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Brann_mac_Finnchad · 08-16-2012, 09:38 PM

Being as it's already fall up here, and the fireweeds are in bloom I find myself wanting to make a fireweed blossom metheglyn(?).
What would be the best way to extract the flavour--and colour if possible--from the flowers? I believe it would probably be the same for any mead or wine that uses flower blossoms as the flavouring.

I figure there I few ways I can think of;
1) Add directly to primary
2) make a tisane from the flowers and add to primary
3) Lightly cook the blossoms in honey to extract some of the flavours that way (I did something like this with the capsicumel I have going--they made the honey it'self chili flavoured...yum)
4) Make a tisane and store (probably frozen) until time to add to secondary
5) Dry the flowers and add to secondary--as much as I would like to add fresh ones, there won't be any around by that time
6) I might be able to preserve the blossoms by crystalizing them in honey for the secondary. I'll have to look into that.
7) Some combination of the above?

I'm also planning on using Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône) yeast (or probably Cote-du-Blanc, if I can't find the other)

So what's your collective opinions on the above theories (and what you think the results would be)?

Arpolis · 08-16-2012, 10:21 PM

I am a big fan of making a Tisane and using that as a base in the primary but then "Dry hopping" some dried flowers in the secondary. The couple times I did metheglin type meads, thats how I did it and enjoyed the results.

***Yooper*** · 08-16-2012, 10:25 PM

I have no idea on how to go about making it- but I wanted to subscribe to the thread because it sounds so great.

gratus fermentatio · 08-17-2012, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brann_mac_Finnchad

Being as it's already fall up here, and the fireweeds are in bloom I find myself wanting to make a fireweed blossom metheglyn(?).
What would be the best way to extract the flavour--and colour if possible--from the flowers? I believe it would probably be the same for any mead or wine that uses flower blossoms as the flavouring.

I figure there I few ways I can think of;
1) Add directly to primary
2) make a tisane from the flowers and add to primary
3) Lightly cook the blossoms in honey to extract some of the flavours that way (I did something like this with the capsicumel I have going--they made the honey it'self chili flavoured...yum)
4) Make a tisane and store (probably frozen) until time to add to secondary
5) Dry the flowers and add to secondary--as much as I would like to add fresh ones, there won't be any around by that time
6) I might be able to preserve the blossoms by crystalizing them in honey for the secondary. I'll have to look into that.
7) Some combination of the above?

I'm also planning on using Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône) yeast (or probably Cote-du-Blanc, if I can't find the other)

So what's your collective opinions on the above theories (and what you think the results would be)?

I think any of those would be good, moreso if you combined a couple of them. If you use D-47, you might want to ferment on the cool side to avoid the fusels that D-47 is infamous for.

Just a thought here, but I think it would be really good if you could find pure fireweed honey to use in it; I think that would really put it over the top.
Regards, GF.

Brann_mac_Finnchad · 08-17-2012, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arpolis

I am a big fan of making a Tisane and using that as a base in the primary but then "Dry hopping" some dried flowers in the secondary. The couple times I did metheglin type meads, thats how I did it and enjoyed the results.

I will probably use both, plus the method of lightly cooking the flowers in the honey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratus fermentatio

I think any of those would be good, moreso if you combined a couple of them. If you use D-47, you might want to ferment on the cool side to avoid the fusels that D-47 is infamous for.

Just a thought here, but I think it would be really good if you could find pure fireweed honey to use in it; I think that would really put it over the top.
Regards, GF.

I'll have to keep an eye on the temp then--how low can D-47 go? Could I stick it in a refridgerator on high so it's in the 50s?
Not sure if I'll be able to find any, at least in jars bigger than 4 oz, lol--but I can look.

gratus fermentatio · 08-19-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brann_mac_Finnchad

I will probably use both, plus the method of lightly cooking the flowers in the honey.

I'll have to keep an eye on the temp then--how low can D-47 go? Could I stick it in a refridgerator on high so it's in the 50s?

50 is too low. I've had great results at 62*F & some really bad fusels at 70*F.
Here is the info from Lalvin (Lallemand):
http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp
Regards, GF.

Brann_mac_Finnchad · 08-19-2012, 11:58 PM

Taking the temperature in my room, it's hovering about 60 degrees right now (daytime, drizzly), that should be fine, right? I can probably swaddle it in a towel at nightime if it's getting slightly too cold, but I don't think it'll actually harm the must if it gets a little chilled, will it? Or will cold yeasties send off other bad flavours?

All my other meads I did over at someone elses house, where it's too warm for this yeast...

Zabuza · 08-22-2012, 08:02 AM

You know, I've definitely seen fireweed honey before. I know you only mentioned using fireweed blossoms for this, but it might be neat to use fireweed honey, add fireweed tisane to the primary, and then add dried/fresh fireweed blossoms in the secondary. For that full, over-the-top fireweed infusion.

If only they produced some fruit you could add...

Brann_mac_Finnchad · 08-22-2012, 08:50 AM

It's out there--from what I can find it has a light, buttery flavour. There's also Fireweed "Honey", made with blossoms and a thick simple syrup.

Nope, no fruit--I suppose I could strain it through the cotton, though :-P

Brann_mac_Finnchad · 08-29-2012, 07:18 AM

So, I started this last Friday with the below recipe and procedure

Fireweed Mead
2.75 pounds honey
6 cups fireweed blossoms (lightly packed)
Water to 1 gallon
Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône)
1.5 tbsp of Vanilla black tea and 1.5 tsp Lapsang Souchong tea, steeped properly

Make tea, add half of blossoms to hot water, other half into honey heated on low and allow to steep for 10 minutes, before mixing honey and tea together, cool with cold water, filter into carboy and pitch yeast.
Target: 11% ABV, 1.010 FG

8-24-12: Started the mead—doesn’t really smell that good, we’ll see how it turns out. OG is 1.038 I believe.

Since then it's been bubbling gently at about 60 degrees and is starting to smell good. I don't believe that I added all the honey (that or made a major mistake reading the hydrometer), and will add the rest tomorrow (and take another couple of readings)