Braggot made from a finished beer and a finished mead? Advice?

[OpenSights]

In a few months the beer of the month at my club is a braggot, non competition month.

A friend of mine and I are planning on joining forces, combining my finished beer with his finished mead.

He has 11 gallons of finished “base” mead, and knowing him, it’s the sweet stuff.

In my fermenters I have a good stout extract and a black IIPA that I over sparged by a whole 1 gallon, came in at 1.071/1.072, haven’t racked yet or taken a second reading.

From what I understand a braggot is typically made from a lighter beer, but I always like experimenting.

Saturday we’re meeting up to make test samples as far as ratio, and which beer works best.

I also have an imperial stout that has been lightly carb’d, but I’m not sure how that would turn out.

We’re toying with the idea of adding an ale yeast after combining the beer and mead.

Any thoughts?

 

[Blacksmith1]

I have never tasted a braggot. However I do love darks and stouts so if I were to try one this might be it. As for the extra yeast, if both are finished then blended why would you? Unless you think it may be too sweet.

 

[OpenSights]

My thought would be too sweet. I’m thinking about a British ale yeast for a couple of weeks, then a third fermentation for clarifying.

 

[madscientist451]

I wouldn't add any more yeast.
Everyone has different tastes, maybe you'll like it.
But if your blending trials don't work out, at least you'll better understand what it is you are trying to achieve.

 

[OpenSights]

Only reason for blending is because of the timeframe. I’d rather start everything from the beginning, but not enough time to ferment out....

 

[madscientist451]

I prefer to ferment the mead and beer separately and blend to taste afterwards.
Mead and beer have different requirements for the best fermentation.
Sometimes having a large inventory helps. I just brewed a ginger lime session beer and forgot to get the limes before brew day, but no worries, after the beer fermented, I blended in a lime mead that really had too much lime character. Came out pretty good.

 

[growlrr]

Has the mead been stabilized? If not (and assuming the beer is certainly not), you may get your second fermentation simply by adding your beer (and its yeast) to the sweet mead and waking the boys up, provided they haven't reached their alcohol tolerance yet. Little buggers are hard to kill

 

[Miraculix]

I wouldn't want hops in a braggot.

 

[TheMadKing]

In a few months the beer of the month at my club is a braggot, non competition month.

Can you elaborate on what your club is doing?

What does a beer of the month mean? And how often do you hold competitions?

I'm the VP of my club and looking for new ideas to revitalize it and step up our game. Thanks!

 

[TheMadKing]

I wouldn't want hops in a braggot.

Agreed here. Something like juniper or spruce tips would taste better I think.

As a side note, I've never had a braggot I liked. It's a really difficult thing to do well IMO

 

[Miraculix]

Agreed here. Something like juniper or spruce tips would taste better I think.

As a side note, I've never had a braggot I liked. It's a really difficult thing to do well IMO

I think I would want malt and honey. Don't know if there is an "official" definition of what a braggot is, but I always understood it as a malt and honey ferment.

 

[dstockwell]

I wouldn't want hops in a braggot.

A little like 20IBU's is fine. At least that's what I have done.

 

[TheMadKing]

I think I would want malt and honey. Don't know if there is an "official" definition of what a braggot is, but I always understood it as a malt and honey ferment.

http://www.bjcp.org/style/2015/M4/M4A/braggot/

 

[Miraculix]

http://www.bjcp.org/style/2015/M4/M4A/braggot/

Thanks, but I'd rather not rely on bjcp.It can be a good hint though.

 

[TheMadKing]

Thanks, but I'd rather not rely on bjcp.It can be a good hint though.

Huh? BJCP is the agreed upon standard... If you don't want to use it and make up your own definitions of things that's cool for your own uses, but nobody else knows what definition you're using. So if you share your IPA and say "here try my stout", people will think you've made a terrible stout.

Nobody can function without a common frame of reference and BJCP is the best available and most widely accepted in the U.S.

 

[Miraculix]

Huh? BJCP is the agreed upon standard... If you don't want to use it and make up your own definitions of things that's cool for your own uses, but nobody else knows what definition you're using. So if you share your IPA and say "here try my stout", people will think you've made a terrible stout.

Nobody can function without a common frame of reference and BJCP is the best available and most widely accepted in the U.S.

Well, yeah but I am first of all German and second living in the UK. As I said, bjcp can be a hint in the right direction, but does not necessarily need to be correct, as flaws with many European styles have shown. But that's another story and has been covered in other threads already.

 

[TheMadKing]

Well, yeah but I am first of all German and second living in the UK. As I said, bjcp can be a hint in the right direction, but does not necessarily need to be correct, as flaws with many European styles have shown. But that's another story and has been covered in other threads already.

Do you have a link? I'd be interested in reading that

Sorry to threadjack OP!

 

[Miraculix]

Do you have a link? I'd be interested in reading that

Sorry to threadjack OP!

No, sorry.... I just remember that there were problems with many uk styles. Some have been fixed, some not, I'm not really up to date as I don't care much about bjcp (not meant as a negative statement towards them, I just really don't care).

 

[OpenSights]

Can you elaborate on what your club is doing?

What does a beer of the month mean? And how often do you hold competitions?

I'm the VP of my club and looking for new ideas to revitalize it and step up our game. Thanks!

Do you have a link? I'd be interested in reading that

Sorry to threadjack OP!

No worries. I view a thread as a conversation. Conversations can veer.

My club is 21 years old, I’m going into my second year as a member and have taken up a board seat. There have been 8 or so members who have gone pro over the years. We’re based out of our LHBS, who we work closely with for mutual benefit.

That’s our theme schedule for the rest of the year. The club provides a commercial control and members bring in their own to compare. Most members bring in home brew or commercial beer they want to share to get feedback, even if it’s not the beer of the month.

We have a member who has the board position of education. He’s a national home brew competition judge.

We give out three prizes to members a year. First year anniversary gift for renewal of membership, usually a paddle, most competitions won and most active/enthusiastic new member which I won. My prize was a canoe sized paddle. (I tried using it, but it’s way too big for my equipment, but plan on using it for Firebrew.)

Firebrew is an event that happens one to two times a year. We all get together and brew one big 200 gallon wort. Depending on the grain bill is how much a 5 gallon batch costs members.

We get together in the parking lot of our LHBS store twice a year, once for National homebrew day, we get 20% off supplies that day, and Iron Brew! That’s a fun one! Teams of 4 or less, $35 per team for supplies (within reason) from the store. We’re given a suprise ingredient the morning of brew day (like the Food Network show). And it’s always something off the wall! Last year was carrots, but in the past they have had gummy bears, basil, mushrooms, can’t remember what else.

Every meeting we attend we get a coupon for 10% off one purchase from the store.

One member’s family owns a propane company and a 20# exchange is only $10.

We have all kinds of club equipment for members to borrow for free, as long as it’s returned clean. Jockey box, wine press, bunch of other stuff.

I guess we went a number of years of members who joined just to drink once a month for $25/year. Today’s membership is leaning more toward learning and expanding our skills.

The LHBS gives free classes every couple of months taught by club members. (One way we try to reel in new members.) 3/23 we have a mead cider class coming up. We also do a wine class, extract beer, AG class, and we’re looking at adding a cheese class and a kombucha class.

 

[TheMadKing]

View attachment 615175



No worries. I view a thread as a conversation. Conversations can veer.

My club is 21 years old, I’m going into my second year as a member and have taken up a board seat. There have been 8 or so members who have gone pro over the years. We’re based out of our LHBS, who we work closely with for mutual benefit.

That’s our theme schedule for the rest of the year. The club provides a commercial control and members bring in their own to compare. Most members bring in home brew or commercial beer they want to share to get feedback, even if it’s not the beer of the month.

We have a member who has the board position of education. He’s a national home brew competition judge.

We give out three prizes to members a year. First year anniversary gift for renewal of membership, usually a paddle, most competitions won and most active/enthusiastic new member which I won. My prize was a canoe sized paddle. (I tried using it, but it’s way too big for my equipment, but plan on using it for Firebrew.)

Firebrew is an event that happens one to two times a year. We all get together and brew one big 200 gallon wort. Depending on the grain bill is how much a 5 gallon batch costs members.

We get together in the parking lot of our LHBS store twice a year, once for National homebrew day, we get 20% off supplies that day, and Iron Brew! That’s a fun one! Teams of 4 or less, $35 per team for supplies (within reason) from the store. We’re given a suprise ingredient the morning of brew day (like the Food Network show). And it’s always something off the wall! Last year was carrots, but in the past they have had gummy bears, basil, mushrooms, can’t remember what else.

Every meeting we attend we get a coupon for 10% off one purchase from the store.

One member’s family owns a propane company and a 20# exchange is only $10.

We have all kinds of club equipment for members to borrow for free, as long as it’s returned clean. Jockey box, wine press, bunch of other stuff.

I guess we went a number of years of members who joined just to drink once a month for $25/year. Today’s membership is leaning more toward learning and expanding our skills.

The LHBS gives free classes every couple of months taught by club members. (One way we try to reel in new members.) 3/23 we have a mead cider class coming up. We also do a wine class, extract beer, AG class, and we’re looking at adding a cheese class and a kombucha class.

Great info thanks!

My club is 25 years old but we've recently had a bunch of new members join including myself. We do a lot of similar things to you guys and are connected to the local brewery which is partially owned by the club founder. We also do the big brew, educational topics, etc, but there's some great new ideas there that I'll take back to the club.

I like the idea of teaching classes to attract new members, and the idea of everyone getting an "official club piece of equipment" like a mash paddle or something.

We also do a sausage making event once a year, and host a big Oktoberfest party. I'm interested in expanding those and doing more as a club.

Thanks again!

 

[OpenSights]

Great info thanks!

My club is 25 years old but we've recently had a bunch of new members join including myself. We do a lot of similar things to you guys and are connected to the local brewery which is partially owned by the club founder. We also do the big brew, educational topics, etc, but there's some great new ideas there that I'll take back to the club.

I like the idea of teaching classes to attract new members, and the idea of everyone getting an "official club piece of equipment" like a mash paddle or something.

We also do a sausage making event once a year, and host a big Oktoberfest party. I'm interested in expanding those and doing more as a club.

Thanks again!

Hmmm... sausage class and maybe even smoking class might be something for me to bring up in my club.

Forgot to mention, we also participate in local brew fests. Every member works for two hours, gets about 4 samples, and the club gets $25 from us dispensing samples for craft breweries. Might want to look into something like that in your area for your club, unless you already have. 25 years, your club knows the ropes!

Glad to share ideas!

 

[OpenSights]

This was Firebrew (Icebrew) in an ice storm last spring. And the paddles I received from my club.

 

[OpenSights]

And here we have the Stormtrooper. One gallon black I.I.P.A and 1.5 gallons of mead. Should finish out nicely, not sure if we’re going to back sweeten, time will tell. Second weekend of April is braggot month, so I’m going to let it sit and force carb in my 3 gallon keg.

 

[OpenSights]

Tried the Stormtrooper today. Aroma is boozy but pleasant. Mouthfeel is smooth and thick. Starts off a little bitter followed by sweetness and aftertaste is mildly bitter.

Personally I think it came out perfect, but my partner in crime is a sweet mead guy, and this is a joint venture. Not sure if he will want to back sweeten.

I’m hoping to keg and force carb this weekend.

 

[OpenSights]

Kegged and force carbing @ 10psi. Going to let it age, at least what’s left after the meeting. Maybe a year or so.

 

[NeverDie]

Thanks, but I'd rather not rely on bjcp.It can be a good hint though.

Well, to your earlier point of not wanting hops (me too!), it does seem to imply that it's optional when it says, " Hop bitterness and flavor may be present, and may reflect any variety or intensity; however, this optional character should always be both suggestive of the base beer style and well blended with the other flavors. "

What I want to know though is this: how sweet is sweet? I ask because in the beer world, sweet doesn't seem to mean sweet. Instead, sweet in the beer world seems to mean more like "a vague, barely perceptible amount of sweetness." I jest of course, but am I wrong? What it actually says is: "Stronger and/or sweeter braggots should be expected to have a greater intensity of flavor than drier, lower gravity versions. The finish and aftertaste will vary based on the declared level of sweetness (dry to sweet), and may include both beer and mead components."

Ahem, so, again, in that context does sweet really mean sweet in the normal vernacular, or do they mean the usual barely perceptible type of sweet, and even that is almost always too sweet for beer drinkers?