I fought the urge to increase the molasses and honey from the Zymurgy recipe and am glad I did. "Hint of sweetness" is spot on, as I think I finished around .009. I really wouldn't want more than what I have in mine. I added the sugars at flame out rather than post primary, but then I really don't like messing with my fermentation much once in is in the fridge other than controlling the temperature. Love what the WL029 did with this.
Kottbusser - A style deserving of revival!
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Good to hear! I had hopes that my educated guess would be a good one. But the tartness from the molasses combined with that hint of sweetness is part of various descriptions I've read, so i'm doing the molasses & honey in secondary soon. I think it may bring out a touch more of this sweet/tart/slightly sour part of some flavor descriptions?
myerstyson
Well-Known Member
Couldn't wait anymore. Had to try mine. Been 15 days in a 70F room.
Poured a lot darker than when I was bottling, now closer to 13/14 SRM. Honey is very pronounced. Still needs probably 2 weeks in the beer room for carbonation. Very happy with the result.
Poured a lot darker than when I was bottling, now closer to 13/14 SRM. Honey is very pronounced. Still needs probably 2 weeks in the beer room for carbonation. Very happy with the result.
Nice color & clarity. I still have to take an FG on mine. Got sick yesterday & still getting over it.
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Barley_Bob
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Can someone remind me why we decided dark molasses was not the way to go? I have some unsulfured molasses in the cupboard, but I've been avoiding it because the community wisdom seemed to be that light was the best option.
Idk, they never said anything about light or dark in what I've read. Besides the fact that so little is used. I thought unsulfured would keep the flavor clean, since sulfur smells & the like are undesirable qualities in beer.
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Barley_Bob
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I could be misremembering, but it's kept me from wrapping this up with what I have on hand. In that case, I'll add those ingredients today.
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Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
Alright, I added my honey, molasses, and dry hop this afternoon and fermentation has already restarted.
As a side note, I recently discovered my municipal water changed and I haven't been hitting my mash pH. I drew a sample before I made those additions and it tastes somewhat astringent. That could be for a few reasons... It might just be green (etc), but I'm a little worried. Does anyone have some thoughts for me?
As a side note, I recently discovered my municipal water changed and I haven't been hitting my mash pH. I drew a sample before I made those additions and it tastes somewhat astringent. That could be for a few reasons... It might just be green (etc), but I'm a little worried. Does anyone have some thoughts for me?
Maybe from the bit of acidulated ,alt(if you used any)? I used some in mine from the recipes I found. I have yet to take a sample though to see if mine has any. Although it could've been used to dry out the honey & molasses a bit?
myerstyson
Well-Known Member
I used dark molasses. Tastes wonderful!
I gotta get an FG sample of mine, now that I'm feeling a bit better. Darn intestinal flu. If all is well, I may even drain of a cup or two to mix the molasses & honey into thin it down. I'm using unsulfured dark molasses myself. Then just pour it all back into primary. Might help keep it dry versus secondary?
It's been 2 weeks today since brewday & it went into primary. My first FG is 1.014 out of OG 1.054 minus honey & molasses. Golden brown straw color & still very misty. Flavor is slightly sweet/tart. So I think maybe the tartness of the molasses might add to this? Also, it seems that with the honey & molasses, it gets it's burnished gold color. Looks like a pilsner color at the moment, if it were clear. Flavor is quite pleasant already, being so cold it ferments slowly. Current temp is between 62F & 63F with a tee shirt & crushed velvet smoking jacket covering it.
Would you describe it as being ensconced in velvet? Have you named your fermentor George?
The dog chewed up the black one, so I cover the fermenters with it. She my ho'...The blue & red ones are in the closet.
I've had mine on the co2 for 2 weeks now. Has a nice flavor and a very crisp dry finish. You can taste just a hint of honey in the finish. Unlike all my other beers this one did not clear even though I used a fining agent.
This will be a great warm weather beer. My wife said this is the type of beer that could get you in trouble on a hot day.
Very pleased.
This will be a great warm weather beer. My wife said this is the type of beer that could get you in trouble on a hot day.
Very pleased.
Yeah, so far it's shaping up to be quite the sessionable beer with that slight sweet-tart thing on the back. I think maybe that's what some mistake for slightly sour. Can't wait till it knocks off that last few points so I can add the honey & molasses.
Many of us have already in the past few pages. Bottom line for me is it is quite an excellent beer that is highly drinkable but not boring. It is not dominated by one element and all the ingredients bring something important to the table. Good balance. Should be an excellent summer quencher and beer to drink with food, but I have enjoyed it greatly during this frigid WI winter all on its own. From the reactions of those who have tried it, it has enough going on to appeal to seasoned beer enthusiasts and be an excellent gateway beer as well.
This will be a regular house beer for me going forward.
This will be a regular house beer for me going forward.
I'm thinking it will be too! I can't wait till it's ready so we can trade some bottles to do some comparisons! Since it's warmer today, maybe it'll start finishing? Or maybe add the honey & molasses now to get it to?
I would throw it in. Then again, mine was in at flameout. The WL029 is fine at that temp, though at this point, you may want to ramp it up to 68-70 if you have the capability via a heating pad, etc. Should be fine either way.
Got no heating pad, & it's been so cold, even double wrapped, it's been between 62-63F. Might just do it to get it jump started again? Needs to go lower than 1.014.
Just added 1.3ozs of clover honey & .6oz of unsulphured molasses to 1 3/4C of fermented beer in primary. Should be wort at least .002 gravity points. First FG reading was 1.014 several days ago,so this last addition should give a touch more color & more of that natural grain sweet/tart thing I got a taste of last time. Final stretch before bottling & the beer looked perfect. Amber color in the fermenter, mostly clear with only little touches of krausen left.
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Barley_Bob
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I bottled last night! It really was a beautiful color, and I'm sure I hit that SRM. I stayed at 4oz of honey and 2oz of molasses to stay at the prescribed percentages. Based on the sample I had last night, it's great. I'll report back in a week or two when it's carbed.
With that said, I'm really worried my mash pH problem is going to raise its ugly head and ruin this. If it's good, I'll try to send it out ASAP! (before it has a chance to spoil). If it's not good, I'll rebrew. On the bright side, said mash pH problem is now under control.
With that said, I'm really worried my mash pH problem is going to raise its ugly head and ruin this. If it's good, I'll try to send it out ASAP! (before it has a chance to spoil). If it's not good, I'll rebrew. On the bright side, said mash pH problem is now under control.
Did the FG samples taste good? Mine was great, albeit still very misty with yeast floating around at that point. Clearer today, but the FG sample did have a little of that sweet/tart thing already. We'll see how it is in about a week. I imagine it'll be ready to bottle this weekend or next week. I'll carb & condition them for a couple weeks then a couple days fridge time before shipping.
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Barley_Bob
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Mine was great! The couple of batches I had that took a turn for the worse did so over time, though. So, the plan is to drink this quick!
I'm still pondering exactly what roll the acidulated malt will end up playing in this one? I think it might have a little to do with the sweet/tart thing?
myerstyson
Well-Known Member
I'm at 4 weeks in bottle. I tried a bottle last week and it was still flat, but tasted incredible! I so want to drink it now, but I'm going to give it another week, in hopes that it'll carb up.
I'm definitely going to make this beer again, but I think next time I'm going to prime with honey to see how different it turns out. I'll save some of these bottles so that I can compare to my next Kotbusser.
I'm definitely going to make this beer again, but I think next time I'm going to prime with honey to see how different it turns out. I'll save some of these bottles so that I can compare to my next Kotbusser.
Well, after putting the honey & molasses-unsulphured, which turned out to be "gold molasses"- in primary a couple days ago during a warm spell, I saw the liquid level in the airlock going up & down. It bubbled a couple times in 2 days as well. Hoping it finishes sometime this weekend. Supposed to be mid 30's to upper 40's next week.
myerstyson
Well-Known Member
Well that didn't last. I had to try it again tonight. PERFECT. Lightly carbonated, taste wonderful. Funny how little honey will affect the taste.
