Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Making Mead - Part One
Nice Work Worthog
- Yeast health is key
- Your choice of honey matters
- Did I mention yeast health?
Making mead, as mentioned, is essentially mixing honey & water together, then pitching yeast and letting fermentation take its course. No boiling is needed (though some people do boil the must), so preparation is extremely simple. Getting the honey & water mixed together is the hardest part of "brew day". But really the difficulty comes into play once the yeast is pitched.
Yeast Health
Honey is extremely nutrient-poor, so yeast struggles to ferment the sugars. Additionally, FAN (Free Amino Nitrogen) is quite low in mead must, unlike most beer wort. Meadmakers therefore need to add a source of nitrogen in addition to other yeast nutrients. Nitrogen is typically added to must in the form of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), which is commonly available at a homebrew retailer. Other nutrients to promote yeast growth are found in nutrient blends such as Fermaid K. It's composed of fatty amino acids, vitamins like thiamin & biotin, and various minerals. Like DAP, Fermaid-K is something you can easily buy at a homebrew supply shop.
How about the yeast itself? We typically use dried yeast from Lalvin, but have used Wyeast liquid yeast as well. I really like Lalvin 71B and D-47, but I think it's important to read through a yeast's characteristics and find one that suits your goal well. Lalvin posts all their yeast profiles online. This chart will give you a good overview of the yeast characteristics.
If you are using dry yeast, use a yeast nutrient during rehydration to assist mineral & amino acid uptake. We use Lallemand's "Go-Ferm" product which is, again, available at homebrew supply retailers.
Choice of Honey
When we first started making mead, I was picking up local honey at farmers' markets. The resulting meads were good, but not as good as the ones I was tasting at competitions. I attended a mead session at NHC last year where we tasted raw honey next to resulting mead. What that made me realize was that honeys have their own unique flavors which carry over into the final product; it helped me to understand why a lot of successful meadmakers turn to tupelo and orange blossom honeys again & again.
I found a bunch of honey suppliers online (Millers, Draper Bee, Bee Folks, Northern Brewer) and ordered small containers of tupelo & orange blossom honeys from each. John and I tasted them side-by-side to determine our favorites and ordered those in bulk. I found that the Northern Brewer Orange Blossom was the best citrusy-tasting honey of our selections (we ordered 5 gallons of it), while Bee Folks had the most amazing floral Orange Blossom honey. Bee Folks' tupelo honey is wonderful and creamy and will be our choice for ordering tupelo in bulk.
Bee Folks also offers a ton of varietal honeys, many of which would be great for mead. Blueberry, almond, avocado, and even killer bee honey. I got to taste some killer bee mead at this year's Upper Mississippi Mashout and it was interesting... spicy, peppery, and not my favorite. But worth trying for sure. I can't recommend enough just buying a bunch of small containers of honey from various suppliers and finding out which ones you like best. Your mead will reflect the nuances of the honey you use, so it's incredibly important to select honey that is high quality and tastes good.
So there's your prep work and some stuff to think about. In the next post, I'll talk about actually making mead.
Sent to you by J via Google Reader:
via The Wort Hog Beer Blog by KC Wort Hog on 4/24/11
I first wrote about mead a while back (wow, was it really 2 summers ago?) and have continued to learn quite a bit since then. I wrote about making a basic mead, which included mixing honey, water, and nutrients over 3 days ("staggered nutrient additions"). Since then, we've learned a few more details to help make even better mead. In short:- Yeast health is key
- Your choice of honey matters
- Did I mention yeast health?
Making mead, as mentioned, is essentially mixing honey & water together, then pitching yeast and letting fermentation take its course. No boiling is needed (though some people do boil the must), so preparation is extremely simple. Getting the honey & water mixed together is the hardest part of "brew day". But really the difficulty comes into play once the yeast is pitched.
Yeast Health
Honey is extremely nutrient-poor, so yeast struggles to ferment the sugars. Additionally, FAN (Free Amino Nitrogen) is quite low in mead must, unlike most beer wort. Meadmakers therefore need to add a source of nitrogen in addition to other yeast nutrients. Nitrogen is typically added to must in the form of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), which is commonly available at a homebrew retailer. Other nutrients to promote yeast growth are found in nutrient blends such as Fermaid K. It's composed of fatty amino acids, vitamins like thiamin & biotin, and various minerals. Like DAP, Fermaid-K is something you can easily buy at a homebrew supply shop.
How about the yeast itself? We typically use dried yeast from Lalvin, but have used Wyeast liquid yeast as well. I really like Lalvin 71B and D-47, but I think it's important to read through a yeast's characteristics and find one that suits your goal well. Lalvin posts all their yeast profiles online. This chart will give you a good overview of the yeast characteristics.
If you are using dry yeast, use a yeast nutrient during rehydration to assist mineral & amino acid uptake. We use Lallemand's "Go-Ferm" product which is, again, available at homebrew supply retailers.
Choice of Honey
When we first started making mead, I was picking up local honey at farmers' markets. The resulting meads were good, but not as good as the ones I was tasting at competitions. I attended a mead session at NHC last year where we tasted raw honey next to resulting mead. What that made me realize was that honeys have their own unique flavors which carry over into the final product; it helped me to understand why a lot of successful meadmakers turn to tupelo and orange blossom honeys again & again.
I found a bunch of honey suppliers online (Millers, Draper Bee, Bee Folks, Northern Brewer) and ordered small containers of tupelo & orange blossom honeys from each. John and I tasted them side-by-side to determine our favorites and ordered those in bulk. I found that the Northern Brewer Orange Blossom was the best citrusy-tasting honey of our selections (we ordered 5 gallons of it), while Bee Folks had the most amazing floral Orange Blossom honey. Bee Folks' tupelo honey is wonderful and creamy and will be our choice for ordering tupelo in bulk.
Bee Folks also offers a ton of varietal honeys, many of which would be great for mead. Blueberry, almond, avocado, and even killer bee honey. I got to taste some killer bee mead at this year's Upper Mississippi Mashout and it was interesting... spicy, peppery, and not my favorite. But worth trying for sure. I can't recommend enough just buying a bunch of small containers of honey from various suppliers and finding out which ones you like best. Your mead will reflect the nuances of the honey you use, so it's incredibly important to select honey that is high quality and tastes good.
So there's your prep work and some stuff to think about. In the next post, I'll talk about actually making mead.
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Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
STONE BREWING HAS RUINED KC
As a Bastard Love Child, I was ruined since day one, I think STONE and I will be getting along just fine!
Are you worthy?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
#012 KBS Clone "Lumber Jack Stout"
#012 Zymurgy Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Imperial Stout
Type: All Grain
Date: 12/28/2010
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Brewer: Jeremiah
Boil Size: 10.39 gal Asst Brewer: 2010 Zymurgy
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: J's Single Tier Keg Brewery
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes: Maple Syrup?
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
24.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) (Klagas) (2.0 SRM) Grain 64.43 %
6.00 lb Pale Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 16.11 %
3.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 8.05 %
1.25 lb Chocolate Malt (Belgian) (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.36 %
1.25 lb Roasted Barley (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.36 %
1.00 lb Black Malt (Belgian Debittered) (500.0 SRM) Grain 2.68 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.01 %
3.00 oz Chinook - Niko - 2009 [10.20 %] (60 min) Hops 50.7 IBU
2.50 oz Willamette 2008 [5.30 %] (25 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
3.58 oz Willamette [5.00 %] (10 min) Hops 5.9 IBU
3.00 oz Cacao Nibs (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
4.00 oz Coffee (Kona) Cold Brewed (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
5.00 oz Chocolate Belgian Bittersweet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
5.00 oz Oak French, Chips (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
16.00 oz Bourbon (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
12.00 gal Johnson County, KS Water
2 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.090 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.090 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.021 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.021 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.04 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.05 %
Bitterness: 65.6 IBU Calories: 418 cal/pint
Est Color: 46.7 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: ** J's Mash ** Total Grain Weight: 37.25 lb
Sparge Water: 1.39 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
** J's Mash ** Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash Add 13.97 gal of water at 165.1 F 155.0 F
Mash Notes:
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 57.0 F
Notes
Journal
2011.01.09_8pm
-racking,
2011.01.06_2pm
-no activity, checked FG and is fully attenuated @ 1.021, will get coffee, cold brew then add coffee, cocoa nibs, bourbon, and chips
2011.01.05_1pm
-temp @ 69
-attempting to finish the larger of the 2 carboys (minor activity)
2011.01.04_3:00 pm
-temp @ 67°
-appears that yeast has dropped
-added 5 oz. Jack Daniel smoker chips to 2 cups Jack Daniels No.7
2010.12.30
-temp @ 66°
-nice chocolate mouse cake on top
2010.12.29_1:30am
-Yeast Pitched
-temp @ 65°
2010.12.29_1:30pm
-Fermentation confirmed
ORIGINAL SOURCED from homebrewtalk.com:
I haver tried this one with not so great results. I was flipping through the new Zymurgy mag and came across the recipe given by Jeremy Kosmicki. While not the exact recipe, it should be close.
5 US Gallons
13.25 lbs pale malt
1.5 lbs flaked oats
.75 lb roasted barley
.75 lb Belgian choc. malt
.50 lb Belgian debittered black malt
.50 lb 120L crystal malt
Hops
1.0 oz Nugget 13% aa (60 mins)
1.25 oz Willamette 5% aa (25 mins)
1.75 oz Willamette 5% aa (10 mins)
2.5 oz Belgian bittersweet chocolate (15 mins)
1.5 oz unsweetened cocoa nibs (15 mins)
2.0 oz ground Sumatran coffee (flameout)
2.0 oz cold-brewed Kona coffee (secondary)
American or California Ale yeast
Boil Time 90 mins
IBU. 73
SRM 60
Specific gravity 1.092
Assumed Efficiency 75%
Infusion Mash at 155F for 60 mins. Add Hops, chocolate, and coffee as specified. Ferment for 2 weeks at 65F. Soak .25 oz French Oak chips in one cup Kentucky Bourbon for 2 days. Soak ground kona coffee in 1 cup boiled, cooled water and leave overnight, covered in refrigeratro. Strain out grounds and add cold coffee and bourbon, with wood chips to secondary. Rack fermented stout into this mixture and condition in secondary at 55-60F for 2-6 mos.
Created with BeerSmith
Imperial Stout
Type: All Grain
Date: 12/28/2010
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Brewer: Jeremiah
Boil Size: 10.39 gal Asst Brewer: 2010 Zymurgy
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: J's Single Tier Keg Brewery
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes: Maple Syrup?
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
24.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) (Klagas) (2.0 SRM) Grain 64.43 %
6.00 lb Pale Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 16.11 %
3.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 8.05 %
1.25 lb Chocolate Malt (Belgian) (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.36 %
1.25 lb Roasted Barley (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.36 %
1.00 lb Black Malt (Belgian Debittered) (500.0 SRM) Grain 2.68 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.01 %
3.00 oz Chinook - Niko - 2009 [10.20 %] (60 min) Hops 50.7 IBU
2.50 oz Willamette 2008 [5.30 %] (25 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
3.58 oz Willamette [5.00 %] (10 min) Hops 5.9 IBU
3.00 oz Cacao Nibs (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
4.00 oz Coffee (Kona) Cold Brewed (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
5.00 oz Chocolate Belgian Bittersweet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
5.00 oz Oak French, Chips (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
16.00 oz Bourbon (Secondary 8.0 weeks) Misc
12.00 gal Johnson County, KS Water
2 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.090 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.090 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.021 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.021 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.04 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.05 %
Bitterness: 65.6 IBU Calories: 418 cal/pint
Est Color: 46.7 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: ** J's Mash ** Total Grain Weight: 37.25 lb
Sparge Water: 1.39 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
** J's Mash ** Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash Add 13.97 gal of water at 165.1 F 155.0 F
Mash Notes:
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 57.0 F
Notes
Journal
2011.01.09_8pm
-racking,
2011.01.06_2pm
-no activity, checked FG and is fully attenuated @ 1.021, will get coffee, cold brew then add coffee, cocoa nibs, bourbon, and chips
2011.01.05_1pm
-temp @ 69
-attempting to finish the larger of the 2 carboys (minor activity)
2011.01.04_3:00 pm
-temp @ 67°
-appears that yeast has dropped
-added 5 oz. Jack Daniel smoker chips to 2 cups Jack Daniels No.7
2010.12.30
-temp @ 66°
-nice chocolate mouse cake on top
2010.12.29_1:30am
-Yeast Pitched
-temp @ 65°
2010.12.29_1:30pm
-Fermentation confirmed
ORIGINAL SOURCED from homebrewtalk.com:
I haver tried this one with not so great results. I was flipping through the new Zymurgy mag and came across the recipe given by Jeremy Kosmicki. While not the exact recipe, it should be close.
5 US Gallons
13.25 lbs pale malt
1.5 lbs flaked oats
.75 lb roasted barley
.75 lb Belgian choc. malt
.50 lb Belgian debittered black malt
.50 lb 120L crystal malt
Hops
1.0 oz Nugget 13% aa (60 mins)
1.25 oz Willamette 5% aa (25 mins)
1.75 oz Willamette 5% aa (10 mins)
2.5 oz Belgian bittersweet chocolate (15 mins)
1.5 oz unsweetened cocoa nibs (15 mins)
2.0 oz ground Sumatran coffee (flameout)
2.0 oz cold-brewed Kona coffee (secondary)
American or California Ale yeast
Boil Time 90 mins
IBU. 73
SRM 60
Specific gravity 1.092
Assumed Efficiency 75%
Infusion Mash at 155F for 60 mins. Add Hops, chocolate, and coffee as specified. Ferment for 2 weeks at 65F. Soak .25 oz French Oak chips in one cup Kentucky Bourbon for 2 days. Soak ground kona coffee in 1 cup boiled, cooled water and leave overnight, covered in refrigeratro. Strain out grounds and add cold coffee and bourbon, with wood chips to secondary. Rack fermented stout into this mixture and condition in secondary at 55-60F for 2-6 mos.
Created with BeerSmith
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