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What are you drinking in 2023?


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22 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Coopers Dark Ale

Made with dark malt

Not as good as my SMOTY ale

Will age it a bit longer and see if it improves.

Still very drinkable

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Is that with the full can of Dark Malt Extract?

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25 minutes ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

let me know how it goes I might have to try it

Cool, I'll try to remember. I'll post tasting notes, anyway. I reckon with a 3 week ferment starting mid July + conditioning + lagering it won't be ready for tasting until probably late September.

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7 minutes ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

temp control? why so far away no room for brewing and kegging now?

I don't have a kegerator yet so this is scheduled for hopefully the coolest ambient temperatures. I've played with a fan and wet towel and I think that'll shave off a degree or two but probably not much more than that. The long range forecast is for a warmer than average Winter.

I'm not kegging, just bottling. So there's another couple of weeks at the minimum for conditioning and then there's lagering on top of that. I guess the middle of September is when I may sneak in an early tasting.

I'll put in a porter next weekend but after that I want to keep the big fermenter free for when the 7 day forecast tells me the temperature's plummeting. If that happens early then maybe earlyish in September it'll be ready for a tasting. We'll see, I'm playing it by ear a bit.

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@Kegory just start it now it has been a cold start to winter anyway.  Even if the brew sneaks up to 15 or something its not that bad and the night time temp brings it down again.  Up to you but a few degreed here and there is nothing in the scheme of things. 

Even better get one on now and another next month when it gets colder.

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9 minutes ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

@Kegory just start it now it has been a cold start to winter anyway.  Even if the brew sneaks up to 15 or something its not that bad and the night time temp brings it down again.  Up to you but a few degreed here and there is nothing in the scheme of things. 

Even better get one on now and another next month when it gets colder.

I've got ingredients for seven different recipes on hand at the moment. The Fuku's got the coolest fermenting temperature.

After I've done the porter in the big fermenter I'll put the Bird of Prey American Lager in the small fermenter. That one's got a 15-20 degree range, IIRC, so a bit more wriggle room.

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10 hours ago, Kegory said:

I've got ingredients for seven different recipes on hand at the moment. The Fuku's got the coolest fermenting temperature.

After I've done the porter in the big fermenter I'll put the Bird of Prey American Lager in the small fermenter. That one's got a 15-20 degree range, IIRC, so a bit more wriggle room.

IDNRC (I did not recall correctly). The Bird of Prey American Lager has a fermenting temperature range of 12-15 degrees. 

Seems like a good practice run for the Fuku.

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And now for something completely different.

Would you believe a little bit different? How about two boy scouts and an Alsatian?

Missed it by that much, right? Second time I've fallen for that this week.

Seriously, though, it's a taste test challenge. This time it's Cooper's Sparkling Ale by The O'Connorwery, a.k.a. 002, vs Sparkling Ale by Coopers Brewery, a.k.a. The Ale, a.k.a. Coopers Red.

I've gotta admit I'm hoping my second brew is a bit more competitive than my first. I gained a little knowledge, earned a little experience, and made a few tweaks. I de-chlorinated my water (tried to, at least, by the overnight evaporation method), I improved my temperature regulation (2 heatbelts from the beginning, plus a cardboard box covering the FV, high tech stuff), and I let the bottles condition in my temperature controlled cave for 21 days.

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Let me just say up front Coopers Brewery wiped the floor with The O'Connorwery and then rubbed my nose in it for good measure. Red beats 002 on every measure.

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Red (poured first) has a better, longer lasting head, better, longer lasting lacing, better aroma, better taste, and finer bubbles. Red is a pale gold, 002 is too deep a gold and it's more opaque. 002 has bigger bubbles and Red has a better mouthfeel.

At top up Red streaks away. 002 waves bye bye.

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Did I mention the "twang" yet? No? Don't worry, I'll get there.

Here comes the big but. Despite all that, I'm very encouraged. I think that 002 is a better beer than 001 at the same age. There is a "twang" but it seems less prominent than 001's "twang" at the same age. Of course there's a chance I'm just getting used to it.

I might let this one sit a bit longer before doing another taste test challenge. Poor thing is competing against a much fresher Coopers Red than 001 had to compete with but it seems to taste like a better beer. It may need more time maturing, fingers crossed.

 

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7 hours ago, stquinto said:

Ashes Ale. Beautiful… it’ll bring luck for someone, but not both teams 🤣🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏

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Nice one Sainter. Did you follow the Coopers recipe? 
I can’t seem to get Brambling Cross hops, but suppose I could substitute something else in…🤔

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11 hours ago, Tone boy said:

Nice one Sainter. Did you follow the Coopers recipe? 
I can’t seem to get Brambling Cross hops, but suppose I could substitute something else in…🤔

I used Bramling Cross hops in an Oatmeal Stout.  They were great.  I enjoyed the black current notes.

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15 hours ago, Tone boy said:

Nice one Sainter. Did you follow the Coopers recipe? 
I can’t seem to get Brambling Cross hops, but suppose I could substitute something else in…🤔

Cheers mate! I followed the recipe, yes, sometimes I up the hop count by 25%, or at least round it off. Since I started kegging I do that a little less as unlike bottles they will be left in the keezer once they’re tapped.

I used the Bramling as I can get most European and UK hops here, as well as American ones. I have to “send out” for your ones 🥴

But I reckon if you go on the hop substitute site you’ll find something. I’d send the link but I’ve just had my PC sh*t the bed and I lost all my bookmarks 😩

The site with the charts and all that, I’ll find it..

Anyway, this is my first pull of a Budvar clone, my first in a stainless steel FV and in the brew fridge for the whole time. It’s only been on the gas for 24 hours but it tastes really, really good. Next time I’d up the hops a bit: Budvar is quite hoppy for a pilsner. The colour is a bit darker than the original, but so far so good 

 

 

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Friday arvo and the weekend is starting well. My COPA is extra nice after eating a delicious mandarin from my backyard.

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And this K&K Coopers Stout is sooo good. Thick and creamy bitter sweetness. These are the moments which make me keep on going on my homebrew journey

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Public holiday here, and with a vicious thirst, a preacher's weiss does the job. So very impressed with this kit and kilo. The wheat malt holds an incredible head. And it was slightly expired kit

 

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Coopers Dark Ale

Made this one with 

Dark Ale can and 1k Dark dry Malt

200g Maltodextrin 150g Roasted Barley, steeped 40 min.

I tried one at about 5 weeks, liked it but decided to leave it and see how much better it could get.

Good decision, now, almost 3 months in the bottle, it is so much smoother and just a treat to drink.

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