White Citra Hop Tea (1st Session - June, 22)

SUMMARY

This tea was [PENDING]

 

RECIPE
Hops
     13.2 AAUs Citra (28.3g / 1.0oz | 13.2%)

         10.0g (8min)

         18.3g (5min)

Tea

     Nan Mei Wild Tree Buds (64g | 75% brew strength)

         64g (5min)

Yeast (1/2 Packet)
Lalvin Champagne Yeast (EC-1118) (1/2 packet)
Misc

Citric Acid (9g / 2tsp | pH = 4.2)

Dextrose (184g | volCO2 = 3.8)

Yeast Nutrient (1/8tsp)

     Chemex Coffee Filter

BREW NOTES

For this batch I switched to citric acid, as opposed to ascorbic which I used in an experimental micro batch, simply because it was handy and I wanted to understand its flavor impacts for the future. Citric acid is more powerful than ascorbic so I was able to achieve a lower pH with much less acid powder, so much so that I over shot my target by a bit; hitting a starting pH of 3.8. I'm not sweating this too much though, as the champagne yeast can handle this pH just fine.

The only issue I hit with this brew was during the transfer to the bottling bucket. My micro batch filtered through a coffee filter lined colander in less than 30secs. This batch took over ten minutes. Not only that, but a slight spill allowed some tea and hop residue to slip into the bucket, necessitating a second filtration. This additional filter time increased the extraction times of the hops and the tea, by an average of 5 minutes, which could increase the bitterness by 12 IBUs, which would be a 50% increase over the target. It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out in the result.

Starting pH of 3.8 ended near 4.1 (at bottling). Either sugar, hops, and/or tea reduced the acidity. Gravity reading of 1.002-1.003 before bottling. Should yield ABV of .3%, well below target. Some sugar syrup clung to the bowl, but gravity should have been closer to 1.005.

    

TASTING NOTES
Post Boil Taste (0 days)

- Sweet. Priming sugar sweetness is assertive

- Clean, subtle, citrusy. Overall quite light

- Hops are present, but not overpowering

- We'll see how things balance out one the sugar ferments out

- Tea notes are right where I want them; floral with a tinge of herbs

- The citric acid lends some flavor, but not as lemon-y as ascorbic

Final Taste (10 days)

- Nose: 

- Flavor: 

- Bitterness:

- Carbonation: