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[pvtpublic]

I'm making my first batch o' hooch from scratch. I'm planning on using 32 oz pure maple syrup, tea, red star and water to 1 gallon. I don't know what type of tea would go good with maple. I was going to use chai, but I black tea goes bitter after a few minutes of steeping. I think I might use an herbal teavana tea, but I want to know what flavors would go well with the flavor of the maple. I'm going for a f.g. of 1.010-1.020.

 

[fatbloke]

I'm making my first batch o' hooch from scratch. I'm planning on using 32 oz pure maple syrup, tea, red star and water to 1 gallon. I don't know what type of tea would go good with maple. I was going to use chai, but I black tea goes bitter after a few minutes of steeping. I think I might use an herbal teavana tea, but I want to know what flavors would go well with the flavor of the maple. I'm going for a f.g. of 1.010-1.020.

Well as for the tea, it's not usually considered a flavouring element but used for it's tannin content.

It's quite normal to use 1 or 2 teabags per gallon i.e. I usually use 2 and brew them strong to 1/2 a pint with boiling water. Then when the tea is nice and dark, just squeeze out the bags and then let the tea cool. English Breakfast tea is good for that.

Trying to flavour with tea, well with some sort of herbal infusion is damn near impossible as you'd need so much of it to transfer the flavours over. Herbal infusion type "tea's", just aren't usually strong enough, unless you make the water content as the "tea" and then just add that to the honey in a mead (and so far, I don't see any mention of honey here, just maple syrup).

As for how much maple syrup you might need per gallon ? Your hydrometer will tell you that, depending on how strong you want the brew and what yeast you are going to use.

Oh and I'm not even sure if this thread is in the right place as this is the mead forum i.e. mead = honey wine of some sort. You don't mention any honey so maybe it should be in an "other brews" forum ???

regards

fatbloke

 

[pvtpublic]

Ok, I was under the impression that it does contribute a bit of flavoring, and yes I am using all maple syrup. Using 2 pounds of it for a gallon will get me right around 1.060-1.075 range, which is right where I want it.

 

[pvtpublic]

Has anyone used only maple syrup w/o honey?

 

[Alchemist42]

Has anyone used only maple syrup w/o honey?

Nothing like responding to an old, possibly dead thread, but what the heck.

Yes, I have a 100% pure acer aging right now. 3lbs/gallon. And I've split off a single gallon to age on a couple inches of medium and dark charred oak spirals.