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I made an experimental Gruit with wormwood to bitter, and it was WAY too bitter. After a few months in the bottle it was excellent! Bottle conditioning is almost a form of chemical magic. I'm sure there are some things it will not fix, but I have been amazed at what it will.

If it is really too bitter for your liking, let it set in the bottle for 3 months or so and it will fade. Even a couple of months will often make a huge difference.

I've been making my own cider for the past few years, and I love it. But there are a couple of simply things you can do that will really raise the bar: 1) add a cup of strong black tea per gal to give it some tanins. 2) juice some crab apples if you can find them and add that to the store...

I have drank several beers and ciders with bacteria like that. Not a problem, but it will get sour the longer it sits. If you don't like sours, then drink it quickly.

If you want a very dry cider, try champagne yeast. Not my thing, but I've heard it is the way to go for a very dry cider

I would go 3/1 wort to juice if it were me. I like to taste the apple.

I am trying to brew another 1 gal batch, but a different version. This time I wanted a true ale so I used amber DME for about 50% of the fermentables. However, I think I used too many fig leaves, their antiseptic quality has stalled the ferment at 1.049 (SG was 1.080). I have tried repitching...

Yes, you are correct, 20 points high. So yes, your calculation from beersmith would explain it. I had no idea that steeping could add that much sugar. I often steep crystal 60, so this is very helpful info. Thanks!

That makes sense. It was hard to imagine how I could have been 30 points high. Also, I was about a cup low on each gal because I wanted to allow for any krausen. Taken all together that would easily account for it.

The name of the thread says it all. I just went way over my target SG, 1.100 instead of 1.080. Using DME and ponicillo is pretty easy to calculate target SG. I could see being a little off, maybe even 10 grav points. But 30 points??? The only flaw would be if steeping 8oz of crystal 60L added...

So it is better to thin it out after ferment is done? BtW, both batches are fermenting like crazy. When I got up I had a Krausen blow out from the one with muscadine syrup. I just now pulled two cups out of the jug just to keep it from making any more of a mess.

Last night I just started two 1 gal brews, one with muscadine syrup, and the other with fig leaves. I was aiming for 1.080. But it got late and I did not get SG before going to bed. This morning they are both started and they are at 1.100. So, what should I do? I am thinking about drawing off...

Well, it still needs to bottle condition for a few weeks. But from what I test tasted off the trubs, I can say this turned out really nice. Although, honestly it does not really taste like beer. It is clearly a cider, but the oats give it some body and that is really nice. About 6.5% ABV...

That Pom recipe looks amazing. I bet blueberries would do great too. I am going to try it as soon as I get back from my next business trip. I'll post the recipe when I do.

has anyone tried homemade "fruit molasses" in a beer or ale? By fruit molasses I mean fruit juice that is cooked down to the consistency of a syrup. I have lots of frozen blueberries and I was thinking a blueberry molasses might make a great sugar adjunct for a porter style.

wow, 1.080! that is really amazing. I had no idea crabs could be that sweet. Sounds like it would be a great cider with even 25-30% of those in the mix. How did you like your cider with 10% of them in it?

It will sooner or later because of a road widening project. But for now it is still standing, so I should get another crop off it this fall.

Right now I am wild harvesting them from a tree near the highway. But last spring I planned a Doglo crab tree, so in a couple of years I should have my own. I can't wait until I have enough to make a batch of pure crab apple cider! Also, I am planting an Arkansas Black tree this fall. They are...

They make a great addition to store bought juices. The cider is much better with them.

I just juiced 2 lbs of frozen crabs to add to some store-bought juice for a batch of cider. I could not hardly believe the grav reading, 1.060. I tasted it and wow, it was sweet! Never realized they were that sweet.