Category: Uncategorized

Feb 2011 joam mead

stoutmakerLeave a comment
2-12-11 getting ready to “brew” for the first time this year. Gonna be a mead. A small batch. I guess its called Joes ancient orange mead. It was made at the club sometime last year and I just loved it. Mike made a mead, and it just pushed me over the edge. I need to be a mead maker

2-11-11
Went to HoH to get some supplies. Picked up a pArty pig vessel to use a primary for the 1 gallon mead batches. And also got the smaller gallon sized siphon tube.

2-12-11
just getting ready to start the mead. Using the “Joes ancient orange mead” recipe.

3 lbs honey
2 cloves
25 raisins (yep I counted)
Some nutmeg not very much
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange cut up and jammed in there
And a tsp and 1/2 bread yeast

I’m gonna probably rack it even though it says not to, so gonna make just a tad bigger than a gallon.
Just added everything to the Party Pig and shook the crap out of it.
Then added the yeast.
Just a note: I used spring water from wal mart. Wouldn’t normally, but it’s a small batch
I put the pig and a jug of hot water in my chamber. It raised the fermentation temp to 70.

2-13-11
Checked on the mead. Fermentation is on!
The hot water has now cooled and the chamber is holding steady at 62.
There is alot less mass fermenting and creating heat so it’s gonna stay a bit low in there. I will keep an eye on, but the basement is warming up now. It’s 58 down here.
Can’t smell anything like you can with beer. I’m guessing I don’t want to.

Then end of 10

stoutmakerLeave a comment

Made to the end of the year. And had a pretty good year brewing in a lot of ways.
First i guess, is the fact that i made quite a few batches done. That I guess is what we are shooting for. Another good thing this year is that I finally got around to joining the Green Bay Rackers. This was something I should have done long ago, but never did. Really learned more and met more people than I would have on my own. And last, I entered my first competition. Learned quite a bit here. But different ways. Less about making beer, but more about guidelines and what judges really look for.
I have kept a journal of my brews I made this year, and should have it ready to post pretty soon.

New directions

stoutmakerLeave a comment

Well how things change. My beer making interest has been mostly browns, stouts, porters… the roastier, toastier less hoppy beers.
Over the past weekend we had our Feb Rackers meeting at Titletown brewery. Of course everyone brings samples of what they are making and its a good time.
But Titletown’s Dave O has just released his barley wine. a 2 year old, I guess English style barley wine. Oh my God. I never had anything like this before. The tastes that were in this beer were unbelievable. I am not a beer judge or taster so I cant describe in proper terms, but. citrus, raisin, fruitcake all happening in there. Every time you would try to nail down a single taste, something else would come thru. I feel that as a beer drinker, my life before this beer was an utter waste. I am going to find a way to make something like this, or i will die trying.
Secondly, if that wasnt good enough, Mike brought some of his mead. I have to say that I have tried mead one other time, and i had pretty much the same reaction as this one. Why have I not made mead before?
This is another taste that i think I have been looking to find. I am now actively researching mead making, and will soon be producing. small batches at first. I was always under the impression that Mead “kits” were expensive, but Northern Brewer has 5 gallon kits for just a few bucks more than beer kits. And me living in the sticks in Wisconsin, honey is fairly accessible makes this more and more appealing. in fact I am just now starting a 1 gallon batch. Gonna primary in a party pig then secondary in a regular glass gallon jug. Party pig is great for this cause its a bit bigger an when we rack off we should be just about at a gallon.
Am also looking for another keg. not so much as for dispensing, but more of a brite tank or long term secondary.
I’ll keep you posted.