Moving the Elderflower Ale

Today's a snow day here in the DC area. As such, it was a perfect day to take care of some beer business. We moved the Elderflower Ale #2 to the secondary aging vessel - in this case, a one gallon glass jug with an airlock. I have high hopes for the flavor because of the DME (versus pure cane sugar). As for the alcohol content, not so great. With only about 50% attenuation, the alcohol content will be just over 2% ABV. Either way, experimental beers are about taste, not pure drunkenness - that's just a bonus for some.

Experimental Beer - Elderflower Ale #2

On Sunday I brewed another attempt at an Elderflower Ale. I swapped Extra Light DME (dried malt extract) in place of the regular sugar and added some oranges. Hopefully, the DME will lessen the cidery taste of the last batch; the oranges were just for my amusement. After comparing some similar concepts I researched, I went ahead and boiled the fruit (lemons and oranges). I am sure some of the pectin will result in haze but I think the flavors will work out better this way. If not, I will try to just steep them next time.

Fermentation seemed to take a long time to start - two or three days before I noticed real action in the airlock. And as fast as it begun, it stopped. While a three day fermentation isn't impossible, I do fear low attenuation. This weekend I will take a hydrometer reading and see where we are.

Ingredients:

2oz. Dried Elderflowers (steeped after boil)
1.25 gallons of water
3 oranges
3 lemons
1lb. Plain Extra Light DME

OG: 1.026

Brew Day - Hefeweizen

Sunday was Brew Day and, despite the cold, dreary weather, Hefeweizen brewing went well. A brief boil over occurred directly after the malt addition but nothing excessive. An interesting difference/change in this brew was the dried malt extract (DME). I usually stick to liquid malt extract (LME) only but this recipe called for one pound of DME and six pounds of LME. The added DME should really boost the alcohol and substance of the beer. It should turn out nice and "hefe-ty". Starting gravity was 1.046.

This is my second wheat beer - the first being the Cherry Wheatseeker. That beer took second in its class (Fruit Beer) this summer at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. The main (sort of) negative comments about it centered around the cherry flavor. Hopefully, the Hefeweizen will maintain the positive aspects.

The ingredients:

6 lbs. Wheat LME
1 lb. Light DME
8 oz. Carapils specialty grains
1 oz. Tettnang hops (bittering)
No aroma hops