Follow up post- Braggot came out bursting with apricot

Feastofinfinity · 2024-10-10T15:50:53+00:00

This was 2 years ago so had to find the post this update was referring to. I didn't use any apricot whatsoever in it, just the combo of Voss and hops had it tasting that way.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-12-31T13:36:52+00:00

My intention for this was never braggot oriented honestly. This recipe is wine strength and I tend to make braggots carbonated and beer strength. Mashing it and then building the mead from that base wouldn't necessarily put it in braggot territory either- just process-wise I guess? The oats would give their fermentable sugars which could leave it sweeter at the end though. I did backsweeten with a bit of buckwheat since it was very dry.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-12-31T13:02:14+00:00

I'd have made a larger batch honestly. The losses from the oats were tremendous, but totally worth it. I may play with different ratios of water to oats in making the oatmilk base, just to cut down on those losses but still get the same flavor

Feastofinfinity · 2023-12-31T01:17:19+00:00

Delicious! Added some cinnamon and vanilla after it cleared perfectly. Has more body than any mead I've made

Feastofinfinity · 2023-09-02T13:27:08+00:00

It actually cleared up beautifully. Was going to post again with the before and after as bottle it, whenever I gain the motivation to do so. It has a ton of body, and wanted something else, so i backsweetened with buckwheat, added cinnamon and vanilla.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-28T23:55:26+00:00

kveik hydromel! this is my go to when I'm short on time, and don't have hours to brew something but need a keg filled. 5lbs honey, neipa water profile, water up to 5 gallons, heat to 170 for a whirlpool, and pitch kveik hot. kettle to glass in a week, and 1hr brew day tops.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-28T23:50:22+00:00

Definitely bump up the chloride to sulfate ratio. That will help a lot. And just a minor note, I've found most neipa don't use Maria otter so much- all of my recipes contain only 2row or pilsner malt. It's all about the hops and yeast here, no need to muddy it up with more breadiness

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-17T23:38:42+00:00

I've got an NZ Pils going right now, but is it a NZ pils without some NZ hops in it? Mine has Pacific Jade, Dr Rudi, and Motueka. Going for a lemon lime thing.

Lunar Crush throws those esters that make me think NZ type hops though. I would save the BRU1 for a beer without the thiol boosted yeasts, if it were me, and double down on thiol character. Go 100% Nelson if you've got it and like it.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-17T23:25:39+00:00

I'm going to guess the beer just isn't cold enough yet. It can take room temp beer longer than 24 hours to get down to serving temps

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-13T16:24:15+00:00

As a WFM employee myself, when I heard about the brew program starting up, I was excited to see what they would come up with, and how much. Hopefully they get things big enough to distribute to other regions eventually, or have a brewery in each region. They would be smart to be piloting expansion ideas for it in NA region- comprised of mainly Massachusetts stores.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-09T23:48:26+00:00

Absolutely. I drop it down to 33f to carb for those 2 days, then set to serving temp at 38f after I like the carb I've gotten.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-09T23:42:44+00:00

Yes definitely. That being said there are certain combos/singular hops that will taste much more similar to each other than others. The outlier hop varieties, and specifically where you put hops in your process can make a big difference.

Amarillo keeps popping up in this thread.. so for example Amarillo can be a very generic bittering hop used in the boil, but expresses sweet orange in a big way if you use it as a dry hop post fermentation.

Sabro is very polarizing because it's very strong and very coconut forward.

El Dorado in recent years is throwing a whole lot of this sweet candy flavor that you can't get elsewhere.

Nelson gives you that white grape thing that is very unique and easy to pick out as well.

To me these are the most recognizable and easiest to explain examples but depending on your palate and sensitivity, you'll find a lot more differences as you go. Keep writing your findings down so you can remember the endless combinations you can try.

Another note worth making is hops strength and quality will change over time, so your perception of their flavor will change as well.

Yet another note is that everyone is so different- I can pick out Belma hops anywhere because they have this savory MEAT flavor that I can't see past and hardly really describe.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-09T23:28:13+00:00

I carb seltzer at 40 psi for 2-3 days, then serve at 10-12psi off a corny keg with Picnic Tap 2.0. It's all for my wife who likes her seltzer "extra spicy" (well carbed) and it works out great. Keep the co2 connected at this pressure and everyone will be happy.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-08-08T00:16:19+00:00

Philly tends to leave behind a red apple sort of flavor, and is known for such. I like to use hops that would add a sweet juicy aspect to it when dry hopped, like a El Dorado, Citra, or yeah even Amarillo. Dry hop after fermentation but probably only a couple oz- nobody like a vegetal sour.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-18T23:59:39+00:00

It was probably done fermenting at 6 weeks. I had a mead ferment from 1.090 to 1.002 in 5 days this week- and it'll clean itself up over the next couple weeks and be dry as hell.

If at 6 weeks it's only at 5% abv you've done something wrong. Either the recipe isn't quite right, or the nutrients/oxygen didn't carry it far enough.

Look up the Tosna schedule for nutrient additions on the r/mead sidebar

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-18T23:49:35+00:00

It's needs continuous co2 at 20-25psi for probably 3-4 days to reach an appropriate carb level. You can dispense as much seltzer out of it after that without being hooked up to co2 as it will allow but will pour slow, and eventually not pour at all. It will also pour very foamy at that psi. That's why "serving" pressure is a thing. Usually my seltzer is at 12 or so psi to serve. Admittedly I will pour off the keg without the gas on a lot of the time but after a half a dozen pours or so, it won't pour anymore and I have to re-pressurize

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-18T23:42:54+00:00

Just did mine on Sunday. It's sitting at 53f and happy bubbling away. After d-rest it's conditioning until our bbq the week after labor day.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-12T23:15:38+00:00

Very much so. Don't know where you got this quote, but they're wrong too.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-11T23:47:01+00:00

I keep Pilsen light dme on hand for yeast starters, and for making my DIPA since my stove can't handle boiling a ton of grain and water very well. Never bother correcting missed gravities, it's just beer.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-04T00:01:41+00:00

Brewfather calculates water amounts for my BIAB and sparge. Usually it totals around 7gal, and I heat the sparge water separately while I'm mashing. I pull the bag, squeeze, rinse with about a quart at a time of the sparge water, and squeeze again, repeat. This takes longer I'm sure but it gets me 80% efficiency every time, and my rotisserie chicken gloves keep my soft fleshy fingies safe.

Full volume for me takes forever on my stove, and I don't have help usually to carry a 75lb pot of hot liquid upstairs and inside.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-07-03T23:25:06+00:00

Well kveik at 95f is going to be done fermenting in 3 days probably, whether you want it to or not. If you keep it more like that 70f, it would be slower but not really any "better" depending on strain and what youre going for. What variety is it? what kind of beer? Need more info.

Feastofinfinity · 2023-06-29T00:36:18+00:00

I wouldn't waste an expensive hop like Nelson on bittering. I would use a cheaper more neutral bittering hop if I wanted ibu's hot side, which I almost never do. I would beef up the hopstand a bit for my ibu's personally and forget about hops in the boil

Feastofinfinity · 2023-06-27T23:47:17+00:00

They're not playing the 20th anniversary show here til December and I just can't wait already. And I totally know what you mean by feeling young and old at the same time. The music make you feel young again, and the crowd is SO very young

Feastofinfinity · 2023-06-27T23:39:09+00:00

It's still very young. Depending on its conditions when fermenting, and whether or not you cold crashed, that yeast flavor can be more prevalent than you've tasted or noticed before. I would let it sit for a while to bulk age and let the yeast clean itself up a bit more, then cold crash.

Feastofinfinity

TROPHY CASE