Ok. First off I bottled the Apple Cider. I took a gravity reading and it read 1.014. Now I went back through the posts and I could not find where I had captured the OG. I remember it being quite high. I think it was 1.080+. So, let's go with that. This leads to a ABV of 8.6%. Honestly, it could have been 1.090 which would give an ABV of 10%. I'm sure the gravity finished at 1.014 because the alcohol killed the poor yeast. Damn, that is high.
I tried a little bit of that sample and it tasted to me tart. Similar to wine. In fact I would say that this could be described as an apple wine. Now wonder the Germans called this Apfelwein.
Anyhow now comes the dilemma. To carb or not to carb. I bottled three without carbonation and then poured a sugar solution into the bottling bucket and got five more bottles out of it. So we'll see. I quickly put one of the un-carbonated bottles into the fridge and I plan to bust it out for the family reunion.
Onto the bitter. Let me start by saying this beer scared me a bit. After a day or so I saw some activity in the fermenter but not very much. I should add that the fermentation fridge was kept low (about 67F) and that is the lowest I've had it yet so that maybe what I'm seeing. There was almost no krausen on the top. The fermenter was churning like a boss so I figured to leave it. Also, the air lock was not very active either. All this worried me quite a bit. So, on Wednesday I took a sample.
The sample looked nice. This Bitter has a very pleasant color. I took a gravity reading and it measured out at 1.018. I felt much better at this point since I was sure now that the yeast had done work and had produced alcohol. That is assuming it wasn't infected which I determined next by drinking the sample. And it tasted like...beer. So again, crisis averted, everything appeared to be fine. In fact it tasted good enough that roommate Clare was ready to drink it as-is.
Fast forward to yesterday and I am getting ready to transfer to the keg and I take a sample. The gravity read 1.016. That is much higher that I thought. The mash temp was low (about 150F) and I expected it to ferment to a much lower gravity. Maybe the yeast wasn't as healthy as I had thought. I did travel via UPS through the California desert in late May. I don't know. I need a microbiological lab and a biologist in here to access these yeast. Until that happens I guess I get what I get. I sampled the brew and it tasted bitter. Maybe too bitter. I may have to let it sit for a awhile to mellow out. Probably not though. I'll likely leave it for another week and when it's chilled and carbed I'll likely drink it till it's gone. Aging be damned.
Anyhow, the 1.016 gravity gives the beer a finals ABV of 4.7%.
No more plans for additional brews right now. Stay posted for Best Bitter tasting updates though.
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