Extra Strong Vintage Ale '15 Recipe

Apr 26, 2017

Extra Strong Vintage Ale '15 (21 Litres)

Every year, when the winter is at its wettest and the cold nights seem eternal, true craft beer lovers prepare for the arrival of a legend. Coopers most wanted. Vintage Ale. With scarcely enough around to fill the tray of a few Holden utes, Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale is always a highly sort after and lovingly respected example of our passion for craft brewing. But the disappointment experienced by those that might have missed the limited release weighed heavily on our hearts, so an alternative has been made available. A DIY Beer recipe, modelled on our 2015 Vintage Ale. With a beautiful display of esters, overt hop aromatics, alcohol heat and a firm bitter finish while young; time will see those esters, hops and alcohol meld together, to develop a toffee/sherry like characteristic with a softened bitterness that will endure and evolve, well into the future; if you can wait that long. Reward yourself. And test your patience with what we believe to be a DIY Beer Recipe to die for.

Ingredients

1.7kg Australian Pale Ale
1.7kg Real Ale
500g Dextrose Corn Sugar
300g Crystal Malt Grains
25g Ella hop pellets
25g Melba hop pellets
25g Vic Secret hop pellets
11g BRY-97 and both sachets of kit yeast (or Coopers commercial ale yeast)

Features:

Colour: Amber
Body: Heavy
Bitterness: High
Approx. Alcohol Level: 7.5% ABV
Naturally Carbonated: Natural

Instructions:

Step 1: The day before

Line a pot (at least 4 litres) with a mesh cleaning cloth (pulled straight from the pack), then add the cracked grain and 2 litres of cold water. Fit the lid and sit in the fridge for 24hrs.

Step 2: Brew

Remove from the fridge then gather up the corners of the mesh cloth and lift, allowing the liquid to drain from the grains back into the pot. Place the strained liquid onto the stovetop and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add 25g of Ella hops and let steep for 15 mins. Cool the liquid by placing pot in a bath of cold water for about 15mins then strain into a Fermenting Vessel. Add the contents of the two beer kits plus dextrose and stir to dissolve. Fill with cool water to the 18 litre mark, stir vigorously and check the brew temperature. Top up to the 21 litre mark with warm or cold water (refrigerated if necessary) to get as close to 18C as possible. Stir in the wet yeast or sprinkle on the dry yeast and fit the lid. Try to ferment at 18C. After about 3 days- Add the remaining hops to the brew by wrapping them in a mesh cleaning cloth (pulled straight from the pack) and place directly on top of the brew then re-fit the lid.

Step 3: Bottle

The brew may be bottled only after the SG readings are stable over a couple of days – it should finish around the 1008 to 1012 mark. We recommend the use of PET bottles. Sturdy reusable glass bottles, designed for storing beer, should be used if planning to keep some of the brew in bottle beyond 18 months. Prime at the normal rate of 8g/l (2 carbonation drops per 740/750 ml bottle) or slightly lower, in accordance with the style.

Step 4: Enjoy

Allow to condition at or above 18C for at least 2 weeks before tasting. The final alcohol content should be approximately 7.5% ABV. Join the Coopers Club to record and save your brews today! Join Here