Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

It has been fermenting for 4 hours now & no bubbles what so ever... did i mess up?

Nice to see a fellow Tulsa Brewer on here. Just assembled my first attempt at this recipe last night and already Bubbling happily in the closet

Tnoodle said:

I have a couple bottles that are 7 months old and it gets better and better every month. I also entered a bottle in a competition so we will see how it does.

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vekzero said:

It has been fermenting for 4 hours now & no bubbles what so ever... did i mess up?

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I'm a little confused, you say its fermenting for 4 hours but with no airlock movement? When you look at your fermenter do you see a yeast floating around?

When I pitched my yeast is was activly fermenting within an hour.

Maybe your airlock does not have a proper seal? you could always toss in another packet of yeast. When I did the recipe I tossed in a whole packet of yeast in.

vekzero said:

It has been fermenting for 4 hours now & no bubbles what so ever... did i mess up?

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Do not rely on airlock activity for fermentation activity

Bartman6969 said:

Nice to see a fellow Tulsa Brewer on here. Just assembled my first attempt at this recipe last night and already Bubbling happily in the closet

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I really think that high gravity should brew a 5 gallon batch of this since they have the resources and the fermentors. This would be really cool to see when you walked into their shop.

This is what it looks like over night. I am assuming all that that sediment on the bottom is from the oranges & cinnamon? But yeah nothing from the airlock besides two bubbles every 10 mins.

vekzero said:

This is what it looks like over night. I am assuming all that that sediment on the bottom is from the oranges & cinnamon? But yeah nothing from the airlock besides two bubbles every 10 mins.

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By the way your carboy looks, there was a very active fermentation. The oranges could be blocking the co2 that is in there. I suggest that you top it up.

Tnoodle said:

By the way your carboy looks, there was a very active fermentation. The oranges could be blocking the co2 that is in there. I suggest that you top it up.

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I will give that a try. Thanks

It only takes like a week to 10 days for it to ferment, the rest of the 2 months is for clearing and aging.

Maybe we should bring it up to them?

Tnoodle said:

I really think that high gravity should brew a 5 gallon batch of this since they have the resources and the fermentors. This would be really cool to see when you walked into their shop.

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Mines been sitting in the fermenter for 1 month. The fruit hasnt dropped. Should i just bottle it? Has it been too long?

underground and under the influence

I would wait for it to clear. Usually I let mine sit in the fermenter "as long as I can stand it" which is usually about 3-4 months.

2brew1cup said:

Mines been sitting in the fermenter for 1 month. The fruit hasnt dropped. Should i just bottle it? Has it been too long?

underground and under the influence

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Enjoying a glass now. Made this on May 6 2011. I've had a few bottles here and there, but it didn't seem quite ready, for me anyway. I gotta say, today this is just really nice. beautiful color and has a slight warmth to it. How does everyone prefer theirs? Chilled? or room temp? I've only had it chilled...

dan09554 said:

Enjoying a glass now. Made this on May 6 2011. I've had a few bottles here and there, but it didn't seem quite ready, for me anyway. I gotta say, today this is just really nice. beautiful color and has a slight warmth to it. How does everyone prefer theirs? Chilled? or room temp? I've only had it chilled...

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I like mine room temperature, actually. It's sort of "warming" that way.

Mine tastes aweful a month into fermenting.. Smells like cat pee. Is this normal? I know it will age but...

underground and under the influence

2brew, i had my first taste after 2 months. to me, it still tasted like jet fuel, then. today, well just fantastic. can't imagine it getting better.

I made my first batch according to the original recipe with one exception...just used the zest of the oranges and not the pith. I bottled after 2 months (had cleared by then) and now it's 2 months in the bottle. It's just incredible! No hotness...no jet fuel...just perfect. It was quite a hit at the Halloween party since many of our friends are not beer drinkers (for shame!!). Even those that were drinking beer loved the mead as well, though.

I will be making another 2 batches pretty soon....one with the same original recipe and one with the blueberry/vanilla bean variant that I saw someone post earlier. This time, however, both batches will each be 5 gallon instead of 2.5 gallons. It just goes too fast.

To repeat yet again the HBT mantra....thanks, Yooper!!

2brew1cup said:

Mine tastes aweful a month into fermenting.. Smells like cat pee. Is this normal? I know it will age but...

underground and under the influence

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Why would you taste it a month into fermenting? It is going to taste bad because it is still fermenting. I don't know what to tell you about the cat pee.

Just a taste.. Also it seems to be done fermenting

underground and under the influence

I started a gallon on 8/8/11, and it's not really showing any sign of clearing. I mean, it's definitely clearer than when it was fermenting, but nowhere clear enough to read through. I can barely see the shape of my hand through the jar. This isn't really a very quick mead, IME.

Wow thats odd huesmann, that hasnt been my experience at all. Not denying your experience just surprised. Have you been jostling the fermenter before trying to read through the liquid, by any chance?

huesmann said:

I started a gallon on 8/8/11, and it's not really showing any sign of clearing. I mean, it's definitely clearer than when it was fermenting, but nowhere clear enough to read through. I can barely see the shape of my hand through the jar. This isn't really a very quick mead, IME.

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Mine did this also, and then one day I walked into my man cave and everything had dropped. Just wait a little longer.

I have a question I did a very small batch of this with a gravity of 1.060 so I added sugar to it. I forgot the OG but think it was around 1.070. I took a reading and it was .996 is that normal. I could NOT stand tasting this pile. It's so harsh with no flavor. It is still very young. Maybe this time next year it will calm down.

Was it white sugar, random? Or were you using the term general term sugar re: extra honey.

CreamyGoodness said:

Was it white sugar, random? Or were you using the term general term sugar re: extra honey.

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It was white cane sugar I am ready to toss it if it still taste like crap after a couple months. It was my first batch ever. I may even remake it without the added sugar this weekend I haven't decided yet.

Ive never heard of anyone adding white sugar to the mix in a JAOM, so unless I'm way off base Id say that was the issue. Did you just run out of honey? I'd think that white sugar would help give it a more rubbing alcohol prison wine like flavor.

First time mead maker here so don't shoot me but I'm thinking I'll take the plunge and make a 5 gallon batch because if I like it I'm going to wish i had more right? So do I use more yeast for the 5 gallon size?

I'm no expert, so I hope the blokes and frydogs and Insomniacs of the world dont think I am getting uppity when I answer. However, I have always read that 1 gallon to 5 gallons is the same amount of yeast.

See i upped my yeast and i think that is my major issue..

underground and under the influence

Ive used as much as 2 tablespoons (yikes I know) in a 1 gallon batch, with very limited negative consequences.

CreamyGoodness said:

Ive never heard of anyone adding white sugar to the mix in a JAOM, so unless I'm way off base Id say that was the issue. Did you just run out of honey? I'd think that white sugar would help give it a more rubbing alcohol prison wine like flavor.

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Um, I only used 1.5lbs because honey was expensive. I when I used it the og was low like a ale. So I thought I should sugar jack it. Now its super strong.

RandomBeerGuy said:

I have a question I did a very small batch of this with a gravity of 1.060 so I added sugar to it. I forgot the OG but think it was around 1.070. I took a reading and it was .996 is that normal. I could NOT stand tasting this pile. It's so harsh with no flavor. It is still very young. Maybe this time next year it will calm down.

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Hey Random, if it were me, I would bottle what you have made already, forget about it for 6 months to a year and dont expect too much. Seems a shame, not to mention a waste of time and money, to throw out anything without giving it the proper time. One common issue in this thread is that these meads all are a little rough without having a little time on the bottle. Secondly I would get another batch started as soon as possible, try walmart, costco or bj's wholesale for better prices on honey. This way you can compare the two and know what or what not to do in the future.

Im not blaming you or saying you did anything wrong, I know honey is expensive trust me. I would think that even a pound and a half of white sugar would be enough to make some serious jet fuel, though.

MeinStein said:

Hey Random, if it were me, I would bottle what you have made already, forget about it for 6 months to a year and dont expect too much. Seems a shame, not to mention a waste of time and money, to throw out anything without giving it the proper time. One common issue in this thread is that these meads all are a little rough without having a little time on the bottle. Secondly I would get another batch started as soon as possible, try walmart, costco or bj's wholesale for better prices on honey. This way you can compare the two and know what or what not to do in the future.

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Since its sitting on the oranges, If I bottle it would the orange show though over time. If I already take it off the oranges?

RandomBeerGuy said:

Since its sitting on the oranges, If I bottle it would the orange show though over time. If I already take it off the oranges?

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How long has it been sitting on the oranges?

RandomBeerGuy said:

Since its sitting on the oranges, If I bottle it would the orange show though over time. If I already take it off the oranges?

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If the oranges have dropped I would go as per instructions. Seems like this recipe is very popular for a reason, its simple and good. I just made my first batch of this stuff in the beginning of October and I am still waiting for the oranges to drop but the smell of this stuff is amazing. I have gathered from all of the pros at mead making that time is the most important thing (couple of guys told me to forget about it for at least 2 years befoer you try it if you want all of the flavors to fully develop) If its been at least a month in your primary they should be ready to drop any day and they should show through, hopefully...

RandomBeerGuy I would wait for the full 2 months and then bottle it. The worst that could happen is that it doesn't taste good. Mine is really good at only 7 months old.

Just started a 5 gallon batch tonight

that look's pretty Tnoodle

This is my 3rd batch and it is so hard to wait the 2 months for it to finish