Best Extra Stout Recipe

Mar 04, 2021

Best Extra Stout (20 Litres)

Our commercial Best Extra Stout is an outstanding beer, hence the numerous awards. This recipe is an approximation to the former version of Best Extra Stout at 6.8% ABV, which was also sold as a bottled-aged product called Special Old Stout. We reckon the extra alcohol increases the longevity of the brew. It’s a great beer to cellar and taste periodically to see how it develops. To get as close as possible to style, it’s important to ferment at 21C using the commercial yeast culture.

Ingredients

1.7kg Coopers Stout
1.5kg Dark Malt Extract
Dextrose Corn Sugar
Acitve Coopers commercial yeast culture plus brew can yeast
Dextrose Corn Sugar

Features:

Colour: Black
Body: Heavy
Bitterness: Medium/High
Approx. Alcohol Level: 6.8% ABV
Naturally Carbonated: Natural

Instructions:

STEP 1: Mix

Dissolve Coopers Original Series Stout, Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract and Sugar/Dextrose in 2 litres of hot water. Fill fermenter with cool water to the 20 litre mark and stir. Stir in the active Coopers yeast culture and sprinkle the brew can yeast then fit the lid. Ferment temperature should be as close to 21C as possible. Look in our DIY FAQ's for a guide on growing our commercial yeast.

STEP 2: Brew

During the first stage of fermentation dark brews may foam up through the airlock. This is a sign that the yeast is working effectively. To avoid this, fill the fermenter to 15-18 litres then top up, to the 20 litre mark with cool boiled water once the foaming has subsided. To avoid the risk of over carbonation - glass bottles may explode. Only bottle your brew when the fermentation process is complete. Fermentation is complete when the density of the brew remains constant over 2 days. We recommend the use of a hydrometer to check the specific gravity (density) of your brew.

STEP 3: Bottle

Bottles need to be primed so that secondary fermentation (producing the gas in the bottle) can take place We recommend the use of PET bottles or reusable glass bottles designed for storing beer.

Priming

Add carbonation drops at the rate of 1 per 330ml/375ml bottle and 2 per 740ml/750ml bottle. Sugar or dextrose may be used at the rate of 8g per litre (approximately 6g of sugar to a level metric teaspoon). Store the bottles out of direct sunlight at 18C or above for at least 1 week while secondary fermentation occurs. Your beer can be consumed after 2 weeks. Bottles may be stored (conditioned) for long periods of time (3 months or more). Conditioning should improve flavour, reduce the size of the bubbles and make the yeast sediment more compacted.

STEP 4: Enjoy!

While we recommend leaving your bottles to condition at or above 18C for at least 2 weeks - Stout can be consumed early but also benefits from extended conditioning. The coffee, chocolate and licorice aromas that can be associated with Stout are more pronounced if the brew is served less chilled (or with less fizz - reduce priming rate) than normal.