# Coopers Vintage Ale '18 — Concentrate Recipe

Source: transcribed from user-provided photo on 2026-04-25.

## Expected Brew Figures
- OG: 1.065
- FG: 1.008–1.013
- ABV: 7.5%
- IBU: 55
- Volume: 23 litres

## Ingredients
- 1.7kg Thomas Coopers Bootmaker Pale Ale
- 1.5kg Amber malt extract
- 1kg Dextrose
- 300g Crystal malt grains (cracked)
- 50g Aramis hops
- 25g Vic Secret hops
- Coopers commercial yeast culture (see note)
- Coopers yeast (provided with can of concentrate)

## Method
1. If reactivating a Coopers commercial yeast culture, prepare 4–5 days before brew day.
2. The day before brew day, soak the cracked crystal malt grain in a small mesh bag in a pot with about 3 litres of cold water. Fit the lid and sit it in the fridge overnight. If the grains have not already been cracked, place them in a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and crack them using a rolling pin.
3. On brew day lift the mesh bag with grains out of the pot and allow the liquid to drain out before discarding the grains.
4. Place the strained liquid onto the stovetop, bring to the boil and add half of the Vic Secret hops and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and add the remaining Vic Secret hops and about 12g of the Aramis hops and let steep for 15 minutes.
6. Cool the liquid by placing the pot in a bath of icy cold water for about 15 minutes.
7. Add all the fermentable ingredients and the cooled liquid to your fermenter then stir to dissolve.
8. Top up with cold tap water to 20 litres and stir thoroughly.
9. Check the temperature and top up to 23 litres with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 18°C.
10. Stir in the Coopers commercial yeast culture and then sprinkle the brew can dry yeast on top of the brew, fit the lid and then place the fermenter in a location out of direct sunlight. Ferment at 18–20°C.
11. Around day 7, add the remaining Aramis hops (preferably in a hop bag) and leave for the remainder of fermentation.
12. On day 12 check the specific gravity (SG). The brew is ready once the specific gravity has stabilised over a couple of days and is between 1.008–1.013.
13. Bottle or keg as normal. If bottling, allow your beer to bottle condition for at least two weeks, but it will benefit from at least 8 weeks of bottle conditioning.

## Notes
- Photo clarity is good and this recipe is high confidence.
- “Coopers commercial yeast culture” appears to refer to a separately reactivated yeast culture in addition to the can-provided yeast.
- Ingredient line “Thomas Coopers Bootmaker Pale Ale” was readable, though brand/product naming is slightly stylised in the print.
