Finally!

[mikekn]

Last night I finally got around to racking a few of my brewing projects. I've taken procrastination to a new level - I checked my notes and discovered the last time I had done anything was when I started a batch of mead on Feb 11th, 2006. So I racked that out of the bucket (poor bucket) and into a carboy. I'm happy to report that, while drier then I like, it is very drinkable. I don't know if I should bottle it on Monday or not. On one hand it would be nice to bring some to Cooking Thyng, since that is where the batch got started. On the other hand, it would probably clarify some more now that it is off the primary lees.

I also racked two beers that I started a long time ago - really they shouldn't still be around, but they are and they don't taste bad. I want to get them in kegs and see how they are with some carbonation. Maybe I can bring one to our office party next week.

Tonight I'll rack the remaining two kitchen meads and maybe violet_amy's cherry wine. I'm still not sure what to do with the heather mead in the basement. It has a fairly large cloudy layer that I can't really explain or get to go away. I guess if I can clear all the other stuff out of the kitchen, I'll bring it upstairs and try racking it again. Or maybe stick it in the cold garage and see if that causes more stuff to fall out of solution.

Next weekend is Cooking Thyng, so I'll be starting another batch of mead there. Not sure if I'll stick with plain mead or go for something else. Hmm, might be time to do a spiced mead again. I still have a packet from Auntie Arwen that I wanted to try.

Comments

Long on the Lees...

[hedewigis.livejournal.com]

Ah, it is nice to know that even the brewers I really look up to let things go at times. ;^) And to think I was mortified at having left my melomel sit for nearly two months (yes, that was after a first straining). But mine wasn't hiding in the basement. It was in clear sight in the kitchen...

Bring it to Cooking Thyng!

And thank you again for teaching.

Re: Long on the Lees...

[mikekn]

I followed a recipe once that basically called for putting everything into the primary and then letting it sit for one year. No racking, no nothing. It produced one of my all time favorites (I'll see if I have some left to bring to Cooking Thyng). The main thing is that some yeasts are ok to let sit like that while others will impart some off flavors over time.

All of the batches I've been dealing with have been sitting on the kitchen counter for at least a year :) After tonight I hope to be able to see the counter once again.