in 23 litres the spreadsheet says 4.8% ABV  (OG 1.046  FG 1.011)

A traditional toucan stout also contains a kilo of dextrose to get 6.1% in 23 litres. 

 

Thanks Jim. Happy to be corrected as I have no idea how to use spreadsheets. I was basing my guesstimate on a 1.7kg tin and 1kg of fermentable usually getting us around 4.5% after bottling. I figured another 700g would get near 6%.

Edited October 19, 2021 by MUZZY