Sunday, December 24, 2006
Xmas Mead (results)
Tasted one tonight. Tastes better chilled and carbonated, but still not overly happy with it. I think it might be drier than I was hoping ... can taste the mint and hops, but not quite the "candy cane" effect I was shooting for. Oh well. Win some, lose some. It's drinkable.
Xmas Beer (results)
Tasted one tonight. Thick head ... with a pinkish tint to it. It's darker than I expected and was slightly cloudy ... that might have been chill haze though. Taste is ... different. I like it, but it's not quite what I'm used to. All in all, I think it turned out well, but anyone who's tasted it and disagrees (or agrees) is welcome to leave a comment.
---EDIT---
Seems this one was really good. Had a few requests that I make more of it. :)
---/EDIT---
Seems this one was really good. Had a few requests that I make more of it. :)
---/EDIT---
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Xmas Mead
- 2 1/2 lbs Honey
- 1 oz dried spearmint
- 1 1/2 Liberty Hop pellets
- 1 oz vanilla extract
- Wyeast Liquid Sweet Mead Yeast (slap pack)
Place Hops and Spearmint in sterilized straining bag (boil safe). Heat Honey and straining bag to just below boiling with water, skimming periodically. Pour honey and straining bag into fermenter. Add cold water to bring up to 1 gal. Allow to cool. Add Vanilla and pitch yeast. Securely cover fermenter with cloth, no airlock, and place in warm dark area to ferment.
Start Date: 2006/12/11 End Date: 2006/12/24
--EDIT--
No signs of fermentation. *sob* Thinking I pitched the yeast too hot and killed it ... RIP poor little yeasties, you never did anything to anyone.... oh well. Pitched some dried ale yeast I keep as an emergency backup. Bubbling in five minutes, foaming in 15.
--/EDIT--
No signs of fermentation. *sob* Thinking I pitched the yeast too hot and killed it ... RIP poor little yeasties, you never did anything to anyone.... oh well. Pitched some dried ale yeast I keep as an emergency backup. Bubbling in five minutes, foaming in 15.
--/EDIT--
--UPDATE 2006/12/19--
Added about 1/5th cup of bottling sugar (to make it "sparkling") and bottled it. Produced about 5 22oz bottles. Not overly happy with the flavor ... hope it's better cold and carbonated.
--/UPDATE--
Added about 1/5th cup of bottling sugar (to make it "sparkling") and bottled it. Produced about 5 22oz bottles. Not overly happy with the flavor ... hope it's better cold and carbonated.
--/UPDATE--
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Xmas Beer
- 1 can Coopers no boil IPA kit
- 1 lb Amber DME
- 1 lb Wheat DME
- 1 can Sweet Cherry Puree
- 1 pack Wyeast Wheat Liquid Yeast (slap pack)
Dissolve Kit and DME with 1 gal boiling water in fermenter. Top up to 5 gallons with warm/cool water to bring temp down. Pitch Yeast. Seal fermenter and place in warm dark area to ferment. AFTER PRIMARY FERMENTATION HAS SLOWED add Cherry Puree, reseal fermenter and allow to continue fermenting.
Start Date: 2006/12/11 End Date: 2006/12/24
--UPDATE 2006/12/15--
Added Cherry Puree. Seems to be comming along nicely
--/UPDATE--
Added Cherry Puree. Seems to be comming along nicely
--/UPDATE--
--EDIT--
Added cherry puree when fermentation had slowed to 6 bubbles/minute in the airlock. Still overflowed. Not badly, just onto the lid of the fermenter ... still a pain in the ass to clean. Think I added it a few hours too early.
--/EDIT--
Added cherry puree when fermentation had slowed to 6 bubbles/minute in the airlock. Still overflowed. Not badly, just onto the lid of the fermenter ... still a pain in the ass to clean. Think I added it a few hours too early.
--/EDIT--
--UPDATE 2006/12/19--
Added about 3/4ths cup of bottling sugar and bottled it. Taste is ... I'm not really sure. It could kinda go either way after carbonation.
--/UPDATE--
Added about 3/4ths cup of bottling sugar and bottled it. Taste is ... I'm not really sure. It could kinda go either way after carbonation.
--/UPDATE--
