ajbram

Recipes 

Has anyone ever attempted using lactose to impart a creamy mouthfeel to their mead? I keep thinking this would be a nice addition to a vanilla metheglin.

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On Deck: Blackstrap Molasses Porter (again), Northern English Mild, Wheatgrass Wheat
Primaries:
Secondaries:
Bottled: Northern Migration Honey Rye Ale, Unorthodox Cider, Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Mead, Blackstrap Molasses Porter, Invincible Double IPA

Matrix4b

Recipes 

I did a 5 gal batch of Orange Vanilla where I used a pound of lactose in it. Turns out that this was not enough. I didn't get a creamy mouthfeel. So If you do I would recomend using 3-4 pounds in a 5 gal batch. This also may sweeten it up a little as it is a sugar, just not as sweet as sugar or honey.

I remember looking up the amounts and this is like 5% of what is in milk. 1 pound to 5 gallons that is. I think a single gallon of milk had like 3 pounds of lactose. If I remember correctly.

I based my recipie off of a cream ale for the amount of Lactose. I forgot to take into account that Beer is actually really thin and less flavorful than Meed, thus the Lactose has less of an effect.

Hope this helps.

I recomend experimenting a bit.

Matrix

ajbram

Recipes 

I intend to.... I'm planning on doing a 1 gal experimental batch using the following:

3lb Manuka honey
3/4lb lactose
2 split vanilla beans steeped before primary
2 split vanilla beans in secondary

Lalvin ICV D-47

Bottle carbed

What do you think?
Does this qualify as a lactomel?

__________________
Back off man! I'm a Scientist.
On Deck: Blackstrap Molasses Porter (again), Northern English Mild, Wheatgrass Wheat
Primaries:
Secondaries:
Bottled: Northern Migration Honey Rye Ale, Unorthodox Cider, Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Mead, Blackstrap Molasses Porter, Invincible Double IPA

GinKings

Recipes 

That's a lot of vanilla.

ajbram

Recipes 

Oops.... I meant 2 in each. I was thinking a 5 gal batch when I wrote that for some reason. I do notice though that any vanilla I put in the primary gets stripped out during the active fermentation, so I tend to steep a couple and use the same ones all the way through. A lot of vanilla and a creamy mouth feel would be good I think.

__________________
Back off man! I'm a Scientist.
On Deck: Blackstrap Molasses Porter (again), Northern English Mild, Wheatgrass Wheat
Primaries:
Secondaries:
Bottled: Northern Migration Honey Rye Ale, Unorthodox Cider, Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Mead, Blackstrap Molasses Porter, Invincible Double IPA

Sharkman20

Recipes 

If you were to backsweeten with honey, wouldn't that produce a better mouthfeel as well as keep other unnecessary ingredients out of the mead?

ajbram

Recipes 

Hey Shark - depends on what you mean by "better" mouthfeel. It's quite customary to backsweeten with honey, but most meads stil have a thin mouth feel... nothing wrong with that, but honey doesn't typically give a creamy mouthfeel.

__________________
Back off man! I'm a Scientist.
On Deck: Blackstrap Molasses Porter (again), Northern English Mild, Wheatgrass Wheat
Primaries:
Secondaries:
Bottled: Northern Migration Honey Rye Ale, Unorthodox Cider, Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Mead, Blackstrap Molasses Porter, Invincible Double IPA

mccann51

Recipes 

Backsweeten will definitely thicken the mouthfeel, though perhaps not give the mead a creamy mouthfeel; it also will sweeten the mead, which may or may not be what somebody is going for. Lactose is less sweet tasting, and thus can thicken the mead without sweetening it as much; it may also give a creamy mouthfeel, though I can't speak to this.

Why would you call it an unnecessary ingredient? If you want a particular characteristic in something ('creamy mouthfeel') in this case, and lactose imparts it, then it seems arbitrary to label it unnecessary.

ajbram

Recipes 

I'm with mccann on this one. Anything is necessary if you want the effect it imparts. Lactos is what gives milk stout its super creamy mouth feel.

__________________
Back off man! I'm a Scientist.
On Deck: Blackstrap Molasses Porter (again), Northern English Mild, Wheatgrass Wheat
Primaries:
Secondaries:
Bottled: Northern Migration Honey Rye Ale, Unorthodox Cider, Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Mead, Blackstrap Molasses Porter, Invincible Double IPA