Braggot

[hepcat]

So here's what I ended up doing on 5-20-12:

5 gallon Orange Blossom Braggot

Fermentables:
8 lbs Orange Blossom Honey (high quality)
4 lbs Briess Pilsen Light DME
~9.7oz Crystal 10L (milled) Malt
Hops:
Cascade Hop Pellets (.75oz 60 min boil and .25oz 15 minute boil)
Yeast:
~12.5 grams Lalvin D47
Adjuncts:
2 t Yeast Energizer
2 t Yeast Nutrient (DAP)
1 Whirfloc (Irish Moss) tablet (15 minute boil)
3/4 cup corn (priming) sugar (in ~ 1/2 cup boiled Spring Water and cooled to room temp before pitching)

• Did not strain wort when I poured it into primary fermenter after the boil so hop pellet remnants went into the primary fermenter.
• Fermented at 65*-70*F for 8 days.

Racked 5-26-12 into secondary fermenter (bucket)
Racked into bottling bucket 5-28-12.
Primed/Bottled 5-28-12.

OG: 1.098
Est. FG: 1.024
Actual FG: 1.030
Est. %ABV 9.9
Actual ~9%ABV

So I thought this was going to be too sweet since it finished at 1.030, but, I opened a bottle last night, after only six days bottle conditioning, and it tastes great!!! Just a subtle hint of malt sweetness which is off-set by just a touch of hop bitterness and flavor. and it formed a decent head when I poured it so it has already carbonated nicely. And it has already cleared very well too. Going to bottle condition the rest for another ~week. I'm thrilled with it.
Cheers.

 

[jpog]

Sounds Great....quick question what is the Crystal 10L (milled) Malt used for how doe sit differ from DME.

 

[hepcat]

Crystal Malt is added mostly for color when you're doing combo DME/grain brewing but also provides some fermentable sugars if processed correctly (so starches are converted to fermentable sugar).
DME is malt extract(powder) and Crystal malt is whole grain that has been milled(crushed).

And it has cleared so nice!! It ended up a nice medium light, golden color. Been bottle conditionig for 10 days today and I want to open one so bad but going to wait another few days, this weekend probably. Will put a few bottles in the fridge Thursday night probably.

 

[hepcat]

It's Friday and it's happy hour, had to try one. I cannot believe how good this braggot is. I do a smooth pour (so I leave the lees behind) into my chilled mug and it looks, smells and tastes great!!! Nice head too!! And it's only bottle conditioned for 11 days! I'm glad I didn't strain out the hop pellets when I poured the wort/must into the fermenter because it might have turned out too sweet. As it is, there is a very slight malty sweetness that I find very pleasant, I guess I don't like super hoppy/bitter taste but, having said that, I would like to have a little more hop influence in the next braggot.

And, drinkable and delicious in only 19 days. That's what I'm talkin about, lol. Cheers.

 

[jpog]

Sweet..sounds tasty..quick question did you boil the Crystal Malt when you boiled the hops and DME?

Thanks

 

[TAKeyser]

Sweet..sounds tasty..quick question did you boil the Crystal Malt when you boiled the hops and DME?

Thanks

Steep your crystal malt for 20 minutes between 148-155 degrees followed by a sparge with 170 degree water and this will be the water that you end up boiling.

 

[wayneb]

You really don't want to boil grains, since that will extract large amounts of husk tannins that will give rise to an astringent, bitter, somewhat acrid result. Since crystal malts are already fully converted, just a soak in moderately hot water followed by a sparge to rinse out any remaining sugars is all that you need (just like TAKeyser said!). ;D

 

[jpog]

OK, thanks..so do you boil the DME?

If I am boiling hops for 45 min (for bitterness), then add another batch in at the last 15 min mark for flavor..and then some at th end for aroma. Would I add the DME to this mix..and then add the Steep crystal malt at the end after I take it off the heat?

Thanks

 

[fathand]

Do the steeping process mentioned below first and then add that liquid from steeping the Crystal to the boil. Then boil it for 60 mins.

Rule of thumb for hops is that hops added at the start of a 60 minute boil to the 40 minute mark add bitterness, 40 to 20 time frame add flavor, and 20 to 0 add aroma.

For the DME you can certainly boil it for the 60 minutes although it is not necessary. I would add half at 60 then the other half with 10 minutes left to go. Reason being the longer you boil extract the darker it will get. But if color is not an issue to you add it all at 60.

Also if you are using dry extract it is best to take your pot off the heat and stir like crazy then add it back to the flame. Helps avoid boil-overs.

 

[skunkboy]

Also if you are using dry extract it is best to take your pot off the heat and stir like crazy then add it back to the flame. Helps avoid boil-overs.

Also helps to avoid scorching the sugars on the bottom of the pot.

 

[hepcat]

I used TAKeyser's suggestion to add only ~1/3 of your DME to 60 minute boil and then add the other 2/3 DME at 15 boil (and removing from the heat and thoroughly stirring both times while adding it) which worked well.

"Steep your crystal malt for 20 minutes between 148-155 degrees followed by a sparge with 170 degree water and this will be the water that you end up boiling." TAKeyser

That's pretty much what I did with the crystal malt too.

 

[hepcat]

"After 12 years of making beer I still use the Ice Bath method for cooling my wort. I've always told myself I'll get a fancy chiller, but something else always comes up." TAKeyser

Even if I make a chiller myself it would still cost ~$50, so not in a hurry to spend that much ($70 for a new one from the LHBS) when the ice baths are simple and work fine for the partial wort boils I'm doing. I would def want one if I was doing full boils or more than 5 gallon batches.

 

[TAKeyser]

Even if I make a chiller myself it would still cost ~$50, so not in a hurry to spend that much ($70 for a new one from the LHBS) when the ice baths are simple and work fine for the partial wort boils I'm doing. I would def want one if I was doing full boils or more than 5 gallon batches.

I think I'm buying myself one this fall (college grant refund), but I'm sure some bill or good honey deal will pop up that needs my attention.

 

[jpog]

Quick question hepcat and Takeyser,

Since you bottle it with an SG of 1.030 before priming don't you have to be worried about bottle bombs...I am just curious. Also sinc ethe yeast you used is capable of 14% ABV won't the braggot eventually ferment dry and not slightly sweet.

I am only asking cause I am anewbee and trying to make a braggot.

 

[hepcat]

Yes jpog, I was worried a bit about potential bottle bombs but, bottled anyway, lol. And didn't have any bottle bombs (my braggot was supposed to finish at ~1.024). Maybe it's beginner's luck, idk, but mine turned out better than I expected. I think mine stopped short of where it was supposed to due to unfermentable sugars.
And, my ferm was done (SG stopped moving/going down) after only eight days which is not that unusual for beers, and I was impatient because after making all this mead I've made since January, I wanted something to drink, dammit, lol. I mean, I've drank some of the mead I've made so far and it is pretty good but I suspect will get better with age.
The braggot was ready to drink and was excellent in less than three weeks. Enjoying one right now. Cheers. 8)

 

[jpog]

Haha..

I hope mine turns out as good as yours.

 

[TAKeyser]

Quick question hepcat and Takeyser,

Since you bottle it with an SG of 1.030 before priming don't you have to be worried about bottle bombs...I am just curious. Also sinc ethe yeast you used is capable of 14% ABV won't the braggot eventually ferment dry and not slightly sweet.

I am only asking cause I am anewbee and trying to make a braggot.

When you use grain either in extract form or if you do the mash yourself there are some unfermentable sugars that develop. So there is a point where the Braggot or Beer will not drop any lower even though the sugars are still in there. There's programs out there that factor in your ingredients and will give you your estimated Final Gravity. A nice free program is Hopville