Pecan Mead recipe?
 

While finishing off my 2nd to last bottle of JOAM tonight, I told the wife what I was planning on starting this weekend:

• Pumpkin Pie Mead
• Blueberry/vanilla mead
• Strawberry Mead -- maybe. Haven't completely decided on this one yet.

She surprised me by asking if I could make a pecan-flavored mead. :rockin: Kewl! So I told her I would check it out. But in my short searching career, I have not yet found any recipe for such a potentially tasty beverage.

Anyone have any ideas as to how I would go about this or suggestions or pointers to any recipes?

Bill W

No clue but I'd like to see that answer also.

qmixalot.com/how-to-make-pecan-extract
You could go this route and add to taste prior to bottling.

Or
http://www.lazymagnolia.com/index.php
This brewery uses pecans as a grain in beer, some sort of mashing clearly involved. Maybe they'd be willing to explain their process if you emailed them?

www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/lazy-mag-pecan-when-how-use-pecans-303385/

Evidently you're not the first to wonder about this on the forums, at least in beer terms.

I'm doing a test batch of pecan mead.

I made a batch of medium/dry wildflower mead, and set aside 1 gallon to try this.

After some forum and internet research, I decided to make an extract. I chopped up a bunch of roasted pecans, put them in a jar, poured cheap vodka over them until the bits were submerged. This was placed in the fridge for about 2 months. Every once in a while, I'd shake the jar. I got about 1/2 c. Smelled and tasted amazing.

1/4 c was put in my 1 gallon jug of mead. I kept the rest in case I need to add more.

The mead is still clearing. My plan was to add fining agents and rack after Christmas (and, of course, give it a taste).

I have made nut extracts before: Almond and Hazelnut to be precice. I also make vanilla extract and mint extract. My best sugestion is to use unsalted nuts, if you get raw then roast them a bit. Also if there is any of that papery casing like there is around hazelnuts then remove it. The skin is sometimes quite bitter. Then I do a rough grind on the nuts in the coffee grinder. Put in a jar fill up with vodka or rum to just above the settled nuts and shake once a day for a week, leave in at least 2 months. Then run through a screen and then put a coffee filter in the cleaned screen and run it through the filter. You can do this more than once. I then let sit a day and then put in a sauce pan on low and simmer for a bit to reduce the volume a bit. You can make it easy. You may want to let it sit a couple a days before use.

I haven't seen many successful nut mead recipies. Most call for extracts.

I hope it works for you.

Matrix

Having often wondered about nut based drinks of any type, how does the extract making work given that nuts are high in fat/oil ?

As I would have thought that while the oil would probably dissolve, does it settle out when mixed in with the mead (creating, possibly a fat or oil layer) ?

Can't check the links here ATM - using work phone.......

Based on the research I did, the vodka (or other high proof booze) is supposed to dissolve the oil. I didn't see any in the extract once it had sit for 2 months, and I don't see any floating on the surface of my mead. I'll post a pick once it clears and give my opinion of flavor.

I used roasted, unsalted pecans.

If this works out well, I might try others. I was thinking to try acorns, but missed the gathering window this year.

I found no oily layer as well. Now as it extracts it may look like it is seperating into an oil layer. This is why I shake it for the first week, it also happens to help agitate it so that all the nut meat gets surface contact with the alcohol. Indeed the alcohol does disolve the oil, it takes time. That is why I give it 2 months. I may try some smaller bottles at different time frames and compair the extraction flavor. I just need to figure out a good way to test taste it. I particulary enjoyed making the hazelnut extract. The smell after roasting is incredible.

Wonder what walnut would be like with such a bitter nut.

I have been experimenting with nuts and mead for a little while. A few batches. Seems the extract route is the best and I always like home made extract.

Matrix

I also make a toasted pecan extract, but ramp it up and make a sipping cordial by essentially layering toasted pecans, brown sugar and pure grain, or vodka, or my fav-E&J VSOP. The brandy one is most requested and I gave away four dozen pints for holiday gifts this past weekend. The alcohol soaked nuts are wonderful on ice cream and used in baking. Made a killer cream cheese and drunken nut stuffed french toast at Thanksgiving. Thinking a basic mead plus the extract/cordial would be quite nice. The hazelnut Matrix talks about is great. I know the Italians make a liqueur using green walnuts.