Redhammer Ginger Mead

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Raudhbjorn

Active Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
39
Reaction score
3
Location
Anchorage
Ingredients
Honey - 15 Lbs. 5 oz. (Divided 10 Lbs., 5 Lbs. and 5 oz.)
Blackstrap Molassas Unsulphured - 1 bottle
Rolled Oats - 1 Lb.
Ginger Rhysome - 2 Lbs.
Pineapple Juice - 27 oz.
Lime Juice - 20 oz.
Vanilla Extract - 1 Tbsp
Yeast Energizer - 1 Tbsp
Yeast Nutrient - 1 Tbsp

Equipment
Kettle
Imersion / Counterflow chiller
Primary Fermenter (Pail / Bucket)
Secondary Fermenter (Carboy / Keg)
Quart Starter Jar
Medium Capacity Mesh Bag
Racking Equipment, including filter
Bottleing or Kegging Equipment

Process
Chill all juices prior to beginning operations. Sterilize all equipment.

Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil in the kettle. Load the oats into the mesh bag and add to the kettle. Boil oats for 25 minutes, add Yeast energizer and Yeast nutrient, boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat & remove the oats, allowing to drain. Add cold water to bring the kettle up to 5 gallons, heat to 170 degrees. Turn off heat, add 10 lbs of honey and the molassass, stiring to combine.

Blend pinapple juice, lime juice, ginger and vanilla in the fermentor. Chill must to 75 degrees, seperating 3/4 of a cup out for the starter. Allow must to aerate as it plummets into the fermentor. Add 3/4 of a cup of pineapple juice to the starter and pitch the WLP720. Set aside. Carblock the fermentor, allowing to cool naturally while the starter readies.

When starter is ready, add it to the must, stirring vigourously. Seal the fermentor and allow to ferment for 14 days.

Secondary
Load 5 lbs of warm honey into the secondary fermentor. Rack the must from the primary fermentor into the secondary (saving about 1 1/2 Cups for starter), stirring to combine and aerate. Be certain not to suck up any of the ginger if you can help it. Heat starter to 180 degrees for 5 minutes, then chill to 75 and pitch the WLP715. When the starter is ready, add to the must, stir to combine and carblock and allow to ferment for 30 days.

Finishing
Stir 5 oz of honey into the mead and then rack into bottles or a keg, being certain to filter the mead through a coarse filter (6 micron). Allow to condition for at least a week at 68 F the celler / condition at 35 F - 40 F as long as you like, it only gets better with age.

When you're ready, chill and serve. Relax and have a homebrew.

{edit}
Final ABV worked out to be something in the 25% to 30% range. I have to estimate becasue my vinometer only goes to 25% and I forgot to take an FG reading after I opened the finished product. Please be warned that the inventor is not responsible for loss of; sobriety, sanity, virginity, or employent. Please drink reponsibly.
 
I find it drinkable after 2 weeks of conditioning to carbonate. It definitely gets more complex the longer you let it age, but the ginger flavor also blunts slightly as well, so you have to balance mellow, complex flavor vs. sharp ginger flavor.
 
Anchorage huh?

Maybe we could arrange a mead swap sometime, I have a blueberry vanilla and a JOAM going right now, wont be done for a little while though.

anyways this sounds like a great recipe, may have to give it a try soon.
 
Yeah def sounds like a plan. I just started mine last night though so like yours it will be a little bit before its ready.
 
Only mead I have going right now is JOAM im using to introduce new friends to mead. I do have a nice Irish Red Ale and a Mooseberry Porter in the bucket ATM. I'd be interested in doing a trade whenever y'all are. Next Mead is going in the bucket this week-end. Cinco de Mayo mead.
 
My mead is sitting at about 20% which is a partial guesstimate because I messed up one of the readings. Ready to bottle the 19th!
 
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