Spent braggot/mead

[SirHC_]

Thoughts on reusing spent specialty grains for a small batch braggot? Im an extract brewer and those flavors/aromas from the specialty grains are hard just to toss in the yard...
I'm not sure what I'd get out of resteeping the grains...would there be enough malt to call it a braggot or just an Oktoberfest flavored Mead?

I'm thinking a one gallon batch just to try it out...
Steep grains in 1 gallon 150 degree water, reduce by half while steeping grains again in 1 gallon water at a slightly higher temp, maybe 165.
Add second steeping to first steeping and reduce to 3 quarts. Kill the heat, add in 3 lbs honey and let come down to pitching temp. ( Should be just about the right amount for my 4L glass jug)
Yeast suggestions?
Ferment it sitting on my basement floor.

 

[botigol]

Probably not enough grain to really call it a braggot, but since it's not for competition, call it whatever you like!

I have a concern about your proposed process. The re-steeping by itself will push the pH higher than in the first steep, which could lead to tannins being extracted. So, multiple re-steeps would increase the likelihood of tannins. Unless you measure pH and correct it, I would stick with only one re-steep in 3-4 quarts; boil for sanitation, hops (if including) and reducing to the 3 quarts that you want going into the fermenter.

That said, I like this idea and need to keep it in mind for my next brew day!

 

[SirHC_]

Oops

 

[SirHC_]

I figured higher temps might pull out tannins but didn't consider pH. Though tannin is not a bad thing in Mead. I made a really excellent Earl grey peach Mead once upon a time. Strong tea to provide tannin and balance the honey and the bergamot to complement the peach. The tannin let me add more honey and still end up with a semi sweet with higher ABV.
Could tannin play a similar role to bittering hops?

 

[SirHC_]

just as an update, I've done this twice now.
The first was steeping grains from a big brew day. a buddy and I did 5 gallons of porter and 10 gallons of honey weiss. After resteeping the grains and draining twice I ended up with 1.5 Gallons of "wort" Reduced it to 3 qts, added 3lbs honey and fermented with 05, topping it off with water to 1 gallon after the fermentaion died down.
I called it a porter/wheat braggot and whoa, it had a kick. too roasty and too strong and too sweet. just about perfect, though mixed 50/50 with a cream ale/bud light.

second time was a 10 gallon batch of brown ale for a friends wedding. resteeped specialty grains as above, only added 2.5lbs of honey but otherwise proceeded as above. That was awesome. still have a couple bottles for extended aging but it smoothed out really well for being higher alcohol and darker. still a bit too sweet. I suspect by reducing the resteeped wort I made it very difficult for the yeast to digest.

Just thought you should know.