Faux Bochet

[Shortbeard]

Hello,

I stated this in the BOMM thread but as I have gotten lazy and didn't use the correct nutrients here is my faux bochet.

Slow cooker half your honey for 16 hours on high it will come out pitch black. Then add 1 cut up banana, 1.5 ounces currants, 2 ounces sultan raisins, five 4 inch cinnamon sticks and honey water mix to make 5 gallons with a starting gravity of 1.100.

I used yeast energizer and nutrient to the BOMM protocol with a wyeast 1388 starter. I degassed twice or three times a day to the final sugar break. Then life got in the way. Approximately 3 weeks later I have a gravity of 1.002.

I just added 1 1/3 cup honey to back sweeten into primary going to make sure I have a stable gravity before racking onto vanilla beans.

Quick question if step feeding to back sweeten how do I calculate final ABV?

As a tasting note it has come out dry with a very small hint of honey, a hot initial hit in the mouth that fades to a pleasant caramel like flavour. Something close to campfire marshmallows. The after taste is bitter and a little acrid. Any suggestion on how to mellow out the after taste?

Here is a photo of my stolen sample.

 

[bmwr75]

You can user this ABV calculator. It will required two separate calculations.

http://www.meadmakr.com/abv-calculator/

Original gravity minus final gravity (before honey addition)

Plus

Gravity after honey addition minus final gravity after honey addtion

 

[bmwr75]

Sounds like you may have overdone the slow cooker time since you are experiencing acrid aftertastes.

 

[WVMJ]

Oak it and let it age a little while to round out some. WVMJ

 

[Shortbeard]

Well it went dry again so I added another cup of honey, I am hopping to get it to a final gravity in the 1.006 range before moving it to secondary. Oak sounds like a good idea, would you still add vanilla beans if adding oak? As I "toasted" the honey I assume i should use non toasted oak?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[WVMJ]

Toasted oak and yes on vanilla beans also, if you really want to boost the intrinsic flavors an ounce or so of cocao nibs soaking in the bottom also compliments the other flavors. WVMJ

 

[Shortbeard]

So tested the mead and currently sitting at 1.010 SG and the added sweetness really helps with the flavour. The Acrid taste has almost totally disappeared. So in total I have used a little over 18 lbs of honey in a 5 gallon batch. 18.4 to be exact. if I did my math right that puts me at ~19% ABV. Will this be stable seeing as I used Wyeast 1388? I am going to leave it a couple days and test again hoping it is stable. It has a bit of a hot taste to it.

The plan is to add the Vanilla and Oak when I rack to secondary. I'll add the cocoa nibs if I can locate some easily.

I have to say if this smooths out with the oak over the next couple of weeks this could be very dangerous as it goes down rather easily.

 

[WVMJ]

We opened a 3 year old bottle of Bochet last weekend to celebrate the last nice day, so smooth, the aftertaste was like eating a toffee, long lasting, got to make more of this again. WVMJ

 

[Shortbeard]

Well I finally have a stable gravity at 1.008 which puts me at 19.9% ABV Wyeast 1388 is a bit of a beast. I racked it onto 3 vanilla beans split and cut into 1/3s, 2 oz of cocoa, 1 and 1/2 oz light toast Hungarian oak, 1 and 1/2 oz medium toast Hungarian oak.

Here is hoping a couple weeks will meld everything together.

Tasting note as is:
The nose is a little sweet with the sense of alcohol.
The taste is a little hot but not as much as you would expect. There is a toasted flavour similar to burnt marshmallow with a hint of toffee in the finish. The Acrid after taste has completely disappeared this is a great thing and afterwards you are left with a sense of honey. Also, a warm feeling radiating from the tummy. This will be a good cold day drink.

Now for the patients to wait for the mellowing.

 

[Shortbeard]

How things can change with time.

The mead is bottled. Before the new year and is drinkable.

Final ABV 19.7% approximately.

The nose is a strong campfire that fades to honey sweet.
The initial hit of smoke overwhelms the palate for a quick second than as the mead travels over the tongue you get more and more caramel and sweet notes. Reminds me of a scotch to be honest.I can see this getting much better with age but is perfectly drinkable for New Years.

Things I learned.

Slow cooker honey for 12 hours or less. The acrid taste will age out on its own so add the oak only to preference. I would half the amount of oak used in the future. Add twice the cocoa nibs.

This on the make again list.

 

[nickwoo]

i have one that is about a year old and it is still not great. it was pretty much undrinkable at bottling but now it is a little settled down.

 

[Shortbeard]

Sorry to hear that Nick. Hope you try another bochet in the future. I am growing quite fond of this one as become more accustomed to the oak I find more complexity of flavour.