Troeg's Mad Elf

[seckert]

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.

When you say Giant...that's Giant Eagle right?
Mad Elf is pricey, but since it is 11% drinking one is like drinking 2 so they last longer. Even when I move back to PA if I can brew my own I will since I can make 5 gallons for around 60 bucks...about the same as a case...

 

[MollyHatchet]

No, here in the Harrisburg area, it's Giant, you go west towards Pittsburgh it is Giant Eagle which I am told was the same company, but they were forced to split due to becoming so large and creating a monopoly. There is only one Giant in our area that sells beer in the Harrisburg area. Wegmans in Mechanicsburg (suburb of Harrisburg) sells beer also. It appears to be trial thing. They are trying to get Pa out of the Stone Age ways of selling alcohol.

 

[seckert]

No, here in the Harrisburg area, it's Giant, you go west towards Pittsburgh it is Giant Eagle which I am told was the same company, but they were forced to split due to becoming so large and creating a monopoly. There is only one Giant in our area that sells beer in the Harrisburg area. Wegmans in Mechanicsburg (suburb of Harrisburg) sells beer also. It appears to be trial thing. They are trying to get Pa out of the Stone Age ways of selling alcohol.

Ok i only know of Giant Eagle as i was born and rasied on the East side of Pittsburgh. I was so happy to see some of the stores selling beer at GE last time i was up there! It is about time PA gets with the times. besides if want some good stuff you either had to go to a 6 pack shop and pay out the ass or go to a distibitor and get a case...better hope you like it after buying a case! haha!

 

[wobrien]

Ok i only know of Giant Eagle as i was born and rasied on the East side of Pittsburgh. I was so happy to see some of the stores selling beer at GE last time i was up there! It is about time PA gets with the times. besides if want some good stuff you either had to go to a 6 pack shop and pay out the ass or go to a distibitor and get a case...better hope you like it after buying a case! haha!

The state has NOT gotten with the times. New supermarkets are exploiting loopholes by putting "bar/bottle shops" inside the supermarket with separate, dedicated checkouts. Whole Foods and Wegmans opened new stores near me doing this and its awesome. The laws are outdated and need to be changed.

 

[seckert]

The state has NOT gotten with the times. New supermarkets are exploiting loopholes by putting "bar/bottle shops" inside the supermarket with separate, dedicated checkouts. Whole Foods and Wegmans opened new stores near me doing this and its awesome. The laws are outdated and need to be changed.

Ok i agree that the laws still need to be changed, but it certainly is better than it used to be! I remember it was either a bar or the beer distro. The bars only had crap beer and you dont want to try an entire case of something new from the distro. PA has always been goofy about liquor laws. Have you looked into how the liquor licenses work? Its horrible! I am thinking about opening a microbrewery when i retire from Marines. At least those licenses arent under the quota system like the others!

 

[wobrien]

I was on Troeg's web site looking for the Mad Elf glass and I found something you guys might be interested in. Not that it'll make a significant difference, but pretty cool either way; you can buy the same, locally produced honey that they use in brewing mad elf from their online store

http://www.troegs.com/tasting_room_general_store/shop_our_online_gift_shop.aspx?item=210

 

[Madsciontst]

I bottled the mad elf. It did taste a little strong. I hope it smooths out during the two weeks of bottle conditioning

 

[seckert]

I bottled the mad elf. It did taste a little strong. I hope it smooths out during the two weeks of bottle conditioning

I just put mine in the keezer to cold crash mine yesterday. I will probably keg it Sunday.

 

[Madsciontst]

What does cold crashing do

 

[TwinsBrewers81]

It helps drop yeast out of suspension

 

[seckert]

instead of using irish moss I cold crash to clear my beer. it works so well that I have used irish moss and cold crashed and I cant tell a difference when I don't use the irish moss and just cold crash. So I figure why waste the money on irish moss...:rockin:

 

[seckert]

I kegged my Mad elf today. smells great and tastes great. still a little bit hot, but I am sure that after its carbed and given another week it will be great. I am disappointed that I missed the red color in it. it looks like it wants to be red, but is just brown. next year I will tone down the choc malt to 2 or 3oz instead of 4oz. it should have been 3 but my LHBS put in 4 and I didn't realize until I was looking over receipt while brewing. I figured it wouldn't be a bit deal but I guess it is since I don't have red beer. either that or something else was off. oh well after a couple more tries I am sure I will have it dialed in.

 

[theck]

Mashed and brewed today, in the primary... Got 1.078 og not bad. Think I needed more honey since preboil og was pretty close to the estimate from beersmith.

What is everyone using for cherries? I am swinging over to gfs tomorrow to see if I can find frozen tart and sweet but try the Oregon if I can't find it. The recipe calls for 2.5 pound does that seem like enough? Also people using frozen, are you mashing it before dropping it into the secondary. Boil or no boil the fruit? I usually don't.

 

[ChefRex]

I used frozen sweet which I crushed between my pinkies as i dropped them in and dried sour cherries, still bubbling on the cherry sugars.

 

[jmcm_brew]

Don't boil... I used 2 lbs of Oregon tart in water and 2 lbs sweet frozen cherries.. Purée then Freeze to kill wild yeast... Thaw and add to secondary... Mine turned out super close to the real thing this way..

 

[theck]

Thanks guys. I was reading and must people said for cherry stouts they added 6-8 pounds. I don't want a heavy cherry taste.and think the original is perfect but 2.5 sounded a little low. I'll pop in 3-4lb.

Just realized too when talking to the wife that I put it into the bucket with a blow off stuffed in the grommet hole not the carboy with the 1" tube, what's the chances of having the top blow off?

 

[theck]

I used frozen sweet which I crushed between my pinkies as i dropped them in and dried sour cherries, still bubbling on the cherry sugars.

How much dried and where.did you pick them up? Use less dry than frozen right?

 

[ChefRex]

How much dried and where.did you pick them up? Use less dry than frozen right?

1 pound, found them at my local Wegman's, a bit pricy though.

 

[seckert]

Thanks guys. I was reading and must people said for cherry stouts they added 6-8 pounds. I don't want a heavy cherry taste.and think the original is perfect but 2.5 sounded a little low. I'll pop in 3-4lb.

Just realized too when talking to the wife that I put it into the bucket with a blow off stuffed in the grommet hole not the carboy with the 1" tube, what's the chances of having the top blow off?

I put mine in a bucket and had a blow off tube stuck in top as well...the top of bucket didn't blow off, but the blow off tube was getting a workout for a good 3 days! the big mason jar I run my blow off tube into filled up and overflowed the first of those three days...was a mess, but better than if I hadn't had a blow off on.

As far as cherries I used 2 cans of tart cherries and 2 cans of sweet. I hit the taste pretty much right on. just missed the red color.

 

[theck]

I put mine in a bucket and had a blow off tube stuck in top as well...the top of bucket didn't blow off, but the blow off tube was getting a workout for a good 3 days! the big mason jar I run my blow off tube into filled up and overflowed the first of those three days...was a mess, but better than if I hadn't had a blow off on.

As far as cherries I used 2 cans of tart cherries and 2 cans of sweet. I hit the taste pretty much right on. just missed the red color.

Mine is running right now, the action is pretty consistent like the ciders I've been doing but, knock on wood, nothing in the tube yet. Did you hit your final gravity after 3 days? Or did you let it sit longer? I'm in no hurry since all my kegs are filled but would like to have it on tap at xmas.

 

[theck]

1 pound, found them at my local Wegman's, a bit pricy though.

Love wegmans... When in Ithaca we shop there. Thanks gives me some good options if I can't fine frozen or canned.

For all that use can, people are reporting a metallic taste, you get the same or none?

 

[jmcm_brew]

Love wegmans... When in Ithaca we shop there. Thanks gives me some good options if I can't fine frozen or canned. For all that use can, people are reporting a metallic taste, you get the same or none?

I didn't pick that up in mine

 

[seckert]

Mine is running right now, the action is pretty consistent like the ciders I've been doing but, knock on wood, nothing in the tube yet. Did you hit your final gravity after 3 days? Or did you let it sit longer? I'm in no hurry since all my kegs are filled but would like to have it on tap at xmas.

even with a big starter it was still bubbling like crazy on day 3. tip for this beer though..dont rush it. since the ABV is so high it will be hot if you do. I just kegged mine yesterday after 3 weeks primary then 3 weeks secondary and it was still a bit hot. not bad, but it was there.

 

[seckert]

oh and i used canned cherries and there was no metallic taste either. i dumped them in and crushed them with sanatized potatoe masher. i heard people say they blend them, but then you have to ensure there is NOTHING in your blender that might contaminate. i am just not willing to risk it.

 

[theck]

even with a big starter it was still bubbling like crazy on day 3. tip for this beer though..dont rush it. since the ABV is so high it will be hot if you do. I just kegged mine yesterday after 3 weeks primary then 3 weeks secondary and it was still a bit hot. not bad, but it was there.

Ya I like to rush in this process, and it's not good to do that. I'll probably keep it in the primary for a week and half before I check the gravity. Then secondary for a good 2 weeks. Keg I just put it on and let it sit for 1-2 weeks before I drink. Don't have any free kegs right now anyhow, next year I have to preplan these beers better ha...

 

[seckert]

i like to rush a lot with beers as well,(i just get so excited to drink them!)but i have been told not to with this one, and even not rushing at 6 weeks it still isnt quite ready.

 

[theck]

i like to rush a lot with beers as well,(i just get so excited to drink them!)but i have been told not to with this one, and even not rushing at 6 weeks it still isnt quite ready.

Thanks, ya get excited to start drinking as well ha... Why I wanted to brew a couple more while all the kegs are filled, just an excuse to keep it in the basement longer. I just wish I could brew another before the hose freezes. I'll try my best to keep it in the basement a long as possible. Ha.

 

[theck]

It was going well, good steady stream of bubbles, then last night at 2:30am I got the call... POP... there goes the lid. Ha, it's spewing out the hole now, wait till it cools down and put the tube back in. Last time I make he mistake of putting it into the bucket.

 

[seckert]

yes this is a very violent fermenting beer! A buddy of mine made it and his ferm blew up too. I guess i was lucky in that my lid didnt come off, but it still made a mess! haha

 

[theck]

GFS has 5lb bags for over $20... ouch and not sure what I'd do with the rest. Can't find the frozen anywhere else local so might just go with the cans, how many cans did you guys use?