Messages

1

Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: October 03, 2012, 08:20:00 AM »

If I did not add any priming sugar for a still mead, will bottling like beer be ok? It would be easier than wine bottles and corks for me.

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Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: October 02, 2012, 08:23:10 AM »

Thanks again for all the replies.

I put the Mead I started this thread about and a Braggot I made in 3 gallon carboys and got them in my refrigerator a month ago. They cleared up beautifully, tasted amazing, and I will be bottling very soon. The cold crashing was the trick I needed.

My girlfriend LOVES it and wants to give bottles to all her co-workers. So, the 3 gallons will be half gone to others haha.

3

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Lightening extract?

« on: September 14, 2012, 01:21:22 PM »

It was dark in a hygrometer cylinder.

You were measuring the beer's humidity? 

Yes I wanted to make sure it was dry enough to be refreshing instead of just muggy.

hahahahahaha

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Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 29, 2012, 08:58:08 AM »

The current batch size is a little over 4 gallons. I had a bad degassing accident and lost about a gallon into my carpet. Started with 15lbs honey and 5 gallons. So, I would say I have a 4 gallon batch with 12lbs of honey. The numbers make sense to me(a novice brewer). Adding ~25% of the starting honey, the FG went up over 25 points(~25% of the OG). It is actually very drinkable now. Before it tasted like a stiff mixed drink of vodka and honey.

It still won't reduce your ABV very much. certainly not 4 points. you may be adding 25% more gravity points but you are only adding about 6% volume that's what affects ABV so you come down to 15%. the alcahol does not go away.

Ahh gotcha. Its about 15%+ abv, but the added sugar just makes it more drinkable.

5

Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 29, 2012, 08:05:47 AM »

The current batch size is a little over 4 gallons. I had a bad degassing accident and lost about a gallon into my carpet. Started with 15lbs honey and 5 gallons. So, I would say I have a 4 gallon batch with 12lbs of honey. The numbers make sense to me(a novice brewer). Adding ~25% of the starting honey, the FG went up over 25 points(~25% of the OG). It is actually very drinkable now. Before it tasted like a stiff mixed drink of vodka and honey.

6

Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 29, 2012, 07:52:10 AM »

The mead tastes pretty good as it is after I added 3lbs of honey bringing it down to under 12%abv. I chilled the gravity reading liquid. I do like the idea of waiting before backsweetening. It is too late now, but that does make a ton of sense. I think I will just bottle a bunch and keep it in the fridge. At this point, I think waiting a year is just going to annoy me.

I like the idea of mead, but I might need to be able to keep it colder than I have possible at this time. Maybe do 1gallon batches so I can keep in the fridge when needed.

Thanks guys for all the responses.

7

Beer Recipes / Re: Raspberry Hananero Wheat

« on: August 28, 2012, 06:46:20 PM »

I very interested in this brew and how it turns out. I am going to make a Habanero IPA very soon. I want it to be drinkable by spicy food people. My friends are all waiting for my habanero beer after I made my "Habanero Handbook" cookbook.

OP : Give your roommate a link to my cookbook

http://www.amazon.com/Habanero-Handbook-Simple-recipes-habanero/dp/1451531397

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Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 28, 2012, 08:28:20 AM »

It is about 70-74 degrees. It is about as low as I can keep it since I have no basement.

Do I need to rack to a third carboy a few days after adding the potassium sorbate?

9

Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 28, 2012, 08:18:15 AM »

ok, I have another question about this mead. I bought and read the book mentioned above and it wa a good read, but I don't remember reading the following scenario.

FG before : under 1.000

Last week, I added a potassium sorbate to stop fermenting, mixed it in, added 3lbs of honey, mixed it in, added isinglass a few days later, and mixed.

FG now - 1.024

Question :

Last night I noticed the airlock letting out gas about every 2 minutes. This seems to go against what I thought would happen. Is this right? What might be happening?

10

Beer Recipes / Re: Raspberry Hananero Wheat

« on: August 27, 2012, 10:48:11 AM »

I had asked a couple weeks ago about Habaneros in beer. My understanding you would only need a couple chopped Habaneros. That looks like a whole lot!

11

Other Fermentables / Re: 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 10, 2012, 10:18:29 AM »

Cool, so I didn't really mess it up by swirling it.

What is backsweetening? I would think(major guess) adding 6lbs could even it out.


I fermented at 72-74. It's really the best I can do for my house in FL. Also, I only added the 3 nutrient sachets provided daily the first 3 days.

12

Other Fermentables / 16% Sweet Mead?

« on: August 10, 2012, 04:49:00 AM »

This is a simple question and I think I already know the answer, but I would love to get a response.

I made a Northern Brewer sweet mead kit.

15lbs of honey. The OG was somewhere above 1.100. The FG turned out to be 0.992. I calculated about 16% abv.

This turned out to not be sweet at all since apparently almost all sugar was eaten.

My question is -

In an attempt to "degass" the mead, I almost daily rolled/shook around the carboy on its bottom "to get the gas out".

Did I just keep throwing the yeast back in the fermentables for it to eat more than it was supposed to?

13

Ingredients / Re: best way to dry hop

« on: August 07, 2012, 07:51:33 AM »

I do the same thing. I do have a stainless screen I wrap around my racking cane to keep the hop particle transfer to a minimum. I leave the hops in for 5-7 days.

I made something like this also.

One thing I have noticed, is that most of the stuff that does not drop out of the beer will slowly stick to the side of the carboy. I just put the siphon cane in the middle and by the bottom the stuff I was worried about seems to be stuck to the sides. I have not seen any hops flakes in the 30 beers I have drank so far.

14

Ingredients / Re: Hot peppers in an IPA

« on: August 07, 2012, 07:47:59 AM »

Thanks for all the replies!

This is my idea that I am pretty set on to brew in a couple weeks -

Habanero IPA

3 gallon batch w/ 45min boil
ABV: ~6.68 %
IBU's: ~77.00

6lbs     NB Pilsen Malt Syrup
4-8oz      Briess Caramel 60L

.5oz   Warrior   45 mins
.5oz   Warrior       20 mins
1oz    Tettnang   15 mins
.50tsp Irish Moss    15 mins
.25oz  Orange Peel   10 mins   
1oz Crystal           1 mins

1oz Cascade   dry hop
1    Habanero    secondary

1.00 pkg   Safale US-05

15

Beer Recipes / Re: PHAT ???? Ale

« on: August 02, 2012, 08:46:42 AM »

I figured out the "iBrewMaster" app on determining styles. Blonde Ale is what it would be as "hokerer" suggested.