Tepache Mead

Made the Tepache Mead recipe that is in the latest issue of Zymurgy today. I jack up the batch size to 5 gallons and use 18lbs of cane sugar. Let's see what happens here. Any thoughts on the taste if fermented cane sugar? I have a feeling it us going to be incredibly "hot".

I also used my normal regimen of pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and potassium sorbate. Used champagne yeast to do the work.

I'm curious - any chance you could post the recipe?

I used this recipe. The recipe in zymurgy is tuned for 3 gallons.

5 gallons water.
18 lbs turbinado (raw cane sugar)
8 cinnamon sticks
170 degrees for 10 minutes
Lalvin EC-1118

After primary fermentation add 4 cinnamon sticks, 20 whole cloves, 20 allspice berries, 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 6 vanilla beans.

The recipe sounds interesting... and I've been looking for things like this to try.

But please pardon my ignorance... why is this considered a mead if there's no honey?

Good question....to which I do not have an answer.

OneCerebralSamurai said:

The recipe sounds interesting... and I've been looking for things like this to try.

But please pardon my ignorance... why is this considered a mead if there's no honey?

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I was about to ask the same thing. it does sound interesting though

Sounds like the beginning to an interesting moonshine.

FYI: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/tepache-200053/

Seems everything I find when I search " tepache" on the internet points to the above type fruit concoction.

jeepinjeepin said:

Sounds like the beginning to an interesting moonshine.

Click to expand...

Erm, I'd definitely agree with that.

The recipe sounds rather like a "Sugar Turbo" mix, which is designed to make a "sugar wash" for distillation, so you end up with neutral spirit for mixing with commercial spirit flavourings......

Certainly nothing like mead, which is honey based.....

regards

fatbloke

Airlock is still bubbling away. Smells a lot like green apples.

that's not mead...That's Hooch!!!

Still going. Took a reading. Still a little high at 1.035.

I just made this guy yesterday. Used the Piloncillo that the recipe prescribed. It's a bit slow on the bubbling, but this is the first mead-type concoction I've made, so that might be normal.

This does look like a good Rum wash. I thought about running it through a still, I'm curious how it'd be.

I might try this. Looks interesting for sure. If mixed with beer, anyone have suggestions on what kind and ratio?

Moved to the secondary with the additional spices today. I re-pitched a second packet of yeast a couple weeks ago. Consequently, this dried out almost completely (went from 1082 OG to 1004 FG). Surprisingly though, it still manages a sweet taste.

I'm looking forward to how it tastes after hanging out with the spices for a couple weeks. I might throw some campden tablets in there to kill the yeasties and then back-sweeten with some more piloncillo if it ends up too dry.

Good to hear it took more yeast. Mine finished at 1.035. I guess I'll pitch more and see what happens. It's way too sweet right now.

Going to bottles today. I'm going to prime them and hope for a little additional carbonation. It tastes great, and despite its low gravity still tastes sweet enough.

I wish I'd gone a little heavier on the vanilla and hot pepper though. I only used 2 beans for my 3 gallon batch (those two beans cost me like $9 or something ridiculous), and I didn't have fresh jalapeno on hand when I did it, so I used some hot pepper flakes instead. Overall, good stuff though.

Cracked a bottle open today. Barely any noticeable carbonation to it, but it tastes pretty darn good. Maybe another week of conditioning will lend a few more bubbles to it.

Overall, a good endeavor! I'd probably make this again.