BeerSmith™ Recipes and Web Editor

Taste Notes

Amazing - a little on the sweet side but the blackberries and honey both come through and it continues to improve with age.

Notes

Started with 16.75 lbs of raspberries and almost 20 lb of honey for 5.5 gal batch with target OG of 1.152 in the MORNING (additives in morning) - Mix went well - measured blackberry juice at 10 Brix/plato or 1.040 - Adjusted honey slightly up to 20 lbs to compensate (based on actual juice OG) - After mixing in the OG was high at 1.162, but I'm going to check it again in an hour or two as I expect it will be lower once the fruit settles in - About 90 minutes later - PH came in at 3.47 starting and OG is down to 1.155 - will check it again in a few hours -- Will likely add some K-Bicarb in a few hours after I check it one more time - should be up to 3.7 to start (or higher) - I'm thinking 1 tsp to start... -- Did add 1 tsp of K-Bicard to raise the pH. Will need to check it again late this evening or in the morning. - About 10 hours later measured og=1.156 (high) and pH at 3.55 - need to check both again in morning - it was foaming -- Also aerated it again -- Decided not to adjust OG down as I can dilute later if it comes out a point or two high. It might ferment away with fermaid-O anyways - At 24 hours pH is a healthy 3.65 - will leave alone for now. Active fermentation started, though fruit is blanketing. -- Added first dose of Fermaid-O - Evening of 2/28 - pH is at 3.50 and fermentation started - Morning 3/1 - pH was 3.53 and holding, gravity at 1.135 which is 10 points down from 12 hours ago (approx) -- Added second dose of Fermaid-O - Late on 3/1 - measured pH at 3.54 - holding steady so I won't add any more k-bicarb at this time - On 3/2 morning added Fermaid-O addition number 3 - will let it run now down to 1/3 level - Very lated on 3/2 - pH holding steady at 3.57 - On 3/3 fermentation slowing just a hair - will check in morning as it is near 1/3 sugar break for final nutrient addition - On 3/4 - fermentation just slightly behind schedule, so I added next 4g of Fermaid O and will continue to degas/punch down - Mid day on 3/6 (day 7)- Removed fruit bag - On 3/7 - degassed once in the morning at 1.052 - On 3/10 late - transferred to secondary bucket. Gravity at 1.046, some sediment reduced vol to about 4.8 gal - On 3/14 - day 15, gravity seems stuck at 1.045 for last three days, so I added 1/8 tsp of Fermaid-O and degassed -- May need to top this up when I move it to glass to get the FG down another point or two before stabilizing - On 3/15 still stuck at 1.045(-) - may have moved just a hair from yesterday so we'll see how it is by the weekend. -- Other option is topping with water which will probably get us a point or two after next transfer - On 3/20 - transferred to clearing carboy and added Super-Kleer (in two parts) - Day 32 (3/31) - transferred to carboy for aging. Not a lot of sediment, but gravity stuck at 1.044 - may add water to dilute down two points -- Added sulfites to protect it and also degassed and blanketed with CO2 -- Added 3 cups distilled water which should bring gravity down to 1.042 -- Tasted it and it was a bit hot but honestly shit-hot fantastic - like it much better than the raspberry!! - Sampled on 4/17 (day 49) and it was really really good - still needs a bit of aging but I could drink the whole 5 gal myself! - Kegged on 4/30 - this looks to be a good one - will let it age a bit more!