It's different than anyone else's.........

[Old John]

But is it Wrong??
I picked up a Braggot recipe, several years ago from a book. And I have been doing it this way ever since.

Ingredients:

12# Clover Honey,
3# Plain Amber DME
4 tsp, Acid Blend
4 tsp, Yeast Nutrient
2 1/2 tsp. Yeast Energizer
1/4 tsp Grape Tannin

I put the 3#Amber DME in my Brew Pot with 6 qt. Water & bring it to a Boil.
I add the dry ingredients with 6 qt. cold water in my Brew bucket, stirring well. When the Amber DME in water has boiled 5 mins. or so, I pour into the Brew bucket. Then I stir in the 12# of Honey. And stir well to dissolve the Honey. When this is done, I pour into my Fermenter and top off with Hot water. I plug & set aside to cool. I do not take Spec grav., I make it the same each time.

When it has cooled to barely warm, I add 1 pkg Red Star Champagne Yeast and 1 pkg Red Star Montrachet Yeast sprinkled dry on top of Wirt.
I put on an airlock put it on a stand in a quiet corner and let it sit for about 12 to 14 weeks.
It always works off very dry, with a lot of character. But we like it Sweet.
When I rack it into gallon jugs after 12 or more weeks, I add 1/2 tsp Sorbate,
and 12 oz. of mild Clover Honey. And I set it aside for 30 days or so.

Then I clarify it with 1/2 tsp. sparkaloid in 1/2 c. boiling water. After 2 weeks it is ready to bottle.
It sits in the bottle for 60 days and it is Always a great Mead/Braggot with a good complex Character. Works every time.

What do you think? Is this a legitimate Braggot??

 

[MedsenFey]

It is most certainly a braggot.
You do some unusual things, like pitching two yeast strains, and there's no hops or carbonation, but if it is giving you a braggot that you like, I find it hard to argue with results.

Medsen

 

[Old John]

It is most certainly a braggot.
You do some unusual things, like pitching two yeast strains, and there's no hops or carbonation, but if it is giving you a braggot that you like, I find it hard to argue with results.

Medsen

I use champagne bottles for all my Mead & Braggot, because I can easily use crown caps on them just like I use on the beer bottles. I make more Ale than Mead or Braggot. Not a great lot of either. Forty or so gallons of Ale and maybe twenty or so of Mead & Braggot. I make my Braggot as A Mead, rather than a Beer. And I'm figuring 3# per gallon, for each of them.
Thanks for your comments.

 

[biochemedic]

I agree w/ Medsen that if you like it, it's hard to criticize...

I think the more unusual thing than what Medsen identified is the rather small percentage of malt in the bill of fermentables. (I usually consider braggot to have much closer to a 50:50 mix of malt and honey.) Can you actually perceive the malt with only 3# of it? Granted, you're using amber malt, so that has a little stronger flavor, and certainly affects the color more...

 

[Old John]

I agree w/ Medsen that if you like it, it's hard to criticize...

I think the more unusual thing than what Medsen identified is the rather small percentage of malt in the bill of fermentables. (I usually consider braggot to have much closer to a 50:50 mix of malt and honey.) Can you actually perceive the malt with only 3# of it? Granted, you're using amber malt, so that has a little stronger flavor, and certainly affects the color more...

It does give a good Mead with a lot of Character. It definitely has a distinctive flavor. I view my Braggot as a variety of Mead.
But one of the main reasons I use but 3#'s of Malt Extract is that my honey comes in half gallon jugs. And, 2 jugs is 12#'s. So to make the 5 gallons at 3# per gallon, I use 3#'s of Malt. It semms a great balance, to me.

I have used 3#'s of Dark DME. And, it gives an even stronger Malt taste.
I make it either way, with 3#'s of Amber DME or 3#'s of Dark DME.
We like it either way. And It's a nice dark color.
I just wanted to be sure it is a "Braggot".