Sparklin Merlot?? Hibiscus Nelson Saison (wedding brew)

Is there such a thing as sparkling Merlot? It's not carbonated yet...... well actually I was force carbonating it in my Tap-a-Draft system a few minutes ago, but it will not be sampling for a few more days. I intend to do several sessions of pressure and shaking so my CO2 cartridge doesn't crap out before it's dispensed. Instead of 18 PSIG, I carbonated to 21 PSIG (one pound over the 20 pound limit).

Tasting this stuff as I racked it from cold crash, my reaction was Merlot!.... Can I call it beer if it tastes like wine??? Looks like wine??

This is a hibiscus Nelson Saison... Hopped with Nelson Sauvin to about 17 IBUs, and dry hopped with Nelson. It has 2 row, a touch of Munich 20, wheat and rye. Both the dry hop and the hibiscus (1/4 pound for 2.5 gallons) were put in about 1.5 days before it hit cold crash. It was fermented with Lallemand Belle Saison.

My initial impression is that a bit more sweetness might be appropriate..... I'm frankly excited!! This weekend should tell the tale. As I'm using the Tap-a-Draft and it will be refrigerated, perhaps a touch of back sweetening with ordinary sugar might make sense. The next version may get bottling syrup when I go to cold crash...... I end up with about 4-5 bottles left over with Tap-A-Draft, so the bottles will be drier than the "keg".

The ladies are going to love this!! I have until June 20 to "perfect" this. The next version is fermented with US-05, and the IBUs are 35..... I think the 17 will be better, as bitter and sour do not play well together. The third version, which I will brew around the end of next week will be a lager... with 34/70. The complexity of the Belle Saison may work well. I've only got a pound of hibiscus on hand.... I'd better get it right pretty fast or end up buying more.


H.W.

I shared a gallon or so of my prototype wedding brew last night, and after a couple of drinks, it went over pretty well. The first brew being a saison, lightly hopped with Nelson Sauvin. I racked version # which was brewed with US-05 and was hopped into the 30's. It was significantly different...... far more like a dry red wine, and is "cleaner" than the Saison. In both cases the hibiscus and Nelson Sauvin went in shortly before cold crash. #2 will be in the Tap-a-Draft about mid week. #3 is a diversion from my course:

The red wine flavor is something I felt could be enhanced by a fruity hop, and the one that pairs very well with Nelson......that I have on hand..... Is Motueka. Instead of a single hop, this will have 3. I chose Summit for bittering so I could move the Nelson and Motueka to the end of the boil (2 minutes). IBUs should come in around 28. Summit is a wonderful hop with a LOT of AAs (18.5).......and a great flavor. Motueka has a tropical fruit medly flavor that pairs well with Nelson which also has some of that, but imparts a wine like flavor. I'm hoping to hit a Sangria type wine and fruit medly between the hops and the Hibiscus.


H.W.