Last week I started my version of 1 gallon Lord Rhys Chocolate Mead. After I mixed up the must I realized I had adjusted everything except for the Cocoa Powder from the recipe. I hadn't pitched the yeast yet so I just bottled everything in a gallon jar and put it in a cool spot to plan how to adjust it.
I had thought on using my 6 gal carboy and up the recipe. The drawback is that would take 6 quarts of Lin Honey. I did not want to use that much since I can get $15 a quart for it. This week I had a chance to drive to the HB shop and they had a 3 gal carboy so I got it.
Here is my final recipe.
3 Quarts of Lin Honey
3 vanilla beans split.
3/4 tsp yeast energizer
3 tsp yeast nutrient
2 3/4 cup of Organic Cocoa Powder
1 packet of Red Star Cote Des Blancs
I brought about 3 quarts of my good well water up to a steam stage.
Mixed in the honey and cocoa.
I added about 8 quarts of water and let it cool. After the mix cooled I checked the SG (it was 1.125), put the must in the carboy, added the rest of the ingrediants, and pitched the yeast.
After the ferment slows down I will add mor water to reduce the head space in the carboy.
So far this 3 gallon batch has cost me;
$45 that I could have sold the honey for.
$15 for the Organic Cocoa
$4.35 for the Vanilla beans
$26 for the carboy I hadn't planned on getting
for a total of $90.35
If I bottle 3 gallons of mead, which I doubt, that would cost me a little over $6 a bottle.
I had thought on using my 6 gal carboy and up the recipe. The drawback is that would take 6 quarts of Lin Honey. I did not want to use that much since I can get $15 a quart for it. This week I had a chance to drive to the HB shop and they had a 3 gal carboy so I got it.
Here is my final recipe.
3 Quarts of Lin Honey
3 vanilla beans split.
3/4 tsp yeast energizer
3 tsp yeast nutrient
2 3/4 cup of Organic Cocoa Powder
1 packet of Red Star Cote Des Blancs
I brought about 3 quarts of my good well water up to a steam stage.
Mixed in the honey and cocoa.
I added about 8 quarts of water and let it cool. After the mix cooled I checked the SG (it was 1.125), put the must in the carboy, added the rest of the ingrediants, and pitched the yeast.
After the ferment slows down I will add mor water to reduce the head space in the carboy.
So far this 3 gallon batch has cost me;
$45 that I could have sold the honey for.
$15 for the Organic Cocoa
$4.35 for the Vanilla beans
$26 for the carboy I hadn't planned on getting
for a total of $90.35
If I bottle 3 gallons of mead, which I doubt, that would cost me a little over $6 a bottle.