First Braggot @ Valley Brew

After much anticipation and waiting to gather all the ingredients I finally started my first Braggot this morning. I found the recipe on another forum and here is the link to it:


http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=3&topic=1269.0http://www.gotmead.com/smf/index.php?topic=1269.0


Of course I changed a few things, some due to not being able to get certain ingredients on time and increasing the OG due to not rechecking the gravity or not stirring enough.


Here is my version of the recipe and minor changes to instructions:


Orange Glow Braggot



<TABLE style="WIDTH: 365pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=487 border=0 xtr>
<COLGROUP>
<COL style="WIDTH: 365pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 17810" width=487><T><T><T><T><T><T><T>
<T>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 365pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" width=487 height=17 ="xl24">Two 3.3 lb cans of Muntons Wheat Extract</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17 ="xl24">6 lbs of Orange Blossom and 2 Lbs of Tupelo Honey</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl24">1 oz of Ground Coriander</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl24">.5 oz Bitter Orange Peel</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl25">1 Tbs Irish Moss</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl25">1.5 oz Styrian Goldings (bittering)</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl24">1 oz Saaz (finish)</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20 ="xl25">


Wyeast 125 XL #3944 Belgian Witbier Yeast


1 tsp yeast energizer


1 tsp yeast nutrient


Dissolve wheat malt in5 gallons of water
Bring to a boil and add bittering hops. Set timer 30 minutes
Add Irish moss and Wort Chiller. Set timer 15 minutes
Addground coriander and orange peel. Set timer 8 minutes
Add Finishing hops Set timer 2 minutes
Remove from heat and chill to75-80 degrees
Transfer to primary and add honey and stir until dissolved
Add water to 6 gallons
Pitch Yeast
Attach blow off tube!!


Added energizer and nutrient on day 2 and stirred well


After getting a low SG reading and not rechecking I jumped the gun and added the 2 Lbs of Tupelo Honey and stirred well. I was shocked to see how high the gravity was at this point 1.085 !!!


One good thing is the yeast I used has a alcohol tolerance of 10-11% ABV. Stay tuned to see what happens with this one!</TD></TR></T></T></T></T></T></T></TABLE>Edited by: masta

Got it tuned in masta

Me too! I can't wait to hear tasting notes on this one. I've become a mead freak since I tasted Joes AO, and had a taste of my spiced cyser when I racked it! mmmmmm, tasted like a very strong apple cider with a hint of cinnamon. My girlfriend thought it tasted like "beer". It was sortof "beery", but I calculate the PA to be close to 14%.


Braggot is what I've always thought mead was before. Something like a beer made with honey. At least that's the image that Thor and Odin give when drinking it up in Asgaard! Good luck on this one Masta!

Not much action yet with the Braggot but Wyeast says#3944 is a slow starting yeast. I thought about the high SG and all the honey and wondered if there would be enough nutrients for the yeast. I just added 1 tsp energizer and 2 tsp of nutrient and gave it a good stir.

An update is required Masta!

How goes the Braggot?

Update: Decided to give my braggot a new name since I varied quite a bit from the original recipe and if it ferments out it will be ~10% ABV and figure it will give you quite a glow!


Orange Glow Braggot


SG is down to 1.040 and fermentation is still quite active so I will leave it in the primary a while longer. It has quite a unique smell with the floral sweetness from the honey and the hops together. I thinking this one going to rock!

Looks like a mud pot at Yellowstone

Transferred braggot to the secondary today and SG is down to 1.035. Hopefully it will continue!

Bottled the braggot today and SG was 1.020 which is a bit higher than I wanted. It tasted great with plenty of honey and hops!


OG 1.085...FG 1.020...ABV 8.6%


I am a bit concerned about enough yeast left for carbonation in the bottle. I primed with 6 oz of corn sugar.


Time will tell!Edited by: masta

Wow, that sounds awesome!