joes quick grape mead started

I took a look at joes grape mead and i though it looked appealing. So i started a one gallon batch today, followed recipe to a tee, but im not sure if starting og was 1.120 or 1.140, should of wrote down right then but i was too concentrated on sealing everything up real quick. Here are some pics, and if anyone knows normal og could ya tell me?









George

Looks good, got the recipe?

Wow this looks really easy, I've never done a mead, but with my wife on the other side of the globe right now (stationed aboard the USNS Mercy, a NAVY hospital ship) I've got more free time than I know what to do with. I think I may just have to make this tomorrow.

after 2 weeks i wonder if i could get away with racking onto sorbate/campden, then bottling and just let it finish and clear in bottles?

I've made this a few times and it's a very nice quick mead.

summersolstice said:

I've made this a few times and it's a very nice quick mead.

Click to expand...

I agree 100%! I entered this in a contest recently, and it scored a 42.5 with both judges commenting that it's the best pyment they've ever tasted

After racking onto sorbate and campden, I back sweeten with 5 oz. of grape juice and 6 oz. of honey.

AZ_IPA said:

I agree 100%! I entered this in a contest recently, and it scored a 42.5 with both judges commenting that it's the best pyment they've ever tasted

After racking onto sorbate and campden, I back sweeten with 5 oz. of grape juice and 6 oz. of honey.

Click to expand...

How much sorbate and campden do you use for one gallon? sorry I know it is a noob question tried to find it but couldn't..

1 campden tab and 1/2 tsp of potassium sorbate.

2 weeks in i racked into secondary. My og was 1.120-1.140 slipped my mind before i got to write it down. Took a gravity reading and after 2 weeks right at 1.000! grape fire water! Im going to see what my sample tastes like and maybe post a pic of what it looks like, chilling in the fridge atm.

I have followed this recipe with different Welch's juices, but liked the Grape/Black Cherry, and Grape/Blueberry/Pomegranate the best. I have even tried a batch with the Old Orchard Apple/Cranberry juice and it tasted great. I have not tried bottling directly from primary though it should not be an issue as long as you don't mind some sediment at the bottom. The extra two weeks in secondary allow the mead to really clear. It will age very nicely, although I haven't had any last past six months!

Im doing secondary, but it would seem the honey added while racking that i mixed well with the six ounces of juice turned to sludge and sank. Being a new brewer im going to try to practice patience and put 1/4-1/2 of my meads and ciders aside for at least six months, probably not beer though.

Ill crack into all my aging reserves at the end of 2011 just in case the world ends 2012, would be a shame not to drink all i brewed lol. Maybe i should start labeling, just in case 2012 really does happen.

That way if anyone does survive maybe they will uncover a bottle of "Joe's quick grape mead" by George under the rubble 50 years down the road. They will be shocked at the complexity! (and a bunch of wine describing words i dont know). Then some guy like Nicholas Cage, or Tom Hanks will go on a quest across the world, near and far, thick and thin, fighting through the competition searching for the "JOE'S QUICK GRAPE MEAD" recipe. In conclusion he will find the recipe, only to see it consists of honey and a mass produced grape juice from concentrate with 120% vitamin C! The answer was always so clear, so simple... But then again, some of the greatest aspects of life are just that, simple.

George