# My First Ancient Orange



## montyfox (Feb 10, 2008)

Just whipped up a batch of Joe's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead last night. I only made a 1 gallon batch to start with, but I may have to make another as this looks good! 
It's all mixed together and looking good. The shaking was quiet fun but very exhausting.









All the raisins sunk to the botttom when I put them in. I don't know why I expected them to float. Gave it just a little swirl to get all the yeast under the oranges.








It's fermenting nicely now. All the raisins came up from the bottom of the jar. The airlock is going crazy!






I'm really excited about this one. Hope it tastes as good as it looks.


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## Wade E (Feb 10, 2008)

Looks good, I used golden raisins so as that it wouldnt turn the wine a brownish color.


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## PolishWineP (Feb 10, 2008)

Congratulations Montyfox!



It's fun to start something like this.


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 10, 2008)

OOOOOHH!!! I bet that one smells good. 


Does this come out sweet???? Mead is sweet, right???*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E (Feb 10, 2008)

This 1 will come out sweet if directions are followed. Meads are typically sweet but you can make them however you want.


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## Spidy67 (Feb 10, 2008)

I have a batch going and its been just over a month. Still smells great and is very clear already. I hope it tastes as good as it smells. This is my first mead, i have 2 more batches going. One is a recipe for a 5 week mead by Joe M and the other is my own creation.


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## rgecaprock (Feb 11, 2008)

I have 6 gallons going. I just keep mine in the dark and before you know it....it will be clear and pretty and little grapes and oranges suspened in the middle like it is made of jello.


Enjoy it....it is a great mead....Ramona


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## Joanie (Feb 11, 2008)

You mean the fruit and all doesn't eventually settle to the bottom?


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## rgecaprock (Feb 11, 2008)

Joan, 
The last batch I made was perfectly clear but there were a few grapes and oranges floating in the middle....made me think of jello....lol. All of the rest was on the bottom.


Ramona


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## Joanie (Feb 11, 2008)

So do you rack around them?


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## acesover (Feb 13, 2008)




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## acesover (Feb 13, 2008)

this is my first mead and ran into a little problem recipe calls for 6 tsp bread yeast i only had to packages and it only turned out to be about 4 tsp. can i add the rest thursday? started tuesday. yeast was fleichmans rapid rise? we did add nutreint but not enegizer.


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## Wade E (Feb 13, 2008)

I have never used bread yeast but would say that adding a little more would be fine as we do it all the time when we add another starter yeast when the first yeast does not take well.


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## Poacher (Feb 13, 2008)

I can't wait to get and empty carboy or jug so I can try this. It looks so good.!!!


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## acesover (Feb 14, 2008)

just dont add to much water at first as mine was so active it bubbled out threw the air lock. on my 1 gallon batch, after a couple of days i toped off and it took off again threw the air lock. so definetly put less water than i did, you can see how far i filled it below.


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## Poacher (Feb 14, 2008)

acesover said:


> just don't add to much water at first as mine was so active it bubbled out threw the air lock. on my 1 gallon batch, after a couple of days i toped off and it took off again threw the air lock. so definitely put less water than i did, you can see how far i filled it below.




So would it be better to put it in a bucket for awhile than to put straight into the glass jug? I'm still trying to figure out why sometimes you start in a bucket and sometimes not. But the bucket handles the violent fermentations better than the jug right.


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## montyfox (Feb 14, 2008)

I made mine right in the glass. I only filled it to just below where the glass starts to curve to the top. That was 4 days ago. Today I topped it off with water and it really started bubbling again. I had to clean out the airlock after about an hour, but so far it seems to have settled to the point that this won't happen again. It probably won't make a difference as to where you start this one, but I'd probably make this one in the glass carboy as that is what the recipe has been calibrated to.
I do have an ordinary batch of straight mead that I started in the plastic fermentor and just racked it into the carboy today. It's looking great and now it just needs to bulk age. 


Now a question for the experts. With Mead, do you all find that it is self clearing, or do you add clearing agents towards the end?


Monty


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## Dean (Feb 14, 2008)

Mead is generally self clearing, and there is really only 1 quick drinking mead, and you are making it. Most other meads that I do, sit in carboys for 1 year minimum, and I now have some that were started in Jan 2006 that is still in carboys. Most mead takes at least 1 year to be "nice", but it gets even better at 3 or 4 years old.

so, based on that, they usually clear in that timeframe!*Edited by: Dean *


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## LeiniePrincess (Feb 19, 2008)

I think we need to start having our pictures taken while we shake. I think every picture posted would be highly entertaining!







*Edited by: LeiniePrincess *


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## montyfox (Apr 6, 2008)

Ok guys, its been almost two months and the fruit has started sinking. The wine is VERY clear and I'm ready to bottle. I need some advice on this one. This is a TON of sediment in the bottom of the gallon carboy along with the oranges and rasins. My question is, what should I use as a filter on the end of my hose or would my wine rack cap be good enough? Also, has anyone poured the remaining lees through a coffee filter in an attempt to capture as much wine as possible? Since I don't own a filter machine, I'm trying to be as creative as possible.


Looking forward to some advice from the experts and I'll post some pictures later.


Monty


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## Wade E (Apr 6, 2008)

I wouldnt squeeze them very hard or you will get that very harsh stuff like when you squeeze an orange peel. I racked use the anti-sediment tip on the racking cane and that held back most of it. I would get the rest of the fruit in there in a strainer and gently squeeze out some juice.


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## rgecaprock (Apr 6, 2008)

*Monty, *
*I looked at mine also today and it is very clear, some fruit floating and a pile of sediment on the bottom. The last time I made it and had the challenge of the sediment I rubberbanded a piece of panty hose to the racking cane. It worked pretty well. I have 6 gallons ready to bottle. I may transfer what is left after I get all the clear mead out to a smaller bottle andlet it settle out then rack again when it is clear. My mead was so pretty and so good. You will love yours too !!!*

*Ramona**Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## Motomike (Jul 22, 2008)

I just racked my JAO yesterday. After sitting in my wine room since first part of May. It is crystal clear! Picked up some lees at racking and will let settle out before bottling. I tried a bit and it is KICK ASS! used Red Star yeast and left it totally alone. Don't know the alcohol content but it is way up there. I will definitely make this again. Any suggestions on what type of bottle to put it in. I was thinking about a mason jar to give it that true Kentucky home made appeal but my wife thinks I should use some type on "normal" bottle.


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## Wade E (Jul 22, 2008)

You can use any type bottle you like but for something like these I like the Bellissima bottles but they are a little pricey.
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## uavwmn (Dec 18, 2008)

Monty, in your pictures it looks like that is more than one orange sliced up.
And you didn't put these in beer bottles, but the small wine bottles?


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## uavwmn (Dec 18, 2008)

Wade, ok, I have some of the frosted 375 ml bottles. Sounds good, thanks.


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## Wade E (Dec 18, 2008)

The frosted 1's are nice, do the lanels stick to them ok?


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## montyfox (Dec 18, 2008)

I only used 1 orange. I just sliced it very thin so that it would fit into the glass jug. I also used 375ml bottles that I bought. Mine are clear but frosted would work. 


One thing I really like about this meade (aside from the taste) is how it looks in the glass. It is amazing just to look at once you pour it!


Have fun and make sure to ask lots of questions if you have any.


Monty


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## uavwmn (Dec 23, 2008)

Wade, I am not sure if the labels will stick or not. I guess I should try a label and see.


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## uavwmn (Dec 23, 2008)

Ok, I made the mead this morning, it looks good right now with the oranges floating in it~~
Went to put a stopper on it and I didn't have one!!




Added the pinch of Allspice and nutmeg to this also.

So this gives me an excuse to order another kit and get the stopper!
In the meantime George said a balloon will do until the stopper gets here.


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## montyfox (Dec 23, 2008)

A good rule of thumb thatI always live by is to purchas a stopper and airlock each time I buy a carboy. Don't forget to purchase stoppers small enough for a 750ml bottle just in case you need to use one for excess. Best to have several sizes on hand, that way you are ready for anything.


Glad to hear you started your mead. You're going to love it. Post some pictures of your progress if you can.
Monty


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## uavwmn (Dec 27, 2008)

Monty, good rule of thumb. So, while I wait for my stopper and a new kit



my mead is getting happy with a balloon attachment.


This picture without the balloon.


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## uavwmn (Jan 12, 2009)

Monty, here is the picture of the balloon on the mead. A definite conversation piece with friends and neighbors. haha


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## montyfox (Jan 13, 2009)

That's great! It looks like some green bird perching atop you carboy. I've never tried that, but I'm it works pretty good.


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## gaudet (Jan 30, 2009)

Here are some pics of the JAO I started on 11-15-08. The 1 gallon in the middle is the JAO, the 1 gallon on the left is a modified JAO (started 1-1-09) using sweet kumquats (thanks smurfe). The first batch had issues clearing initially (maker wouldn't leave it alone) but after the 2 month mark was doing ok so I racked it off the lees and used k-meta on it.





The second pic is pretty much the same, but the 1/2 gallon bottle is cranberry started back on Dec 8, 2008


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## montyfox (Jan 30, 2009)

Looks great! I'm going to have to make more since I only made a gallon batch and its about gone. Just saving my money for the honey now.


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## uavwmn (Feb 1, 2009)

gaudet, I want to rack off the lees today. How much K-meta did you use for a 1 gal batch? Can I use a camden tab?


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## gaudet (Feb 1, 2009)

I used 1 tablet of campden..........

and topped off to the bottom of the neck with bottled water. 

My concern now is should I add potassium sorbate to inhibit any further fermentation. I took a reading and the sg was 1.03 after 2 1/2 months. So there are some more fermentables left in there.


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## uavwmn (Feb 4, 2009)

gaudet, did you ever add the potassium sorbate in your mead?
My mead is clear. But not sure what the next step is.
I have racked in to a clean jug.


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## gaudet (Feb 4, 2009)

I haven't bottled yet, so I didn't add any k-sorb. But there is no mention in the recipe of using it. I guess the potential for refermentation is there, but very slight. Ken said his starting gravity was 1.165, imagine if that were to ferment dry (0.996). The ABV would be 22.96%. Is there any yeast that can survive in this environment?


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## gaudet (Feb 4, 2009)

The last things I did was rack off the fruit leaving minimal sediment in the new carboy, added 1 crushed campden tablet, and top up with some bottled water. I tasted a few drops and thought it was pretty good. Just don't know if I'm going to like the cloves. I am waiting to make another batch until I find out if I'm going to like that much clove in it.


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## uavwmn (Feb 4, 2009)

gaudet, try making a gallon batch without clove. Or maybe just one clove.


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## gaudet (Feb 4, 2009)

Affirmative!!!
That's my intent eventually....

Will probably do a batch with lime, and a batch with some other citrus, maybe even lemon.

Limon Mead...... mmmm ya never know


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## gaudet (Feb 7, 2009)

Bottling this JAO this am. I'm doing 4 375's and 3 750's. I will post pics later on.


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## gaudet (Feb 7, 2009)

As promised............. Not really good at getting the greatest shots. This mead is very good. I can stand the cloves, but next time I make this one I will omit them to try it out.


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## montyfox (Feb 7, 2009)

Great picture. I love the way meade looks in the glass, although mine never stays in the glass very long!


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## mjdtexan (Feb 18, 2009)

gaudet said:


> As promised............. Not really good at getting the greatest shots. This mead is very good. I can stand the cloves, but next time I make this one I will omit them to try it out.


Outstanding. I have a question. ¿Is this a thick drink? I guess I keep picturing the honey and wondering how it gets thin enough to drink?


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## gaudet (Feb 18, 2009)

Not thick but its full bodied.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 18, 2009)

gaudet said:


> Not thick but its full bodied.




I am so NEW to this that I really dont understand that term yet. Would you mind being descriptive please¿


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## gaudet (Feb 18, 2009)

I tend to think of drinking water versus any wine. A full bodied wine would be thicker more viscous than water but not so thick as a syrup. To me a thin bodied wine is close to drinking flavored water. Not sure how the complexities(flavors/textures/aromas) work into the body as well, but I'm sure they do. I am not a wine snob by any means, so I am learning as I go as well.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 18, 2009)

gaudet said:


> I tend to think of drinking water versus any wine. A full bodied wine would be thicker more viscous than water but not so thick as a syrup. To me a thin bodied wine is close to drinking flavored water. Not sure how the complexities(flavors/textures/aromas) work into the body as well, but I'm sure they do. I am not a wine snob by any means, so I am learning as I go as well.




That was a great explanation. Thank You very much for that. I know a little more today


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## victank1 (Mar 3, 2009)

Wade, how do you make it a little dry. I'm really not in to sweet sweet wines. Vic


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## gaudet (Mar 3, 2009)

Vic,

For JAO, its intent is to be sweet, as its an intended early drinker. You could use less honey and chance that it will ferment to dry. Or you could just make it like normal mead taking initial sg and monitoring the ferment more carefully. Also using a yeast with a known alcohol tolerance to finish it dry.


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