The refractometer arrived today, so I played with it a bit, checking the specific gravity of my oil experiment. I also checked them with a hydrometer as a cross-check.
Both halves of the batch were the same gravity: 4.8 Plato apparent, 1.006 measured SG, 1.007 calculated SG.
Both were copper colored, and very cloudy. Both had a really nice hop aroma.
Both tasted very similar — aggressively bitter, with a little sweetness from the caramel malt, but otherwise very dry. A sort of fruity-hoppy flavor comes next. The major difference betwen the two is that A8B (the oiled one) may have a faint phenolic taste in the beginning.
Overall, the flavor is excellent to my palate. I might try lowering the bittering alpha acids about 25% next time.
Not I just need to wait for it to clear, keg it, and try to find a victim to taste this thing.
Oh, and the cyser-pyment-melomel is at 8.8 apparent Plato, with a calculated SG of 0.993. It is thin, slightly tart, and alcoholically very hot.
