bluefoxicy

Recipes 

I'm going to start mead stuff in a couple weeks but I have 24 pounds of honey and need about 15.

This leaves me some options. Considerations I've had:

• Save the 15 pounds and do 1 gallon experiments in parallel with the remaining 9
• Use 5 pounds straight to make a gallon of strong sweet mead
• Experiment with a dry mead in a gallon jug
• Mix up a gallon using 3 pounds. Add mead yeast, give it a day or so to catch, then throw it in the fridge to stop fermentation. Allow to clear for a while, then remove, rack, re-pitch or otherwise restart fermentation once room temperature is reached, and immediately bottle. Let bottles firm up and throw directly into the fridge.

...... yeah I don't think mead soda is gonna work.

BigKahuna

Recipes 

I am starting to think you might just want to get through a few tried and true recipes before you take off like Toomanycolors or something. That last idea sounds like something you're going to screw around and get seriously hurt with...and Best case situation is you're going to throw out a bunch of crazy expirimental stuff.
You could do some regular mead...1 batch, get through that one, and do some more reading. Information here is free and plentiful....you just gotta be willing to read it.

I do wish you luck on that #1 Batch.

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bluefoxicy

Recipes 

I tend to experiment a lot. Although on that last one, when I said "let bottles firm up" I thought that implied PET bottles... they can split but they're harmless. Glass grenades would be cool though (hai can I haz borrow your riot shield?)

I think I'll sit on it for a couple weeks and think. Here's a less radical idea: Make 5 gallons of sweet mead, and steal 2 gallons for two other meads mid-ferment:

• 1 gallon jug, pitch a stronger yeast to make dry mead
• Boil 2 pounds of honey to a quart, and top it off with a sample from the sweet mead, to make a strong sweet mead

This seems safer, yes? I get 3 gallons where I "stick to the recipe," a gallon of dry, and a gallon of strong sweet.

Honestly I just want to hedge my bets a little bit before making 26 750mL bottles of the stuff. But you're right, I shouldn't do anything crazy until I get some more experience.

claphamsa

Recipes 

o save the extra buy a bit more and do another mondo basher later!

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Freezeblade

Recipes 

No boiling Honey! it's banned.

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Primary:Russian River Redemption clone, Kelly's Melomel, Graham's English Cider 22-23
Clearing:Apple Wine
Aging:Public House Dry Stout, Procrastination Porter, Mr. Brown Ale, Westvleteren 12 Clone, Mead, Duvel Clone, Graham's English Cider 6-21, Belgian Draak Strong Ale, Fig Melomel, Acerglyn, Restorative Tonic Metheglyn

bluefoxicy

Recipes 

Don't you have to add honey to boiling water to kill whatever, like with DME/LME?

BigKahuna

Recipes 

not really off topic here. Don't freeken boil your honey. It's just that simple.

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Laurel

Recipes 

It'll ruin the flavor, and basically just turn it into sugar. Honey's high enough in sugar that nothing grows. There have been several threads about that in the last few weeks.

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Primary - Haus Pale Ale

Secondary - Empty
Bottled/Drinking - Dark Matter
Kegged - BigKahuna's Blonde - with Nectarines
Planning - American Red

bluefoxicy

Recipes 

Ah okay. I need to read more.

claphamsa

Recipes 

never a bad thign!

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I collect magnetic bottle openers... so if you see something nice......