" Ditch's " / Coopers Stout Method Poll .....

[Ditch]

Ok. I'm not actually going to open a proper poll here. I fear that could just get too complicated. Instead, I'll just ask some very black and white questions about ye own experience with this gear. Just answer accordingly, please. We'll see if there's any rhyme or reason comes out of it.


1. Is the water you used generally considered Hard or Soft?

2. How much water, in what size of FV did ye use?

3. Were ye able to guarantee a consistent, 'higher end' temperature. I.e; c. 22 degrees?

4. Did ye brew 'Blow and Spew'. I mean, did it actually 'Boil Over' and run down the outside of the FV?


Thanks for answering. Please don't go into a discussion about it here. Plenty of that else where. We'd just like to compare simple answers to the above basic questions. Let's try to keep this simple and any 'result' readable

[bevvy_merchant]

was just going to post on my own thread about this.

1. soft but full of chlorine/chlorimates 1/2 campden tablet to combat this
2. 20ltr in a 25ltr FV
3. yup set the 100watt tank heater to 21c
4. popped the lid and spewed its load all down the side.

done a coopers stout with 2 500g bags of MDSM. hit the lid after 22hrs of adding the yeast and started spewing @ 28hrs.

made 25ltr campden treated water, added 5ltr to an SS pot and boiled, cooled boiled water in pot to 65c with treated cold water, mixed in 1kg MDSM, mixed in the tin of gloop, added mix to FV then topped up to 20ltr with treated water all the time stirring vigorously (i will not be stirring this stuff quite so bloody much the next time), added dried yeast straight out the packet onto froth @ 22c.

[dedken]

1. hard - Thames Water. Used 1 campden.
2. 20l in 30l. Topped up to 25l after fermentation.
3. heater on 21C
4. didn't spew, but was a very impressive fermentation. Definitely the most vigorous (and prettiest!) I've ever seen.

What's more, the taste after just two weeks conditioning is something to behold.

edit...

5. Closed lid except for a small crack where the heater lead went through. Incidently my heater is a non-submersible one, possibly leading to higher temperatures at the head of wort.

[kay-jay]

1 - inbetween soft and hard (neutral?)
2 - 20 litres in a 32 litre vessel
3 - 22 degrees constant ish
4 - no!
5 - fv lid closed properly and airlock used.

i would like to see added to the list of questions number 5! - did you use the open or closed fermenter method.....i think oxygen may play a part also! if everyone above edited the posts to reflect point 5 that would be good.


cheers

KJ

[At. Ailbhe's Brewery]

1. Is the water you used generally considered Hard or Soft?

2. How much water, in what size of FV did ye use?

3. Were ye able to guarantee a consistent, 'higher end' temperature. I.e; c. 22 degrees?

4. Did ye brew 'Blow and Spew'. I mean, did it actually 'Boil Over' and run down the outside of the FV?

1. I don't know. I use the local bottled water. I'm assuming it's not a million miles off whatever bottled water normally is.

2. Topped up to 21l in a 25l FV. Snap on lid with an airlock.

3. Yes. Had it sitting in a heated water bath, at 21 degrees. Covered with a blanket too.

4. No. It hit the lid, that'all. No more explosive than my Fixby Gold that's in the FV at the moment.

[cbucket]

1. Is the water you used generally considered Hard or Soft?

2. How much water, in what size of FV did ye use?

3. Were ye able to guarantee a consistent, 'higher end' temperature. I.e; c. 22 degrees?

4. Did ye brew 'Blow and Spew'. I mean, did it actually 'Boil Over' and run down the outside of the FV?

1. Hard, Thames Water (no campden tablet, Peckham Spring)

2. 20l on a 23 ltr vessel

3. Yes, leave it in the spare room

4. Yes, got the Coopers explosion. Spewed out the loose lid.
(the first time the lid was sealed and the froth went through the airlock, very messy )

[ger]

1. Tesco bottled water (My local water isnt the best)

2. 17l in 25l fv with lid and airlock

3. In utility room, prob between 16 to 20C

4. Lid was domed up and full to brim but airlock stayed on with nothing entering it! Any more than 17l would have been very messy!!

This also had 500g muscovado sugar added. OG: 1.060 now at 1.012 will bottle on saturday, should be nice strong stout

[barl_fire]

1. Sheffield tap water, no treatment, soft.

2. 20 litres in a 5 gallon FV

3. Constant temp of 21 degrees C with an Electrim 75 immersible heater, fermented with kit yeast.

4. Huge head of foam pushing against lid, but no spew, in fact my modified JB London Porter is the only brew I've done that has spewed.

[Mogwyth]

1. Asda Eden Falls bottled water.

2. 23 in a 30 fv

3. FV sit in the inglenook near a Rayburn with fairly consistent 70 degrees.

4. Never had one escape yet but usually reach the lid

5. Lid sealed with bubbler.

[Old splot]

1. Water here (Manchester) is considered Very Soft by Utilities company. (Water comes from the Lake District)

2. 20 ltrs in 25ltr fv

3. Constant temp with heater.

4. Spewed out of fv within 24hrs and died away within 48 hrs.

It's the only brew I have done that has escaped the fv in such an impressive manner! I have never added a campden tablet to my brewing water as I find the council pop here is quite drinkable on its own with no chlorine smell or taste.

[Ditch]

Old Splot, ye have my attention! Realise it or not, you're about as close as this thread has come, thus far, to matching my own, exact procedure!

Check it out. No One, above, seems capable of simply copying my own method. They all have to throw in a personal tweek. And their Results differ.

1. Water, here, is said to be soft as a babies bum. Check!

2. I use 20 Ltrs in a 25 Ltr FV. Check!

3. "Constant temp', with a heater. " What temperature, please? We need the Science here. I believe mine would be about 22 (3?) I'll check that once I pull my heaters. I use 50 Watt ones.

4. This lot's spewing as I type. I'd say 50 hours.

Why does mine take so long to Blow and Spew? I suspect this is because I Pitch at 'Tap Temperature'. It needs the heater to reach some optimum temperature at which the Coopers yeast goes berserk!

What temperature do ye actually pitch at, please?

I feel we're getting there!

[Cleggy]

My version if it counts!

1. Water Very Soft (Cheshire)
2. About 20L in a 25l FV
3. About 21 deg with a submerged fish tank heater.
4. Had the lid clicked on with a small hole and grommet for the heater cable. She bubbled right up to the lid and left her signature there, but she didn't try and escape.

Oh and as of last night (1 week in cold conditioning after 1 week in warm) she tastes fantastic!

Good luck with your research Dr Ditch