NewBee Making a Braggot

[HunnyBunz]

Hi Everyone,

Not only am I yet another newbee, but I am also new to this forum and still learning to navigate things here so I apologize if any of my questions have already been answered.

My very first batch, started Nov. 11, is similar to JAO. Racked after 4 weeks with an SG 1.040 (I didn't have a hydrometer when I began.)
I sampled it today and the SG is now at 1.032. It's still fermenting slowly and seems to be doing OK. It tastes quite sweet but still pretty strong alcohol and orange flavor.

My main concern is the 5 Gal. Braggot I started on 12/11/11:
5 lbs "spring nectar" honey (I think it's a wildflower varietal, and I accidentally used about 7.5 lbs)
3.3 lbs Light LME
1 packet Danstar Windsor yeast
Filtered tap water to 5 gal.

OG - 1.074, Active fermentation within 6 hours & good, strong fermentation for about a week.
Racked to a 5 gal. carboy onto 1 cup medium toast French oak chips after 12 days. SG at 1.010.
Sampled today - SG still 1.010 and flavor has already improved.
I plan to bottle next weekend and I would like to prime with about 3/4 cup of honey to get some carbonation.

I have two questions:
1) How do I add the priming honey without oxygenating the batch?
2) I'm a little concerned about oxygen and/or contamination after taking samples because I carefully added most of the samples back into the batches.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated, but I mostly just wanted to introduce myself.

 

[Lawpaw]

To prime you can draw out a couple of cups of the braggot and mix the honey into that then return to the batch and carefully mix it in making sure that the action is happening below the surface. It may help to heat up the drawn out braggot.

For beer, most people dispose of samples. With how high your gravity is, you should be fine if you have sanitized correctly.

 

[AToE]

Definitely don't stress about returning the samples - plus think of it this way, whatever is done is done!

Lawpaw outlined how to prime pretty well, I'll add that how I do it is mix the priming sugar with some water or must/mead/etc, then when I'm racking the product into the bottling bucket (priming sugar and water already added to bottom) I position the end of the racking hose so that the must flows in a circle as it enters the bucket, ensuring decent mixing.

 

[HunnyBunz]

Thanks for the advice.

So, I should rack out of the carboy, into the bucket to mix the priming sugar, then bottle from the bucket?

Another thing I was wondering - Will a braggot clear like other meads? It's so dark in the carboy from the malt that I can barely see through it, but the sample looked pretty clear.

 

[akueck]

I do the circulating hose in the bottle bucket too, but I've taken to giving it a gentle stir after racking is complete, just in case. If you stir slowly, you won't oxidize it any more than having it just sitting in the bucket.

 

[JimSar]

So, I should rack out of the carboy, into the bucket to mix the priming sugar, then bottle from the bucket?

I use a bucket with a spigot, so another advantage to this method is you don't have to rely on siphon to fill your bottles. And you can tilt the bucket to get to the last drop. Do you have a bottle filler? That two buck gadget makes all the difference to a spill free bottling session.

 

[Chevette Girl]

Do you have a bottle filler? That two buck gadget makes all the difference to a spill free bottling session.

Oh, seconded!! Worth its weight in gold, best three buck winemaking purchase ever. Of course I still end up with a sticky floor but that's the operator's fault, not the equipment.

 

[Sadie Lady]

HunnyBunz, Thanks for link to this. Did you heat the malt?

 

[TAKeyser]

HunnyBunz, Thanks for link to this. Did you heat the malt?

Liquid Malt Extract (LME) was boiled in the process so it technically (from everything I've read) does not need to be heated again, but it does make it a lot easier as the stuff is pretty thick. I'll usually heat the LME for about 15 minutes, be careful because it does expand (Dry Malt extract expands even more).

Now if you are using HOPS in your Braggot most Brewers will put about 1/4 of the LME for the full hour boil that the bittering hops are in for and will add the last 3/4 in for about the last 10 minutes. This helps reduce the LME from darkening. I end up using extract a lot for my beers and Braggots for the simplicity.

 

[HunnyBunz]

HunnyBunz, Thanks for link to this. Did you heat the malt?

First I let the container of malt extract sit in hot water so it would pour easier, then the recipe I was using called for 2 gal. of water brought to a boil, add LME and boil for 30 minutes. After that I let it cool down to about 140F before adding the honey. then add that to the rest of the cool water in the fermenter and pitch re-hydrated yeast at 80F.

TAKeyser:
Thanks for the info as I plan on making more braggots (being a beer lover) and also adding hops. I was surprised at how well I liked this batch without hops because I usually favor IPAs and other beers strong on hop flavor. I think the oak addition added a lot to the flavor profile.

 

[TAKeyser]

First I let the container of malt extract sit in hot water so it would pour easier, then the recipe I was using called for 2 gal. of water brought to a boil, add LME and boil for 30 minutes. After that I let it cool down to about 140F before adding the honey. then add that to the rest of the cool water in the fermenter and pitch re-hydrated yeast at 80F.

TAKeyser:
Thanks for the info as I plan on making more braggots (being a beer lover) and also adding hops. I was surprised at how well I liked this batch without hops because I usually favor IPAs and other beers strong on hop flavor. I think the oak addition added a lot to the flavor profile.

Most recipes will say to boil the extract, beer recipes say the same thing, but since it has already been boiled the long boil is unnecessary. If I'm not adding hops I do 10 minutes.

Have you made Beers before?

 

[HunnyBunz]

Most recipes will say to boil the extract, beer recipes say the same thing, but since it has already been boiled the long boil is unnecessary. If I'm not adding hops I do 10 minutes.

Have you made Beers before?

No, I've never brewed anything until I started making mead in November. I thought about getting into making beer a few years ago, but I figured with so many great microbrews and imports available why go to the trouble of making my own when I can just go buy what I want, with a huge variety of different beers to try, and have instant gratification. ;D

The reason I got into mead was because I've always loved the middle ages, I didn't really know exactly what mead was (or tasted like) and mead is hard to find in a lot of places.

 

[TAKeyser]

No, I've never brewed anything until I started making mead in November. I thought about getting into making beer a few years ago, but I figured with so many great microbrews and imports available why go to the trouble of making my own when I can just go buy what I want, with a huge variety of different beers to try, and have instant gratification. ;D

The reason I got into mead was because I've always loved the middle ages, I didn't really know exactly what mead was (or tasted like) and mead is hard to find in a lot of places.

I like a 50/50 extract/honey mix when I make my Braggots. And since you like IPA's you can add 1/4 of your extract and add your hops and boil for 60 minutes, these will be your Bittering Hops that IPA's are known for. 15 minutes before the boil is over you'll add more hops and these will be your flavor hops, you can add the rest of the extract at this time . When you turn the flame off you'll add even more hops and these will be your aroma hops. You can also get another Hop blast of flavor and aroma by dry hopping in the secondary.

Splitting the extract addition up will prevent the sugars in the extract from caramelizing. Don't know how big of a batch you are planning but boil as much water as you can (keep in mind that the extract and honey will increase the volume.

 

[HunnyBunz]

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely be putting that to good use in the not-to-distant future.
Is there any particular honey or yeast that you prefer for braggots?

 

[TAKeyser]

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely be putting that to good use in the not-to-distant future.
Is there any particular honey or yeast that you prefer for braggots?

It'll all depend on the type of Braggot that I'm making. If making something like an IPA style Braggot I wouldn't use a strong honey I would probably choose mainly Clover (maybe add a little tupelo or buckwheat to give it an additional layer of flavor).

As for Yeast if you can find Rogue Pacman Ale Yeast (Wyeast 1764) I'd grab that in a heartbeat. If you can't find that I would pick a strong American Ale Yeast or a neutral wine yeast like D47

 

[mccann51]

I was surprised at how well I liked this batch without hops because I usually favor IPAs and other beers strong on hop flavor. I think the oak addition added a lot to the flavor profile.

This makes sense. At first, it sounded like it might be a little out of balance without hops, and then I saw you added oak and thought "hmm, now that sounds good."

Btw, if you like hops, I've had moderate success with hoppy braggots made with orange blossom honey.

 

[Sadie Lady]

First I let the container of malt extract sit in hot water so it would pour easier, then the recipe I was using called for 2 gal. of water brought to a boil, add LME and boil for 30 minutes....I think the oak addition added a lot to the flavor profile.

I have DME, searched around and found 6 ounces of water per 1/2 pound of DME, boil for an hour. Does that sound about right? Don't have any hops but do have some oak, so going to make it like yours.

 

[TAKeyser]

I have DME, searched around and found 6 ounces of water per 1/2 pound of DME, boil for an hour. Does that sound about right? Don't have any hops but do have some oak, so going to make it like yours.

If you are not adding hops you don't need to boil for that long 10-15 minutes will be enough. The longer you boil extract the darker it will become.

That doesn't seem like nearly enough water. My last Braggot was 2.5 Gallons and I used 3lbs DME boiled in 2 Gallons of water when it cooled down to 90-100 degrees I added 3lbs of honey and it gave me a Gravity of 1.096

 

[Sadie Lady]

Thanks, gives me an idea where to start. Have you ever used mesquite honey for braggot. I have about 3 pounds of that. Seems like might be good

 

[TAKeyser]

Thanks, gives me an idea where to start. Have you ever used mesquite honey for braggot. I have about 3 pounds of that. Seems like might be good

I haven't used Mesquite yet in a Braggot. I was going to do a Stout style Braggot with Mesquite Honey but I haven't gotten around to it yet. That damn to-do list just never seems to get any shorter.