Made batch 4 tonight:
1.25oz Sassafras root bark
.25oz saspirilla root bark (just what was left in the bag)
2 star annises (bits, left in the bag)
2.5c Orange Blossom honey
1 vanilla bean, gutted
2qt boiling water
2qt(ish) ice
2qt(ish) water
The usual:
- Make sure the water is from a good, clean source.
- Gut the vanilla bean. Use the guts and the husk
Steep the roots, annis and vanilla bean in the boiling water for 15 minutes, stiring every so often. I didn't use a grain bag this time. I probably will next time. Stir in the honey. Boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add Ice to chill until ice stops melting on its own (about 2qt). Strain into a bowl. (This is the step I hope to remove by using the grain bag again.) Laddle into tap-a-draft, through cheese cloth in a funnel. Top off tap-a-draft with remaining water. Close up and pressurize (one CO2 and one N2O) and stow in the chill chest.
Notes:
- 1.5oz of total flavoring, 50% more than batch 3, 200% more than batch 1. Responses from batch 3 were that it was still a little lacking on flavor, so I upped the stakes a bit. If this still doesn't help, then I'm barking up the wrong tree (if you'll pardon the pun) and will have to figure another way to get more flavor into the drink.
- I think I might have cracked the tap-a-draft screwing it onto the bottle. I really hope it doesn't start leaking. We put a towel under it just in case.
- I plan to bottle in less time this time around. The tap-a-draft has usually gone flat in about 3 days. I'll probably put another two cartridges in and bottle on the spot, rather than waiting the full 7 days I have in the past. I don't know that the extra 3 or 4 days is doing any good.
- This batch is destined for a Christmas party. Hope it doesn't suck! :)
UPDATE, 2006/12/05
Well, bugger. The crack has leaked all gas out of the tap-a-draft. It must have happened quickly because the bottle actually imploded some, which means the air bubble inside the bottle was still warm when the pressure equalized with the fridge. I now have a totally flat, but cold, batch of tasty rootbeer. I'm going to see what I can do. My thoughts:
- Fix the tap-a-draft. I'm not optimistic here, but I'm thinking a hose clamp or something to squeeze the plastic cap back together.
- Buy a new one. Another $35 down the tube (don't need the bottle, so its a little cheaper)
- Lie to Doc's Cellars about the crack, and say it's just not holding pressure, I don't know why! and see if I can get another one. Guilt would wrack me if I did this. I won't.
- Take this batch to my friend who has a full kegerator and ask him to carbonate and bottle it for me. Because this batch is for the Christmas party, I may do this.
Anyone want to buy me a kegging system? About $300 out the door, including a minifridge. *sigh*