I used #7 25 count bag from the local brew shop. I guess that having to crate them upright for the 2300 mile trip and letting them stay like that while in storage and warm, may have affected the out come. To nights sample taste alright still "hot", but the honey and vanilla is starting to come to the foreground.
Recipe;
14 lbs Flagstaff Wildflower honey
4 gal. purified water
2 Vanilla beans
2 tsp gypsum
Wyeast 4632 Dry Mead yeast
2 tsp yeast nutrient
2 lbs Flagstaff Wildflower honey
2 tsp yeast nutrient
6/24/06 Activate yeast pack and fallow instructions
bring 4 gal to 160, add 14lbs honey and vanilla beans, back to 160 for 20 min. skim off top sediments.
cool to 70 f. pour into primary carboy, top up to 5 gal.
pitch yeast, add 2 tsp yeast nutrient.
Airiate 3 1/2 min with lees stirrer
Airlock 75 f room temp. 1.10 sg.
7/1 pasturized 2 lbs Flagstaff honey in 2 1/2 quarts of purified water 20 min.
ice bath cool down 76f add 2 tsp yeast nutrient.
airiate by shaking 1 gal jug five min.
add to primary 1.048 sg @76f
7/10 .0990 sg @ 75f Racked to secondary carboy. placed in tub with pump and fan, 68f chiller
8/13 racked to third carboy .0990 sg. @70f
11/26 racked to fourth carboy .0990 @ 75f add 1 1/4 tsp potassium sorbate.
11/30 add super-kleer KC.
12/2/06 bottled.
taste test every couple months still "hot"
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