Our homebrews

Oliver and Geoff have about 40 years' combined brewing experience. Over that time we have brewed hundreds of beers in dozens of styles and put the caps on thousands of bottles.

Some have been great, some have been average and some don't bear thinking about.

Below are all the homebrews we've made to date, along with the recipes and tasting notes, where we recorded them.

 

Oliver's homebrews

OLIVER

1 Black Rock Bitter

Started 4.1.97 Bottled 19.1.97

1 can Black Rock Bitter
1kg glucose
250g dried corn syrup

BREWING NOTES: None

TASTING NOTES: Dried apricot/peach flavour. A bit on the watery side, perhaps due to the large amount of glucose. Even drier by November.
31/12/09, the new year's eve tasting of my first-ever bottle of homebrew: Geoff: “Tastes like a 13-year-old beer. Would have been good 10 years ago.” Oliver: “Old.”

 

OLIVER

2 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 19.1.97  Bottled 13.2.97

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1kg light dried malt

BREWING NOTES: Very hot weather. Extreme frothing through air lock. Wet towel and fan used to try and cool fermenter.

TASTING NOTES: Metallic finish, maybe due to high brewing temperature.
9.01: Still not great. Still as I remember. 20/4.03: Thin but consistent head that clings to the glass. The metallic finish has gone. Now it's just malty. A nice beer, but not worth a six-year wait.

 

OLIVER

3 Mountmellick Stout

Started 26.2.97  Bottled 5.3.97

1 can Mountmellick Stout
1kg dark malt
250g lactose

BREWING NOTES: Brought all to boil and added to fermenter. Pitched yeast at 32C.
Two bottled with priming sugar and teaspoon of coffee
Two bottled with two teaspoons of drinking chocolate
Two bottled with one black liquorice jelly bean (awful)
One bottled with two black liquorice jelly beans (ditto)
Remaining 23 with sugar only

TASTING NOTES: Very nice stout. 22.10.01: A beautiful, smooth, balanced stout with a finely beaded head and beautiful carbonation. Yum, yum. Very easy drinking.

OLIVER

4 Caledonian Brown Ale

Started 6.3.97  Bottled 15.3.97

1 can Beer Maker's Draught
500g light dried malt
500g dark liquid malt
15g Fuggles hops

BREWING NOTES: Yeast starter made. Hops boiled for five minutes in 500ml of water.

TASTING NOTES: 22.9.99: Sensational beer. One of the best beers I've made.

OLIVER

5 English Pale Ale

Started 15.3.97  Bottled 25.3.97

2.2kg liquid light malt
250g cracked crystal grain
500g glucose
250g flaked barley
35g Pride of Ringwood hops
12g Goldings hops

OG 1030  FG 1005  ALC/VOL  4.5 %

BREWING NOTES: Divided all ingredients (except Goldings hops) and boiled for 40 minutes. Added Goldings towards end. Cooled for one hour. Needed to use more or larger saucepans because the grains swelled up and affected the boil. Didn't rinse the grains, hence the low original gravity; you live and learn.

TASTING NOTES: A lovely tasty beer. A bit light on the body. See refence in the brewing notes (above) to sparging the grains.

OLIVER

6 Irish Special Stout (Black Hole Stout)

Started 25.3.97  Bottled 6.4.97

2kg liquid light malt
700g liquid dark malt
500g crystal grain
500g black grain
500g glucose
250g corn syrup
250g flaked barley
1tsp epsom salts
35g Pride of Ringwood hops
20g Fuggles hops

OG 1050  FG 1020  ALC/VOL  4.7 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled in three saucepans. Forty-five minute boil, with Pride of Ringwood added 20 minutes in and Fuggles added at the end.

TASTING NOTES: A very nice stout, reminiscent of Cooper's. 27.03.03 (almost its sixth birthday!): Still a great stout, but the earthy flavour that has been there since the start is still there. Not unpleasant, but unusual.
20/4/03: Geoff: Droste dark chocolate. Better than the Carlingford Stout that we've just had. Tastes like Mercurochrome. Oliver: A heavy stout.
1/3/05: Fine carbonation. Eight years old and still going strong. A beautiful stout. Mellow. Earthy. Excellent coffee-colored head that lasts and lasts. Smooth. Tastes of chocolate syrup. Might have to make this again when my stout stocks are depleted.

OLIVER

7 Biggles Best Bitter

Started 7.4.97  Bottled NR

1 can Cooper's Bitter
150g cracked crystal grain
500g glucose
750g light malt
15g Goldings hops

OG 1042  FG 1011  ALC/VOL  4.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled grain for 20 minutes, turned off heat and added hops.

TASTING NOTES: Another real beauty (22.9.99). See Oliver's No.32, Geoff's No.69 and Geoff's No.93.

OLIVER

8 Red Baron Bock

Started 7.5.97  Bottled 17.5.97

1 can Cooper's Draught
1.5kg liquid light malt
150g cracked crystal malt
100g cracked black grain
15g Hersbrucker hop pellets
Premium lager yeast

OG 1054  FG 1020  ALC/VOL  5.3 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled grain for 20 minutes. Added hops and turned off heat. Strained mixture thoroughly.

TASTING NOTES: Very nice, but an earthy taste has emerged with age. It remained there until the very last bottle.

OLIVER

9 Beer Makers Lager

Started 17.5.97  Bottled 1.6.97

1 can Beer Makers Lager
1.5kg liquid light malt
Premium lager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Fermented for 10 days.

TASTING NOTES: Extremely overcarbonated. Recapped 4.9.97 to release some pressure. A terrible beer to begin with and simply did not improve with age. Bought some isohops (liquid hop extract) to add to the bottles to try and balance out the sweetness, which had been overpowering. The beer became less sweet with age, but in hindsight adding 1.5kg of malt was ridiculous; it was just too much.
Comment on 22.9.99: “Nup. The sooner all this is gone the better.”

OLIVER

10 German Lager

Started 3.6.97  Bottled 16.6.97

2.5kg liquid light malt
60g crystal malt
500g glucose
25g Pride of Ringwood hops
20g Hersbrucker hops
250g dried corn syrup
Premium lager yeast

OG 1047  FG 1020  ALC/VOL  4.3 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled eveything for 50 minutes then added Hersbrucker finishing hops. Cooled in sink of water.

TASTING NOTES: Not delicate at all. OK, but what style? 22.9.99: “Dark and delectable. (But) what were the Pride of Ringwood hops about?” This is a reference to the inclusion in many of my early beers, as per the recipe, of this variety of Australian hops, which are very bitter and have a strong taste and astringent qualities. For a better quality beer, these hops can be substituted for a hop of less bitterness, such as Fuggles or Goldings for an ale or Saaz, Hallertauer or Hersbrucker for a lager. More of these varieties will be required for the equivalent bitterness, but the taste will be more subtle

OLIVER

11 Maaswheat

Started 20.6.97  Bottled 14.7.97

2.5kg liquid light malt
1.75kg liquid wheat malt
50g crystal grain
35g Pride of Ringwood hops
15g Saaz hops
15g Hersbrucker hops
Premium lager yeast

OG 1054  FG 1017  ALC/VOL  5.7 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled all for 40 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: 22.9.99: “Wheat beer? Still a lovely brew. Ditto hops reference for No.10.”

OLIVER

12 Munton's Traditional Bitter

Started 14.7.97  Bottled 19.8.97

1 can Muntons Traditional Bitter
500g glucose
500g dried light malt
Premium lager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved glucose and malt in boiling water then added can.

TASTING NOTES: 22.09.99: Lovely and fruity, but overcarbonated.

OLIVER

13 Cooper's Dark Ale

Started 6.8.97  Bottled 19.9.97

1 can Cooper's Dark Ale
1 packet of liquid amber (dextrose, light malt, dark malt)

OG 1048  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  5.8 %

BREWING NOTES: This was part of an experiment hatched by Oliver and Geoff over homebrew. We theorised that the reason that Cooper's made such excellent beer was because of the water in Adelaide (which in the past has been so bad that ships have refused to take it on). So, Oliver set out to test the theory. He packed Geoff's Black Fermenter (which brews 27 bottles instead of the usual 30) and drove to Adelaide from Melbourne, via Sydney. He purchased the ingredients for the brew in Adelaide, made the beer in his parent's kitchen and left it to ferment, with the yeast from a Cooper's Dark Ale stubby, in their cellar. Oliver knew that he was returning to Adelaide the next month, and bottled the beer then, loaded it in his car and took it back to Geelong.

TASTING NOTES: An early appraisal: “Just like the real thing. Cooper's yeast makes all the difference; no going back now.”
And 22.9.99: “Much more nutty than the real thing, but still magnificent.” 09.01: “One of the finest. Nutty, chocolatey.”

OLIVER

14 Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale

Started 21.8.97  Bottled 3.9.97

1 can Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale
1kg dried light malt

OG NR  FG 1017  ALC/VOL  NR

BREWING NOTES: Yeast starter made three days before with Cooper's Sparkling Ale dregs.

TASTING NOTES: Very nice beer. Something different. Hint of smoke. Overcarbonated. Needs adjuncts, including some more hops. Some dark grains may help it. BLT Beer. See brew 26 for another use for the smoked ale.

OLIVER

15 Black Rock Dry Lager

Started 11.9.97  Bottled 2.10.97

1 can Black Rock Dry Lager
1 pack Betta Beer Mix
         - 600g glucose
         - 400g dried light malt
         - 200g dried dorn syrup

OG NR  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  NR

BREWING NOTES: Mixed all ingredients. Beer can included enzyme, which was added with yeast.

TASTING NOTES: 21.11.97: “Another lager disaster. Sweet, no head. Not much going for it.”
22.9.99: “Still f---ed.”

OLIVER

16 Map of Tassie Ale

Started 2.10.97  Bottled NR

1 can Black Rock East India Pale Ale
1 pack Brew Booster
         - 600g dextrose
         - 200g ligh malt
         - 200g corn syrup
12g Cascade hops in “teabag”

BREWING NOTES: Made with Cooper's ale yeast starter. Hop bag added to cup of boiling water and infused for several minutes. Berserk fermentation.

TASTING NOTES: Overcarbonated. Possibly not finished fermenting when bottled. Suspect leaking fermenter. See brew 18.
22.9.99: “Helps if decanted. Surprising bottled didn't explode.”

OLIVER

17 Old Fashioned Lemonade

Started 3.10.97  Bottled 24.11.97

1 West Brew lemonade kit (enzyme, yeast, yeast nutrients and lemon essence).
1.9kg caster sugar

OG 1036  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  4.4 %

BREWING NOTES: Fermentation didn't begin. There was no evidence of activity inside the fermenter or in the airlock. Repitched with dried wine yeast 7.10.97. Began bubbling. Still bubbling on 21.11.97.

TASTING NOTES: Not a bad lemonade, but has a slightly “artificial” taste, which I put down to the lemon essence.

OLIVER

18 Black Rock Mild

Started 6.11.97  Bottled 25.11.97

1 can Black Rock Mild
50g Fuggled hop cones
1kg dried light malt

OG 1036  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  4.0 %

BREWING NOTES: Made with an out-of-date can of concentrate given to me by a bloke from a homebrew shop in Sydney, where I also purchased the concentrate for No.17 Old Fashioned Lemonade and two Cooper's stubby holders. This was the trip on which I took Geoff's Black Fermenter from Melbourne to Adelaide, via Sydney, to test our theory on Adelaide water for the Cooper's Dark Ale experiment.

Boiled half the hops for 20 minutes, quarter for 10 minutes and quarter for 5 minutes.
Bubbling well on 9.11 but appeared to have stopped on 12.11, when the yeast head was skimmed. However this was put down to a poor seal on the fermenter. If the lid was removed, wet and replaced, activity in the air lock resumed until the seal dried out again. This was probably a factor in the disaster that was Brew 15.
Bottled 10 with demarara sugar as primer.

TASTING NOTES: Magnificent, especially demerara-primed bottles. Best yet.
22.9.99: “Very hoppy. Too much (i.e. too hoppy) for some people.”

 

OLIVER

19 Imperial Stout (Wrist-Thick Stout)

Started 29.1.98  Bottled 7.3.98

6kg liquid black malt
1kg liquid light malt
850g crystal malt
330g roast malt
270g chocolate malt
180g roast barley
2 dessertspoons calcium carbonate
150g Pride of Ringwood hop flowers (9.5%AA)
20g Progress hop pellets (6%AA)

OG 1089  FG 1031  ALC/VOL  8.2 %

BREWING NOTES: Placed grain into 6 litres of cold water and slowly heated to boil. Rinsed with cold water. Added malt and brought to boil. Added Pride of Ringwood hops and calcium carbonate. Boiled for 1.5 hours. Rinsed and added to fermenter. OG lower than expected. Recipe suggested a reading over 1100. Cooper's stout yeast starter pitched at 28-30 degrees. Went sick! lost about 2 litres through airlock. Calmed down by 1.2.99 but still bubbling well. Wet towel and fan were used to cool the fermenter. Red wine yeast starter added after a week. Racked into another fermenter on 16.2, leaving behind a huge cake of sludge. Added Progress hops. SG at that time (1031) was what was the FG three weeks later.

TASTING NOTES: Wrist-thick stout is an apt name for this meaty bugger. It's thick, syrupy and bitter. What a combination. Reputedly at its best after three years. Progressive tastings have revealed it becoming less sweet and more rounded with age.
08.01: Tasted with Frank Akers from Cooper's Brewery. “Unbelievable. So bitter and syrupy. Still 3½ years young.”
7.8.04: A big beer. Drinking bloody well. So thick, syrupy and bitter. Amazing.

OLIVER

20 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 20.2.98  Bottled 7.3.98

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1.2kg malt
250g dextrose
200g crystal malt
100g wheat malt
100g pale malt
40g Pride of Ringwood hop flowers

OG 1052  FG 1017  ALC/VOL  5.1 %

BREWING NOTES: Heated grain to nearly boiling then sparged with warm water. Boiled quarter of the hops for 17, 12, 7 and two minutes each. Rinsed and added to fermenter. Pitched Cooper's Sparkling Ale yeast starter and dregs of 1 Cooper's Best Exta Stout stubby.

TASTING NOTES: 16.5.00: “One of the classics. Superb.” The aim of this beer was to add adjunct to a can of Cooper's Real Ale to replicate more closely a commercial Cooper's Sparkling Ale. That result was not achieved but it is a fabulous beer nonetheless. Very bitter.

OLIVER

21 Pale Ale

Started 14.3.98  Bottled 28.3.98

3kg liquid light malt
330g crystal grain
280g malted wheat
40g Goldings hops
50g Fuggles hops
10g Goldings hops (15 minutes from end of boil)
250g liquid light malt for starter

OG 1044  FG 1014  ALC/VOL  4.4%

BREWING NOTES: Cooper's Original Pale Ale yeast starter. Brought grain to the boil and sparged. Boiled the rest of the ingredients in this water and added hops. Boil time was 1:50, with the 10g Goldings hops added 15 minutes from the end.

TASTING NOTES: An excellent beer. It's bitter but has a very full body and a very refined, rounded taste.

OLIVER

22 Olly's Best Bitter

Started 28.4.98  Bottled 11.7.98

1 can Goldrush Bitter (1.5kg)
2.25kg liquid light malt
150g crystal malt
50g Styrian Golding hops

OG 1049  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  5.5 %

BREWING NOTES: Heated grain to near boiling then sparged and added 40g hops. After 1 hour added 10g hops. Meanwhile boiled malt in two saucepans. Once in fermenter, added a pinch of hops. Had problems with fermentation so borrowed Geoff's hot box, which gave things a kick-start.

TASTING NOTES: An extremely bitter beer that cannot be consumed in large quantities.

OLIVER

23 Black Rock Pilsiner

Started 30.7.98  Bottled 4.9.98

1 can Black Rock Pilsiner (sic!)
500g liquid light malt
500g dextrose
25g Saaz hops
Premium lager yeast

OG 1036  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  3.8 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled half the hops in malt and water for 35 minutes, then added other half for 15 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: Yum. Light, malty. Very happy.

OLIVER

24 Black Rock East India Pale Ale

Started 14.11.98  Bottled 28.11.98

1 can Black Rock East India Pale Ale
1 pack beer mix
         - 600g glucose
         - 420g dried light malt
         -180g dried corn syrup

OG 1040  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Cooper's Sparkling Ale yeast starter.

TASTING NOTES: Nice, simple beer. First of the Western Beach, Geelong, beers. Slightly overcarbonated. “Yum. Light, malty, hoppy.”

OLIVER

25 Munton's Export Stout

Started 18.11.98  Bottled 7.12.98

1 can Munton's Export Stout
500g liquid light malt
500g liquid dark malt
500g glucose
15g Fuggles hop pellets
200g corn syrup

OG 1048  FG 1014  ALC/VOL  4.9%

BREWING NOTES: Cooper's Sparkling Ale starter. Bottled with about a half-measure (half-teaspoon) of sugar.

TASTING NOTES: Superb. Hoppy. Malty. Magnificent. A big beer, though, which cannot be consumed in quantities greater than one bottle at a time.
2.3.05: Heady. Firm, stiff head. Slight overcarbonation. Age hasn't been kind to this. Not much aroma. Thin body. Little Taste. Bitter.

OLIVER

26 Dockside Smoked Stout

Started 10.4.99  Bottled 21.6.99

1 can Morgan's Dockside Stout
1 can Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale

OG 1040  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  4.3 %

BREWING NOTES: Had real troubles getting the fermentation started. Eventually bought a heater. Departed for a month in Italy in early May and left the beer to its devices, with the heater off. Upon my return the beer had dropped to its expected FG and had cleared unbelievably. All bottled with a half-measure of sugar.

TASTING NOTES: The half-measure of sugar makes for a more creamy brew. A very nice beer: smoky and stouty! Another one that can't be drunk in great quantities, though.
3.3.05: Magnificent. Finely beaded head that lasts and lasts. Still very smokey, but with an unpleasant, astringent finish. Extremely dark copper.

OLIVER

27 Cooper's East India Pale Ale

Started 10.11.99  Bottled NR

1 can Cooper's East India Pale Ale
500g liquid light malt
500g glucose

OG 1035  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  3.5 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled all brewing water the previous day and allowed to cool.

TASTING NOTES: Early tastings revealed a metallic taste. By 20.8.00 had matured nicely and metallic taste had smoothed out. Sensational, tight head. 19.4.00: Very nice beer. I'm still amazed at the finely beaded head. 27.03.03: Didn't age well and towards the end I was drinking it because I could see the writing on the wall. 1.4.03: Not the greatest; 5/10

OLIVER

28 Cooper's Nut Brown Ale

Started 10.11.99  Bottled NR

1 can Cooper's Nut Brown Ale
250g liquid light malt
250g liquid dark malt
500g glucose

OG 1052  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  6.0 (?) %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled all brewing water the previous day and allowed to cool. I simply can't explain how, when the same quantites and exactly the same brewing proces was used for the above beer, that the OG was so much higher for this beer.

TASTING NOTES: Great head, as above. Good drinking.

OLIVER

29 Cooper's Pilsener

Started 7.7.00  Bottled 20.7.00

1 can Cooper's Pilsener
1 Brewcraft Czech Pilsner kit (25g hops and 460g of dried light malt, corn syrup, barley and dextrose)
600g dried light malt
300g dextrose
Extra hops from Geoff, to give a total of 28g.
Saflager dried lager yeast

OG 1043  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  4.7 %

BREWING NOTES: Boiled 600g malt and all the hops for 90 minutes. Brewing water boiled the day before for half an hour, resulting in a sweet-tasting, soft water. Bottled with half-measure of sugar. As a lagering experiment 13 bottles were put in the fridge four days after bottling. The rest went straight into the beer cupboard. Yeast was caked on to the bottom after bottling. This yeast is amazing stuff. I have since found out that I dudded myself with this yeast. The yeast shipped with this kit is actually a Saflager yeast! So I'd chucked out the Saflager yeast that came with it and bought one to replace it!

TASTING NOTES: Thirteen bottles were put in the fridge four days after bottling and kept there for four months, until 24.11.00.
4.9.00: Tasted one of the lagered bottles. Very bitter. Still quite malty and young-tasting. Pots and I agreed that lagering had retarded maturation.
A later tasting note says: An excellent beer, true to the style with a lovely bitter finish.
20.4.01: Absolutely beautiful. Good head, bitter finish and nice color. An excellent beer. The adjuncts turned what would have been a good brew into one that's absolutely fantastic. A real winner.

OLIVER

30 Continental Dark Lager

Started 20.8.00  Bottled 5.9.00

1 can Munton's Export Pilsener
500g dried dark malt
1 Brewcraft Dark Continental Lager conversion kit:
         - 520g dried malt/glucose/corn syrup
         - 100g chocolate malt
         - 25g Hallertauer hops
100g malted wheat

OG 1043  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: All brewing water had been boiled. Yeast starter made. Brought grain in cold water to the boil and sparged. Boiled again. Boiled hops and 250g malt for 30 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: During fermentation, this tasted just like Speight's Old Dark Malt Ale. Next time I might try making it with an ale yeast. Geoff tried this, see his No.91 Continental Dark Lager/Hybrid. 18.11.00: Lovely, Nice hops and well-balanced maltiness. 20.4.00: A bit on the watery side, but a nice, chocolatey lager.

OLIVER

31 Lumley's Light Ale

Started 24.11.00  Bottled 8.12.01

2.3kg light dried malt
600g cane sugar (yes, cane sugar)
60g Goldings hops
1 packet Safale premium ale yeasst

OG 1041  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  4.7%

BREWING NOTES: 1 litre yeast starter made 23.11. Brewing water boiled 23.11 and cooled overnight.
Brewing day: Water boiled in three saucepans. Added malt, brought to boil and added hops. Boiled for one hour and added sugar. Boiled for further 30 minutes. Cooled in sink and added to fermenter. Topped up with cooled, boiled water.

TASTING NOTES: 6.04.01: Stunning, fine head. Perfect carbonation. Light, golden color. Well-balanced, delicate taste. A great homebrew. Has a bit of a wheat-beer-like tartness. This was probably due to the cane sugar.
30.3.03: A great homebrew. I'll have to make this again. Light and delicious. Light color, light flavour. Easy drinking.

OLIVER

32 Biggles Best Bitter (aka Bradman Bitter*)

Started 26.2.01  Bottled 28.3.01

1 can Cooper's Bitter
175g cracked crystal grain
500g glucose
750g light dried malt extract
15g Goldings hops (one hour)
10g Goldings hops (end of boil)

OG 1043  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  4.9%

BREWING NOTES: Made for the Biggle-Off 2000. See Oliver's No.7 and Geoff's No.69 and No.93.

Boiled brewing water 25.2.01. Brought grain to boil, strained, boiled again, added glucose and cooled. Dissolved can in two litres boiling water and cooled. Mixed malt and 15g hops in eight litres of boiling water and boiled for one hour. Ten grams of hops added at end of boil.

TASTING NOTES: A pretty nice beer, but nothing like the original BBB. It's bitter and malty. Nice. 20.4.03: Beautiful copper color. Nicely balanced, with good hop character and a solid head. Geoff: “Must have been a malty bugger when it was first tasted. A good warming ale.”

* This was made on the day that news broke of the death at age 92 of Sir Donald Bradman, arguably the world's greatest cricketer.

OLIVER

33 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 5.4.01  Bottled 19.4.01

2 cans Cooper's Real Ale
620g glucose

OG 1055  FG 1018  ALC/VOL  5.3

BREWING NOTES: Yeast starter made 3.4.00 with 1.4 litres water and 100g malt boiled for 20 mins. Yeast was dregs of a Cooper's Sparkling Ale stubby and a packet from one of the beer kits
All brewing water boiled and cooled. Dissolved cans and glucose in boiling water, cooled and added to fermenter. Pitched yeast the next day at 22C. Started fermenting almost immediately. By 2.30am the following day (7.4.00) it was frothing from the fermenter. This continued for two days, when fermentation appeared to cease.
I was worried about the high final gravity, which I predicted should have been closer to 1015. But I was assured by M.R-W. from the local homebrew store that it was OK. In fact, when I told him what the ingredients were and what the original gravity was, he predicted that the FG would be about 1020!

TASTING NOTES: An incredible beer! It's got an almost molasses-like taste. Very bitter, which balances the high FG. So simple, but so, so tasty. A great head with, as I've said it before, a typical tight, creamy Cooper's head.
27.03.03: Another that must be drunk in moderation.
17.3.05: A cidery-smelling, cidery-tasting beer. Not a triumph. An average beer. No head. Golden color. No good.

OLIVER

34 Cooper's Lager

Started 19.5.01  Bottled 31.5.01

1 can Cooper's Lager concentrate
1 x 1kg pack Cooper's/CSR Brewing Sugar

OG NR  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: First beer with the new Cooper's Micro-Brew Kit. Made as per instructions on the video/pamphlet: Sterilise the fermenter and add two litres of boiling water and the sugar and stir to dissolve. Top up with water and add yeast. Bottled in the supplied screw-top 740ml PET bottles, using the “carbonation drops” to prime.

TASTING NOTES: A beautiful golden “lager” color with perfect carbonation. Nice bitterness, balanced with maltiness. Delicious after just two weeks in the bottle and showing signs of being an excellent beer. As with all the Cooper's homebrew range that we've tried, the head retention is excellent. The sediment of yeast sticks fairly firmly to the bottom of the bottle, so next to no cloudiness makes its way into the glass.

OLIVER

35 Black Rock Cider

Started 1.6.01  Bottled 14.6.01

1 can Black Rock Cider
1kg glucose
125g lactose
3 Granny Smith apples

OG 1049  FG 1013  ALC/VOL  5.1%

BREWING NOTES: Mixed the cider concentrate, glucose and lactose with two litres of boiling water in fermenter. Topped up to 18 litres, as per instructions from the homebrew shop. Lactose added to give a slightly sweet edge to what is otherwise a very, very dry cider. She also suggested adding fresh apples to give a more “apply” taste. So I cored and peeled the apples, put them in one leg of a stocking to stop them clogging the tap when they turn to mush and added to fermenter.

TASTING NOTES: A tasting during bottling suggested that this will be an absolute winner. The girlfriend should be happy! Early on this was very tasty and tasting just like a bought one!
27.03.03: This was (there are none left) a fine cider. Great golden color. The lactose was a must. See Brew 39 for an adaptation on the theme.

OLIVER

36 Cooper's Bitter

Started 7.7.01  Bottled 25.7.01

1 can Cooper's Bitter
1 pack Cooper's-CSR Brewing Sugar

OG 1036  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  3.9%

BREWING NOTES: Made as per instructions on kit: Dissolved brewing sugar and concentrate in two litres boiling water in fermenter, topped up to 23 litres with cool water, pitched yeast at 18-20ºC and wrapped in towel to keep it warm.

TASTING NOTES: 27.03.03: A pretty good beer. Probably class this one as a quaffer.

OLIVER

37 Dragon Stout

Started 25.7.01  Bottled 2.8.01

1 can Cooper's Stout
1kg dark dried malt
1kg soft brown sugar
Safale yeast

OG 1062  FG 1020  ALC/VOL  5.9%

BREWING NOTES: This was an attempt to emulate the lovely rummy Enter the Dragon Stout.

Made yeast starter 24.7.01. Boiled malt in three litres of water for 30 minutes, added sugar and boiled for another 10 minutes. Cooled, added to fermenter. Dissolved concentrate and added. Topped up to 20 litres (to give a total of 25 bottles). Pitched yeast starter. Bubbled steadily almost immediately. A solid layer of sludge was left after bottling.

TASTING NOTES: 20.4.03: Geoff: “Chocolate-coated raisings”. Nice carbonation. The dark brown sugar had the desired effect and produced a nice rummy flavour.
10.3.05: Black as the ace of spades. Even though it opened with a big “Sssshhhhh”, the carbonation is light. Caramel/rum flavour. Nice. Heavy, though. You could not drink a lot of this in one sitting. In fact, one longneck (750ml) to one person is probably too much.

OLIVER

38 Carlingford Stout

Started 10.3.03  Bottled 22.3.03

1 can Black Rock Miners' Stout
1 can Morgan's unhopped dark malt extract
150g rolled oats
150g crystal malt
25g Fuggles hop pellets
1 sachet Munton's Gold yeast

OG 1035 (suspect this is wrong)  FG 1016  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Brewed to celebrate my move into a new house in Carlingford Street. This was the first brew made in the new place, and coincidentally bottled on the first anniversary of settlement.

Yeast starter made 8.3.03. Grains added to about 2 litres of cold water and slowly brought almost to boiling. Strained and added to fermenter. Mark malt extract and half the hops added to water and simmered for 10 minutes. Added the rest of the hops then the lot went into the fermenter. Concentrate dissolved and added to the fermenter.

TASTING NOTES: 20.4.03. Delightful. Flowery hop taste and smooth. Lightly carbonated and sooooo tasty. Oliver: “The best stout I've ever made.”
6.3.05: My mate Cameron said: “A step up from Cooper's Stout.” High praise indeed!
15.3.05: Pours with a solid, tight head that things out to a good spread over the surface of this dark, dark stout. Caramel and earthy flavours and a slight fruity nose. Nice bitterness, especially on the finish at the back of the tongue. Has lost most of the fruitiness it had when it was young.

OLIVER

39 Leni Cider

Started 10.3.03  Bottled 22.3.03

1 can Black Rock cider
1 pack Brewcraft number 15 brew booster (malt, glucose, corn syrup)
3 granny smith apples

OG 1045  FG 1006  ALC/VOL  5.2%

BREWING NOTES: Named after our dear friend Helen.

Yeast starter made with supplied yeast 8.3.03. All ingredients dissolved in hot water and added to fermenter. Apples sliced and put into stocking let. Topped up to 18 litres only. Yeast pitched 32C.

TASTING NOTES: Very tasty, although perhaps not quite as good as the No.35 Black Rock Cider. This is very, very dry (it put a Strongbow dry cider to shame). Perhaps too dry for my liking. This could have been avoided by adding a small amount of lactose, as per the No.35. Very clean-tasting though.

OLIVER

40 Cooper's Real Traditional Ale

Started 29.3.03  Bottled 16.4.03

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1kg Cooper's light dried malt extract
150g crystal malt
20g Goldings hops
1 packet Safale yeast

OG 1037  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Grain into hot water. Heated, steeped, strained. Liquid from grain, small quantity of malt and 10g hops boiled for 45 minutes. 5g hops added. Boiled 15 minutes. Rest of hops added and the lot removed from heat.
Meanwhile, dissolved malt in boiling water and cooled. Dissolved kit in boiling water and added everything to fermenter. Yeast pithed at 28C-30C.

TASTING NOTES: Beautiful out of fermenter. Bitter and aromatic.
24.5.03: A wonderful beer. Great nose, nice and bitter, and tasty.
22.1.05: Well balanced, full-bodied. Rich, floral aroma. Great head. Copper colored. Excellent carbonation.
17.3.05: Pours with a generous head with large bubbles, which settle to a thinish head. Dark, golden colour. Nice and hoppy. Quite bitter. A good beer, particularly with winter approaching.

OLIVER

41 Cooper's Candadian Blonde

Started 24.8.03  Bottled 14.9.03

1 can Cooper's Canadian Blonde
1 x 1kg pack Cooper's CSR brewing sugar
Yeast as supplied (Cooper's ale yeast)

OG 1040  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Made as per instructions: Everything dissolved and added to fermenter, which was then topped up with cold water. Pitched yeast. Golden/straw color. In the cool weather, temperature couldn't be maintained, so added Saflager yeast about five days into fermentation. Ten of the 30 longnecks lagered for two weeks.

TASTING NOTES: 30.6.04: Not great. Cidery, with large bubbles and soapy head. Settles down after a couple of minutes to have a fine, long-lasting head, though still not a great-tasting beer.
12.12.04: Thin head. Golden color. Thin body. All right, but not a great beer. Still a bit cidery.
31.3.05: Pale golden. Coarse head with large bubbles. Malty, slightly cidery nose with no hop aroma. It tastes cidery and has no body. It's not particularly pleasant. Age has not wearied this beer, not the years improved. The first sip is the worst. After that it gets less worse, not better.

OLIVER

42 Cooper's Bavarian Lager

Started 24.8.03  Bottled 14.9.03

1 can Cooper's Bavarian Lager
1 x 1kg pack Cooper's CSR brewing sugar
Yeast as supplied (genuine lager yeast)

OG 1040  FG 1009  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: As per instructions: Dissolved all ingredients. Added to fermenter. Topped up. Pitched yeast. Ten of 30 longnecks lagered for two weeks. Colour out of fermenter was quite dark — a copper/gold color.

TASTING NOTES: 17.6.04: Not a bad beer. A touch cidery though, as was No.41. Is this the sucrose in the brewing sugar? Color of a true Pilsner — deep golden.
12.12.04: Light copper color. Thin head. A bit like No.41 — all right, but not a great beer.
30.3.05: Dark, golden color. Large bubbles. Slightly sweet. Nice enough beer. Thin head and lightish body.

OLIVER

43 Thomas Cooper's Heritage Lager

Started 15.9.03  Bottled 5.10.03

1 can Thomas Cooper's Heritage Lager
1 x 1.5kg Cooper's liquid light malt extract
Yeast as supplied (genuine lager yeast)

BREWING NOTES: As per instructions: Dissolved kit and malt. Added to fermenter. Topped up. Pitched yeast at 22C. No SG taken.

TASTING NOTES: 17.6.04: An excellent beer. Still slightly sweet, however not too sweet, as it was when younger. A great result from a kit and a can of malt.
12.12.04: Guest reviewer Marty: “That's a really nice beer.”. The sweetness has mellowed. Really nice. Good carbonation. Thin head. Must brew this again. Highly recommended, although needs some time in the bottle. Mmmmm.
31.3.05: Golden. Finely beaded, thinnish head. Getting to the end of its useful life. Some hop aroma, but mostly sweet-smelling. Still a nice beer. The bitterness is more evident that whe this beer was younger. Still nice, though.

OLIVER

44 Cooper's Pilsener

Started 15.9.03  Bottled 5.10.03

1 can Cooper's Pilsener
1.5kg light dried malt
2 x 25g Saaz hop pellets
Yeast as supplied (genuine lager yeast)

BREWING NOTES: Boiled 250g malt and 25g hops for 20 minutes. Turned off heat and added the other 25g of hops. Steeped for 20 minutes. Strained and mixed all other ingredients. Into the fermenter. Yeast pitched at 30C. No SG taken.

TASTING NOTES: Out of the fermenter tasted like Stella Artois. Very hoppy and a bit citrusy.

17.6.04: A beautiful beer. Quite floral.
5.12.04: Past it. Nice, but on the downward slope.

OLIVER

45 Dark Lager

Started 15.5.04  Bottled 14.6.04

Ingredients
1 can Black Rock Bock
1 pack Brewcraft Continental Dark Lager brew booster(malt, hops, grain, etc)
1 packet Saflager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved brew boster in hot water and brought to boil slowly. Added hops and turned off heat. Steeped for 20 minutes. Strained into fermenter. Dissolved can in boiling water and added. Topped up with cold water. Pitched yeast at 22C. Fermentation solid for five days at a little less than 18C.

TASTING NOTES: 12.12.04: Good head. A bit cidery. Nice dark lager though.
4.4.04: Dark brown, slightly reddish. Light carbonation. Nicely bitter, with a clean finish. Thin head with very fine beading. Slight toffee/fruity nose. A nice beer with good maltiness.

OLIVER

46 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 14.6.04  Bottled 27.6.04

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1.05kg light malt powder
90g crystal malt
25g Goldings hops
20g oak chips
Saflager yeast

BREWING NOTES: This was an attempt to produce a beer with the oaky character that once would have been present in beers when brews were matured in oak casks. This was originally going to be an ale, but since it was brewed in the depths of winter I used a lager yeast instead to avoid having to heat the brew. I don't know the type of oak the chips were from, but they came from a Cooper's homebrew wine kit.

Soaked oak chips in boiling water to sterilise. They gave off an amazing aroma, similar to malt whisky (funny about that). Boiled 50g malt and half the hops for 20 minutes. Added the rest of the hops and boiled for another 20 minutes. Added crystal malt and steeped for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolved malt in the water with the oak chips and added to the fermenter. Dissolved can of concentrate in boiling water and added. Topped up with cold water and pitched yeast at 28C.

TASTING NOTES: 12.12.04: Tasty. Good head. In fact, sensational head. Dark copper colour. A very tasty beer.
5.4.05: Nice. Clean, bitter finish, probably due to the lager yeast. Might have to make this again, perhaps next time with an ale yeast.

OLIVER

47 Cooper's Pale Ale

Started 16.6.04  Bottled 27.6.04

1 can Cooper's Pale Ale
1 pack Narre Brew Supplies Body Brew Kit Improver (malt, dextrose, corn syrup)
1 sachet Saflager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved kit and can in boiling water. Topped up. Pitched yeast at 22C. Ale yeast as supplied and lager yeast. Lager yeast used to ensure fermentation in mid-winter temperatures.

TASTING NOTES: 6.4.05: The pale color is much the same as commercial Cooper's Pale Ale. Fine head and light carbonation with small bubbles. Clean taste. A refreshing lager. I look forward to making it with the supplied yeast (an ale/lager blend, I have discovered). To sum up, this is an excellent beer.

OLIVER

48 Gold Rush Pilsner

Started 29.6.04  Bottled 11.07.04 (?)

1 can Gold Rush Pilsner
1kg Narre Brew Supplies Czech Pilsner Body Brew Kit Improver (malt, Saaz hops, dextrose)
20g Saaz hops

BREWING NOTES: Boiled half the kit improver and of the 15g hops for 30 minutes. Added the remaining 5g of hops and boiled for a further 10 minutes. Steeped for 10 minutes. Strained through stocking into fermenter. Dissolved all other ingredients and added them to the fermenter. Pitched yeast as supplied (lager yeast) at 26C-28C. No activity in airlock after 24 hours.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted very ordinary out of the fermenter.
7.4.05: Chocolatey nose. Copper colored. Improved since the tasting from the fermenter, but still not a great beer. Very bigger. Too dark for a pilsner. However, not the worst beer ever.

OLIVER

49 My Brew Old

Started 29.6.04  Bottled 11.07.04(?)

1 can My Brew Old
1kg light dried malt
1 sachet Saflager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved all ingredients in boiling water. Added to fermenter and topped up. Pitched ale yeast as supplied and Saflager yeast. Strong activity within 24 hours.

TASTING NOTES: Not bad out of the fermenter. Mellow
11.4.05: Very dark. Fine head. Nice roasty/caramel nose. Mellow and nice.

OLIVER

50 Cooper's Thomas Cooper's Sparkling Ale

Started 10.12.04  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 can Thomas Cooper's Premium Selection Sparkling Ale (1.8kg)
1 x 1.5kg can Cooper's light liquid malt
20g Pride of Ringwood hop pellets
Yeast as supplied
Yeast starter from two longnecks of Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: Based on a recipe from our homebrew and beer forum. Yeast starter made 3.12.04. Dissolved malt in boiling water. Added hops, covered and steeped for 10 minutes or so. Added to fermenter. Dissolved kit in boiling water and added. Topped up and pitched both yeasts.

TOBY'S BOTTLING NOTES Bottled with the help of Tobias N. Warren, with varied chronological interruptions from psycho ex-non-girlfriend, which had little to no effect on general good brewing. Also Tobias is my favourite brother.

TASTING NOTES: 13.4.05: Dark gold color. Fine head. Flowery, hoppy nose. A fine-looking beer. Bitter. Very much like the real thing. Has a lingering bitterness. The overpowering hoppiness from its younger days has settled down nicely.

OLIVER

51 Malt Shovel Pale Ale

Started 10.12.04  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 can Malt Shovel Brewery Pale Ale
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved can in boiling water and added to fermenter. Topped up to 11.5 litres, as per directions, and pitched yeast.

TOBY'S BOTTLING NOTES What a delightful evening. Oliver greatly enjoyed bottling beer with his favourite brother after a seven-year absence since brew No.13. Both Warrens have come a long way, especially Toby, who is particularly good-looking and well mannered. What a catch he will be for a lucky lady. Some day. Yes, she will be blessed. 'Til next time, ye olde brewing public, godspeed.

TASTING NOTES: 15.4.05: Great copper color. Thin head. Stone fruit nose. Reminds me of the taste of my No.1 Black Rock Bitter (which is probably not surprising given that the manufacturer is the same). However, a disappointing beer, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. A harsh beer.

OLIVER

52 Cooper's Ginger Beer

Started 2.1.05  Bottled 23.1.05

Ingredients
1 can Cooper's Ginger Beer
1.2kg raw sugar
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Mixed all ingredients in hot water and added to fermenter. Topped up to 20 litres, as per instructions, and pitched yeast. Very gingery! I realised after bottling that I'd forgotten to add the yeast nutrient to the brew.

TASTING NOTES: At bottling the smell was very gingery, the taste chemical and artificial (it's got artificial sweetner in it). It's just not right.

OLIVER

53 Toby's Amber Ale

Started 10.2.05  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 can Muntons Blonde Beer (1.5kg)
1 can Black Rock Amber Malt (1.5kg)
60g crystal malt
60g chocolate malt
10g Golden Cluster hop pellets
2 sachets Safale yeast

BREWING NOTES: An attempt to create a beer resembling James Squire Amber Ale.
Slowly warmed grain in cold water. Turned off and steeped for 20 minutes. Strained, added hops and a little malt and cold water and boiled for half an hour. Strained and added to fermenter. Dissolved other ingredients and added.
The recipe from Brewcraft was the two cans, 10g Golden Cluster and Safale yeast. I added the grain for extra taste and the hops because it's quite a chocolately beer, and fairly bitter (but with not a great deal of hop aroma, hence the half-hour boil). Extra yeast was added because it was lying around and past use-by date. Fermentation finished within two days at 25C.

TASTING NOTES: 16.4.05: Dark brown/copper color. Nice, tight head. Pours with a big head that thins out quickly. Malty, faintly fruity nose. A very nice, smooth beer. Not very hoppy though. A little chocolately. Perhaps suffering slightly from the high fermentation temperature.

OLIVER

54 Happiness is in Cider

Started 10.2.05  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 can Black Rock Cider
1 pack Cooper's CSR brewing sugar (sugar, maltodextrin)
150g lactose
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: All ingredients dissolved in two litres of water and added to fermenter. Topped up to 18 litres and pitched yeast. Used 150g lactose as that's what was left in the packet. No.35 Black Rock Cider used only 125g.

TASTING NOTES: Pale. Very apply. Lovely. Quite sweet, with light carbonation.

OLIVER

55 Muntons Nut Brown Ale

Started 19.5.05  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 x 1.8kg can Muntons Nut Brown Ale
1 x 1kg Brewcraft BrewBooster No.20 (malt extract, corn syrup and glucose)
470g light dried malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved all ingredients, topped up and pitched yeast at 24C. Fermentation took place about 18C.

TASTING NOTES: To come.

OLIVER

56 Black Rock East India Pale Ale

Started 19.5.05  Bottled 9.6.05

1 x 1.5kg can Black Rock East India Pale Ale
1 x 1kg Brewcraft BrewBooster No.20 (malt extract, corn syrup and glucose)
500g Light dried malt extract
Yeast as supplied x 3

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved all ingredients, topped up and pitched yeast at 24C. Fermentation took place about 18C.

TASTING NOTES: To come.

OLIVER

57 Coopers Mexican Cerveza

Started 4.10.08  Bottled 19.10.08

Ingredients
1 can Coopers Mexican Cerveza
1kg Coopers Brew Improver No.12
15g sachet Brew Cellar Premium Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: The brew to which Marcelle lost her homebrewing virginity.
Dissolved all ingredients and pitched yeast at 22C. Made with out-of-date ingredients, hence the non-standard yeast.
Fermentation appeared to not start, so a second yeast was bought and pitched. Fermentation then began.

TASTING NOTES: 31.12.09: Too sweet. OK apart from that. Overall, a disappointing beer.

OLIVER

58 American Pale Ale

Started 4.10.08  Bottled 19.10.08

1 can Coopers Australian Pale Ale
1kg glucose
500g light dried malt extract
15g Cascade hops (15 minutes)
10g Cascade hops (steeped for 10 mins)
15g Brew Cellar American Ale Yeast

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved malt in 2 litres of water and boiled 15g of the hops for 15 minutes. Added remaining hops, removed from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Dissolved can and glucose and pitched yeast at 28C. Note: Supplied yeast was discarded due to age of kit.

TASTING NOTES: 31.12.09: Nice. Bitter. Lovely golden colour. Long-lasting head. Tasty.

OLIVER

59 Coopers Pale Ale

Started 16.11.08  Bottled 30.11.08

1 can Coopers Australian Pale Ale
1kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
15g Cellar Brew American Ale Yeast
15g Cascade hops

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved brew enhancer then can and added to fermented. Hopes placed in leg of a stocking and added to fermenter. Topped up to 22.5 litres and pitched yeast. Note: Supplied yeast was discarded due to age of kit.

TASTING NOTES: Late 31.12.09/early 1.1.10: Absolutely magnificent. Fine head. Tasty.

OLIVER

60 Coopers Draught

Started 16.11.08  Bottled 30.11.08

1 can Coopers Draught
1kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 1
15g Cellar Brew Premium Ale Yeast
10g Cascade hops

BREWING NOTES: Dissolved brew enhancer then tin in boiling water, then added to fermenter. Placed hops in leg of a stocking and added to fermenter, along with yeast. Note: Supplied yeast was discarded due to age of kit.

TASTING NOTES: 2.1.10: A heady brew. Big ssshhhh on opening and an icecream-like head. The head settled down to be finely beaded. Bitter. Not a bad homebrew. Cascade hops are difficult to detect.

 

 

Geoff's homebrews

GEOFF

1 Extramalt Lager

Started 02.01.88  Bottled 09.01.88

1 can Extramalt Lager
1kg white sugar

BREWING NOTES: First homebrew ever. Just followed the instructions.

TASTING NOTES: Per Rosie — “A fucking good brew!”. All consumed within three weeks of bottling.

GEOFF

2 Extramalt Premium Bitter

Started 13.01.88  Bottled Never bottled

1 can Extramalt Premium Bitter
1kg sugar

BREWING NOTES: We shall not speak of the Tragedy of the Number 2 again.

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

3 Extramalt Lager

Started 30.01.88  Bottled 06.02.88

1 can Extramalt Lager
1kg white sugar

OG NR  FG 1003 ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Finings added on 04.02 88 @ SG 1010.

TASTING NOTES: “Enjoyable, although hasn't improved as much as one might have expected after twelve months (assuming popular wisdom to be true). Yet shall I drink, and be duly refreshed.” So yong, so naive.

GEOFF

4 Sundowner Victorian Bitter

Started 05.02.88  Bottled 12.02.88

1 can Sundowner Victorian Bitter
1.5kg white sugar

OG 1058  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  7.8X%

BREWING NOTES: We borrowed Zwiggy's fermenter which he had stored (on the advice of the learned author of some “How to…” book) with approximately 1 inch of sodium metabisulphate solution in it. This, unfortunately, was partially absorbed in the plastic of the fermenter only to be released during fermentation back into the brew. Consequently the beer had a foul, salty taste.

TASTING NOTES: “…undrinkable, except in desperate situations (01.03.88)”. History records that this dreadful beer was poured down the sink on 26.03.88.

GEOFF

5 Cooper's Draught

Started 09.02 88  Bottled 16.02 88

1 can Cooper's Draught
1.5kg white sugar

OG 1052  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  6.7 %

BREWING NOTES: The first beer of what was to become, and still is, a great partnerhip between myself, my mates and the Cooper's Brewery. According to a note in my log dated 27.03 88 “History shall credit Nicholas Bastow with this great discovery”. Where are you now, Nick? E-mail me or something!

TASTING NOTES: This beer excited a lot of interest, judging by the notes. The frankest (and probably most accurate) describes “a fickle brew. Varies in appearance from bottle to bottle. One was like a dry cyder (sic), one was like a positive urine test. Put them together and that's how it tastes” — Anon. 30.03.90.

GEOFF

6 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 15.02.88  Bottled 24.02.88

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1kg white sugar

OG 1046  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  5.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed in Zwiggy's fermenter, a little of that sodium met. residue present, but not enough to be a problem.

TASTING NOTES: “The consumate family beer, even the kids will smile … The finest beer I've had this morning.” — S. Crawley, 23.03.90.

GEOFF

7 Vierka Bitter

Started 25.02.88  Bottled 04.03.88

1 can Vierka Bitter
1kg white sugar

OG 1044  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  5.9 %

BREWING NOTES: None.

TASTING NOTES: “Not one of Brunswick Brewery's finest beers but far from their worst (see previous entries).” — L Englefield. All drunk in one week.

GEOFF

8 Sundowner Premier Bitter

Started 25.02.88  Bottled 11.03.88

1 can Sundowner Premier Bitter
1.5kg white sugar

OG 1052  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  7.0 %

BREWING NOTES: Zwiggy's fermenter used again, with disappointing initial results. With the benefit of over twelve years brewing experience now behind me, I'm sure that this had more to do with the fact that the beer was only fourteen days in the bottle when sampled. Nevertheless, a note from Rosie dated 26.03.88 advises that “Zwiggy's fermenter will not be used in the future; it is to be returned with a warning to its owner”.

TASTING NOTES: “…the wondrous sight of a creamy, sick head clinging to the sides of the shining jug … rolls over the tounge, to leave a refreshingly bitter taste … cristal (sic) clarity.” — A very enthusiastic Pauline Haydock, 26.11.88.

GEOFF

9 Cooper's Lager

Started 10.03.88  Bottled 26.03.88

1 can Cooper's Lager
1kg white sugar

OG 1050  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  6.4 %

BREWING NOTES: “Brew made whilst Geoff and Jock (Norton) off their tits, but with a particular fastidiousness deserving plaudits. It should be fine!“

TASTING NOTES: “And it is.” GA, 11.04.88.

GEOFF

10 Extramalt Old

Started 26.03.88  Bottled 12.04.88

1 can Extramalt Old
1kg white sugar

OG 1042  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  5.4 %

BREWING NOTES: Bottled with the assistance of Steven “The Body” Neenan *#133; after pub.

TASTING NOTES: “Reminiscent of the meads in the middle ages … Good to take a step back to one's roots.” — Crazy Dave Taylor, May Day 1988.

GEOFF

11 Extramalt Premium Bitter

Started 24.04.88  Bottled 08.06.88

1 can Extramalt Premium Bitter
1kg white sugar

OG 1035  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  4.7 %

BREWING NOTES: My notes describe this as the “first brew made after a period of little activity at BB (Brunswick Brewery), due to industrial action.” I have no idea at all what this comment means.

TASTING NOTES: “Much improved, although optimum carbonation will probably be obtained in another week or so. There is, however, uncertainty as to whether the stock will last that long.” — Rosie, 01.07.88

GEOFF

12 Extramalt Pilsner

Started 04.07.88 Bottled 25.07.88

1 can Extramalt Pilsner
1.5kg white sugar

OG 1050  FG 1005  ALC/VOL  6.1 %

BREWING NOTES: Yeast (supplied) added @ 25 degrees in “an attempt to counter the effects of this cold winter”.

TASTING NOTES: “A mite cloudy and sweet … excellent for my ulcer.” — Zwiggy, 25.08.88

GEOFF

13 Extramalt Stout

Started 15.09.88  Bottled 26.11.88

1 can Extramalt Stout
1kg white sugar

OG 1042  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  5.7 %

BREWING NOTES: On Pauline's advice, honey substituted for priming sugar in two bottles.

TASTING NOTES: “Honey had superb effect. Great head, fair + good retention, good color, excellent flavour and smoothness.” — Pauline, 25.02.89 Compare: “Like James II it lost its head. Have I lost mine?” — Anon., 10.08.90

GEOFF

14 Brigalow Extra Bitter

Started 02.12.88  Bottled 15.12.88

1 can Brigalow Extra Bitter
1kg white sugar

OG 1038  FG 1004  ALC/VOL  4.5 %

BREWING NOTES: “Made whilst blind … Bottled whilst stoned …“

TASTING NOTES: The TASTING NOTES: for this one are generally positive, but I'm not sure about the anonymous critic who in March ’91 wrote that it “tastes like champagne completely fit for goats”. Strange.

GEOFF

15 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 18.12.88  Bottled 26.12.88

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1.25kg white sugar

OG 1050  FG 1004  ALC/VOL  6.2 %

BREWING NOTES: Like the two previous beers, some of these were bottled with honey in lieu of priming sugar, apparently to some good affect.

TASTING NOTES: “A mighty impressive drink.” — 30.03.99

GEOFF

16 Gold Rush Pilsner

Started 28.02.89  Bottled 19.03.89

1 can Gold Rush Pilsner
1kg white sugar

OG 1036  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  4.9 %

BREWING NOTES: The wort was purchased from the Nimbin General Store on a trip to Northern N.S.W. Reading the notes in my book, one could well imagine that the wort was not the only thing that was brought back from Nimbin.

TASTING NOTES: For example: “It's more than a beer … it's a delicacy. Delicacy, however, is a concept. The head is an artwork — it decomposes like honeycomb. Which is,of course, a metaphor. So, we drink a conceptual + metaphorical beer … which sings.” — That's me, 28.04.89. See what I mean?

GEOFF

17 Brewcraft Bitter

Started 24.04.89  Bottled 25.05.89

1 can Brewcraft Bitter
500g dried light malt extract
720g white sugar
10g Saaz hop pellets
1 sachet hop extract (supplied with wort)

OG 1042  FG 1003  ALC/VOL  5.2 %

BREWING NOTES: “Purchased this day from A.H.B. (Poath Road, Hughesdale) following consultation with + recommendation by The Stout Yeoman of that legendary establishment.”

TASTING NOTES: Strangely, no tasting notes are recorded in the book. So I have no idea of how my first foray into more complicated brewing methods went.

GEOFF

18 Gold Rush Draught

Started 18.06.89  Bottled 18.08.89

1 can Gold Rush Draught
1kg white sugar
7g Saaz hop pellets

OG 1045  FG 1006  ALC/VOL  5.2 %

BREWING NOTES: NA.

TASTING NOTES: “Yes, well, ah, a bloody glorious draught. Get that into yer!” — Jock, 2nd day of Spring, ’89. Jayne went even further: “The greatest experience of moving into this house, actually the greatest experience of my life was tasting its homebrews. A fantastic, colorful beer.”

GEOFF

19 Brigalow Munich Lager

Started 18.08.89  Bottled NK

1 can Brigalow Munich Lager
?white & brown sugar
?1/5 jar of honey

OG 1035  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK%

BREWING NOTES: The notes on this one are pretty sketchy. In fact, they don't make any sense at all: “With sweet memories of absent friends, we consulted more learned colleagues of the North to solve our S.G. dilemma. ‘Honey!’ she cried and ‘Honey!’ we did, raising that reading to the quite respectable starting S.G. = 1035”. What???

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

20 Jad's Ginger Beer

Started 27.06.91  Bottled 11.07.91

1 can Jad's Ginger Beer
1kg raw sugar
250g dried malt extract

OG 1020  FG 1000  ALC/VOL  2.7 %

BREWING NOTES: The first brew after a considerable break due primarily to overseas travel.

TASTING NOTES: “…delightful … subtle … Shame it is all finished, really.” — 22.08.91

GEOFF

21 Cooper's Bitter

Started 12.07.91  Bottled 18.07.91

1 can Cooper's Bitter
1kg white sugar

OG 1052  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  6.7 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed with help from (brother) Rich.

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

22 Cooper's Stout

Started 12.07.91  Bottled 18.07.91

1 can Cooper's Stout
1kg white sugar

OG 1048  FG 1006  ALC/VOL  5.7 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed with Rich. Bottled with Roy.

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

23 Cooper's Bitter

Started 06.08.91  Bottled 12.08.91

1 can Cooper's Bitter
1kg white sugar

OG 1048  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  5.4 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed with Rich. Bottled with Roy.

TASTING NOTES: See No.24

GEOFF

24 Cooper's Stout

Started 06.08.91  Bottled 12.08.91

1 can Cooper's Stout
1kg white sugar

OG 1045  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  4.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed with Rich. Whilst this would appear on it's face to have been a fairly unadventurous period, an earlier experiment was repeated: pre-mixed Black & Tan. A dozen bottles were produced using 2/3 Bitter (No.23) and 1/3 Stout (No.24) “… having taken cognizance of the particularly dominant stout character resulting from the 1:1 ratio used in the initial blend.”

TASTING NOTES: “Absolutely delish!” 05.09.91.

GEOFF

25 Munton & Fison Bock

Started 22.08.91  Bottled 29.08.91

1 can Munton & Fison Bock
1kg white sugar

OG 1058  FG 1007  ALC/VOL  6.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Bottled with Rich and Kris.

TASTING NOTES: Alcoholic Vegemite.

GEOFF

26 Cooper's Draught

Started 29.08.91  Bottled 04.09.91

1 can Cooper's Draught
1kg white sugar

OG 1051  FG 1004  ALC/VOL  6.3 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed & bottled by Geoff and Rich.

TASTING NOTES: I don't think that many, if any of these beers were left to mature. There is a note in my book about this one which simply reads “Bottled 4/9, ready 18/9”.

GEOFF

27 Jad's Ginger Beer

Started 08.10.91  Bottled 13.10.91

1 can Jad's Ginger Beer
1kg raw sugar

OG 1020  FG 1006  ALC/VOL  1.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed and bottled by Rich and Geoff.

TASTING NOTES: Disappointing. More like ginger ale than ginger beer, probably due to the fact that it was made with sugar rather than a malt extract.

GEOFF

28 Munton & Fison Wheat Beer

Started 08.10.91  Bottled 13.10.91

1 can Munton & Fison Wheat Beer
1kg white sugar

OG 1050  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  6.5 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed and bottled by Rich and Geoff.

TASTING NOTES: “Not a bad beer — that's all.” Says it all, I guess.

GEOFF

29 Munton & Fison Wheat Beer

Started 18.11.91  Bottled 26.11.91

1 can Munton & Fison Wheat Beer
1kg glucose

OG 1038  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  4.9 %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed by Rich and Geoff. Bottled by Geoff and SATAN. First use by me of glucose in a brew … not before time!

TASTING NOTES: Must've been doing something right. David Smith penned these words after having drunk of the cup: “Other heads of state tell me, Bhumibol/ If you don't slow down, you'll die/ You'll come back as a badger or something/ Well’ Mai Pen Fuckin’ Rai/ I'll still be the king/ Still be the Crawlin’ King/ I'll be the Crawlin’ King of Thailand/ Been crawlin’ since the dawn of time, man.”

GEOFF

30 Classic Pilsner

Started 02.12.91  Bottled NK

1 can Cooper's pure malt extract
1kg glucose
Green Bullet bittering hops
Saaz finishing hops

OG 1044  FG NK  ALC/VOL  NK %

BREWING NOTES: Brewed by Tim and Geoff. I know absolutely nothing more about this beer than what little infomation is recorded above. Which is a shame, because this was my first attempt at a malt extract brew. I have no idea what it was like. Perhaps I could be hypnotised...

TASTING NOTES: See above.

GEOFF

31 Cooper's Draught

Started 17.07.92(?)  Bottled 23.07.92(?)

1 can Cooper's Draught
1kg glucose
3/4 cup dried malt extract

OG 1046  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  5.1 %

BREWING NOTES: This was the first beer brewed for a considerable time due to 1. study commitments and 2. drinking commitments. Pretty lame excuses, I know, but the drinking commitments were pretty intense. I brewed this beer with romantic intentions in mind. I gave it to the Bloodnut for her birthday during our courtship … and she's still with me! Note the first use of the glucose/malt extract combo.

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

32 Cooper's Draught

Started 20.10.92  Bottled 28.10.92

As per No. 31

OG 1044  FG 1004  ALC/VOL  5.4 %

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

33 Green & Red Bitter

Started 29.10.92  Bottled 06.11.92

1 can Cooper's Lager
400g light malt extract
200g dried corn syrup
600g glucose
15g Golden Cluster hop pellets

OG 1048  FG 1010  ALC/VOL  5.1 %

BREWING NOTES: NA. Thanks to M.R-W. for the recipe.

TASTING NOTES: NA, other than a note in David's handwriting which simply reads “Loyalty”(!).

GEOFF

34 Cooper's Draught

Started 11.11.92  Bottled 18.11.92

1 can Cooper's Draught
1kg glucose
1/2 cup dried malt extract
1/2 cup dried corn syrup

OG 1042  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  5.4 %

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

35 Black & Gold Draft

Started 19.11.92  Bottled 25.11.92

1 can Black & Gold (no name) Draught
1kg white sugar
1/2 cup light malt extract
1/4 cup dried corn syrup

OG 1042  FG 1005  ALC/VOL  5.0 %

BREWING NOTES: This generic beer pack was purchased in Mildura for $7.95, probably the cheapest beer I've ever brewed.

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

36 Brewmart Danish Style Pils

Started 14.01.93  Bottled 07.02.93

1 can Brewmart Danish Style Pils
1kg glucose
2/3 cup light dried malt extract
2/3 cup dried corn syrup
1 sachet (supplied) pilsner enzyme

OG 1043  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  5.1 %

BREWING NOTES: This is the first beer I bottled with what has become my faithful and trusty old “Superautomatica” capper. The capper (referred to occasionally as the “Warwick”) was recently dismantled, cleaned, lubricated and reassembled by Beer Man. I suspect that it will still be in use for decades to come.

TASTING NOTES: Not a great beer. In fact a terrible beer. Even after six months in the bottle I felt compelled to put a Caveat in my book warning against its consumption. They were all drunk, though …

GEOFF

37 Mountmellick Stout

Started 07.02.93  Bottled 24.02.93

1 can Mountmellick Stout
1kg glucose
1 cup dried malt extract
1/3 cup dried corn syrup
10g Golden Cluster hop pellets

OG 1045  FG 1006  ALC/VOL  5.2 %

BREWING NOTES: This was the first time I ever boiled the wort, albeit for 15 minutes only.

TASTING NOTES: “Bloody beautiful” — 29.05.93

GEOFF

38 Cooper's Draught

Started 27.03.93  Bottled 03.04.93

1 can Cooper's Draught
1kg glucose
2/3 cup dried malt extract
1/3 cup dried corn syrup

OG NA  FG 1005  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

39 Cooper's Draught

Started 29.05.93  Bottled NK

1 can Cooper's Draught
1kg glucose
3/4 cup dried dark malt extract

OG 1052  FG NA  ALC/VOL  NA %

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: “A good refreshing beer” — 11.10.93

GEOFF

40 Bruce's Dogbolter

Started 28.06.93  Bottled 16.07.93

1 can Bruce's Dogbolter
1kg liquid dark malt

OG 1045  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  4.5 %

BREWING NOTES: Due to the high SG at bottling, only half a teaspoon of priming sugar was used. This would eventually become standard practice.

TASTING NOTES: This beer apparently inspired Kurtz to pen the following lines: “Round and round the shuttered square/ We strolled, the Devil's arm in mine/ No sound but the scrape of his hooves was there/ And the ring of his laughter. And mine.// We had drunk Black Wine.”

GEOFF

41 Bockin' Good Beer

Started 21.08.93  Bottled 03.09.93

1 can Muntons Bock
1kg golden syrup
500g dried dark malt extract

OG 1056  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  5.9 %

BREWING NOTES: God knows where I got this insane recipe. With the benefit of hindsight, no more than 250g of golden syrup would have done the job.

TASTING NOTES: Hmm, where to start? The beer was simply undrinkable for a number of years. The first note is dated 22.05.95 (some two years after bottling) and describes a “very nice tasting beer but woeful head retention”. The beer is still in circulation and gradually improving. A note written on 04.03.00 reads, “At last! An interesting and tasty beer with no head problems.” The last entry advises that the next bottle is not to be opened until August 2002 and every two years thereafter. My goodness!

GEOFF

42 Wander's Pale Ale

Started 06.09.93  Bottled 24.09.93

1 can Wander Pale Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
Finings (supplied)

OG 1042  FG 1011  ALC/VOL  4.2 %

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: A very good, balanced beer.

GEOFF

43 Edme Bitter

Started 10.10.93  Bottled 20.10.93

1 can Edme Bitter
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

OG NA  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  NA %

BREWING NOTES: According to my notes, the beer was made in record time while “absolutely spastic”, and that one should not be surprised to find traces of onion and eggplant in the sediment.

TASTING NOTES: “A good example of an English ale.” — 01.04.94

GEOFF

44 Jad's Ginger Beer

Started 22.11.93  Bottled 21.12.93

1 can Jad's Ginger Beer
500g raw sugar
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

OG 1028  FG 1002  ALC/VOL  3.5 %

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

45 Mountmellick Lager

Started 06.03.94  Bottled 20.03.94

1 can Mountmellick Lager
1kg light dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: Raw sugar used for priming.

TASTING NOTES: “Quite a good beer but a strong caramel finish due to being bottled with raw sugar.” I wonder now whether this really was the correct explanation.

GEOFF

46 Gold Rush Lager

Started 22.05.94  Bottled 01.04.94

1 can Goldrush Lager
1 “Green” conversion kit courtesy of M.R-W.
500g glucose

OG 1042  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  4.6 %

BREWING NOTES: Raw sugar primer.

TASTING NOTES: “Excellent beer, classic lager.” — 15.09.94

GEOFF

47 Black Rock Lager

Started 17.04.94  Bottled Early May 94

1 can Black Rock Lager
500g light liquid malt extract
500g glucose
Brewcraft Premium Lager Yeast

OG 1050  FG NA  ALC/VOL  NA %

BREWING NOTES: First use by me of making a starter from a premium dried lager yeast. Success born out in the TASTING NOTES:.

TASTING NOTES: “Perfect beer. MUST be made again. Lovely creamy taste. Sweet caramel finish. Perfect head and full body.” — 22.05.95 Hmm, must've been good.

GEOFF

48 Linden's Old

Started 29.05.94  Bottled 16.07.94

1 can Linden's Old
500g glucose
500g dark dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: “Nice full-bodied beer, with a little-too-light head.” — 22.05.95

GEOFF

49 Black Rock Stout

Started NA  Bottled 11.09.94

1 can Black Rock Stout
500g light dried malt extract
500g dark dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: “Perfect stout. Just like Guinness … better!” — 23.05.95 My, it must've been good.

GEOFF

50 Gold Rush Lager

Started 24.09.94  Bottled 08.10.94

1 can Gold Rush Lager
500g glucose
Special “Green” Conversion Kit

OG NK  FG 1004  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: The Special Green Conversion Kit was a product consisting of a blend of glucose, dried malt extract and God knows what else, produced by M.R-W. to “enhance” beers brewed out of the tin. Worked pretty well, actually.

TASTING NOTES: A very well presented beer.

GEOFF

51 Black Rock Miners' Stout

Started 16.10.94  Bottled 30.10.94

1 can Black Rock Miners' Stout
500g light dried malt extract
500g dark dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: I stopped taking SG readings with this beer. Haven't taken one since.

TASTING NOTES: BIG head.

GEOFF

52 Black Rock Colonial Lager

Started 15.02.95  Bottled 29.02.95

1 can Black Rock Colonial Lager
500g light dried malt extract
500g dark dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

53 Jad's Ginger Ale

Started NK  Bottled 25.04.95

1 can Jad's Ginger Ale
Unknown qty light dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: I must've been pretty pissed when I brewed this one. My notes record that it was bottled on Anzac Day '95 and that it had been brewed approximately six weeks earlier. I had a go at producing some “Dark and Stormies” as well — bottling a number with 50mls Bundy Rum and 1/3 teaspoon raw sugar. As I recall, they weren't bad.

TASTING NOTES: I've still got a few of these in the cupboard. I'll post some notes soon. 14.04.04: It is my sad duty to report that the rumours regarding the demise of this one were not exaggerated. It has shuffled off this mortal coil, dropped off the perch, it is no longer: it is an ex-ginger beer — it has ceased to be. Having said that, let me say this: a wonderful nose, a zesty effervescence, a sweet ginger hit on the tongue … but what follows is an aftertaste that could most kindly be described as, well, troubling. Just can't drink it. Might even make you ill. Mmm. A bit more room in the beer cupboard is about to become available.

GEOFF

54 Cooper's Traditional Old Brown Ale

Started 07.05.95  Bottled 21.05.95

1 can Cooper's Traditional Old Brown Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Perfect!

GEOFF

55 Black Rock Colonial Lager

Started 27.05.95  Bottled 18.06.95

1 can Black Rock Colonial Lager
500g liquid light malt extract
500g glucose
Brewcraft Premium Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: According to my notes, which are frequently nothing short of impenetrable, this was an historic occasion — the first brew bottled with the Supa Automatica Capper, the now much beloved and never once maligned, Warwick! The beer was apparently brewed “as per the magnificent No.47”, which is described in the notes as “perfect beer”.

TASTING NOTES: “A fucken beauty!” — Anon.

GEOFF

56 Wander Premium Draught

Started 25.06.95  Bottled 15.07.95

1 can Wander Premium Draught
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: This was brewed in a Wander fermenter that I won from the Geelong Independent by answering the question “What are the three main ingredients of beer?”. The correct answer, of course was 1. A good old boy, 2. A mate(s), and 3. Other ingredients.

TASTING NOTES: Good, but not great.

GEOFF

57 Black Rock East India Pale Ale

Started 29.07.95  Bottled 03.12.95

1 can Black Rock East India Pale Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Yum. Subtle. Dry.

GEOFF

58 Cooper's Traditional Old Brown Ale

Started 14.01.96  Bottled 11.02.96

1 can Cooper's Traditional Old Brown Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Very fizzy when bottled, making things somewhat difficult. No apparent adverse effect, however.

TASTING NOTES: Great!

GEOFF

59 Cooper's Draught

Started 25.04.96  Bottled 11.05.96

1 can Cooper's Draught
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
25g Saaz hop pellets

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

60 Black Rock Bitter

Started 18.05.96  Bottled 01.06.96

1 can Black Rock Bitter
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: NA

GEOFF

61 Black Rock Lager

Started 01.06.96  Bottled 15.06.96

1 can Black Rock Lager
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: A little ripper. Beaut. A perfect beer. — 23.01.97

GEOFF

62 Beermaker Draught

Started 23.06.96  Bottled 20.07.96

1 can Beermaker Draught
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA (See notes for 64)

TASTING NOTES: Medium color. Well carbonated. Solid taste and finish. A big beer. Good head.

GEOFF

63 Beermaker Dinner Ale

Started 21.07.96  Bottled 10.08.96

1 can Beermaker Dinner Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA (See notes for 64)

TASTING NOTES: Similar to No. 62. Slightly darker in color. Big malt taste. More chocolatey than nutty.

GEOFF

64 ???

Started NK  Bottled 12.10.96

NK

BREWING NOTES: Well, it seems that I must've been pretty pissed during the latter part of 1996. To start with, Nos. 62 an 63 were marked with the same number, so it was practically impossible to tell one from the other, apart from the fact that one batch of the 29s (as they were marked) was on an upper shelf of the Beer Cupboard and the other was on a lower shelf. Hence the TASTING NOTES:, which deal as much with the question of identification as anything else. As for this beer, I have no idea what it was, save for what my notes record: “Probably a pilsner style beer. 1 pkt Saaz hops boiled for less than one minute in a little water then added to the fermenter?.” Fuck knows.

TASTING NOTES: FK

GEOFF

65 Black Rock East India Pale Ale

Started 12.10.96  Bottled 23.12.96

1 can Black Rock East India Pale Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Made as per the “super dry” No. 57.

TASTING NOTES: 15.01.98: Good flavour, poor head. 04.03.00: A very nice, solid beer.

GEOFF

66 Black Rock Bock

Started 04.01.97  Bottled 18.01.97

1 can Black Rock Bock
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: “See (See No.65).” — whatever that means.

GEOFF

67 Mountmellick Stout

Started 19.01.97  Bottled 09.02.97

1 can Mountmellick Stout
1kg dark dried malt extract

BREWING NOTES: A number of these stouts were bottled with a black jelly bean. They became known (with typical artistic flair) as The Jelly Bean Stouts.

TASTING NOTES: 05.09.98: Very drinkable! (My memory is that it took at least one year in the bottle to achieve this minimum standard.)

GEOFF

68 Old Country Strong Brown Ale

Started 11.02.97  Bottled 26.02.97

1 can Gold Rush Draught
150g cracked black grain
1kg light dried malt extract
500g glucose
15g Fuggles hop pellets 2 pkts Beermaker Beer and Stout Yeast

BREWING NOTES: At last, a move away from the tried and true “can + malt + glucose = beer” formula. The grain was boiled in 1 litre of water for 20 minutes, hops added, then left to stand for 10 minutes. The malt and glucose were dissolved in water and the grain and hops then added. The can was then added, etc.

TASTING NOTES: No notes, but my memory (not always the most reliable source of information) is that this was a magnificent beer, one of my best, and that it set the scene for many beers to come.

GEOFF

69 Biggles Best Bitter

Started 04.03.97  Bottled 15.03.97

1 can Beermakers Bitter Ale XXX
125g cracked crystal grain
500g dark dried malt extract
500g glucose
15g Goldings hop pellets

BREWING NOTES: From a recipe by M.R-W. Method as per last beer.

TASTING NOTES: The subject of “Biggle-off 2000” (see Oliver's No.7). A great beer. Brewed again for Biggle-Off 2001 (see Oliver's No.32 and Geoff's No.93).

GEOFF

70 Pilsner

Started 06.04.97  Bottled 19.04.97

2.5kg liquid light malt extract
100g cracked crystal grain
700g glucose BR
35g Pride of Ringwood bittering hops
Saaz finishing hops
Brewcraft Premium Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: My first real malt extract brew!

TASTING NOTES: Not a great beer … not a pilsner … but drinkable, with an OK head.

GEOFF

71 Gold Label Premium Lager

Started 22.04.97  Bottled 17.05.97

1 can Beermaker Lager
1kg liquid light malt extract

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Headless — 25.10.97. Sweet — 25.04.98. Horrible — 25.04.99. What went wrong? Check out the ingredients. It's hard to imagine a more unbalanced beer.

GEOFF

72 Maaswheat Wheat Beer

Started 17.05.97  Bottled 01.06.97

1 can Beermaker Wheat Beer
1.5kg liquid light malt extract
50g cracked crystal grain
15g Saaz finishing hops
15g Hersbrucker finishing hops
Brewcraft Premium Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Red?

GEOFF

73 Pale Ale

Started 01.06.97  Bottled 25.06.97

2.5kg liquid light malt extract
250g cracked crystal grain
500g glucose
250g flaked barley
1 tsp magnesium sulphate
250g dried corn syrup
35g Pride of Ringwood hops
Goldings finishing hops
1 stubby Cooper's Pale Ale

OG 1044  FG 1008  ALC/VOL  4.8 %

BREWING NOTES: Yep, just pitched a whole stubby of Cooper's Pale Ale into the fermenter. Brilliant. And as for what I said earlier about never taking another SG reading! But can you blame me? I'd never brewed such a complex beer. And the result …?

TASTING NOTES: Malty; lovely head. — 24.09.98

GEOFF

74 CWE Cider

Started 20.07.97  Bottled 02.08.97

1 can CWE Cider
1.25kg sugar

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: 14.04.04: Showing signs of late middle age, but still quite drinkable. Not for the sweet cider crowd, that's for sure, but then it never was. Pours from the bottle like champagne, then settles into a nice, tightly beaded (if perhaps a little flat) glass of grog. A fair bit of dry sherry about the whole thing. I'm going to pour myself another glass and then marinade some pork chops with the balance.

GEOFF

75 Caledonian Brown Ale

Started 23.08.97  Bottled ??.09.97

1 can Cooper's Draught
500g dark liquid malt
500g light liquid malt
200g dried corn syrup
15g Fuggles hops

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Very big, creamy head. Creamy beer. Best homebrew ever? — 16.09.98. Not a bad wrap!!! Remade as No.96, Caledonian Brown Ale II

GEOFF

76 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 13.10.97  Bottled 25.10.97

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
1/3 cup dried corn syrup
Yeast from 2 stubbies Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Big, creamy head. — 11.09.98

GEOFF

77 Beermaker Dinner Ale

Started 21.12.97  Bottled 21.01.98

1 can Beermaker Dinner Ale
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Attempting to reproduce the magnificent 63. First of the Jan Juc beers, using the dicey (heavy) Jan Juc water.

TASTING NOTES: What mould scare? A delicious beer in the style of Redback Wheat Beer. — 20.03.98. Best head ever. — 05.09.98. The superlatives just keep on coming …

GEOFF

78 Russian Imperial Stout

Started 29.01.98  Bottled 07.03.98

See notes for Oliver's No. 19

OG 1089  FG 1031  ALC/VOL  8.2%

BREWING NOTES: See notes for Oliver's No. 19. We brewed this one together. Madness.

TASTING NOTES: See notes for Oliver's No. 19. The horror!

GEOFF

78 Sweet Geordie Brown

Started 25.04.98  Bottled 16.05.98

3.5kg light malt syrup
600g crystal malt
80g black malt
35g Styrian Goldings hops
Pinch of extra hops added last 15 minutes
Pinch of dry hops in fermenter

BREWING NOTES: Ingredients boiled 1 3/4 hours. Extra hops (30g Goldings) added 29.04 following a call from Oliver that perhaps all was not well.

TASTING NOTES: Sweety and meaty. 29.07.00: Magnificent! Made again as Geoff's No.95 Sweet Geordie Brown II

GEOFF

79 Munton's Traditional Bitter

Started 29.09.98  Bottled 24.10.98

1 can Munton's Traditional Bitter
500g light liquid malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: First of the Sunset Strips.

TASTING NOTES: A magnificent winter warmer! — 19.06.99

GEOFF

80 Beermaker Old

Started 24.10.98  Bottled 10.11.98

1 can Beermaker Old
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
Yeast from Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Beautiful! Licorice? — 19.06.99. Grass. — 18.09.99

GEOFF

81 Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale

Started 20.02.99  Bottled 04.03.99

1 can Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale
1kg light liquid malt extract

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: 13.07.01: “Lovely. This has mellowed into a great beer — no longer tastes like bacon rind.” But a colleague said of the beer two months later that it “tasted like burnt sticks”. I still reckon it's OK, though.

GEOFF

82 My Brew Old

Started 27.06.99  Bottled 11.07.99

1 can My Brew Old
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
Yeast from Cooper's Sparkling Ale

OG NR  FG 1012  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Brewed as per the magnificent No. 80, while conceiving the idea for the 100-bottle Millennium Ale. Yeast Starter made from yeast of two stubbies of Cooper's Sparkling Ale, five teaspoons light dried malt extract, in a 750 ml bottle with bung and airlock.

TASTING NOTES: A beautiful, mellow bucket of suds. Lovely.

GEOFF

83 Goldrush Pilsner

Started 17.10.99  Bottled 04.11.99

1 can Goldrush Pilsner
500g glucose
500g light dried malt extract
500g light liquid malt
Brewiser Saaz finishing hops
Saflager dried lager yeast

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: 29.04.00: Very well balanced. Will grow old very gracefully indeed. 05.12.00: A bit odd? 18.07.01: Lovely. But still a bit odd.

GEOFF

84 Cooper's Wheat Beer

Started 13.11.99  Bottled 05.12.99

1 can Cooper's Wheat Beer
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
Brewcraft Premium Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: 3.03.01: Mmm, sweet and sudsy.

GEOFF

85 Cooper's Nut Brown Ale

Started 11.01.00  Bottled 05.02.00

1 can Cooper's Nut Brown Ale
500g dark dried malt extract
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Six of these were bottled without any priming sugar, in an experiment to determine whether adding sugar in the bottle was really necessary or desirable. They were flat. Doh!

TASTING NOTES: 29.07.00: Sampled a beer with no priming sugar. It was “well rounded apart from the fact that it was flat and had no head.”

GEOFF

86 Cooper's Pilsner

Started 27.02.00  Bottled 13.03.00

1 can Cooper's Pilsner
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
15g Saaz hops
Yeast from 3 stubbies of Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: This is a hybrid: a pilsner made with an ale yeast …

TASTING NOTES: … and it made a fantasic beer!

GEOFF

87 Ancient Egyptian Beer

Started 04 & 05.03.00  Bottled 18.03.00

500g barley flour
1 cup corn sugar
Baker's yeast

500g millet flour
1 cup corn sugar
Baker's yeast

40g dried licorice
15g anise seed
2kg light dried malt extract
1.5kg honey
1 litre molasses
Dried champagne yeast

BREWING NOTES: This was an attempt to recreate beer as the ancient Egyptians first brewed it some 4000 years ago. Two loaves, a millet bread and a barley loaf, were baked and then cooked into a gruel. This mess was used as the basis for the wort. We based our recipe primarily on an experiment carried out by a brewer who, although we have never met, must be said to be one of the bravest and most adventurous around: Steve Gustafson. Steve, for his part, got most of his material straight from the source: the writings of the Roman historian Diodorus Siculus, who travelled to Egypt in 60 BC. Read all about it on Steve Gustafson's web page

TASTING NOTES: 03.06.00: “Olly, this is definitely a specialty beer.” “This smells like spew.” “It's an after dinner beer. It's a sticky.”

GEOFF

88 Munton's Export Stout

Started 29.04.00  Bottled 14.05.00

1 can Munton's Export Stout
500g dark liquid malt
500g light liquid malt
500g glucose
200g dried corn syrup
15g Fuggles hops
Yeast starter from 3 stubbies Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: Mixture boiled 30 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: 26.01.01: “What a stout! Improvement just not possible.” True.

GEOFF

89 Vienna/Oktoberfest

Started 03.07.00  Bottled 15.07.00

2.5kg light malt syrup
50g chocolate malt
100g crystal malt
25g Hallertau hops
5g Saaz hops
100g malted wheat
500g raw sugar
15g Saaz hops (finishing)
Saflager S.23 Lager Yeast

BREWING NOTES: Bottled by the Knights in White Lab Coats, doing The Full Malty.

TASTING NOTES: 04.12.00: Interesting beer. More time required? 06.02.01: Getting better … 13.10.01: Two bottles sampled, both unstable and foaming very heavily out of the bottle. Not a bad drop though, but something NQR.

GEOFF

90 Lederhosen Dunkel

Started 05.08.00  Bottled 19.08.00

4.2kg light liquid malt
200g chocolate malt
32g Halletauer hop pellets
Saflager S23 lager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Ingredients boiled 90 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: 04.12.00: More time required? 18.07.01: A ripper bottle. Chocolately.

GEOFF

91 Continental Dark Lager/Hybrid

Started 07.10.00  Bottled 23.10.00

1 can Muntons Export Pilsner (1.8 kg)
100g malted wheat
500g dark dried malt extract
Brewcraft Continental Dark Lager Conversion Kit          (hops, chocolate malt, 600g glucose)
Yeast from 3 Cooper's Sparkling Ale stubbies

BREWING NOTES: Grains boiled 20 minutes. Hops added, stand 10 minutes. Strained, balance of ingredients added. This is a variation on Oliver's No.30 Continental Dark Lager.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted 3.06.01: “A beaut beer! Yum!”

GEOFF

92 Cooper's Real Ale

Started 12.01.01  Bottled 26.01.01

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1.2kg light liquid malt
250g dextrose
200g crystal malt
200g wheat malt
100g pale malt grain
25g Fuggles hop pellets
15g Saaz hop pellets

BREWING NOTES: Grains slowly brought to the boil in large quantity of water; strained; brought back to boil; can added. In another pot, water boiled; malt added, hops, simmer one hour then allowed to settle and cool.

TASTING NOTES: The verdict — absolutely magnificent. Had about a dozen since. In fact, having one at the moment and it's bloody terrific.

GEOFF

93 Biggles Best Bitter

Started 17.02.01  Bottled 04.03.01

1 can Cooper's Bitter
125 g cracked crystal grain
500 g dark dried malt extract
500 g glucose
15 g Goldings hop pellets
Safeale S.04 dried ale yeast

BREWING NOTES: Made for the Biggle-Off 2001. See Oliver's No.7 and No.32 and Geoff's No.69.

TASTING NOTES: Biggles flies again! Another great bitter ale, expected to do well in Biggle-off 2.

GEOFF

94 Enter the Dragon Stout

Started 18.07.01  Bottled 07.08.01

1 can Cooper's Stout
500 g light dried malt extract
1 kg dark dried malt extract
500 g Billingtons Muscovado dark unrefined sugar
Yeast from Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: The brew was made using a dark unrefined sugar (as opposed to supermarket variety “raw” sugar) with a view to achieving a stout something akin to Jamaica's legendary Dragon Stout.

TASTING NOTES: Had a go of it out of the fermenter. Bloody beautiful. Needed to restrain myself from drawing off glass after glass of it while bottling. Well that didn't last long … A sensational stout, much like its Caribbean progeneter.

GEOFF

95 Sweet Geordie Brown II

Started 08.08.01  Bottled 27.08.01

3.5kg light liquid malt extract
600g crystal malt
80g black malt BR
65g Goldings hop pellets
Yeast from Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: Boiled for two hours. Pinch of Goldings added 15 minutes before end of boil. Handful of Styrian flowers added to fermenter. Bottled by L. Hunt with Pots assisting. Tasted straight out of fermenter: Magic! Made after the success of Geoff's No.78 Sweet Geordie Brown

TASTING NOTES: Like SGB1, a terrific ale. I'm sure the good folk at CAMRA would be pleased.

GEOFF

96 Caledonian Brown Ale II

Started 28.09.01  Bottled 13.10.01

1 can Cooper's Draught
500g light liquid malt
500g dark liquid malt
200g dried corn syrup
15g Fuggles hops

BREWING NOTES: Brewed to the recipe of the magnificent No.75, which is described in one of the TASTING NOTES: as possibly the best homebrew ever.

TASTING NOTES: 11.03.02: A pretty good beer, possibly lacking the sweetness of a really good brown ale. Should improve. 12 months later *#133; And it did. As expected, this beer balanced out nicely over time to become a very good, classic ale.

GEOFF

97 Adam's Vintage Ale

Started 05.11.01  Bottled 23.11.01

1 can Cooper's Real Ale
1kg light dried malt extract
500g dextrose
150g white sugar
200g corn syrup
25g Golden Cluster hop pellets
Safale yeast

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Very good, but will need more time in the bottle in order to mellow the hop finish.

GEOFF

98 Chimay Blue

Started 02.01.02  Bottled 20.01.02

3kg light liquid malt
325g Leabrook Farms strawberry clover honey
500g soft brown sugar
40g crushed black malt
25g Goldings hop pellets
50g Hallertau hop pellets

BREWING NOTES: Inspired by recipes from Frank Hunnekaus, the Mountain Goat boys and Mike Rogers-Wilson. Thanks, guys. A yeast starter was made using the sediment from two small bottles of Chimay Blue. Thanks, monks.

TASTING NOTES: I'd have to say that I'm disappointed with the Chimay. A flat, dull taste and a weak head are its abiding characteristics. I'm really at a loss here, as it looks so good on paper.

GEOFF

99 Cooper's Wheat Beer

Started 02.02.02  Bottled 03.03.02

1 can Cooper's Brewmaster Wheat Beer
500g dried wheat malt
500g glucose
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: A pretty good beer. Nuf said.

GEOFF

100 Geoff's Kriek

Started 25.03.02  Bottled Not yet bottled

1 can Cooper's Brewmaster Pilsner
500g dried light malt
500g glucose
300g dried corn syrup
150g rasberries
Safale yeast

BREWING NOTES: The mighty 100th! I based this recipe on Frank Akers' cherry Kriek. The ingredients were boiled for approximately 20 minutes. During the boil, the house was filled with the aroma of malt and rasberries. Mmm … beer-jam.

TASTING NOTES: Very interesting (good interesting, not bad interesting). The earlier bottles were fantastic, best homebrew ever sort of thing. But later bottles were really gassed up, and the last few more or less poured themselves out of the bottle. I reckon the secret to using fresh fruit adjuncts in beer is to drink it fresh. Weird shit seems to happen in the bottle if left to age.

GEOFF

101 Black Rock Nut Brown Ale

Started ??.05.02  Bottled 22.06.02

1 can Black Rock Nut Brown Ale
500g dried light malt
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Mmm, not much I can recollect about this one …

TASTING NOTES: A nice drop, a bit dissappointed with the head.

GEOFF

102 Coopers Canadian Blonde

Started 05.07.02  Bottled 07.09.02

1 can Coopers Canadian Blonde
500g dried light malt
500g glucose

BREWING NOTES: Yeast as supplied.

TASTING NOTES: The perfect homebrew. Everything you could possibly want in a lager.

GEOFF

103 Black Rock Miners' Stout

Started 02.01.03  Bottled 01.02.03

1 can Black Rock Miners' Stout
500g dark liquid malt
500g light liquid malt
500g glucose
200g dried corn syrup
15g Fuggles hops
Yeast from two stubbies of 1999 Coopers Vintage Ale

BREWING NOTES: Modeled on the magnificent No. 88.

TASTING NOTES: Not recorded.

GEOFF

104 Cooper's Thomas Cooper's Heritage Lager

Started 02.01.03  Bottled 26.01.03

1 can Thomas Cooper's Heritage Lager
1 can Coopers light malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: As per instructions — too easy!

TASTING NOTES: Unexpectedly disappointing. Little to offer by way of compensation for a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. Not really bad. Just not particularly good.

GEOFF

105 Coopers Bavarian Lager

Started 31.01.03  Bottled 09.02.03

1 can Coopers Bavarian Lager
500g dried light malt
500g glucose
Saflager yeast

BREWING NOTES: Two lagers in a row! In summer! What's going on?

TASTING NOTES: Not recorded.

GEOFF

106 Beermakers Old

Started 07.02.03  Bottled 16.03.03

1 can Beermakers Old
500g dried dark malt
500g glucose
100g dried corn syrup
Safale yeast

BREWING NOTES: None

TASTING NOTES: Not recorded.

GEOFF

107 Munton's “Premium Gold” Old Conkerwood Black Ale

1 Munton's “Premium Gold” Series Old Conkerwood Black Ale Old kit, comprising 2 cans and 1 sachet of yeast.

BREWING NOTES: Just followed the instructions. Interestingly, these provided under the the heading “IMPORTANT” a direction not to boil the wort, lest the delicate balance of malt/hops be disturbed.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted great out of the bottle. A magnificent black ale with characteristics of … old conkerwood, I guess.

GEOFF

108 Simon & Paul's 44 Stout

Started 31.03.03  Bottled 13.04.03

1 can Coopers Stout
1.5 kg dark liquid malt
100 g chocolate grain
100 g crystal grain
100 g malted barley
250 g dark brown sugar
200 g molasses
50 g Fuggles hop pellets
Safale yeast

BREWING NOTES: Grains brought to the boil in 3 litres of water. Strained. Balance of ingredients added, boiled for 15 minutes. Wort cooled, put in fermenter, water added. Yeast pitched at 24 degrees.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted out of the fermenter when bottled. Mmm... molasses.

GEOFF

109 Munton's Gold Dockland's Porter

1 Munton's Gold Dockland's Porter kit, comprising 2 cans and 1 sachet of yeast.

BREWING NOTES: Just followed the instructions.

TASTING NOTES: Call it Dockland's, call it Colonial Stadium, call it Telstra Dome, it doesn't matter. This beer is good. Very good. Recommended winter drinking.

GEOFF

111 Munton's Traditional Bitter

Started 22.06.03  Bottled 20.07.03

1 can Munton's Traditional Bitter
500g glucose
800g light dried malt extract
15g Hallertau Aroma hop pellets
Yeast from 2 stubbies of Cooper's Sparkling Ale

BREWING NOTES: NA.

TASTING NOTES: Not recorded.

GEOFF

112 Malt Shovel Deep Roast Ale

Started 24.12.03  Bottled 02.01.04

2 cans Malt Shovel Deep Roast Ale
Yeast as supplied, rehydrated

BREWING NOTES: Just brewed it in accordance with the instructions.

TASTING NOTES: Bloody hell! One of the best homebrews ever, and all I really did was added water! I would unconditionally recommend this beer to anyone, from first-time brewer to the most anally retentive brewmeister.

GEOFF

113 Thomas Cooper's Sparkling Ale

Started 23.05.04 Bottled 27.06.04

1 can Thomas Cooper's Sparkling Ale
300g glucose
500g light dried malt extract
1.5kg light liquid malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: NA.

TASTING NOTES: An unremarkable, but pleasant enough beer.

GEOFF

114 Malt Shovel Two-Row Lager

Started 03.07.04 Bottled 15.08.04

2 cans Malt Shovel Two-Row Lager
Yeast as supplied, rehydrated

BREWING NOTES: I added a bird's-eye chilli to four of the bottles at the suggestion of spanner, who sent us an intriguing description of the way in which this tends to lead to an escalating cycle of beer drinking (a little like the Middle East, (except that we're talking about beer drinking and not violence and bloodshed).) In spanner's words: “the beer was nice at first sip, with the chili being a nice mild tingle on the tongue. It was then that the aftertaste cut in! The thing was, it mayed you want another scol of beer, which started the whole process off again …(sic).”

TASTING NOTES: A sensational, clean lager. The Chilli beer was undrinkable. It has been suggested that I use the remaining chilli beer as the base for a rich chutney. Not a bad idea. Watch this space …

GEOFF

115 Cooper's Bavarian Lager

Started 18.08.04 Bottled 29.08.04

1 can Cooper's Bavarian Lager
500g glucose
500g light dried malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: This one was revisited at the suggestion of Steve Robertson, who pointed out that I might have wasted my money buying a Saflager yeast for number 105 rather than using the yeast as supplied. Only time will tell …

TASTING NOTES: A bit disappointed with this one. Lacking most of the hallmarks of a great lager, this beer was muddy and one dimensional. I think that Steve was probably right.

GEOFF

116 Pots' Belgian Wit Beer

Started NK (Whoops!)  Bottled 18.09.04

2 cans Malt Shovel Summer Wheat Beer
Peel of 1 orange
Small bunch of fresh coriander (including roots), chopped
Yeast as supplied

OG NK  FG NK  Alc/Vol NK %

BREWING NOTES: Orange and coriander placed in two or three litres of cold water and brought to the boil. Simmered for five minutes. Contents of cans added.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted VERY promising straight out of the fermenter. 14/05/05: A solid beer, but without the overt presence of the adjuncts I'd expected. It has been suggested that coriander seeds, rather than the fresh stuff, is probably the way to go. I'd be inclined to concur.

GEOFF

117 Malt Shovel Pale Ale

Started 01.09.04  Bottled -.-.04

2 cans Malt Shovel Pale Ale
Yeast as supplied, rehydrated

BREWING NOTES: NA.

TASTING NOTES: A beautiful pale ale. No further comment required.

GEOFF

118 Malt Shovel Oatmeal Stout

Started 15.10.04  Bottled 19.12.04

2 cans Malt Shovel Oatmeal Stout
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: The kitchen smelled like a Saturday morning with the Vegemite toast production line in full swing.

TASTING NOTES: Smoooooth.

GEOFF

119 Geoff's Schwarzbier

Started 27.01.05  Bottled 13.02.05

1 can Thomas Cooper's Heritage Lager
700g dark liquid malt extract
500g light liquid malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: A very satisfying dark lager, not unlike the dunkels such as Schofferhofer. I'd have to put it down as a successful attempt to emulate these Bavarian beauties.

GEOFF

120 Cascade Chocolate Mahogany Porter

Started 10.05.05  Bottled 13.06.05

1 can Cascade Chocolate Mahogany Porter
200g chocolate malt (cracked & boiled for 30 minutes)
500g light dried malt extract
500g dark dried malt extract
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES:The sweet, sweet smell of chocolate malt on a rolling boil — that's what I call aromatherapy.

TASTING NOTES: Mmm, chocolate and almonds.

GEOFF

121 Cascade Spicy Ghost Draught

Started 22.05.05  Bottled 24.07.05

1 can Cascade Spicy Ghost Draught
500g light dried malt extract
500g glucose
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: NA

TASTING NOTES: Woof! What a genuinely interesting lager! It tastes, well, spicy, and a bit like a ghost. Seriously. It's as if it were brewed up in an old man's tobacco pouch, but in a nice way. Avast, ye motley bunch of land lubbers, set the mainsail for Van Dieman's Land!

GEOFF

122 ESB Fresh Wort Bock

Started 22.08.05  Bottled 12.09.05

1 15 litre ESB Fresh Wort Bock
Yeast as supplied (Saflager)

BREWING NOTES: How slack can you get? Put the contents in a fermenter and pitch the yeast.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted great out of the fermenter — I predict good times ahead, even if there are only 18 bottles.
26.02.06: This is a BIG bock, a spread-it-on-your-toast-and-have-it-for-breakfast-with-
black-coffee sort of beer, that will not dissapoint lovers of the dark side of brewing. A rustic nose, roasted flavour and malty finish. Where's my bowl of deep fried whitebait?

GEOFF

123 ESB Fresh Wort Pilsner

Started 22.08.05  Bottled 17.09.05

1 15 litre ESB Fresh Wort Pilsner
5 litres cold water Yeast as supplied (Saflager)

BREWING NOTES: A little more labour intensive than the Bock (No.122) — I had to add five litres of water to the fermenter.

TASTING NOTES: Straight out of the fermenter, it tasted like a handful of walnuts. I like walnuts.
26.02.06 — The walnuts are still there, part of a lovely nutty finish which is quite unique and, well, just delicious. This is a sensational beer and a very fine example of the often hidden potential of the humble lager.

GEOFF

124 Adam's Vintage Ale Revisited

Started 15.10.05  Bottled 24.12.05

1 can Thomas Cooper's Sparkling Ale
500 g light dried malt extract
500 g dark dried malt extract
500 g glucose
25 g Golden Cluster hop pellets
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: An attempt to re-create — and improve — the mighty No.97 Adam's Vintage Ale.

TASTING NOTES: Nailed it! Just like a Coopers Vintage Ale only better (if I do say so myself).
Much better than the 97 — a fresher and more balanced beer.

GEOFF

125 Munton's Irish Stout

Started 19.02.06  Bottled 5.3.06

1 can Munton's Irish Stout
1 Brewcraft #74 Beer Kit Converter
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: I know it's lazy to use a pre-mixed kit but I was curious — and lazy. The ingredients — whatever they were — looked good, and it smelled great as I slowly boiled them for 20 minutes.

TASTING NOTES: Floral. If a Dublin prostitute were to take a dram of this lot she'd end up with a mouth full of tulips. For those of us not afflicted with candida, however, this is a monster awesome ome stout. Big, black, bitter and hoppy. Did I mention the whipped cream head? Simply excellent.

GEOFF

126 Black Rock Nut Brown Ale

Started 24.04.06  Bottled 14.05.06

1 can Black Rock Nut Brown Ale
1 Brewcraft #70 Beer Kit Converter
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Brewed using the same method — and for the same reasons — as No. 125.

TASTING NOTES: Now this is good. A lovely Nut Brown Ale, full of rich malty goodness. Not as full bodied as I'd expected, but not a problem. You can just drink more of 'em and quicker.

GEOFF

127 James Squire India Pale Ale

Started 28.05.06  Bottled 15.07.06

2 cans Malt Shovel Pale Ale
25g Goldings hops
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Hops simmered for 1 minute in 300ml water, stood for 15 minutes and then strained into the brew.

TASTING NOTES: Not a great beer, I must say, but a pretty bloody good one none the less. There's good drinking to be had here, just not VERY good drinking.

GEOFF

128 Little Creatures Pale Ale

Started 28.05.06  Bottled 24.06.06

1 can Black Rock Pilsner Blonde
1 Brewcraft #15 Beer Kit Converter
150g dried wheat malt extract
15g Cascade hops
10g Willamette hops
Safale yeast US-56

BREWING NOTES: Hops as per No.127.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted great out of the fermenter. Looks & tastes just like its namesake. 19/06/06: Well what the good people at Brewcraft say is true — if you like Little Creatures Pale Ale you'll like this. The beer itself doesn't actually taste like the drink of them tiny critters, but it's not a bad example of the style — a light fruity and very drinkable ale. Bring on the balmy summer nights by the sea, I say.

GEOFF

129 Malt Shovel Summer Wheat Beer

Started 24.11.06  Bottled 12.12.06

2 cans Malt Shovel Brewery Summer Wheat Beer
Yeast as supplied

BREWING NOTES: Bit of a no-brainer, but so far these kits have proved to be really, really good.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted very strong and bitter straight out of the fermenter, not really what I expected at all.

GEOFF

130 Mountmellick Irish Cream Ale

Started 13.12.06  Bottled 26.01.07

1 can Mountmellick Irish Cream Ale
600g glucose
400g light dried malt extract
200g dried corn syrup
Yeast as supplied (starter made)

BREWING NOTES: No brewing notes.

TASTING NOTES: Not yet tasted.

GEOFF

131 Geoff's IPA

Started 03.05.07  Bottled 23.06.07

4 kg light malt extract
400g crystal malt grain
100g wheat malt grain
500g Demerara sugar
50g Northern Brewer hops (7-10% A/A)
25g Fuggles hops (4-5% A/A)
Safale S-04 yeast

OG NR  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Brought the grains to the boil in 1 litre of water, stained the liquid and added the malt & sugar. Boiled wort for 30 minutes. Added the NB hops, boiled for a further hour. Added F hops, left wort to stand for an hour, skimmed then placed in fermenter.

TASTING NOTES: A really great beer. The darkest looking IPA I ever did see, but who cares. This is a really lovely ale.

GEOFF

132 Geoff's San Fran Lager

Started 05.09.07  Bottled 16.09.07

3.2 kg light malt
250g cracked crystal malt
30g Northern Brewer hops (1 hour)
20g Northern Brewer hops (5 minutes)
Wyeast 2112

OG NR  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: 30 g hops boiled in 1 litre of water for 30 minutes. Crystal malt & 1 further litre of water added, boiled for 30 minutes. 20 g hops boiled in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes then added to wort. Wort strained & malt added.

TASTING NOTES: Tasted after 3 months in the bottle: quite disappointing, distinctly under-hopped. Hopefully some more bottle time might see an improvement.

GEOFF

133 Two Plank Stout

Started 06.10.07  Bottled 27.10.07

1 can Black Rock Miner's Stout
1kg light dried malt extract
200g dried corn syrup
1 tin Carnation sweetened condensed milk
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale

OG NR  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: What the???

TASTING NOTES: Not yet tasted.

GEOFF

134 TL's Oktoberfest

Started 28.01.08  Bottled 29.03.08

1 can Coopers Bavarian Lager
1kg light dried malt extract
250g cracked crystal malt
25g Hallertau hops
Saflager yeast

OG NR  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: Based on a recipe from long time Forum member Trough Lollie (not his real name).

TASTING NOTES: Not yet tasted.

GEOFF

135 Brewcraft Chimay Blue

Started 25.08.08  Bottled --.--.08

1.5 kg Black Rock Amber malt extract
1kg light dried malt extract
250g honey
50g black grain crushed
50g Hallertau hop pellets
25g Goldings hop pellets Safale S-04 yeast

OG NR  FG NR  ALC/VOL  NK

BREWING NOTES: 1 teaspoon of Hallertau hops reserved. Remaining hops & dried malt roll-boiled for 35 minutes. Black grain & reserved hops added, stood for 20 minutes. Strained. Liquid malt & honey added.

TASTING NOTES: Not yet tasted.

 

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