To get things started...currently I am brewing two gallons of hard apple cider. The only difference between Jug A and Jug B is the yeast used. Both were made by mixing one cup of brown sugar with the juice and steeping mulling spices. A has champagne yeast, which should give it a higher ending ABV but a drier taste, whereas B as red wine yeast will give it a sweeter taste. A had an original specific gravity of 1.068 and B 1.070. This number indicates the amount of sugars contained in the mix and thus the ABV%. I am not sure how it all works out but will post on it when I do.
I am really looking forward to seeing how this all turns out. Should know in a few weeks.
On another note, my buddy and I started some mead brewing a several weeks ago. After thinking we destroyed it, any number of ways, it turns out after kick starting it a bit 3 weeks in, it is starting to ferment quite nicely. We forgot to take the original SP but we estimated it to be about 1.070. It is now at 1.008, which should give us around a 8% ABV.
They call this an obsession or addiction. I might have succumbed.....maybe. :)
The Bob Loblow Law Blog? (Arrested Development shoutout there) Sweet dude, welcome to the addiction. I mean, hobby!
ReplyDeleteI found a recipe last night that's for a 'quick' English Brown Ale that's only supposed to be in a primary and is ready for drinking after about two weeks - we should brew a full 5gal recipe for that and put it in our 5 1-gal jugs!
Not sure how we could mess with it after that, or if you'd want to, but it would give us a pretty good range (1 control, 4 tests :).
2 Cans of 'Dark Plain' syrup (LME)
1/2 lb Crystal Malt (DME)
1/4 lb Black Patent grains (though I'd say we can switch this up with some Chocolate, maybe some Caramel - Black Patent is the stuff stouts are made of, it's pretty potent, very bitter; if we did swap, we'd probably need to up the amount of grains)
2oz Fuggles bittering hops (That name always makes me laugh
1/2 oz Fuggles finishing hops (hehehe)
4 tsp Gypsum (for hard water)
3/4 cups sugar (for priming/carbonation)
OG - 1.046 to 1.050
FG - 1.010 to 1.014