Defo brew it like a Ditch first, as you won't be disappointed.twentyfootwilf wrote:Good thinking! I hadn't thought of it like that. I have some ideas for the choc malt in future brews (possibly a Coopers English Bitter) so I reckon I'll hang on to it for now. I've really got to get into this Ditch's Stout stuff (the phrase 'I'll have whatever he's on' springs to mind when reading a Dich postGeezah wrote:I have never used any dark malts personally, so cant comment, but if you know what the kit is like, then any additions IMO should be done singular so you can identify the flavours etc and noted for future use.
... maybe split the kit in half and add a chocolate malt mash to 10l and then compare the 2 side by side?) It seems that if I get it in the FV on a Friday I'll be drinking it 2 weeks later
. Sounds like a plan!
Coopers original series stout isn't the stoutest stout, but that is what makes it so drinklable so early

My second brew is way better than the first, but this is mainly down to kegging instead of bottling, but I also used extra dark DME instead of medium this time, which is also more pleasing to my taste.
For brew #3, I will probably steep 50g of roasted barley to try and tweak it that bit more for my taste.
MB