Braggot

[SleepySamSlim]

Has anyone brewed a braggot (basically adding a good amount of honey to a simple ale recipe) using BSmith ? Or have a recipe that is somewhat proven. From a bit of searching I'm wanting to do a Irish type ale (lower IBU) and add a orange or wild-flower honey.

Some refer to Braggot as half mead half ale .... but from what I can tell you are just adding some honey at flame-out and perhaps fermenting with a different yeast. And there may be an extended 3 or 4 week secondary ferment

[OCurrans]

A guy from my club had a lucky accident, and made a darn good braggot. He bought an extract kit, for a cream ale, from our local home-brew shop. Recipe called for adding 1# of honey at end of boil, and he added 1 gallon. (Guess he shouldn't drink when brewing). It took forever to ferment, but turned out to be a gold medal winner at the 2009 Meadllennium mead-only competition. I have enjoyed more than one bottle of his "mistake".

[SleepySamSlim]

Thanks for the comment - I believe a gallon of honey is 12lbs. And honey does take a long time to ferment - so your friend had more of a mead for sure. I'll probably keep it on the primary yeast cake for 4 weeks - then rack it (and try to suck up a  bit of the yeast cake) where it will sit for 2 months or more.

Not sure when I'll do this but I know I need more info ... attached is my recipe based on Jamils Irish Red Ale. Tweaked to stay within the style guide. Of course the recipe will be tweaked until I think its right. I want this balanced both as an ale and as a braggot - not overly dry

StrongBow Braggot
Brew Type: Partial Mash            Date: 5/7/2010
Style: Braggot                      Brewer: Sleepy Sam
Batch Size: 5.55 gal              Assistant Brewer:
Boil Volume: 3.61 gal               Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 50.00 %

OG  1.062
FG   1.016
IBU   18

Amount    Item    Type
5.00 lb    LME Golden Light (Briess) (4.0 SRM)    Extract
0.38 lb    Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)    Grain
0.38 lb    Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM)    Grain
0.25 lb    Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)    Grain

1.40 oz    Goldings, B.C. [5.00 %] (60 min)    Hops whole leaf     - 60min

4.00 lb    Honey (1.0 SRM) at flame-out            Sugar

1 Pkgs    Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028)    Yeast-Ale