" Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Want to experiment with additions and tweaks to beer kits? This is the place to post.
Post Reply
Dadstaxi
Sober
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:03 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by Dadstaxi » Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:33 pm

Time for a taste test: best described as Dandelion and Burdock with attitude so quite nice really.

woodburner
Sober
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:28 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by woodburner » Sun Jul 22, 2018 11:19 am

Morning guys, I've attempted to do a brew along the lines of Ditchs stout and its just over 3 days in with an appley smell to it.
The 'foam explosion' stage has passed and the temperature is hovering around 19-20C in a water bath with a FT heater in it.

Is the appley smell normal or is my brew f**ked?

User avatar
Jim
Site Admin
Posts: 10250
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:00 pm
Location: Washington, UK

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by Jim » Sun Jul 22, 2018 12:49 pm

woodburner wrote:
Sun Jul 22, 2018 11:19 am
Morning guys, I've attempted to do a brew along the lines of Ditchs stout and its just over 3 days in with an appley smell to it.
The 'foam explosion' stage has passed and the temperature is hovering around 19-20C in a water bath with a FT heater in it.

Is the appley smell normal or is my brew f**ked?
Perfectly normal to get that smell. In fact brewing beer can smell pretty funky. :)
NURSE!! He's out of bed again!

JBK on Facebook
JBK on Twitter

Dadstaxi
Sober
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:03 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by Dadstaxi » Sun Jul 22, 2018 3:51 pm

It sure can - imagine a small bathroom with a Ditch's stout and 5 x 5 gallons of Elderflower all underway...

woodburner
Sober
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:28 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by woodburner » Wed Aug 01, 2018 10:04 am

Thanks for the replies, the brew has been left for 2 weeks and still stinks like cider (and tastes a bit like it too).

I was on the phone to bungle666 (old member on here I know personally) who suggested the fermentation had stalled and that making a yeast starter using Safale S-04 would help to restart it. I'll give that a try and see how it turns out!

sonicated
Hollow Legs
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by sonicated » Wed Aug 01, 2018 10:14 am

woodburner wrote:
Wed Aug 01, 2018 10:04 am
Thanks for the replies, the brew has been left for 2 weeks and still stinks like cider (and tastes a bit like it too).
The second brew I ever did was a pale ale and tasted like sour cider, I was really worried about it. Once fermentation is complete (including secondary if bottling) leave it for at least a week per ABV percentage and it will all be gone.

Yeast doesn't turn sugar straight to alcohol, it goes through a number of different chemicals. One of these is acetaldehyde which gives the apple taste. When I started I used to do six 330ml bottles so I could taste it week by week and see how it developed - I'd recommend it.

davew
Piss Artist
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:22 am
Location: Nottingham and Gods own country of Yorkshire

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by davew » Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:56 pm

Reduced to £10 in Boyes thought it would be rude not to do a pressure ferment experiment in the Fermentasaurus. Seems to be keeping the Brain in Check at 15PSIImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


Last edited by davew on Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Fermenting: Wilkos Cider
Drinking: Wilkos Hoppy Copper (very nice)

steviebobs83
Piss Artist
Posts: 172
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:19 am

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by steviebobs83 » Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:34 pm

Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV 🤣

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


davew
Piss Artist
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:22 am
Location: Nottingham and Gods own country of Yorkshire

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by davew » Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:53 pm

The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weatherImage
steviebobs83 wrote:Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV 🤣

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

Fermenting: Wilkos Cider
Drinking: Wilkos Hoppy Copper (very nice)

steviebobs83
Piss Artist
Posts: 172
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:19 am

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by steviebobs83 » Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:55 pm

I can't resist a dig sorry. I'd effin love a fermentasaurus though, are they worth the outlay?
davew wrote:The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weatherImage
steviebobs83 wrote:Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV 🤣

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


davew
Piss Artist
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:22 am
Location: Nottingham and Gods own country of Yorkshire

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by davew » Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:01 pm

steviebobs83 wrote:I can't resist a dig sorry. I'd effin love a fermentasaurus though, are they worth the outlay?
davew wrote:The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weatherImage
steviebobs83 wrote:Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV 🤣

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Err yes i would recommend, start to glass in 7 days with no off flavours, carbonated and air free transfer to cornie. Can't see any reason not to recommend so far. Will take longer for a crystal clear brew if that's what you like.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

Fermenting: Wilkos Cider
Drinking: Wilkos Hoppy Copper (very nice)

jinjahbiscuit
Steady Drinker
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:00 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by jinjahbiscuit » Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:53 pm

I'm exhausted! I read through the whole thread, 120 pages, took me about 4 days.
I've ordered the Coopers stout kits and dark DME from my local HBS, The Homebrew Centre in Keynsham, cracking little shop if you're in the locale. Don't know how they squeeze everything in to such a tiny space.
Anyway, this'll be as close to to the Maestro's original as I can get it, the bare bones of True Ditch.
I got enough gear to make four brews; two full 20 ltr brews and two 3 gallon brews (for Christmas).
I'll do one of each at home in the UK when I get back in a couple of weeks from my work, then the other two I'll do in Philippines a week or so later.
The advantage I have there is that I just put a new aircon unit in one of the bedrooms and can control the temperature quite accurately (I know, I got an IPA and a Porter on last trip and they both fermented out as they should in ten days). Hmm, I guess it could be considered as cheating?
I'm excited!

WalesAles
Falling off the Barstool
Posts: 3899
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:07 pm
Location: South Wales UK.

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by WalesAles » Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:18 pm

jinja,
Did you make these for Christmas?
If so, how were they? :D

WA

Sent from my torking tap.

jinjahbiscuit
Steady Drinker
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:00 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by jinjahbiscuit » Wed Jan 02, 2019 5:30 am

Yeah, I did make them, both the "standard" version and the XXX version, by the time I got back to the Philippines just before Christmas, my brother in law had drank the lot! I guess they were ok then.....? :(
I still have my other batch at home in the UK, so when I get back later this month I'll be getting into them :)

MartyMcFly
Sober
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:27 pm

Re: " Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

Post by MartyMcFly » Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:25 pm

Just found a crack in the lid of my cheapo Wilko pressure barrel, which will explain why the couple of pints of stout had no pressure when I drew them off...

Found a spare lid with a valve on it and swapped it this afternoon, so hopefully it's still good. Also have it a blast of CO2 to be on the safe side.

Post Reply