Quick Mead/Ale (braggot)

[Jmattioli]

Thought I would share my own quick braggot recipe with you. Its bright and clear and ready to drink in less than a month from start.

1 gallon recipe​

Start as regular mead with this:
12oz Buckwheat honey
12oz Orange Blossom honey
1/2t fermax
1/4t grape tannin
balance water to 1 gallon
1 5g packet red Star Cotes de blancs yeast

SG should be about 1.060

12 days later SG = 1.004
Rack into clean carboy over 8 oz of liquid and add 2 small oak chips. 8 oz liquid prepared as follows:
Boil 8oz water with 3.2oz Dark Brown sugar stirring constantly and add 1/4 oz Fuggle hops in homemade teabag and boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove bag and turn off heat and steep another 1/4 oz Fuggle hops for 5 to 10 minutes. Cool liquid

7 days later fermentatiom will be complete and clear
Rack into clean carboy over 8 oz prepared liquid and leave in oak chips. Liquid prepared as follows:
Boil 8 oz water and then turn down to steep 3.2 oz in teabag of Crystal 40 grain and add 1 oz brown sugar or buckwheat for 15 minutes. Cool quickly.

In 7 more days it is clear and golden bright and ready to drink

Bottle.... Carbonate if desired. Its only about 8% alcohol but you don't have to age it. If you like it ... make a bigger batch next time cause it goes fast.

Notes: It was good but next time I will make a bigger batch, double the hops and grain times and use 4 oak chips since they aren't in that long. It was really good but I am always looking for something better so Also I would substitute another honey for the Orange blossom as I thought it made it a little sissified. (I don't like the slight aroma of orange blossom perfume in my ale)

Enjoy, Joe

 

[WikdWaze]

Sounds very interesting. I like how you have three seperate fermentations. Does that offer any advantages to pouring it all in at once?

 

[Jmattioli]

Sounds very interesting. I like how you have three seperate fermentations. Does that offer any advantages to pouring it all in at once?

Actually, I could have done that as long as I didn't boil the honey. Just prepare the 2 liquids at the start, cool and add. However, I was experimenting and tasteing it at each stage and I didn't know how the hops would effect the yeast speed so I left it til fermentation was almost complete. I had used Cotes de blancs before and knew how it would react to such a light starting gravity without acid. It's usually a slow fermentor that retains a lot of the flavors. My goal was to get it clear, bright and drinkable in less than a month and to create a unique taste. It would be worth trying all together but I don't know what it will do to the fermentation and clear time. Maybe nothing. It's a good idea. Someone will have to try it.
Joe

 

[WikdWaze]

Actually, I could have done that as long as I didn't boil the honey. Just prepare the 2 liquids at the start, cool and add. However, I was experimenting and tasteing it at each stage and I didn't know how the hops would effect the yeast speed so I left it til fermentation was almost complete. I had used Cotes de blancs before and knew how it would react to such a light starting gravity without acid. It's usually a slow fermentor that retains a lot of the flavors. My goal was to get it clear, bright and drinkable in less than a month and to create a unique taste. It would be worth trying all together but I don't know what it will do to the fermentation and clear time. Maybe nothing. It's a good idea. Someone will have to try it.
Joe

Okay, I understand now. By doing it in three stages you rack it off one batch of sediment before adding another. That way, in theory at least, you clear it quicker and get stronger, faster fermentations at each stage. I'm learning much from you, Obi-Wan

 

[Jmattioli]

Obi-wan doesn't know the answer for sure. I will have to try it next time. It might be fine to put it all together up front and then pitch. It might even clear quicker... It was mainly just my lack of knowledge concerning the hops effect on that particular yeast to get the quickest fermentation that influenced my decision. The other reason one might add the grain later as I did is because heavy fermentation often washes out some flavors through the airlock, hence many people in melomels chose to add fruit in the slower secondary stage instead of primary to retain more flavor.
Joe

 

[Norskersword]

Hey Joe, I just wanted to say thanks for being such a great source of information. Your knowledge combined with your always willing to help attitude has been a great asset to the forum. Whenever I'm in the dark or have a question I turn to Joe! Cheers!

 

[Jmattioli]

You are more than welcome, the pleasure is mine.
Joe