# Ist Time for Mead



## Dugger (Aug 20, 2011)

I tried to post this in the sticky article on Joe's ancient orange mead in the recipe section but it didn't work - maybe sticky's don't post?


My nephew will be harvesting honey soon and has suggested we make some mead. I have no experience with this and this recipe seems to be the best way to start. 
Two questions:
1. If I were to make a 3 gal batch would I simply triple the recipe? Or would 3 one gal batches be better? I could see the 3 smaller jugs easier to find places to store. Also one could also substitute different fruits in each of the smaller jugs for a variety.
2. I note the comment about a pithy taste - would cutting the orange flesh from the rind and using that eliminate any pithy taste? 
Any suggestions are welcomed.
.. Doug


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## docanddeb (Aug 20, 2011)

You can do it all at once or separate, it shouldn't matter. Age it when done. It's much better after 1 yr and quite nice after 2. Mead isn't all that different from wine... so you really could pick any of the mead recipes. I've made a few and had no problem.

Debbie


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## fatbloke (Aug 21, 2011)

Dugger said:


> -----%<-----
> Two questions:
> 1. If I were to make a 3 gal batch would I simply triple the recipe? Or would 3 one gal batches be better? I could see the 3 smaller jugs easier to find places to store. Also one could also substitute different fruits in each of the smaller jugs for a variety.


It's entirely up to you, but a 3 gallon jug/carboy/demi-john doesn't usually take up 3 times the space of the 1 gallon equivalent, whereas 3 x 1 gallon jugs/jars/carboy/demi-john will do exactly that.

There's many suggestions of variant's of the JAO recipe, but a lot of the fruit variations just don't work well - the only one I've tried that was Ok, was lemon instead of orange (lime wasn't good).

You'd normally just triple everything except the yeast, but even that won't do any harm.


> 2. I note the comment about a pithy taste - would cutting the orange flesh from the rind and using that eliminate any pithy taste?
> Any suggestions are welcomed.
> .. Doug


People do have this thing about deciding that because a whole orange is used, that there will automatically be some pithy bitterness, but they're wrong.

The basic idea would seem to be, that because bread yeast is used, which won't use up all the sugars, like would be the case with a wine yeast (and no, I don't recommend doing that either, JAO doesn't make for a good dry mead). If you just mixed the honey/water to about 95% of the total content of the fermenter (to get close to the exact ratio of honey/water), then you took a gravity reading, you'd get a better idea about the approximate strength later. I've heard of people getting to 12% ABV with bread yeast..... So it normally finishes sweet, and I suspect that any pithy bitterness is to balance the sweetness from residual sugars.

I'd say that you should make at least one batch as close to the original recipe as possible, then at least you have a bench mark to compare against when trying other fruit etc - if that's what you're intending to do.

Now I'm not sure about regular liquid measures in Canada, but when I make a batch, I automatically take a gallon to be imperial, not US i.e. 4.55 litres, not 3.78 litres, and it still comes out fine. I've noticed some of the EU mainland makers even use 5 litre containers for a batch with no problems (as there's enough residual sugar to be OK, just that their, and my batches would be fractionally less sweet).

There's also the thing, that it's said that it's drinkable as soon as it's clear. Well I've never found that. I always age it for at least 3 to 6 months after it's been racked off the sediment/bottled (I usually rack it off and bulk age my meads).

The only thing I would suggest, is that you follow Joes instructions about the spices closely, particularly with the cloves. If you over do those, it's not nice at all.

You don't actually need a hydrometer for JAO, but if you get yourself one (if you haven't already got one), it gives you greater control over the brew...

regards

fatbloke


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## Dugger (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks, Deb/fatbloke.
Most of my small jugs are imp gal (160 oz) so I will make to that. I will follow the recipe exactly and perhaps try two of orange and one of lemon. I will definitely take a SG just for info and future reference.
Good explanation on the yeast/bitterness/residual sweetness - thanks.

Do you need to stabilize ( sulfite/sorbate) because of the residual sugar?


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## fatbloke (Aug 21, 2011)

Dugger said:


> Thanks, Deb/fatbloke.
> Most of my small jugs are imp gal (160 oz) so I will make to that. I will follow the recipe exactly and perhaps try two of orange and one of lemon. I will definitely take a SG just for info and future reference.
> Good explanation on the yeast/bitterness/residual sweetness - thanks.
> 
> Do you need to stabilize ( sulfite/sorbate) because of the residual sugar?


You'd normally, only need to stablilise, when there's residual sugar that hasn't been fermented, but the ferment itself hadn't reached the tolerance for the yeast used i.e. your gravity reading is telling you that you've reached the point for 13% ABV, but the yeast you've used has a tolerance of 16% ABV.

You can stabilise it if you're concerned, but I probably wouldn't bother as it should continue fermenting until the yeast poops out, having reached it's tolerance (no published data for alcohol tolerance for bread yeast anyway). The taking of a gravity reading is just a guide so you have some idea about the strength.

regards

fatbloke


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