Rebrew a "Coopers Dark Ale" to make heavier

[motiv8d]

Hi
I have just brewed a Coopers dark ale exactly per instructions on the can. It has finished its ferment and thus ready for bottling, but I was wondering if I added more sugars and malt and rebrewed if it would have any adverse affects?
The standard mix of the coopers dark ale I am finding very 'thin' and I would much prefer a nice heavy/thick dark dark ale. I was thinking of adding 1.5kg dextrose 0.5kg brown sugar and 1kg of dark malt.
Any ideas?

Thanks

PS: I should probably add the the current standard mix is 1) the tin of Dark Ale 2) 1Kg dextrose 3) 23 litres of water

[OldBugman]

adding dextrose and brown sugar isn't going to add to the body of the beer it's really only going to add to the alcohol content. try adding more malt and some hops to balance it out.

[motiv8d]

Thanks Oldbugman.
I wouldnt mind increasing the alcohol content anyway somewhat. So maybe then 1kg sugars and 1kg of malt.
For hops do you have any recommendations (i dont like real bitter beer)?
And I am presuming I would just add the additional ingredients and rebrew this mix (maybe premix ingredients in warm water first?). Am I correct in this assumption?
Cheers

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Most yeasts will not like the high alcohol levels that your suggested technique would produce, IMO.

My suggestion would be to enjoy what you've just brewed for what it is and next time do something different.

The sort of difference I have in mind is to add a kilogram of Light Dry Malt Extract. It will add alcohol (not as much as straight sugar), but also colour, body and flavour to your brew.

I am a big proponent of 'one change at a time'. If you change two things at once and you don't like the outcome, you won't know for sure which thing made the bit you don't like.

[motiv8d]

Cheers Spillsmostofit (I hope not!. What a waste
I really don't think I will enjoy the standard coopers dark ale much - it seems very body deficient so rather than make one change at a time I do want to alter this current batch.
As such what if I added 1kg dark yeast powder and minimal dextrose (500g?) to continue the brewing along.
That would make the total batch
1 x Coopers Dark Ale
1.5Kg x Dextrose
1Kg x Dark Malt powder
The calculator at
http://www.brewcraft.com.au/wa.asp?idWe ... etails=120
shows that it should be around 7.3% when finished
Any idea how this would go? And how I would add it? Just add the extra and put the lid back on or what?

Cheers

[KEG]

if you're intent on doing this, be aware that if you use dark malt, you'll make a brew that needs at least 1 or 2 months before it'll be much good to drink, it'll need to smooth out a bit while aging. if i was you, i'd use light malt, but each to his own.

to sterilise, you'll need to boil the dark malt and dextrose in enough water to dissolve them, then cool with the lid on the pot to the same temp as the brew, then pour in carefully without making any splashes, or you'll oxidise your brew and make it just nasty. stir it in to a minimal extent, but be careful not to splash.[/u]

[Pale_Ale]

What's a couple of months? I try and leave a 3 month lead time on all of my brews and they are alot better for it. It's worth that first 3 month wait then it's just a matter of matching supply and demand

[KEG]

i'm trying to play catchup at the moment, funds permitting. i need to get a stockpile happening, my beers are only getting 3-5 weeks

[Pale_Ale]

Just brew up a couple of coopers lager kits for daily drinkers, they brew out in 5 or 6 days and you've got 2.5 cartons!

[SpillsMostOfIt]

... or, as I am doing right now, Coopers Bitter. That way, you get something that has some identifiable taste to it and only improves with age... Use two kit yeasts and stand back!

[motiv8d]

Thanks KEG. Sounds like great advice! I will save the dark malt for a very nice brew in a bit cooler weather and use light for this one, pour carefully and do a dance to the beer gods after its all mixed in.

[Pale_Ale]

Isn't the Coopers Dark kit basically dark liquid malt and hop concentrate?

[motiv8d]

Hi Pale Ale
I have no idea, but it is very dark when it comes out of the can???
Is there any way of finding out?
Its an interesting question seeing as KEG feels that dark malt will take 4 months to mature into anything decent.

[Pale_Ale]

I did an Old kit recently with 500g dark malt and 500g light malt. 2 months down the track and it's drinking quite nicely

[KEG]

I did an Old kit myself a little while ago and used 1kg dark malt in it.. it's a month in the bottle now, and yeah it's drinkable, but has a long way to go in terms of mellowing out. i tried it out of the fermenter while bottling, and it had a really strong flavour that i can only compare to vegemite on toast. after a month that's smoothed out a heck of a lot, but it has to go further before i'll really enjoy it.

so speaking from experience, you'll need patience if you use a kilo of dark malt

[scblack]

I recently did a Morgans Yukon Smoked Brown Ale, and while I know it is not a Dark Ale, its not that different.

It was very thin after the usual three weeks carbonation, but after 6-8 weeks it was a very enjoyable beer. Had filled out nicely ans also the smokey effect had smoothed also.

Maybe give your Dark Ale the same extra time, and it will fill out too.

I don't do many Dark Ales, or stouts, but it is clear they need extra time, over a bitter or standard ale.

[rwh]

I have no idea, but it is very dark when it comes out of the can???
Is there any way of finding out?

From the coopers whiteboard:

Dark Ale 4650.0.200.200

That's 92% pale malt, 4% wheat malt, 4% black malt.

[motiv8d]

Ta scblack. I think I will bottle it as is and do a new batch from scratch. Hopefully as you say it could fill out. Now I'll just have to go get some more PET bottles

And in line with the comments from others I think I will do a light/dark malt mix rather than all dark. Four months is a long time to wait for a drink

Those coopers whiteboard notes are very interesting. Thanks for that bit of info.