First mead...ever

I bottled up my first batch of mead today. The husband is a honey addict and asked me to try and make some. Being a mad scientist and all, I brewed it with passionflowers because, well, I thought if it turned out like crap, then I could use it medicinally for insomnia. It turned out really good, had a pretty color and a pleasant taste, but it didn't clear. Was that because I boiled the passionflowers? If I just poured the hot syrup mixture over the flowers, next time, would it clear off? Also, I am new at the wine and mead making thing, but old school when it comes to herbal remedies. Can anyone tell me if the medicinal qualities of my herbs are lost in the fermentation process. I hate drinking teas, and I love drinking wine (begrudgingly, mead is ok) and I thought that the remedies would be more tolerable made into a nice fermented beverage. Thanks a bunch....

A good dig around may (or not) have helped.

Flowers, as I understand it, can be harder to extract than fruit because of their very nature.

There are a number of methods/techniques that help with fruit, like the anecdotal evidence that pectic enzyme not only helps prevent pectin hazes, but also to improve colour and flavour extraction. Or that depending on what you're aiming for, using most or even all the fruit in secondary, as the fruit isn't exposed to the harsh actions of primary ferment. You get a more fruity flavour, as the aromatics and flavours don't seem to get blown straight out the air lock.

So I'm thinking, that it would depend on the flower where its best to make a tincture, or boiling/hot water, or just putting them into secondary, or.........?

Flower aromatics are much more volatile than with fruit (generally) so how you'd impart then is gonna be hit or miss, without a research lab in your pocket.......

As for clearing, how long did you wait ? Maybe you don't like the idea of using finings.......