We experienced a problem during bottling whereby we were not able to properly filter the brew. This left room for a great deal of sediment to fall into the bottles. However, none of the sediment was yeast or hops. Rather some bottles simply ended up with a shocking amount of cranberry bits. Our workaround is to serve the brew to our friends in a glass (as all good drinks should be enjoyed) and run the braggot through a small sieve during the pour.

This may sound very disappointing, but I assure you in comparison to the end result, this is only a minor setback. The brew was very tart and malty with very fruity notes and a hearty amount of sweetness throughout. The finish is quite sharp and boozy, but it doesn’t discourage you from the next sip. We’ve found that the colder the brew is served, the better. While warmer temperatures tend to bring out the true character of the flavors in most beers, in this instance, due to the sharp, almost tannic mouth feel, enjoying this one cold helps make for a better sip.

Overall I really enjoyed how this brew came out but can easily see ways in which it could be improved. I hope to be able to take these lessons and apply them some day, but there are many more beers to brew before then. Not to mention the almost prohibitively expensive cost of brewing up the Crandaddy Braggot. What are some good lessons you’ve learned from experimental brewing? Share your expertise in the comments. Happy brewing!

A braggot, which is pronounced, “bracket” with a Welsh accent, is a hybrid beverage whose origins lie closer to mead. The original recipe was a simple variant of traditional mead by virtue of the addition of hops to the brew. Later on, this recipe was largely changed to include malt in the mix, thus, sparing any grains in the recipe, has it sitting on the edge of being a beer and a mead at the exact same time.

The addition of cranberries to the recipe adds, aside from the delicious flavour of cranberries, additional sugars to the brew, thereby targeting a higher alcohol content. However, all this sweetness comes at a price. The addition of numerous complex sugars to the brew requires a heartier yeast in order to break them down. For this, we use champagne yeast for its ability to survive longer, as well as digest more complex sugars than traditional ale yeasts.

The brew is currently fermenting and we expect to bottle it at the end of the month. That’s roughly a four week fermentation process; nearly double that of your basic pale ale. Bottle conditioning happens over the course of two weeks and soon it will be ready for enjoyment. I’ll report back then to tell you all how it came out. In the meantime, if you’re a home brewer yourself, tell us what you’re brewing up this winter to keep you warm on Twitter or in the comments below.

It’s cheap. After the initial cost of equipment (about $75), the ingredients for a 5 gallon batch can cost as little as 30 dollars. That’s just $1.80 per beer. While that’s certainly more than a Bud Light at home will cost you, it’s comparable to the price of higher end craft beer. What’s more, when you homebrew, you make exactly the beer you want to drink. With a little practice, you’ll soon be able to create amazing beer right in your kitchen that rivals many craft breweries.

It’s easy. The brewing process is surprisingly simple. If you can boil water, you can make beer. By far the most difficult part of making beer is cleaning the bottles to put your homebrew in. Who can’t do that?

It’s fun. Making beer can be a great way to spend time with your fellow beer lovers. Although it certainly can be done single-handedly, making beer is quicker and more fun with a friend. There is a fair amount of waiting involved; meaning there’s plenty of time to crack open a beer and enjoy it with your brewing partner.

It’s educational. When you see a brew go from raw ingredients to finished beer, you’re better able to appreciate all that goes into making beer and how each ingredient impacts the final outcome. This will help you understand what beers are your favorites and why.

It’s legal. Although home wine making was re-legalized in the US with the repeal of prohibition in 1933, beer was actually excluded from this due to a clerical error. Homebrewing wasn’t legalized until 1979. Today it’s legal to make 100 gallons of beer per person over the age of 21 per household, up to a maximum of 200 gallons per year. Most Western countries have similar policies.

So what are you waiting for? There’s not much extra equipment or ingredients to buy. You can pick up your supplies at a homebrewing supply store near you or over at Homebrewing.com.

The Beeriety crew just uncapped our very own Peanut Chocolate Stout brewed this past September. Next time you make or try a homebrew, let us know by using the ‘#mybeer‘ or ‘#homebrew‘ hashtag. We’ll be interested to see your results!