Brewing thread

[merithyn]

As some of you know, I've been brewing for a really long time. But I don't actually know a lot of the science behind it because I brew primarily historical beers, meads, and wines, and because, well, I don't care. It's just not the part that excites me.

However, I taught a class today on making bochet mead (it's a carmelized honey mead) and a question came up that I didn't know the answer to and it kind of made me curious.

To make bochet, you heat honey (nothing else, just honey) in a pot to a rolling boil and let it boil while stirring the whole time until it turns exactly the right color. For cooks, it's slightly darker than a roux should be. Then, you slowly add water, set it back to boil, and then boil it until it reduces down to whatever amount you're making. (I make this a gallon at a time.)

Someone asked why I don't just add the water to make it what I want instead of adding so much more (1.5 gallons when making a gallon of mead) and letting it boil off.

I know there's a reason for it (concentrating the flavors), and honestly, it's so well understood that the process is documented in the first known bochet recipe from the 1300s. But I don't know the science behind it.

So, here's your chance, science guys. Educate me in the most laymen of laymen terms why this is a thing.

[The Brain]

Needs more eye of plutonium.

[Sophie Scholl]

Boiling mead shortens the aging time you will have to wait, MAY clear up the product more quickly and totally sterilizes the honey while removing any waxes it may contain. But it drives off some of the delicate essences, making it less nuanced than the non-boiling method. Not boiling your mead will retain more of the honey fragrances and flavors. But you will have to wait longer for all the flavors to blend and mellow before you can fully enjoy your product...

As per this site: https://www.mainbrew.com/how_to_make_mead-ExtraPages.html

[merithyn]

Yes. You are correct. Which is why I don't usually heat my honey when I make mead.

But I made a bochet, which is, literally, caramelized honey. That requires not only heating, but outright boiling the honey. No water mixed in; straight honey.

But then I add water and boil it down after. That's the part I'm unclear on why. Why not just add enough water to make a gallon?

[Sophie Scholl]

Hmm... I'll attempt to dig some more later! I'll also ask a brewer I know who has his own apiary.

[Threviel]

I tried to make mead a few weeks ago. It went quite well, but in the end it had a yeasty tinge. How do I get rid of that yeasty flavour?

[merithyn]

What was your recipe, and what kind of yeast did you use?

[Threviel]

I bought some mead yeast from a brewer supply business, I don't excactly remember the name of it.

The recipe was basically, gently honey and water, let cool, add yeast, wait. I believe it was about 3 or 4-1 in proportions water and honey.

[merithyn]

How long did you wait? And how many times did you rack it, if any? (Move it from one fermenter to another one.)

That yeasty flavor usually comes from sitting on the lees too long. (That's the stuff that sinks to the bottom while it's fermenting.) I drain the must off the lees after about two weeks the first time, then I'll let it sit in the second fermenter for another two to four weeks to let things settle out. Then I'll bottle it.

[Threviel]

How long did you wait? And how many times did you rack it, if any? (Move it from one fermenter to another one.)

That yeasty flavor usually comes from sitting on the lees too long. (That's the stuff that sinks to the bottom while it's fermenting.) I drain the must off the lees after about two weeks the first time, then I'll let it sit in the second fermenter for another two to four weeks to let things settle out. Then I'll bottle it.

8ish Weeks.

Never, fermented in the same place all the time. The into the fridge to let the stuff settle, then bottled it.

Interesting, thanks. I'll make a new attempt with cherries when my cherries get ripe.

[merithyn]

Yeah, so that would be the problem. Or at least one possible reason. Another is the yeast that you use. Some leave a stronger flavor than others.

Easy answer is to drain it off the lees after two weeks, let it sit another couple of weeks, then pop it in the fridge for a bit before you bottle it. If that doesn't fix it, try another yeast.

[Threviel]

I'll try and report back here. I appreciate your help 

[merithyn]

I'll try and report back here. I appreciate your help 

Of course!

I'm planning to do a video class on making a bochet in the next couple of weeks, too. I'll post the link once it's done.

[merithyn]

I found a new thing that I want to try.

It's called stone brewing, and it goes back thousands of years so far as archaeologists can tell. A friend and I are putting together a plan to build one of these Irish rock spaces in his backyard so we can use it to brew beer.

One of the things that has driven me nuts is trying to figure out how to boil must for as long as some 13th and 14th century recipes say needs to happen. It's hard to bring a liquid to a boil - and keep it there - over an open fire without a metal kettle, which was stupidly expensive at that time. (Around the same price as 2.5 cows, and few farmers had more than one cow.)

But using stones to boil shit... well yes, that makes sense! And now... I really want to try this....

https://mooregroup.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/the-archaeology-ireland-article/

[HVC]

When you have your fire are you using aged hard wood?  One of the mistakes I learned I was making when we used a wood fireplace is that green or even not fully aged wood is a crappy heat source. Fun for fire pits, but useless beyond that. And would a thick walled ceramic vessel work? Or would it just crack?


Also, you might like this channel https://youtu.be/TdvRfPCrR3A  I mean it's not overly in-depth but it's fun.