Flumpy

Recipes 

After 25 days now at 1.012, somewhere around 12% ABV.

Flumpy

Recipes 

After a little over 43 days it's at 1.002! About 14% alchy. Fermentation slowed significantly last week, now there's only a few bubbles left.

The liquid has largely clarified, if I move the plastic water jug around and then shine a flashlight through it I can see large areas of sediment from the fruit sinking slowly.

Not sure whether to rack or to "wait for the fruit to drop" as they say.

crazyseany

Recipes 

They say to leave it alone for 60 days....

I'm starting my first batch tonight so I am of no help :-(

Arpolis

Recipes 

Wow 14% ABV, what yeast did you use? I didn't think bread yeast would survive in an ABV that high. I figure like 10-11% ABV or such. I actually am on the same track as you and only have about 3# per gall

__________________
A painting says a thousand words. But a painting while on good mead just looks funny!

Arpolis

Recipes 

Wow 14% ABV, what yeast did you use? I didn't think bread yeast would survive in an ABV that high. I figure like 10-11% ABV or such. I actually am on the same track as you and only have about 3# clover honey per gallon. Mine was started on the 6th so still a while to go.

__________________
A painting says a thousand words. But a painting while on good mead just looks funny!

Flumpy

Recipes 

Fleischman's Active Dry. I've heard it'll get up to 14%, it's definitely sucked all the sugar out of this one.

EDIT:

So I tasted it right now and boy that's pretty harsh. I understand why you'd go with the 3.5lbs rather than 3.0 lbs.. it's extremely dry and the sharp orange flavor is overwhelming. This will definitely have to be sweetened with a little extra honey.

Flumpy

Recipes 

Racked it this evening, less to get it off the lees and more to get it off the fruit. That orange peel is really powerful.

Flumpy

Recipes 

FG is around 1.001~1.002. Some lees have dropped in second container. Balloon still inflates slightly but I see no bubbles. May get down to 1.000 in another couple of weeks.

ABV around 14.1%

The orange rind is too much. Next time no orange rind. I didn't use the cinnamon stick and waited about 3 weeks to put the clove in.

Drinkable for a guy like me who can drink cheap liquor straight, but if you're delicate at all this would not (yet) be to your taste. Would likely be more drinkable at this point without the bitter rind.

Gives me sort of a loopy, spacy drunkenness.

Fathand

Recipes 

I am not trying to be a jerk but you didn't make JAOM then. Joe states if you don't follow the recipe to a T then its not JAOM.

I think the way the recipe was formulated was that cinnamon and clove help balance the pithy flavor you can get from the orange. I've made two 5 gallon batches though and have never experienced that flavor. It has however tasted hot from the alcohol but that mellows as it ages. I've also never had it go that dry. Perhaps back sweetening it will help.

Flumpy

Recipes 

yes yes, I've heard the whole "if it ain't exactly the recipe then it ain't JAOM." As if the creator somehow landed upon the perfect recipe that, if followed exactly, turns out a fantastic mead and, if not followed exactly, turns out cr@p. I somehow doubt that. I think it's popular because it's cheap, easy, and is a fairly foolproof way to a relatively drinkable mead in a reasonable amount of time.

Once you create something and release it into the world, it will be altered, critiqued and improved upon. Joe has no authority over the JAOM recipe -- the internet mead-making community does. Plenty of folks have said that removing the rind is an improvement on the recipe, and based upon what I've tasted I'd concur. Some cinnamon flavor won't mellow this rind taste, IMHO.

Next time I won't make it as described either; I'm going to use half the orange that the recipe calls for and cut off the rinds. Double the raisins. Possibly use a wine yeast.

I'll still wait a few weeks to drop in the clove and I perhaps at the same time I'll put in a bit of cinnamon.

That's the plan.