Caliga - Need your help with brewing question

[Eddie Teach]

I don't think I've seen grumbler post in the last month.

[CountDeMoney]

He's been logging on.

Unlike so many Languishites, after so many years there's only so much to say anymore.

[Octavian]

I don't think I've seen grumbler post in the last month.

He recently posted in the Skyrim thread.

[Scipio]

Today, Max and I bottled two cases of the Papazian beer, a gallon of Hard Cider, and a half-gallon of Spiced Hard Cider. I've got two gallons of Mugwort Mead in the hopper, and I'll be brewing up a five-gallon batch of Spiced Cranberry Mead later this week. Oh! And I made a half-gallon of Cranberry Vodka Cordial, too.

The beer smells like beer, so I must have done something right. I'll know in two weeks. Question: How long will the beer be good? There's no way that I'll drink two cases of beer before next spring. Will it last that long? (It's stored in a cool, dark place.)

The next beer I make is going to be a gruit, probably 14th Century Gruit Ale or Bog Myrtle Ale. Anyone tried a gruit before? It'll be a first for me. I've heard that gruits are a bit more bitter than the average modern beers, but that's a good thing so far as I'm concerned.

I've got the book both of those recipes come from, and I'm kind of reading through it to see if there aren't any other interesting recipes to try, too. These are all whole-grain brewing, which kind of scares me a bit, but I figure why not give them a shot and see what happens.

Your beer will likely not make it to the spring intact.  Keeping it cool and dark will help, but a 4.5% beer with that little hop character is going to 1) lose all of its hops, and 2) lose body.

[merithyn]

Your beer will likely not make it to the spring intact.  Keeping it cool and dark will help, but a 4.5% beer with that little hop character is going to 1) lose all of its hops, and 2) lose body.

Okie doke. Party time!! 

[derspiess]

Hand them out to everyone you know and watch their faces as they awkwardly tell you it tastes 'awesome'.

At least that's what I do

[Barrister]

Hand them out to everyone you know and watch their faces as they awkwardly tell you it tastes 'awesome'.

At least that's what I do

I've always wanted to try making beer, until I remember how not awesome every home made beer I've ever tried was.

[merithyn]

Hand them out to everyone you know and watch their faces as they awkwardly tell you it tastes 'awesome'.

At least that's what I do

I've always wanted to try making beer, until I remember how not awesome every home made beer I've ever tried was.

The sad thing is that I'm surrounded by brewers who all make amazing beer. Mine is so going to suck comparatively.

[Scipio]

Both of those beer recipes come from a time before hops.  No one really knows what gruitfrecht was, so most modern approximations are a huge guess.  As Randy Mosher says, I've tried a few gruitfrecht beers, and I've come to the conclusion that either modern tastes have evolved, or the recipe is missing something.

http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Beer-Insiders-Worlds-Greatest/dp/1603420894

[merithyn]

Both of those beer recipes come from a time before hops.  No one really knows what gruitfrecht was, so most modern approximations are a huge guess.  As Randy Mosher says, I've tried a few gruitfrecht beers, and I've come to the conclusion that either modern tastes have evolved, or the recipe is missing something.

http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Beer-Insiders-Worlds-Greatest/dp/1603420894

Yeah. I have a number of books on brewing pre-hops (English Ale pre-1500). Some have period recipes, but most are approximations since the recipes were closely guarded guild and/or family secrets. But that's why I want to try to make one. I'd like to see how they taste.

[merithyn]

I popped open the first one today. It's freaking amazing! I wasn't sure if it would have much of a head, but it appears to be just fine. And it tastes fantastic!!

[CountDeMoney]

Looks like a collection of my urine samples for Georgetown Hospital.

My head was bigger, too.

[Ed Anger]

Looks like a collection of my urine samples for Georgetown Hospital.

My head was bigger, too.

Or those urine jugs I had to use in the hospital.

[merithyn]

 

[PDH]

Nice looking.  If they are peeing stuff that looks like that they will be passing those kidney stones soon.