The Chocolate Dragon 1.0

Brewed on 6/17/2017 at Hanover Cottage
OG 1.084

Fermentation started 4 hours after pitching. Gassing was vigorous until 6/21 when it slowed, 6/22 to 1 bubble every 40 seconds. Looks like progress.

• I tried a new way of Batch Sparging. Here are the steps.
  
  Prepare mash with water at 170 into mash tun. When water and grains settle the mash temp stayed a steady 153F for 60 minutes. Stirred once.
  
  Drew off several quarts of water slowly and stopped with the wort in the clear tubing was running a bit clearer like cider = grain bed created.
  
  Then drain wort into the brew kettle.
  Volume in the kettle should be half the amount of boil water
  
  Repeat the process of heating sparge water let sit 10 minutes then remove several quarts returning the wort back to the mash tun by trickling down the inside of the container being careful not to disturb or cause channelization. Do this until the wort runs clearer. Then open the valve and drain very very slowly the rest of the 3.75 gallons into the brew kettle.
  
  Net net you should only use in the first and second running 3.75 gallons each time if boil volume was to be 7.5 gallons.
  
  I had a stuck sparge and could not get all the wort into the brew kettle which resulted in my efficiency to be much lower than normal.
  
  I would like to blame it on flaked corn and flaked oats that were part of the grain bill but really its more than likely the amount of grains 21 lbs that made the grain bed so tight it clogged the screen.
  
  ** Common problem with this recipe.
  
  I will check gravity 6/24 (Saturday)
  Intermediate gravity on this date 1.016 g/ml adjusted
  adjusted for temp of 77 abv = 9.58%
  Still working tastes of raisin and Dragons Milk
  But Cloudy maybe that will clear in secondary
  
  6/28/2017
  Checked gravity and found it to be 1.015 adjusted
  ABV 9.7%
  Smells good I have decided to transfer into secondary on the vanilla, bourbon oak chips, and the coco nibs.
  
  Also added yeast energizer to get the rest of the sugars to ferment a bit drier. However after 12 days ABV did not change so I bottled.
  
  OG 1.084
  FG `.015
  ABV at bottling 9.7
  After bottle aging ABV is projected to be 10% or so
  
  Bottled 42 12oz
  

           4  22 oz <br />
           2  1/2 liter <br />
           1 Grolsch<br />
  

  Total 5 gallons
  
  On bottle was not full so I drank it.
  At this point a heavy vanilla and chocolate and coffee there plus bourbon and the oak comes through. i was afraid of making it too Oaky so I hope that the beer calms down just a hair on the oak notes. Everything else is good.
  
  Two weeks in the bottle and I am thinking it will be ready July 24th
  
  1/2 will go to my contractor
  
  7/16 - Almost one week after bottling the traditional sample bottle was pulled
  
  Carbonation is coming along.
  The ABV is spot on and climbing I imagine.
  First smell is vanilla, then coffee and coco then bourbon and oak. Tasting at this point the coco comes through and the vanilla. Bourbon Oak dryness at the end with a clean finish.
  Testing one bottle at 10% is a bit much for 11:10 in the morning.
  This is a beer that will keep well if I can keep my hands off of it.
  
  Another week in the bottle and then I can deliver half the batch to my sister.