A ******* Bock...

Mismost · Oct 12, 2016

Life has just gotten way too fast here lately. But, I still wanted to do some sort of a darker, malty beer for Christmas. Swung by the big old HBS and took a look around. Picked up a Muntons Bock can kit, a pound of chocolate malt, 2 pounds of Dark DME, and some pecan flavoring....also picked up a Coconut flavoring which I am on the fence about using.

Did a mini mash with the chocolate malt, a 1/2 pound of oatmeal, a couple ozs of Puerto Rico coffee....stirred in the bock can and DME...topped off to 6 gallons and set it in the ferm chamber...pitched the yeast this morning at 70 degrees.

Started at 8:00 PM finished, cleaned up before the 10;00 news came on....love extract "brewing"! Figure it'll be a real Ba$tard Bock since it is brewed as an ale, not lagared with chocolate, coffee, and pecan notes with I hope a bit of creamy mouth feel from the oatmeal. My SIL said it sounded like a pretty ballsy recipe...he suggested Big Balls Bock for the label. I just want a decent different beer.

As A side note, the flavorings are LorAnn Oils...cute little one dram, .125 oz bottles. Had a big 22 oz swing top of dry cider in the fridge...I added one drop and shook it up. i can smell and taste coconut...powerful stuff...and the kitchen smells like a resort beach.

Mismost · Oct 14, 2016

I actually started this one 5 Oct 2016....walked down to the shop to check on it. As soon as I opened chamber, the smell was just amazing...malt, chocolate, coffee, and a CO2 blast. Gonna rack it this evening and let it clean up for a couple of weeks...then add the pecan and maybe more coffee. A buddy suggested adding Everclear just to warm it up a little....mmmmm...I don't know about that.

Mismost · Oct 28, 2016

got this one in the bottles and I had glass of it flat. I find it interesting how much the CO2 effects the taste...flat vs carbed up are very different tastes. I think it's gonna be a good one, it was very pleasant to sip on.

Not sure about the pecan and coconut...those were oils and they did not want to mix into the beer very well. Wound up blotting most of the oil droplets floating on top of the bottling bucket with a paper towel. Wasn't going to try and stir it hard enough to suspend it and risk oxidation. I fear those flavorings were not one of my better ideas for beer or wine.

Made cupcakes for a church lunch...used the flavorings in the cake mix and they were very good, very flavorful...so, all is not lost!

Mismost · Nov 27, 2016

Well it carbed up good...the coconut was one step too many...it was an impulse move and not a good one. Not bad, but I think there is just too much going on flavor wise....less would have been more. It's a hung jury, those that like coconut love it, others not so much...nobody gagged, the beer got drank.

Hoping it'll lay down a little bit more before Christmas.

Mismost · Dec 31, 2016

It's a month older now...smoother, still a coconut blast...but once you get used to that you start to pick out the pecan and coffee flavors...ABV is plenty nice, effective stuff.

I wanna try this one over some BlueBell vanilla ice cream.