SerifSansSerif
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- Nov 6, 2015
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This.... is going to have a lot going on........
Wanted to do something more in the bochet range of meads, and figured with a dark caramel color and deep rich flavor, buckwheat honey may be the best way to go. This inn turn made me get the brilliant idea of adding malted buckwheat to the recipe to add a different aspect of the buckwheat to the brew.
I have NEVER done any sort of brewing within the realm of grains or beer.
So with that in mind, please be understanding when I say this brew scares me a little. Especially when I found out that I'd have to malt the buckwheat myself since there's no source for buckwheat premalted. (and I set out not to use extracts if at all possible).
After thinking on this monstrosity a bit further, we've figured we probably want some additional flavors added to cut through any of the smokier earthy flavors this might wring out, so we decided to get some bitter orange peels for a bit of a bittering agent (if necessary), and quite frankly, because I'm not a huge fan of hops.
We also pick some sweet orange peel if the brew turns to not need bitterness as much as I may anticipate. This is kind of the essence of winging it....
-------------
So here we go.
Starting the malting process on all the grain. Should be able to soak the grains twice and then a third time in between two jobs. If all goes well with this, we should be have dry malted buckwheat by the week's end, and, maybe we'll even carmelize it a bit if we can find a nice guide on that.
----------------------
Calculating out my recipe.
4 pounds of (hopefully soon to be) malted buckwheat.
5-18 fl oz jars of honey (which calculates to a little less than 8 1/2 lbs of honey, some of which will be caramelized (probably about 1/4-1/2)
Spring water (sufficiently enough for the buckwheat to be mashed with to equal 3 gallons and extract the maximum sugars... Admittedly, here's a weak link in my recipe, and will require more research. I am NOT a beer brewer...)
necessary amounts of yeast nutrient and energizer, of course,
???? bitter orange peel (for bitterness and flavor)
Expected ABV will (according to the calculator) be around 14%, depending of final specific gravity (It's calculating it to start at about a 1.143 SG, and ending at a relatively sweet 1.036, and was figured using a sweet mead yeast. A lot of this of course, is subject to change as we work through the process)
Probably will use red star cotes des blancs yeast, which can be suitable for meads, tends to range around that point for ABV, and will leave some residual sweetness (though hopefully not overly much)
Any suggestions, help, or concerns... feel free to post away.
If you want to suggest I try another yeast, we have some safale US-05 and S-04. We have Red Star Montrachet, Premier Cuvee, and Lavlin BM-4x4
We also have some extra buckwheat honey (another 18 oz jar), should more honey be needed.
Oh yes, and caramelizing my honey won't be a big deal. I play with hot molten burning sugars regularly.
Wanted to do something more in the bochet range of meads, and figured with a dark caramel color and deep rich flavor, buckwheat honey may be the best way to go. This inn turn made me get the brilliant idea of adding malted buckwheat to the recipe to add a different aspect of the buckwheat to the brew.
I have NEVER done any sort of brewing within the realm of grains or beer.
So with that in mind, please be understanding when I say this brew scares me a little. Especially when I found out that I'd have to malt the buckwheat myself since there's no source for buckwheat premalted. (and I set out not to use extracts if at all possible).
After thinking on this monstrosity a bit further, we've figured we probably want some additional flavors added to cut through any of the smokier earthy flavors this might wring out, so we decided to get some bitter orange peels for a bit of a bittering agent (if necessary), and quite frankly, because I'm not a huge fan of hops.
We also pick some sweet orange peel if the brew turns to not need bitterness as much as I may anticipate. This is kind of the essence of winging it....
-------------
So here we go.
Starting the malting process on all the grain. Should be able to soak the grains twice and then a third time in between two jobs. If all goes well with this, we should be have dry malted buckwheat by the week's end, and, maybe we'll even carmelize it a bit if we can find a nice guide on that.
----------------------
Calculating out my recipe.
4 pounds of (hopefully soon to be) malted buckwheat.
5-18 fl oz jars of honey (which calculates to a little less than 8 1/2 lbs of honey, some of which will be caramelized (probably about 1/4-1/2)
Spring water (sufficiently enough for the buckwheat to be mashed with to equal 3 gallons and extract the maximum sugars... Admittedly, here's a weak link in my recipe, and will require more research. I am NOT a beer brewer...)
necessary amounts of yeast nutrient and energizer, of course,
???? bitter orange peel (for bitterness and flavor)
Expected ABV will (according to the calculator) be around 14%, depending of final specific gravity (It's calculating it to start at about a 1.143 SG, and ending at a relatively sweet 1.036, and was figured using a sweet mead yeast. A lot of this of course, is subject to change as we work through the process)
Probably will use red star cotes des blancs yeast, which can be suitable for meads, tends to range around that point for ABV, and will leave some residual sweetness (though hopefully not overly much)
Any suggestions, help, or concerns... feel free to post away.
If you want to suggest I try another yeast, we have some safale US-05 and S-04. We have Red Star Montrachet, Premier Cuvee, and Lavlin BM-4x4
We also have some extra buckwheat honey (another 18 oz jar), should more honey be needed.
Oh yes, and caramelizing my honey won't be a big deal. I play with hot molten burning sugars regularly.