In praise of Coopers Stout

[Jovial Monk]

Have much to thank it for.

The hilarious billboard ad, a shining spherical brass object embedded in a snowy hillside "Brass monkey weather. . ."

In the 80's, when they were still at Leabrook, still using the wooden fermenters the Coopers Stout (or Extra Stout) was a fantastic beer: huge malty edge, lovely licorice notes from the dark malts, now it is a pale, errrr not a good word, a ghost of its former self: no malty edge, no licorice flavor (WTF are they using in place of black patent malt anyway, lightly toasted white fucking bread?) and a watery mishmash as a memory of what it used to be.

So, get your fermenter ready--those who have no fermenter can pretend to ferment--and:

1. cold steep 500g black patent malt

2. mash or use extract to get about 1080 starting gravity

3. add Pride of Ridewood hops by the double handful in a good strong boil


If you can't handle that drink the crap sold as Coopers "Minus" Stout sold these days.

[JWFrogen]

I prefer Coopers Stout to Guiness.

If this is a bad batch they make these days I would have loved the old stuff.

[Jovial Monk]

You would have old son, you would have.

[slimD]

Home brew coopers stout, with dark dextrose and a 500g bag of chocolate wheat thrown in makes a tasty drop.

[Jovial Monk]

2 Cans Coopers Lager kit, 1.Kg Coopers dark liquid malt extract, 400g dark brown sugar, 250g black patent malt cold-steeped, packet Nottingham Ale yeast--now you are talking!