Dragon's Milk Update

Checked the gravity on the Dragon's Milk yesterday and it was ~1.018. Not too shabby in my opinion and it tasted great. A bit alcoholic but that should mellow a bit and play well with the bourbon soaked oak chips I added. I soaked 2 ounces of medium toast oak in some vodka for 24 hours to get rid of some of the fresh oakiness. Then I added 4 ounces of Larceny bourbon (because I had it laying around) and soaked them for a week. Dumped it all in the primary last night and will let it go for about a week before tasting it. This one is going to be bottled since I don't want to tie up keezer space while it ages and it might make some nice Christmas presents if it turns out well.

Dragon's Milk Attempt

An update on the Coopers Australian Pale Ale, it is way too cidery. I am not sure what happened. At this point my only option is to try to de-carbonate it, let it warm up and maybe dry hop it. Not sure if it is worth it though... The dark ale should go in the keg today and hopefully it turned out better.

I have never really made a big beer and I have really grown to love New Holland Dragon's Milk. Something about a beer that is aged in a bourbon barrel that then gets the bourbon put back in it is amazing to me. Anyway the recipe was adapted from a couple that I fund online.

Recipe:

• 13 lb 2-row
• 12 oz Chocolate malt
• 8 oz Crystal 75L
• 8 oz Crystal 120L
• 8 oz Flaked oats
• 4 oz Roasted Barley
• 4 oz White Wheat
• 0.75 oz Warrior 13.7% @ 60 min
• 0.5 oz Columbus 15.2% @ 20 min
• 0.75 tsp Irish Moss @ 15 min
• 0.75 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Wyeast) @ 10 min
• 15 drops FermcapS before boil
• 1.6 L Starter of Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale
• 4 oz medium toast oak chips soaked in bourbon added to fermenter after fermentation stops leave for 7 days

• OG: 21% (1084) (Beersmith)
• 39.3 IBU
• 34.2 SRM

Whole lotta grain on this one.

Trying to mash at 156 for this batch so I am going to put the grains in at 168 since there is so much more, after stirring it was right at 156 so it may loose a couple degrees during the rest which is fine. Medium body should be more than adequate with the amount of sugar in there to ferment. Supposed to be a 45 minute mash but I might let it go an hour since it is going to be more like 154 for the temperature. This is first time the mass tun has ever been this full.

First runnings were just over 2 gallons at 26.2%. Second got it up to 4.75 gallons and a total of 19.4% and third took us to 6.75 gallon and 16.5%.

60 Minute boil starting with FermcapS doing its magic.

Finished it up and it looks like 19.2% Brix, 1077. A bit lower than intended but everything went well. My efficiency looks like it took a hit (down to 70%) from the higher grain mass but I can account for that on the next big batch I do. Yeast was pitched and it is starting fermentation at 14.5 C to try to avoid any rapid fermentation issues.