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no, but I bought 2 bitters, one in the fermenter, and one about to be in a fermenter.

I bought some molasses a while ago, with a stout in mind, but i havent used it yet.

Looks like the perfect time.

The hbs guy told me to go easy with molasses - its very strong in flavour.

I'll let yall know how it turns out in 1 month or so...

WSC wrote:Just abpout to bottle a coopers bitter, 1kg ultrabrew (dex/corn/malt), hallertau hop bag and safale yeast.

Will let you know how it goes in 3 weeks.

Doesn't taste too bad out of the fermenter.

The bloke at the HB store screwed up his nose when I bought it but wanted to experiment anyway.

Cheers,
WSC

I just tasted this after nearly 2 weeks bottled. Not too bad and will improve as we go. It is very brown in colour and the hops with an ale are a bit strange but you get used to it. Good head for a young beer too, the glass has foam lines all the way down.
For some reason the smell reminds me of a hoegaarden clone it tried to make???

When others have made this with BE2 is it brown or amber?

My uncle has been brewing for 1000 years. He's an ex publican, only brews Cooper's bitter, and drinks 5 tallies a night at age 75.
He only uses 750gm of dextrose to keep the alc% down, but what a drinkable beverage it is.
I usually make one of these every third brew, just as my quoffing beer.

It is brown (like a black and tan) however you make it I think. In the earlier days, when it was still in the painted tins, I reckon it used to be even darker, but I think that was because it was a bit slower moving and so was often a lot older. I know it moves a lot quicker now and I have noticed that it is a bit lighter,copper coloured.

WSC wrote:

WSC wrote:Just abpout to bottle a coopers bitter, 1kg ultrabrew (dex/corn/malt), hallertau hop bag and safale yeast.

Will let you know how it goes in 3 weeks.

Doesn't taste too bad out of the fermenter.

The bloke at the HB store screwed up his nose when I bought it but wanted to experiment anyway.

Cheers,
WSC

I just tasted this after nearly 2 weeks bottled. Not too bad and will improve as we go. It is very brown in colour and the hops with an ale are a bit strange but you get used to it. Good head for a young beer too, the glass has foam lines all the way down.
For some reason the smell reminds me of a hoegaarden clone it tried to make???

When others have made this with BE2 is it brown or amber?

After another week this has only got better.

The head is amazing, full on foam to the end. The hops make for a very easy, not too bitter beer.

Given the creamy head I'm think of using as a base for my search to make a decent guiness clone, goes like this:
Cooper Bitters Can
1kg Ultra brew (500g LDME, 250 corn syrup, 250 dex)
1kg Dark Malt extract
Maybe some chocolate grain
Liquorice extract 10ml
saf ale yeast
Make up to 18L

Comments?
Cheers

That sounds like a beauty WSC.

Let us know how it gets on if you go ahead. I for one am very interested.

Your right about the creaminess of the Bitter, its spot on.

I reckon a great base for more adventerous brews, such as extracts and partials.

Ended up making the dark coopers bitter recipe as follows:

Can of Coopers Bitter
1 x Ultrabrew (500 LDME/250 corn/250 dex)
1 x Can of Morgans master blend chocolate malt
Goldings Hop bag
Licquorice extract about 10mls
Safale yeast
Made to 20L approx

The head on this is like guiness on tap leaves the lines all the way down the glass until the very end. The head is soooo creamy.

The taste is a bit sweeter than guiness and there is not a dry finish.

Overall very happy with this brew, great for winter.

From my calculations I think it's about 7% too which provides a nice warm beer blanket for me as the temperature drops!!!

I just finished a a bitter brew that'll be a shocker.


2 cans Coopers Bitter
1kg LDME
25l


Oh my god the bit I had a taste of while bottling was full on!

LOL why'd you do a 2 can brew of bitter? It's almost guaranteed to have an excessive IBU!

Put it in a cool dark corner to mature, it will very likley come up real good.

Cheers,
Greg

rwh wrote:LOL why'd you do a 2 can brew of bitter? It's almost guaranteed to have an excessive IBU!

cause I'm a stupid noob & didn't know what IBU was

Greg - that was my intention, not going to throw it out

I just sampled mine after 2 weeks in the botle, 2 1/2 weeks fermentation (racked after a week).

It was as flat as they come.... I pray that time will bring some bubbles. Or am I just aiming for the wrong thing with a bitter?

Has your beer been anywhere warm enough to allow secondary fermentation?

Here in may lie the problem... and I primed with dark DME.

I'm thinking of adding some flavouring and aroma hops to a cooper's bitter brew using 1.5kg of Liquid Amber Malt Extract

Any recommendations about hops for this brew?

Maybe just some finishing hops...perhaps 15g Goldings for 5 minutes.

Thanks Pale Ale, will give the goldings a go...

Have done 2 Coopers Bitters in a MSB 11.5L fermenter. Adopted a cautious approach due to feedback about excess bitterness, etc.

First brew used 1.5kg of the Coopers Bitter can + 2 sachets of Coopers kit yeast. So impressed that my 2nd brew was identical except I used 1.6kg. Hey! Next one will go the whole way, the whole 1.7kg.

So don't be afraid to do a 2 can Coopers Bitter. Don't worry about any other fermentables. Just use 3 or 4 of your surplus Coopers yeast sachets.

A bitter connoisseur's delight!

PS

By way of explanation, my last para refers to one who is a connoisseur of bitter ale, not a connoisseur who is bitter.

lol