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kingmoltar · 05-10-2011, 07:48 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Lalvin 71b
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.132
Final Gravity: 1.044
Boiling Time (Minutes): 1
Color: golden
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Additional Fermentation: 90
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 30
Tasting Notes: need to drop honey and clove content, but very good

Vanilla Chai

Ingredients:
20 lbs. Honey
4 Gal Water
1 T. Ginger
2 Cinnamon Sticks
2 t. Cardamom
2 T. Clove
2 t. Nutmeg
1 t. Allspice
1 Vanilla bean cut ½
1 pk. Lalvin 71b Yeast
5 t. Yeast Nutrients
2 t. Yeast energizer

Process:
Heat 1 Gal. water to 110°F and remove ½ coffee mug for yeast starter.
Bring water to boil.
Remove from heat
Add honey, Nutrients, Energizer, and Spices
Let sit for 25 min.
Start Yeast
Remainder of water chilled in P.F.
Pour Must in P.F.
Add yeast
Stir Vigorously for 2 min.
Seal lid and attach airlock
Rack when airlock stops.
Rack once/month until clear
Bottle, age or drink or both

Suggestions for next batch:

Drop honey by 5-7 lbs.
Lower clove by 1 T
Possibly add a 2nd vanilla bean
Add 2.5t Pectin enzyme

**SD-SLIM** · 05-11-2011, 12:19 AM

sounds great...do you have any pictures of it?

kingmoltar · 05-11-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD-SLIM

sounds great...do you have any pictures of it?

Just pics in the bottle, It's still aging

I'm still new at making mead. It was the 2nd batch I have ever made. I probably needed to let it clarify longer. But it still came out pretty clear, just a slight haze in it.

**SD-SLIM** · 05-11-2011, 02:04 PM

Congratulation's on your seconds batch! Age will defiantly help, keep me updated as to how long it took to get it where you wanted it to be...I am a big fan of Chai in beers and in mead.
Happy Brewing!

vicratlhead51 · 08-11-2011, 06:17 PM

I love chai tea, I think I'll try this for my first mead. One thing I gotta check on though, the T is for tablespoon and the t is for teaspoon right? Oh and is the clove whole cloves or crushed cloves?

WarrantedFED · 08-16-2011, 03:25 AM

Wow, this sounds really good!!

A couple of comment: I've done a couple of meads, but 20 lbs of honey sounds like a lot. Wouldn't the yeast strain top out due to alcohol tolerance?

Also, the vanilla bean: Did you end up with a very mild vanilla flavor, or a stronger flavor?

kingmoltar · 08-16-2011, 08:01 PM

yes, T= Tablespoon... t= teaspoon

And after drinking it i would suggest to drop the honey content by 2-5 lbs. unless you like really sweet.
Also I used ground clove and I would drop that by at least 1 T
And increase the vanilla bean by 1-2.

those are the things I'm going to do when i make another batch. It was really good, just need to tweak it a little

WarrantedFED · 08-17-2011, 12:14 AM

I see, thank you!

vicratlhead51 · 01-23-2012, 08:42 PM

Finally got around to making this, well I made it in sept but just bottled it last week. A real pretty clear gold color. I only used 14 lb of honey and dropped the cloves like you said. It fermented out completely and finished at .990 so it was dry but still had a real pleasant honey spice flavor. I'll let it age a month or so before I open a bottle but I suspect with how strong it is it'll probably last into next winter too.

Penguinetti · 01-26-2012, 06:44 PM

What would the additional Pectin Enzyme be for?