Braggot!

**claphamsa** · 09-25-2009, 02:13 PM

How do you all make your bragots? do you make a 10 G batch, honey half and one normal? do you take second runnings and hope? do you brew just to make one? I usually do the second runnings thing ....and its turned out great!

wayneb · 09-25-2009, 02:27 PM

One big batch does it all for me - I have an extract & specialty grain recipe that also uses about 9 lbs of honey, and results in a primary volume of about 8 gallons. Tops out at around 9-10% ABV, but the ethanol level is masked by all the residual complex sugars from the specialties, and I love to see how it sneaks up on people!

**claphamsa** · 09-25-2009, 02:32 PM

Im finally (hopefully) brewing my olde ale this weekend... maybe ill boil down the second runnings ... hmmm

**claphamsa** · 09-25-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayneb

One big batch does it all for me - I have an extract & specialty grain recipe that also uses about 9 lbs of honey, and results in a primary volume of about 8 gallons. Tops out at around 9-10% ABV, but the ethanol level is masked by all the residual complex sugars from the specialties, and I love to see how it sneaks up on people!

you should post your recipe! we have very few braggot recipes that are any good around here

Kauai_Kahuna · 09-26-2009, 03:13 AM

Lately I just do the second runnings off of big beers that I make. Pretty simple and basic, but it works very well for me.

**claphamsa** · 09-26-2009, 01:54 PM

then a 60 min boil with no hop additions?

homebrewer_99 · 09-26-2009, 02:30 PM

HBT member "nostalgia" brought a braggot to my hotel the other night.

It reminded me of a German Radler...a mix of beer and Fanta/Sprite-like soda, with the mead being the sweet side.

Interesting flavor.

**claphamsa** · 09-26-2009, 02:36 PM

i made 2 about 15 months ago..... I have NO idea what i did (ive only actually kept records for about a year) I know they were both real good....

Kauai_Kahuna · 09-27-2009, 02:28 AM

I do a light hopping, pretty much around 1/3 of an APA. The flavour of my type of braggot will be very light, and just a hint of malt, hint of hops to offset the sweetness of the honey.
It really is something that I make to be like a mead, except I can drink it in three months, and balanced for maximum blending of taste, smell and flavour. In no way do I have it down, I just make it and love it.

Here is the notes from the one I have conditioning now. Not much, it's an ongoing process.

20090824-Braggot
12:00 2 gal late running wort from IPA. SG preboil 1.013.
Just a touch of hops, REALLY, just an IIPA touch.
Some pellets of Columbus 15% AAU, Amarillo 7% AAU
7 lbs honey.
13:30 chilled
14:00 In bucket, Pitched US-05, SG 1.060, in fridge@60F. Est ABV 6%.
20090824 1800 Airlock blocked up, slow steady fermentation.
20090825 Evening, changed out airlock, mostly clean.
20090828 Fermentation has mellowed.
20090902 Krausen has dropped, need to free a keg to, free a carboy to age this sucker.
20090909 Racked to secondary, SG 1.000 in storeroom. Still very cloudy.
20090914 Flash light test, Still very cloudy.
20090917 Moved to keggerator to crash chill.
20090918 Racked to keg. SG 1.000, Tasty,
Under pressure. Waiting.

KCWortHog · 09-27-2009, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claphamsa

you should post your recipe! we have very few braggot recipes that are any good around here

Really? I JUST kegged my first braggot and tasted my FG sample and it tasted pretty good.

No second runnings (I don't do 10g batches). I got the recipe from Ken Schramm; I combined recipe & technique from his Hefty Braggot recipe and his appearance on Brewing Network - seems good so far.

We'll see when it gets served next spring I guess.

My recipe uses most of the same stuff in the Hefty Braggot. I started with 5gal of water and use the brew-in-a-bag method. So, I added my grain & mashed in my kettle for 60 minutes. Removed the grain & started the boil. Did my hop additions (60/10/5) then cut off the heat and added 10 pounds of honey. Chilled it, put it in my carboy, added 1 gallon of spring water, pitched my yeast, and let 'er rip.

I kegged it today, 4 weeks after initial fermentation. I'd had a bit, uh, to drink on brew day and completely forgot to take my OG but my FG was 1.016 today. So, basically, my brew session was solely for my braggot; no other beer was made that day. (Did make a dry mead, though.)