As much as I agree, I also have to state that I had a 1.120 OG finish out at about 0.999 FG. That took EC-1118, yeast nutrient, and about 18 months of patience.
It was also the best drink I had ever quaffed, so don't despair!
Mead
- Thread starter wingnutooa
- Start date
Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
As much as I agree, I also have to state that I had a 1.120 OG finish out at about 0.999 FG. That took EC-1118, yeast nutrient, and about 18 months of patience.
It was also the best drink I had ever quaffed, so don't despair!
The lighter the honey and the lower the total ABV, typically means less aging is required.
And as already stated, if you lean to sweeter side vs. dry, it usually is drinkable sooner as that sweetness helps hide the harshness of 'immature' mead.
And as already stated, if you lean to sweeter side vs. dry, it usually is drinkable sooner as that sweetness helps hide the harshness of 'immature' mead.
WildSeedGrrrl
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2009
- Messages
- 199
- Reaction score
- 2
Joe Ancient Orange with a Bite
Ok so the very first mead I made was that Ancient orange one. And I'll be bottling that bad boy later this week, but I'll admit I was a bad grrrl and sneaked a taste on thursday. I am glad I added like 4 sticks of cinnamon and nice handful of cloves because otherwise that would have been way to sweet to drink. The extra spices give it a spicy kick that mellow that drink out considerably.
I wonder how well that would work if I added cardamon?
Anyone else modified this recipe? Don't worry Wade, I'll look over in the recipe section I was just throwing the question out there.
::
Ok so the very first mead I made was that Ancient orange one. And I'll be bottling that bad boy later this week, but I'll admit I was a bad grrrl and sneaked a taste on thursday. I am glad I added like 4 sticks of cinnamon and nice handful of cloves because otherwise that would have been way to sweet to drink. The extra spices give it a spicy kick that mellow that drink out considerably.
I wonder how well that would work if I added cardamon?
Anyone else modified this recipe? Don't worry Wade, I'll look over in the recipe section I was just throwing the question out there.
::
WildSeedGrrrl
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2009
- Messages
- 199
- Reaction score
- 2
LOL! well he did warn folks not to mess with a sure thing. I was considering doing it again and using a champagne yeast.
I've modified it.
Mostly I swapped whole oranges for the juice of 1 orange and a bunch of zest. This reduced the pithy flavor and thus shortens aging times.
I also use Wyeast sweet mead yeast, as bread yeast does work but tends to throw more phenols and esters...again a step to reduce aging requirements.
Mostly I swapped whole oranges for the juice of 1 orange and a bunch of zest. This reduced the pithy flavor and thus shortens aging times.
I also use Wyeast sweet mead yeast, as bread yeast does work but tends to throw more phenols and esters...again a step to reduce aging requirements.
I made a Kiwi Melomel which turned out wonderful! Everyone who has tried it - it's interesting to see the look on their face when I tell them what it is.. and then the look after their first sip - have raved about it.
I bulk aged it for about 2 1/2 years in the carboy before bottling. The recipe is here and my blog post about it is here (hopefully such self promotional links are ok when they are relevant?).
WildSeedGrrrl
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2009
- Messages
- 199
- Reaction score
- 2
Adding bentonite or other fining agents to mead
Has anyone had experience (good or bad) with adding a fining agent to their mead to help it clear. The sack mead I have going has fermented to dry and there's hardly any sediment on the bottom and it looks cloudy. I think it might be the nature of the honey, i used a light clover honey.
I have some bentonite but figure I'd rack and let sit for another month or so to see if racking would help. This was the mead that I had added energizer like a month ago and the fermentation just flared up and has been going ever since. It wasn't suppose to be dry but oh well.
WSG
Has anyone had experience (good or bad) with adding a fining agent to their mead to help it clear. The sack mead I have going has fermented to dry and there's hardly any sediment on the bottom and it looks cloudy. I think it might be the nature of the honey, i used a light clover honey.
I have some bentonite but figure I'd rack and let sit for another month or so to see if racking would help. This was the mead that I had added energizer like a month ago and the fermentation just flared up and has been going ever since. It wasn't suppose to be dry but oh well.
WSG
Meads can take awhile to clear. I've decided that time is the best clarifying agent for mead - and to let it bulk age in the carboy rather than bottle.
My first mead remained cloudy after adding several fining agents. I did end up experimenting and used ground egg shell. That worked amazingly well! Unforutnately, I wasn't thinking though - egg shell contains calcium carbonate which neutralizes acidity. That mead turned out a bit flat.
When I make meads now, I let them sit for at least a year in the carboy and find they clear amazingly well on their own. I've been drinking a sweet mead and a dry mead - mmmmmm! And a kiwi melomel which is even "mmmmmmier!"
Ian
Absolutely! It's here.
Wish I could get them that inexpensive!!!
My Kiwi Mel was aged for a good long time - almost three years in the carboy. Definitely time to make more - I'm thinking ten gallons.
St Allie
Tech Administrator
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2009
- Messages
- 2,879
- Reaction score
- 15
It was 3 cups of sugar?.. and my guess would be to help the yeast cells along.. yeast finds honey a bit more of an effort to ferment.. which is why energiser is often in the recipe along with nutrient. This recipe leaves out the energiser.
Allie
PS.. thanks for the recipe Ian.. I've got my ingredients together for a 4 gallon batch.
Allie
PS.. thanks for the recipe Ian.. I've got my ingredients together for a 4 gallon batch.
