I cant tell you how awful this was at bottling but after avoiding it for a year, i decided to open a bottle and it was excellent, had really mellowed into quite a heavenly treat.
I just bottled mine and agree it wasn't that good. Tasted quite hot from the alcohol and very orange-y. I set my bottles aside and hope to have the same results in a year or so after it mellows. Now I think I'll try a one gallon batch of something new. The JAOM was kind of fun to do on such a small scale. I could really get into small experimental stuff.
I used this recipe in Nov 09. I let this stuff sit in the carboy (primary) for a little over two months, carefully regulating temperature. Right out of the glass carboy, it tasted great (so I thought--I was siphoning into bottles and had a taste.) But, the next day, for some reason, I couldn't drink it. Flavors were too harsh. So, I let it age. Today is March 14, 2010 and I just opened a bottle. I like it. Ummm. I don't think it's exactly what I, or anyone else using this recipe for the first time expected. Mine still has a very prominent orange peel flavor. It's not sweet at all. It smells like orange peels. I didn't get a hydrometer reading, so I can't say for sure, but my mead seems like it must be about 16 to 18 % alc. My yeast cells just didn't give up. The air lock was bubbling slowly the whole month. If I ever use the recipe again, I'm going to use only half the orange peels, but more fruit. And, I might pitch a yeast strain used for champagne. I did put a tiny bit of priming sugar in with the bottles. Not enough to really produce big bubbles. But, there seem to be tiny little bubbles at first pour??? THIS WAS A VERY AWESOME INTRODUCTION TO HOME BREWING!
Last edited by lovelmichael; 03-15-2010 at 03:54 AM.
If it's clear, as in..you can read a newspaper through it, you could either rack it off to a secondary and let it sit and mellow a bit....or you could bottle.
Dan
I did a search of the thread and didn't find a decisive answer, but is it really gonna hurt if I bottle it before it gets newspaper clear. I mean mine was in secondary for about a month and has been in primary for well over 3. Its pretty damn clear, but not newspaper clear. Will it really hurt it that much if I want to bottle now? I'd really like to free up my carboy, that's why I'm being impatient, I still plan on bottle aging for several more months/years, of course sampling along the way!
__________________
Primary #1: Nothing
Primary #2: Nodda
Secondary #1: Nothing again
Secondary #2: Even more nothing
Bulk Aging: League of Nations Imperial IPA (keg)
Bottle Aging: Banana wine, JAO Mead, Bohemian Pilsner
Drinking (bottles): Strom's Belgian Wit, Halfawiesen, Amarillo IPA
Drinking (keg): Corney Cream Ale
I did a search of the thread and didn't find a decisive answer, but is it really gonna hurt if I bottle it before it gets newspaper clear. I mean mine was in secondary for about a month and has been in primary for well over 3. Its pretty damn clear, but not newspaper clear. Will it really hurt it that much if I want to bottle now? I'd really like to free up my carboy, that's why I'm being impatient, I still plan on bottle aging for several more months/years, of course sampling along the way!
It won't hurt, but all of the sediment that's in suspension (keeping it from being clear) will fall out in the bottle. It'll be stirred up when you move the bottle, like to pour it.
__________________ Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006
You call me a dog well that's fair enough 'Cause it ain't no use to pretend You're wrong
But when it's my time to throw The next stone I'll call you beautiful if I call at all
Yoop, I opened a bottle last night that I started on 7/17/09. I like it but there is just to much cinnamon taste. Would it hurt the over all out come if I left the cinnamon and clove out?
3 gallon batch made up last night... My first attempt at Mead. Very curious! I was surprised that the yeast took off after 10 mins and was still bubblin away this morning. Smells delicious! After a few months I'll bottle and forget about it..
I am going to give this recipe a try this week. After leaving home depot, my four year old daughter calls out "the honey man is back.". A local gut that sets up a tent and sells his fresh honey.
Bought 4 pounds of blueberry flower honey to give it a try.
Should I use the bread yeast or go with a mead yeast?
Thanks for the recipe yooper!
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