Has anyone here done this? (dark candi syrup in mead)
Has anyone here done this?
I was thinking on making a Mead with the addition of Belgian Dark Candi Syrup. The idea is to give it a bit of a toffee flavor. About 20% total volume of ingredients.
Invert Candi Syrup is so simple to make. I always 'cook' up a batch to add to my Belgian Ales.
I found caramelized honey in braggot to give a really strong toffee flavour, not unlike the candi syrup in Belgian ales, but more honeyish. The way I use it is actually pretty much analagous to the way candi syrup is used.
I'm sure it would be pretty nice, but me, I'd burn some honey instead. I get it for cheap.
Maybe I'm missing some bit of logic here (and I will stand corrected). But if honey is so 'fermentable', why do you need to stoke the yeast with nutrient. That's the angle I am looking at.
My idea is a sweet Mead without having to sweeten it (so much) after you've attained the desired FG. OK, so it's not a 'real Mead'. I'm still learning equilibrium here.
What a hobby. Where else could a 'fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants' scientist drink his own potions? And then be asked by his peers how it tasted.
Honey is chock full of easily fermentable sugar, but in order to ferment, yeast need nitrogen to build the protein, enzymes, and DNA necessary for proper function. Honey is very, very low in nitrogen, so if you don't add plenty of nitrogen, the poor yeast cannot easily utilize the sugar.
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"Our results are merely the result of carefully managing the transformation of bee spit into yeast excrement."
--- Wayneb
You can just take some honey, add heat and invert it to the level you want. (acid helps, but not needed)
I have tried a burnt mead, and the jury is still out if I wasted 15 lbs or honey or not. A little caramelized flavour could help.
On the other subject, honey by its density and lack of nutrients makes it anti-bacterial/fungi/viral/etc. Even diluted to reduce it's density it lacks the nutrients for a healthy fermentation by yeast. I would refer you to hightest's Sticky on the Mead section. All I can say is SNA rocks!!
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In Primary: Belgium Chimay clones.
In Secondary: Braggot, pale ale, end of the world white.
Conditioning: Mead, Cider, braggot, Belgium Wheat.
On Tap: Clones, Chimay Blue, Red, Porter, malted cider.
Bottles: Far, far, too many to list.
You can just take some honey, add heat and invert it to the level you want. (acid helps, but not needed)
There isn't much sucrose to invert in honey. The nectar that the bees collect is composed mostly of sucrose, but in the honey curing process the bees invert about 98% of it into glucose and fructose. Only about 2% remains as sucrose. Efforts to invert sucrose are simply not required (though it won't hurt anything).
__________________
"Our results are merely the result of carefully managing the transformation of bee spit into yeast excrement."
--- Wayneb
One of the considerations is the expense of the honey as opposed to candi syrup. Couple that with the time waiting to test the results. Later on today, I will start a 1gal batch of my idea. I have 2lbs of honey left over and will make-up a pound of dark candi syrup (maybe a little more).
The only other consideration now is the yeast I have, Premier Cuvee, Montrachet, Cotes De Blanc, K1-V1116, ICV-D47. I'm leanin' toward the Cuvee.
And since it ain't a 'real' Mead, what should it be called?
Anything with 80% honey is a real mead in my book!
Saccharglyn?
Which yeast to choose depends on what you want to end up with. Premier Cuvee will leave it dry. D47 or Côte des Blancs will likely leave it at least semi-sweet.
__________________
"Our results are merely the result of carefully managing the transformation of bee spit into yeast excrement."
--- Wayneb
Has anyone here done this? (dark candi syrup in mead)
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