[Barry]

OK, not mead but beer. I've got a few beer brews under my belt now and I want to brew a batch using honey. I know there are other home brewers out there, so let's see what we can come up with for a honey beer.

The one I'm seriously looking at is from Sam Calagione's book, Extreme Brewing. It's called T'ej (pronounced "Ted-j") It's an Ethiopian honey wine, but this version has the addition of barley malt. It's pretty basic.

Preboil: 6 gallons water
Beginning of boil: 3.3 pounds light liquid malt extract
8 pounds honey
Fermentation: yeast: Wyeast 3632 Dry Mead or Wyeast 3184 Sweet Mead
9.6 ounces Gesho (day 3)
Grain Bag (day 3)
Bottling: 5 ounces priming sugar

SG: 1.080
FG: 1.014
ABV: 9.5 to 10%

 

[Ben Brewcat]

What's Gesho, and what'll be in the grainbag (oh, wait, Gesho?)?

 

[Barry]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamnus_prinoides

"The bittering agent is ground, or shredded Gesho tree root, available through African specialty food suppliers."

 

[dcross]

Any thoughts on brackett/braggot?

 

[Barry]

Actually there is a braggot recipe. Crandaddy Braggot

Preboil: 3 gallons water
Boil: 6.6 pounds light malt extract syrup
1 ounce Hallertau hop pellets
2 pounds dried cranberries
32 ounces water
1 teaspoon Irish Moss
6 pounds unfiltered orange blossom honey
Fermentation: 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme
5 teaspoons yeast nutrient
Pasteur Champagne yeast: Wyeast 3021
Bottling: 5 ounces priming sugar

SG: 1.082
FG: 1.010
Final ABV: 8.5%

 

[Ben Brewcat]

I have a braggot that's hitting four years old that's really nice... definitely a winter warmer.

 

[dcross]

It can keep that long?

 

[Ben Brewcat]

That and more for the right styles.

 

[Barry]

How is it that you still have it around four years later? My beer brews disappear pretty fast!

 

[Ben Brewcat]

It requires brewing or starting batches often enough that you're always ahead, storing them in a manner that they're not readily accessible, and for the big ones (like that braggot) that take extensive aging it's a little easier because they really are snifter-by-the-fireside beverages that you don't have after mowing the lawn. Honestly I forget I have some batches until I'm after something else and whoa! I still have a couple sixers of that one from forever ago! Wow, look, I never finished that keg of pyment from (whomever's) wedding! Now that they're divorced I suppose that had better be tapped at our next party!

Like my Dad says: the great thing about being disorganized is you're constantly making exciting discoveries!

 

[Barry]

OK, I understand what you meant now. I read it another way. I'm brewing far more than I could drink. I like giving it away to family and friends. I plan to keep a six pack of each brew stored away so I can try them a few years down the road as well. Right now I have just one carboy for fermentation, but I plan to get another one so I can brew while I have another in process.

 

[Eaglerock]

Barry, my teachers always said, we couldn't :no: unless we brought enough for everyone. :w: So we will all be waiting for ours. And... I don't even drink. :ws

 

[plaztikjezuz]

OK, I understand what you meant now. I read it another way. I'm brewing far more than I could drink. I like giving it away to family and friends. I plan to keep a six pack of each brew stored away so I can try them a few years down the road as well. Right now I have just one carboy for fermentation, but I plan to get another one so I can brew while I have another in process.

i dont suggest keeping a six pack. maybe a beer or two.
i would also say for many styles a few years is just to long unless you are just meaning the high gravity stuff and then never mind, you better make it a 12 pack.

 

[Arkansas Beekeeper]

I have made a few batches using honey. Honey almost totally ferments. It is great for raising the alcohol % but doesn't add to taste (my opinion). I took my last batch to deer camp a few years ago. Do one got up to hunt the next AM

 

[Eaglerock]

Do one got up to hunt the next AM

Lost me ARK BEE...

Are you saying you didn't get up?

 

[plaztikjezuz]

Honey almost totally ferments. It is great for raising the alcohol % but doesn't add to taste (my opinion).

if you add the honey once the krausen starts to drop you will get more of a honey aroma/flavor. this is often explained as there is a lot less co2 to scrub out the honey aroma and since most of taste is derived from smell having more aroma will increase the honey flavor.

i can say from my experiences that it works.