Idris, June

Racked the big batches.

IDRIS
Bochet with apple juice.
I was concerned I had made this too sweet, but it fermented out to 1012 SG (a touch too dry for my tastes) and 14% alcohol. Racked and added 500 gr honey. It's bubbling again now, so we'll see where that leaves us. I guess I could stabilise it? 14% is plenty so maybe I should.

JUNE
Bochet with cacao nibs
This had been in a bucket so far and still bubbling very actively. It's now in a demijohn.
Added 550 gram cacao nibs - toasted them first for about 20 minutes in a 150c oven. Really made the smell come up. Nibs are much, much less messy than cacao powder (which takes a century to clear out) so I just have to hope the taste transfers as well.
SG 1090, with alcohol at 9% - this still has a good distance to go.


I've ordered a 19 liter carboy. 19! That's kinda crazy. What the hell should I put in it? I feel like with a batch that big maybe it should be something simple and reliable and I can split it out and flavour it in secondary.

Or maybe I should do that Bengal Chai + cacao nibs idea I fever-dreamed up. Spicy peppery chocolate. That should be good, right? Right. Maybe I should test that theory in a 3 liter demi first.

19 liter! That's gonna take a fucking fortune in honey