Waldo's Spiced Mead

[Waldo]

Sally, do you have the recipe posted here on the forum?

 

[Waldo]

That last batch turned out so well I decided to make another one.



Started my 5 gallon batch of Spiced Mead last week by boiling my Cloves ( 3 tbsp), Candied Ginger (2 tbsp.), Cinammon Sticks( 5) and Nutmegs (2) in 3/4 gallon water for about 5 minutes. I then poured all of this into a gallon carboy and have let it steep until this morning. I strained out the solids and added the liquid to my Primary Fermenter ( 6 gallon carboy) along with 3 gallons of bottled Spring water. I brought another gallon of Spring water to a boil in a large pan, turned off the heat and then added my 16 lbs. of Clover Honey to this and stirred well to dissolve the honey. I added this to my primary fermenter. My next step was to dissolve my 3 tbsp. Tartaric acid, 2 tbsp. of Malic acid, 1 tsp. liquid Tannin, 1/4 tsp. Pottasium Metabisulphite and 2 tbsp. Yeast Energizer and add to my Primary Fermenter. Using my drill mounted stirrer I stirred everything together well and will now let this sit until in the morning at which time I will have decided whether to leave it in the glass carboy for fermenting or back out and rack it off into a plastic primary,whichever I descide to do I will add a little yeast nutrientcheck my SG stir it well againand then pitch the ole Montrachetyeast to it. Anyone have an opinion on fermenting in the glass carboy?Edited by: Waldo

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Wouldn't it be OK if that is the amount of head space?

 

[Waldo]

I am hoping it wlll be JW. I have cautioned others against doing this and here I amabout to give it a whirl myself all in the cause of..I just wanna see how it does and to be able to really watch the fermentation process. I kinda figure that worse case scenario I can transfer to a conventional fermenter if I can't get it to ferment properly in the carboy. Time will tell !!!

 

[Wade E]

That mead really sounds good Waldo.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I did have a mead volcano , on one of the first batches I ever did, but didn't have near that space.....I would place a light towel over the airlock...just in case

so you wont have to clean the ceiling like I did.

 

[Dean]

I think all that you will really notice is that it will be hard to clean the shoulders after ferementation is complete. Otherwise, with that headspace, I think you'll be good. Now, if that was beer, a LOT of the yeast selections are very high foaming, and the Krausen (foam) would quickly overwhelm even that amount of headspace.

 

[Waldo]

I pitched the yeast starter I had goingto the mead around 2pm yesterday at an SG of 1.092 just before we left for Hot Springs, We got back about an hour ago and the airlock is chugging like an ole locomotive pulling a full load up Pikes Peak. Absolutely very little foaming so it looks like I am going to be OK. Edited by: Waldo

 

[Waldo]

Racked the Spiced Mead this evening at an SG of 1.030. I am confident at this time that my pre boiling and steeping the spices is going to work fine. Has a nice spicy flavor I was wanting and am just hoping it will not finish off too sweet. Got the pictures out of whack...The top picture was after the racking...as you can see in the racking picture, my buddy "Addy" was there to assist me in any way possible.
Had to throw in a picture of my smallest secondary fermenter too. Works great !!!

Edited by: Waldo

 

[Wade E]

The airlock hind of dwarfs it but its cute!

 

[dsiddall]

is this a "quick mead" and how long after bottling should you wait to drink...mine is super thick and sweet, like a heavy liquor/dessert wine, with a bunch of bite.

 

[Waldo]

Well, I bottled my spiced mead sunday evening and will get some pictures when I get the labels put on. In the interim, here is the label I designed for my mead. I think it turned out pretty danged good and will improve more with some more age to it. May bring a couple of bottles to Winestock

Edited by: Waldo

 

[Waldo]

Got the labels put on

Edited by: Waldo

 

[Waldo]

is this a "quick mead" and how long after bottling should you wait to drink...mine is super thick and sweet, like a heavy liquor/dessert wine, with a bunch of bite.

I am going to try and wait at least a few more months on this one disdall. It is drinkable now but will get better with age