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I loaded up on honey this weekend because it was cheap, but now I can't quite decide what to do with it. I've got sourwood and wildflower. I was thinking to try to use some of the sourwood in place of candi sugar in a tripel. Other than that, I'm not feeling very inspired. Maybe burn myself and make another bochet? I was also thinking of making an ice cider in the fall, then taking the leftover icy slush and boiling it down, adding some honey and calling it a caramel apple cyser. I dunno though. Thoughts?
Posted 34 days ago.
Wish I had some mead making skills to put to use to help offer advice. Thing is, YOU are the star, here. If you don't know what to do... I am scared.
Posted 34 days ago.
| I was thinking to try to use some of the sourwood in place of candi sugar in a tripel
That sounds nice, just pils malt and a not too expressive Belgian yeast. If they have it this year, the seasonal WY3822 could fit, ferments relative dry with still some sweetness and it is a bit tarter than most yeasts.
Posted 34 days ago.
I wouldn't use the honey for a bochet, primarily because I'm not sure how well the more sensitive characteristics will survive the boiling process. If there is a difference between using Orange Blossom and Clover honey in a pretty dark bochet, I can't pick it up.
That said, bochet is great, so if you just want to use the honey then go for it!
Posted 34 days ago.
ingoogni - Seems like a interested yeast choice. I'll have to look and see when it's available. If I can't get that, I might go for TYB's Dry Belgian strain.
Posted 34 days ago.
I have a similar situation. Been making mead like crazy. I have a cousin that runs an apiary in West Nebraska that covers Northern Colorado, Eastern Wyoming and, of course, West Nebraska. Bought two 5 gallon buckets - all mixed wildflower honey, and quite tasty. Darker than most wildflower and quite aromatic.
Made a bochet from it that came out amazing, and waiting for a score from NHC on it.
I have a sac traditional mead in the fermenter right now and trying to figure what to do with the remaining 5 gallons. Likely a large batch of the bochet.
uberg33k - I use a 3 gallon kettle on an induction plate and bring the temps up very slowly. Then use glove to stir once I have hit hard crack stage - then use a tea kettle with boiling water to slowly add in liquid to reduce the heat. I can easily do about 3-4 lbs at a time over an hour and half. I also skim a lot of the crap that rises as the boil decreases. Going to experiment with some currents in the boil next time, see if that adds some complexity.
I have been using the staggered nutrient method + degas with both ale yeast (Ardennes and West Yorkshire) and with 71B-1122 and EC-1118. While I like the ale yeasts, but the feedback on the wine yeasts has been far stronger. I am fortunate that Eric Lowe who runs the Meridian Meadery is a fellow Zealot and has the most amazing savant palette - and they just won Gold at Mazer Cup last week.
Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by mchrispen
Oh, I have no problem making mead. I have all the steps down and make really good mead. I'm just suffering from a lack of inspiration and a bit of over zealousness when I found cheap honey.
Posted 34 days ago.
Eric has challenged me to make a habanero mead. I don't like really hot peppers at all, but he has a blackberry habanero mead that is really amazing and just lightly spicy - a very cool mead. At least mead styles are open to spicing and really odd flavor combo. Considering a cacao bochet with maraschino cherry as well - something I would NEVER try in a beer.
Posted 34 days ago.
Where would you get the maraschino cherries? Like the real thing or the fire engine red things they put on ice cream in the US? That is a good idea though. If you go through with it, I'll swap a bottle with you.
I don't think I could ever do a spicy beer/mead/cider/anything. That just doesn't sound good to me. Now, I have made hot sauce and it fermented out in aging and that was delicious ... but it's hot sauce, not a beverage.
Posted 34 days ago.
Yeah I would probably find some fresh sweet cherries and the maraschino liquor and infuse them together while the bochet ferments out... then secondary on the fruit. Hold the liquor and back sweeten with it a bit, maybe some acid blend to balance. Supposedly I can tincture roasted cacao nibs for a rich dark chocolate flavor - but will need to experiment. I can also get dried whole cacao here through a local chocolate shoppe that makes their own chocolate in the interior Mexican style... maybe some cinnamon and coffee for aromatics.
I was shocked when he gave me his recipe... only 4 lbs of habenero fruits, mascerated, on a 6 barrel batch. It added a fruity character with a mild level of heat. The sweetness and acid from the berries offset the heat. This is really pleasant. Enough heat to know they are there... but the fruit character is hard to describe - it's quite unique. Going to try to talk him out a few bottles to share... he is hosting a BJCP Mead training and will proctor the test later this summer. Somehow I got signed up.
Posted 34 days ago.
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