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DrunkenSailor · 07-18-2008, 01:34 AM

My niece is getting married at my house next September (09). She and her fiance are in the Army, in Iraq now and when they get back plan to marry. I am thinking I need to get a mead going that can be ready by then. I have made Joe's and a blackberry mead that are about 7 months aging now, they are tasting pretty good. But what to make for a wedding celebration? I have about 12-13 months to get it brewed/aged/bottled. Any ideas/input?
Thanks.

***Yooper*** · 07-18-2008, 01:41 AM

Well, that's kind of hard, not knowing what they like. I think a melomel like the blackberry one you have going would be a big it. I think show meads can be an acquired taste, and need more aging than melomels. (I believe that fruit can cover a "hot" mead pretty well!)

At the NHBC, Ken Schram had a mead tasting and he had a wonderful one called something like "Heart of Darkness" (maybe google it, or it might be on gotmead.com) that had currants, cherries, and raspberries. It was fantastic- rich, deep, and flavorful, but not overpoweringly sweet or hot at all. A non-mead drinker would love it.

To serve it in a year, you'd have to try to keep the ABV fairly low so that it would be ready.

DrunkenSailor · 07-18-2008, 01:52 AM

Thanks for the quick reply Yooper. I agree with trying to keep the ABV down as well, however I want something that will age for them for several years, I plan to give them several bottles for anniversaries.

**BigKahuna** · 07-18-2008, 02:13 AM

Yooper...I'm Jealous.
Ken calls that the "Mambo in your Mouth Melomel"
Just make sure you have safe search on when you google it.

DrunkenSailor: If you get on it, and have something a bit lower alcohol...you should be able to have it ready in time to catch the last of the fall peaches. You could add the peaches and some Ginger at secondary...then at the wedding make a plate of sliced Peaches and that pink sliced Ginger that Sushi Bars have.

**Brandon O** · 07-18-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKahuna

Yooper...I'm Jealous.
Ken calls that the "Mambo in your Mouth Melomel"
Just make sure you have safe search on when you google it.

DrunkenSailor: If you get on it, and have something a bit lower alcohol...you should be able to have it ready in time to catch the last of the fall peaches. You could add the peaches and some Ginger at secondary...then at the wedding make a plate of sliced Peaches and that pink sliced Ginger that Sushi Bars have.

You are like the bobby flay of mead. That sounds really good.

DrunkenSailor · 07-18-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKahuna

Yooper...I'm Jealous.
Ken calls that the "Mambo in your Mouth Melomel"
Just make sure you have safe search on when you google it.

DrunkenSailor: If you get on it, and have something a bit lower alcohol...you should be able to have it ready in time to catch the last of the fall peaches. You could add the peaches and some Ginger at secondary...then at the wedding make a plate of sliced Peaches and that pink sliced Ginger that Sushi Bars have.

This sounds really good. Thanks for the input. I'll do a little more research based on this peach recipe and get something going this weekend.

**BigKahuna** · 07-18-2008, 02:16 PM

The really cool part is that you don't have to make all of the decisions right now. You can get your base going, then research the fruit. There is no big hurry. when you find the fruit that makes you happy, take it home and rack onto it. There is the added bonus that when you use the fruit in the secondary, you keep a lot of the character that is lost when you add it to the primary.

Quote:

You are like the bobby flay of mead. That sounds really good.

I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

The Blow Leprechaun · 07-18-2008, 02:20 PM

I would consider doing a light, effervescent mead in champagne bottles... mostly because I hate the taste of champagne and would love to replace it with a mead for toasts.

homebrewer_99 · 07-18-2008, 05:35 PM

I like the plain old Barkshack Ginger Mead without the fruit or lemongrass.

It's nice and light...

DrunkenSailor · 07-18-2008, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Blow Leprechaun

I would consider doing a light, effervescent mead in champagne bottles... mostly because I hate the taste of champagne and would love to replace it with a mead for toasts.

My thoughts exactly concerning champagne. The biggest reasons I am providig mead are two: First, the bride and groom are hard core Army ( The groom is actually a jerked over Marine ) so they will appreciate something a little "stiffer" and more manly than champagne. And second, I like the history of mead as related to the wedding in particular the term "honeymoon".