This is my first attempt at making mead so I made it in a small batch of 1 gallon
3lbs of cover honey
1 gallon of spring water
1/4t of yeast nutrient
about 1/2 package of red wine yeast
2 ginger peach teabags
1 chai spice teabag
I brought the water to a boil added 2 lbs of honey and after it dissolved I added the tea bags allowing them to boil about 5 minutes.
Then added the last pound of honey and allowing to boil about 10-12 minutes longer.
I just took the covered pot and sat it outside on the porch (it was -1 to 6 degrees today).
after about 40 minutes or so it was down to 75 degrees.
I used 2 one gallon carboys putting even amounts of predissolved yeast, then added even amounts of the wort. I kept one of the ginger peach tea bags in each container to steep while fermenting.
comments/critiques welcome
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Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh!
Now Brewing: English Chocolate Nut Brown
Next up: ????
Bottled: Jalapeño Pilsner, Ginger Pilsner
I tried a bit, and it is not good at all
I have never had mead before, so I do not know what it is supposed to taste like, but I do not like what I made at all
you can not taste ginger/peach/chai or tea at all
it has a fairly strong liquor taste, with the flavoring very watery
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Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh!
Now Brewing: English Chocolate Nut Brown
Next up: ????
Bottled: Jalapeño Pilsner, Ginger Pilsner
I think you tried to do too much for a first attempt, but taste it again next December. Meads can take years to age properly. In the meantime, buy a few bottles, so you know what a mead should taste like. Maybe you'll like it, maybe not.
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Remember one unassailable statistic, as explained by the late, great George Carlin: "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!"
Hey Hefe- You've made a style of mead known as metheglin, or spiced mead. The mead should have a strong alcohol taste at this point from the fermented honey. As a previous poster said, the mead is still young and you should wait at least a year before pronouncing judgement.
As for the light flavor, I'd suggest that you were far too light on your spices, or your teabags (which supplied the spices). I use a single teabag for a full flavored cup of tea, yet you used only three teabags to flavor an entire gallon.
Spiced mead may not be the best choice as a first mead. Metheglins are typically more subtle than a cyser (apple), melomel (fruit) or pyment (grape) and, unless you really, really, like the spices it may tend to be medicinal in flavor - especially if it ferments dry. Why not try a melomel made from fruit juice or concentrate next time? They're easy to make and don't take a year before they're ready to drink, especially if they're a little sweet.
Ginger Peach Chia Mead
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