wickerman
Well-Known Member
I found a recipe for a "Traditional Polish Mead" a while ago that has really intrigued me, but there are a few things I don't really understand (rough translation?). Don't remember where I found it, but here it is-
Traditional Polish Mead
Czworniak -("Quadruple" - refers to water to honey ratio) - 5 gals.
17 lbs honey
4 gals water
1 tsp tartaric acid
1 tsp tanin
4 tsp yeast nutrient
Additives to Polish Mead
hops - 2 ozs
1 tsp ginger
part of a stick of cinamon
1/2 stick vanilla
pinch of nutmeg
6 cloves
2 pepper corns
lemon skin
orange skin
champagne, sherry or Madiera yeast - rehydrated at 100 degrees F.
Directions
Boil water, add honey and citrus skins. Tie hops and spices in a cloth with a small stone so that the cloth bag sinks to the bottom. Boil the liquid and skim until clear. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Place liquid in primary
fermenter, add rehydrated yeast. Skim, then rack to secondary fermenter. If using hop pellets, several rackings may be required. Allow several weeks, or at least two to three years for the Czworniak or Trojniak respectively. The sugar reading should be zero or less upon completion of fermentation. Bottle and age at least one years. Original recipe calls for aging between
seven and one hundred years.
This recipe sounds like it will be wonderful, or vomit, but I think i want to give it a try. Here are my questions/concerns
-Would lemon and orange skin be zest?
-Does "Boil the liquid and skim until clear" mean until no more foam?
-Should I use fresh or powdered ginger?
-Would the flavor be too diluted if I only boiled the "additives" and then added the honey after boil?
-Yeast recomendations?
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
wickerman
Traditional Polish Mead
Czworniak -("Quadruple" - refers to water to honey ratio) - 5 gals.
17 lbs honey
4 gals water
1 tsp tartaric acid
1 tsp tanin
4 tsp yeast nutrient
Additives to Polish Mead
hops - 2 ozs
1 tsp ginger
part of a stick of cinamon
1/2 stick vanilla
pinch of nutmeg
6 cloves
2 pepper corns
lemon skin
orange skin
champagne, sherry or Madiera yeast - rehydrated at 100 degrees F.
Directions
Boil water, add honey and citrus skins. Tie hops and spices in a cloth with a small stone so that the cloth bag sinks to the bottom. Boil the liquid and skim until clear. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Place liquid in primary
fermenter, add rehydrated yeast. Skim, then rack to secondary fermenter. If using hop pellets, several rackings may be required. Allow several weeks, or at least two to three years for the Czworniak or Trojniak respectively. The sugar reading should be zero or less upon completion of fermentation. Bottle and age at least one years. Original recipe calls for aging between
seven and one hundred years.
This recipe sounds like it will be wonderful, or vomit, but I think i want to give it a try. Here are my questions/concerns
-Would lemon and orange skin be zest?
-Does "Boil the liquid and skim until clear" mean until no more foam?
-Should I use fresh or powdered ginger?
-Would the flavor be too diluted if I only boiled the "additives" and then added the honey after boil?
-Yeast recomendations?
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
wickerman