Troeg's Mad Elf

[WissaBrewGuy]

OK. So I'm drinking one right now. and I think it is probably around 2.8 Vol's. In Northern Brewer's priming sugar calc thats 5.15oz of corn sugar. It would be 13.3psi at 36F in a keg. Don't hold me to it but I do a lot of belgian and French beers and this is similar to some of my Dubbels and flatter than my Saisons (usually at 3.2VolCO2). Good luck!

 

[seckert]

ok nice...I guess I will prob force carb at 30 for 1.5-2 days then drop to 12psi...and try it out...I was thinking it was less carbed than that. like I said though it has been so long since I had one though...haha

 

[Madsciontst]

Ok its been two weeks in the primary and I'm suppose to rack it on top of the cherries today. But it is still blowing bubbles out of the airlock. Is this a problem ? Should I wait or proceed to the secondary?

 

[oelfool]

Thanks for the input on carbonation. I had a taste of my batch yesterday and all the rocket fuel taste is gone and it is dangerously smooth. Ready for the snow now.

 

[WissaBrewGuy]

Ok its been two weeks in the primary and I'm suppose to rack it on top of the cherries today. But it is still blowing bubbles out of the airlock. Is this a problem ? Should I wait or proceed to the secondary?

Only way to know is to take a gravity reading. A bubbling airlock only means CO2 is escaping not that it is still fermenting.

 

[WissaBrewGuy]

ok nice...I guess I will prob force carb at 30 for 1.5-2 days then drop to 12psi...and try it out...I was thinking it was less carbed than that. like I said though it has been so long since I had one though...haha

Yeah if you can go less than increase as required that might be a better idea than the other way around.

 

[wobrien]

Only way to know is to take a gravity reading. A bubbling airlock only means CO2 is escaping not that it is still fermenting.

+1 don't rack until it's done fermenting. Only way to tell is by taking gravity readings.

 

[seckert]

Thanks for the input on carbonation. I had a taste of my batch yesterday and all the rocket fuel taste is gone and it is dangerously smooth. Ready for the snow now.

How long did it take for the rocket fuel taste to go away? I am running short on time and I hope that it will have mellowed by the time this beer is put out to drink...

 

[oelfool]

How long did it take for the rocket fuel taste to go away? I am running short on time and I hope that it will have mellowed by the time this beer is put out to drink...

It was a week short of two months when I tasted it, but it could have been sooner. I kind of forgot about it in the basement..

 

[seckert]

2 months in the bottle? or 2 months since you brewed it? I will be putting into secondary next weekend and hoping to keg it Dec 1st and serve it on the 12th. do you think it will be mellowed out by then? I am leaving in primary for 3 weeks first. so will be about just shy of 8 weeks from brew day to serve day.

 

[oelfool]

2 months in the bottle? or 2 months since you brewed it? I will be putting into secondary next weekend and hoping to keg it Dec 1st and serve it on the 12th. do you think it will be mellowed out by then? I am leaving in primary for 3 weeks first. so will be about just shy of 8 weeks from brew day to serve day.

Sorry, almost two months since I brewed. I just bottled it a few days ago. I think you'll be able to make it, especially if you're kegging. Another reason I took so long was I moved it to a third fermentor to clear more of the fruit particles out before bottling. I used a shorter primary, just a week and let the fruit sit for about ten days in secondary. I usually just put the fruit in the primary, but I had a ton of trub.

 

[seckert]

Sorry, almost two months since I brewed. I just bottled it a few days ago. I think you'll be able to make it, especially if you're kegging. Another reason I took so long was I moved it to a third fermentor to clear more of the fruit particles out before bottling. I used a shorter primary, just a week and let the fruit sit for about ten days in secondary. I usually just put the fruit in the primary, but I had a ton of trub.

Ok great thanks for the insight! :rockin:

 

[seckert]

moved it over to the secondary today and put it over cherries...I think I might have had just a bit too much choc malt or something. it definitely wasn't red as I was seeing it run through the line. however when it was mixing around in the secondary with the cherries it seemed it was picking up a nice red tint. So hopefully it still comes out with at least a slight red tint! def have to dial the choc malt down a bit next time.

 

[wobrien]

Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. It's an interview with a brewer from Troeg's specifically about Mad Elf. It was on the radio, so it might be a 30,000 foot overview, but I hope it's worthwhile.

http://www.radio1045.com/pages/craftology.html?feed=478189&article=11823301

 

[Madsciontst]

It's been about four and a half weeks so I'll be bottling this week. So far it smell great, can't wait to drink it!!!!

 

[seckert]

make sure you let us know when you taste it how it came out. a picture would be great too if possible...

 

[seckert]

Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. It's an interview with a brewer from Troeg's specifically about Mad Elf. It was on the radio, so it might be a 30,000 foot overview, but I hope it's worthwhile.

http://www.radio1045.com/pages/craftology.html?feed=478189&article=11823301

I finally had a chance to watch this. didn't really learn anything new about MEA. however it was a decent interview and was worth watching...thanks for the video!

 

[Madsciontst]

As soon as it's done I'll post a pic.

 

[ChefRex]

I racked my version on to cherries yesterday and now it's chugging along, was a bit over11% so this is going to be strong an may not be ready by Christmas, Oh well.
Definitely looked brown in the tube but I think the cherries will help in the red color. Cheers

 

[jmcm_brew]

Used this recipe.. Kegged it and after a month in keg did a side by side with the real thing blonde taste test could not tell the difference... One of my proudest moments

NAME AMOUNT USE
Pilsner 15.0 lb 72 % Mash
Munich Malt 2.0 lb 9 % Mash
Maltodextrine 8.0 oz 2 % Mash
Chocolate Malt 2.0 oz 0 % Mash
2-Row Brewers Malt 3.0 lb 14 %

At 152 60 mins

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE
Saaz 1.0 oz 60 min Boil
Hallertau 1.0 oz 30 min Boil
Hallertau 1.0 oz 10 min Boil
Yeasts

NAME LAB TEMP
Trappist Ale Yeast WLP500 White Labs 65°F – 72°F
Extras

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE
Cherries 3.0 lb 7.0 days Secondary
Cherries, sour 2.0 lb 7.0 days Secondary

 

[jmcm_brew]

Puréed cherries and put them in a hop bag so I didn't have to strain.. Clarity was good and it had the pinkish color the real thing had

 

[seckert]

Used this recipe.. Kegged it and after a month in keg did a side by side with the real thing blonde taste test could not tell the difference... One of my proudest moments

NAME AMOUNT USE
Pilsner 15.0 lb 72 % Mash
Munich Malt 2.0 lb 9 % Mash
Maltodextrine 8.0 oz 2 % Mash
Chocolate Malt 2.0 oz 0 % Mash
2-Row Brewers Malt 3.0 lb 14 %

At 152 60 mins

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE
Saaz 1.0 oz 60 min Boil
Hallertau 1.0 oz 30 min Boil
Hallertau 1.0 oz 10 min Boil
Yeasts

NAME LAB TEMP
Trappist Ale Yeast WLP500 White Labs 65°F – 72°F
Extras

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE
Cherries 3.0 lb 7.0 days Secondary
Cherries, sour 2.0 lb 7.0 days Secondary

No honey? Troegs has specifically said they use honey in MEA.

 

[jmcm_brew]

No honey? Troegs has specifically said they use honey in MEA.

2 pounds of clover honey at flameout.. Not sure why that cut off from the recipe... Tried to copy and paste it from my brew toad page..

 

[jmcm_brew]

And sour cherries can be tough to find.. I brewed a batch with 2 lbs of canned Oregon tart cherries as a substitute once... They are available just about any grocery store and the difference wasn't noticeable.. Just strain them put of the syrup they come in or buy them in water

 

[seckert]

And sour cherries can be tough to find.. I brewed a batch with 2 lbs of canned Oregon tart cherries as a substitute once... They are available just about any grocery store and the difference wasn't noticeable.. Just strain them put of the syrup they come in or buy them in water

I couldnt find them so i used the canned ones. I didnt see the need to strain them out of the water they came in...I poured them in bottom of secondary. sanatized a potatoe masher and mashed them all up, then racked the beer over them. seems to work, of course it is still in secondary so i guess i will see...haha

 

[jmcm_brew]

I couldnt find them so i used the canned ones. I didnt see the need to strain them out of the water they came in...I poured them in bottom of secondary. sanatized a potatoe masher and mashed them all up, then racked the beer over them. seems to work, of course it is still in secondary so i guess i will see...haha[/QUOTE
I'm sure it will turn out great... The ones in water are good.. I know some come in syrup and that would probably effect the taste.. If it turns out nice it'll be a good feeling because you won't have to buy the 14 dollar 6 packs of mad elf (at least in DE) you have your own!

 

[seckert]

Well i am from PA, but live in FL right now so i cant even pay 14 bucks for a 6 pack. I cant get it at all! So i sure hope it comes out!

 

[wobrien]

Well i am from PA, but live in FL right now so i cant even pay 14 bucks for a 6 pack. I cant get it at all! So i sure hope it comes out!

I'm sure it'll turn out great, but even so you'll need the real McCoy for a side-by-side comparison. PM me if you'd like me to send you some.

 

[seckert]

I'm sure it'll turn out great, but even so you'll need the real McCoy for a side-by-side comparison. PM me if you'd like me to send you some.

Thanks for the offer. I already have another guy that should be sending me some and in turn i am sending him some of mine.

 

[MollyHatchet]

I was at Giant (food store) on Saturday,and they had six packs for $15.99, and 22 oz at $6.40. I just saw today that local bars are now starting to tap kegs of Mad Elf. A three bottle wine box converted to carry a 22 oz bottle and a glass with the Mad Elf guy on the side was going for $17.99. The art work on the glass, and box is really cool, but a little over priced for me.