Skyrim and Mead

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Hey guys, I brew beer to start off, what exactly is mead? From this thread it looks like a honey beer? I love skyrim, oblivion and morrowind, I have the skyrim guide, and I'll take a look to see if any recipes are here. I'll let you know if I find anything.
 
Oh it's a wine, ok that sounds good.
I wanted to try some for a while but didn't know what it was
 
I love Skyrim. I borrowed it from a friend about 3 months ago and I beat the entire game (with the exception of quite a few side quests) about 2 months afterwards lol. All major quests done.

I do recall a Juniper berry mead mentioned in it and I plan to utilize my hopefully soon acquired degree in Chemistry to concoct such a wonderous drink! Of course, I am sure I will run into issues with copyright laws if I were to attempt to legally sell it lol. I will continue to refine my search for a possible recipe and maybe bring some interest from the general public into the world of meads!

EDIT
Ok, so here is a list of ingredients for anyone interested (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ingredients), but I am definitely thinking the perfect recipe is:

For 5 gallons
12-15# Honey
Spring Water (lots of it)
1# Juniper Berries
3 oz. Crushed Lavender
5 Ice Wraith Teeth (crushed of course)
1 Nirnroot (Just to add the glowing effect: Gotta have pizazz!)
1 Bowl of Vampire Dust (nice and tangy)
2 Bowls of Troll Fat (To give the mead some body and delicious cholesterol)

Suggestions? Opinions? I'm all ears :)
 
It will defiantly make you invisible...

FYI
152 hours played, 64 mods, level 60, not even half way done with the main quest
 
between myself (BS in Biology), Biochemedic, and jondthechemist, it looks like HBT is gathering quite a few science majors with a tendency toward applied microbiology.

This makes me happeh. So does Skyrim. Just an observation.
 
Do you guys have a good online source for Ice Wraith Teeth? I'd just go fight some ice wraiths, but then I'd have to leave my Xbox and my carboys. Plus, this knee is killing me.

I love that this thread is here. Two of my geeky worlds collide! :mug:

Ok, so here is a list of ingredients for anyone interested (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ingredients), but I am definitely thinking the perfect recipe is:

For 5 gallons
12-15# Honey
Spring Water (lots of it)
1# Juniper Berries
3 oz. Crushed Lavender
5 Ice Wraith Teeth (crushed of course)
1 Nirnroot (Just to add the glowing effect: Gotta have pizazz!)
1 Bowl of Vampire Dust (nice and tangy)
2 Bowls of Troll Fat (To give the mead some body and delicious cholesterol)

Suggestions? Opinions? I'm all ears :)
 
There's also a Nord mead in game, which is described as having a "cold" taste like very strong mint. Then the game describes some nonsense about this due to the mead being allowed to freeze, but I don't think I'll be doing that if I attempt to make a strong mint mead.
 
Hey all, here because of Skyrim also.

Indeed because of Nord Mead in particular, and its chilly minty properties.

Can anyone suggest a way besides peppermint to create/supplement this extra chilly feature of the mead?

Will try making the Honningbrew or straight Mint Mead otherwise.

Only ever tried making IPA before.
 
If you can get your hands on basswood (aka Lin) honey... it has a lovely minty note to it. Could be what you are looking for.
 
I am another one who started drinking mead because of Skyrim. Luckily I live close enough to B. Nectar that all my favorite beer stores carry ample supply.

That supply however can bee expensive, so I just recently started toying with meadmaking. I'm not a gin fan so I am unsure about the Juniper berries, but I like the lavander and especially elderberry ideas thrown out there. My grandma used to pick fresh elderberries to make jam. It was my favorite! I have to imagine that they'd make a great mead as well.

For my "Elder Mead" I was thinking of using both elderberries and elderberry flower petals. I've read about a lightly fermented French drink using a syrup made from the flowers. I also read that the berries can be poisonous unless they are cooked before being consumed (something to think about if anyone else is trying an elderberry mead)
 
I learned about mead while exploring Solstheim for the first time. The Elder Scrolls however is not the reason I am making mead, in fact I never really even paid attention to all the reference to mead in Skyrim until I made my first batch (JAOM).

Maybe there is a recipe in Solstheim? I am playing Arena right now, and eventually I'll get to Skyrim, which I am going to re play. When I get to Morrowind, I'll let you folks know if I find anything, that won't be for a long time though.

By the way, Arena is awesome! It's also free on the Elder Scrolls website, as is Daggerfall.
 
If you can get your hands on basswood (aka Lin) honey... it has a lovely minty note to it. Could be what you are looking for.

Will absolutely use that, thanks.

It's probably just for no other reason that giving Skyrim a deeper lore, but if I can find real world options to make it as I said, very "cold" to the taste, then all the better.
 
Maybe throw some peppermint candies into it? Just a thought, you could boil in a pint or quart of water and make a syrup and then add to the mead.

I've never made mead before, so what do I know. I have logged 109 hours of Skyrim, though.
 
Indeed because of Nord Mead in particular, and its chilly minty properties.

Can anyone suggest a way besides peppermint to create/supplement this extra chilly feature of the mead.


Peppermint or spearmint does quite well, because the sensation comes from a protein called the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8), which is expressed in sensory neurons. It needs menthol to activate, hence peppermint and other mint oils. You can also try adding some xylitol as it enhances minty cool feeling, and is a non-fermentable.

Oh, on the elderberries needing to be cooked before use...I use black- fresh and dried. The dry I steep in hot water. I do believe the red elderberry is the one that requires cooking.
 
Xylitol lowers the temperature of the mouth, not just making the mouth FEEL colder. crazy stuff.
 
For my "Elder Mead" I was thinking of using both elderberries and elderberry flower petals. I've read about a lightly fermented French drink using a syrup made from the flowers.

We must be cut from similar cloth! Currently aging an elderflower metheglin. If you proceed with this idea, make sure you come up with a plan for filtering the flowers out!

http://imgur.com/a/MGwbA
This guy went to great lengths to make sure his in-game booze cabinet was fully stocked. Maybe there's more ideas in there?

It's been awhile since I posted here, but the Black-Briar Mead I made is finally all gone. I set aside a good portion of it to drink a year after I made it, and I'm glad I did! Here's a rough reproduction of the recipe from my notes:

-5 gal batch
-15 lbs wildflower honey (I imagined the Nords wouldn't have TOO much control over where their bees harvested, since their hives weren't portable)
-3 lbs pureed strawberry in primary (about 25 days)
-3 lbs pureed strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry in secondary (about 25 more days)
-1 oz oak cubes in tertiary (about 30 days)
-Lalvin 71b-1122 yeast

It was a lot of work, and racking so much caused a bit of loss. I was very happy with the fruit additions, thought it would be cool to include the blackberries (black briars lol) but they contributed a really cool color to it that I've not seen in any of my meads since.
 
Interesting to say the least. Don't think I could of got a better answer. Will get all these things involved and see how it turns out.

Is there a way to keep it cloudy and full of flavour? Not too into the amber syrupy mead.
 
Heat the fruit, that will set the pectins and keep it cloudy for ya. Should have minimal adverse effects on the flavor as long as its not "cooked".
 
I just found the one I had too light and "boiled sweet" in texture, I think i'd like a heavier one, and a thickness to it(?).
 
Cause you can pick snowberries in skyrim. I'm sure there is other honey / plants you can get. But I thought it was interesting is all. Apparently is makes a nice buttery kind of smooth mead. Maybe not as thick, but I'm gonna try it one day.
 
So I've been thinking about this and this is what I came up with. I'm going to mix it up this weekend.

Batch Size (fermenter): 4,50 l
Estimated OG: 1.068
Estimated FG: 0.985

Primary - 21 Days - 15*C (59*F)
1.00kg (2.2lb) Pine Honey
0.25kg (0.55lb) Blackberries, Frozen
0.15kg (0.33lb) Jalapeno Pepper
4.00 Black Tea Bag
0.5pkg SafLager West European Lager (S-23)

Secondary - 21 days - 13*C (55*F)
0.25kg (0.55lb) Blackberries, Frozen - added for last 7 days
0.10kg (0.22lb) Jalapeno Pepper, Frozen - added for last 7 days

Tertiary - 60 days - 10*C (50*F)
30.00g (1.0oz) Oak Chips, Lightly Roasted American - added for last 14 days

1) Boil about a quart of water (1L) and steep Tea Bags for 10 minutes
2) Rehydrate yeast with 250ml warm water, 1g nutrient and 30g honey
3) Add jalapeno peppers and blackberries to the boiled water and steep for 20 minutes
4) Place honey and a quart (1L) of water into carboy and shake like hell for a couple minutes
5) Strain tea/berry/pepper water into carboy
6) Add yeast, top off with water and insert Air Lock

It should end up around 11% so it may need to be aged a couple months in the bottle. Anyone have any comments or suggestions? I've only done one mead, a couple ciders and a half dozen beer.

Thanks all!!
BC
 
So funny. Skyrim gave me the inspiration to begin brewing mead as well. Well, that, and Game of Thrones. Hopefully my first brew will be ready for the Season 3 Finale!!

Check out my first brew if you can to give me some feedback. The thread is titled "Blackberry Mead" - First Home Brew.
 
So I had an idea... The Nord mead was supposed to have a cold mouthfeel or something like that due to being freeze distilled yada yada... I was thinking about using Polaris hops to get that feel. My question with the Polaris is when should i use it to get the most of that cold glacier sensation... Dry hop for a few days, end of the boil, etc... anyone work with Polaris before?
 
Just brewed up a Juniper Braggot finally, very excited for it!

2 Gallon Recipe

2 lbs Light DME
3 lbs Honey (I used a blend) - during cooldown
1 oz Crystal 120
1 oz US Fuggles - .5oz at 60 - .5oz at flameout
20 Juniper berries soaked in Bourbon - added to primary
Montrachet yeast

O.G. 1.082
 
So I had an idea... The Nord mead was supposed to have a cold mouthfeel or something like that due to being freeze distilled yada yada... I was thinking about using Polaris hops to get that feel. My question with the Polaris is when should i use it to get the most of that cold glacier sensation... Dry hop for a few days, end of the boil, etc... anyone work with Polaris before?

This is a very very late reply, but I have some new info. I made a honey ale with 3# of honey and it completely neutralized 2oz of hops. So whatever you use, use double what you think you need. I guess honey actually can cancel out the bittering acids released form hops so it doesn't work properly.
 
This is a very very late reply, but I have some new info. I made a honey ale with 3# of honey and it completely neutralized 2oz of hops. So whatever you use, use double what you think you need. I guess honey actually can cancel out the bittering acids released form hops so it doesn't work properly.

That explains A LOT. I've been trying to figure out why every Braggot I make is WAY less bitter than it should be, given the "IBU's". I guess the answer was staring me in the face the whole time.

:tank:
 
This is a very very late reply, but I have some new info. I made a honey ale with 3# of honey and it completely neutralized 2oz of hops. So whatever you use, use double what you think you need. I guess honey actually can cancel out the bittering acids released form hops so it doesn't work properly.

Thanks for the feedback!
 
I came across this recipe for Sweet/Blackberry Briar on the Rabbits Foot website and thought it would be of interest to the thread. The recipe apparently originates from Kenelm Digby, a Knight and Alchemist. Might be the thing everyone is looking for.

http://www.rabbitsfootmeadery.com/CAGM/guide_to_mead.html

You might also check his cook book 'Closet of Kenelm Digby' at Project Gutenberg. There are a lot of Metheglin recipes, although I think I would omit ingredients such as 'Mouse ear'...

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16441/16441-h/16441-h.htm
 
I just wish I had a tankard to drink out of instead of a glass mug. I'm working on a recipe for a skyrim mead if anyone wants to join. Most likely with juniper berries since that is one of the first things you hear in the game.

Check this out: http://www.instructables.com/id/Viking-beer-mug-no-power-tools-no-tools-at-all/

I know it's a bit of an old post, but some ideas, like mead, get better with age!

I made one of these out of oak and it is a pure laugh to drink out of. Makes for a real talking point at parties etc. Gaining access to propolis is a whole lot easier if you're a beekeeper, like me!

GO FOR IT
 
What about a Companions Mead? I know its not in the game but c'mon Jorrvaskr is a famous mead hall. Why shouldn't they have their own recipe? :)

I found this recipe for Wolf Moon (no kidding, thats what the guy called it) Mead and my first thought turned to the companions.

Pasting the recipe below. I plan to make a batch and see how it taste.

(WOLF MOON MEAD )Blackberries and Spices

1 package of Red Star "Premier Cuvee" yeast
Yeast nutrient
4 pounds of clover honey
1 gallon of spring water
8 ounces of Black berries - Frozen
1 whole clove
inch and a quarter ( 1 1/4 ) long section of a vanilla bean. Split length-wise.
 
What about a Companions Mead? I know its not in the game but c'mon Jorrvaskr is a famous mead hall. Why shouldn't they have their own recipe? :)

I found this recipe for Wolf Moon (no kidding, thats what the guy called it) Mead and my first thought turned to the companions.

Pasting the recipe below. I plan to make a batch and see how it taste.

(WOLF MOON MEAD )Blackberries and Spices

1 package of Red Star "Premier Cuvee" yeast
Yeast nutrient
4 pounds of clover honey
1 gallon of spring water
8 ounces of Black berries - Frozen
1 whole clove
inch and a quarter ( 1 1/4 ) long section of a vanilla bean. Split length-wise.

Good luck with your batch! I bet the vanilla will taste lovely. I am sure you could pick it up from a khajiit that has recently been to more southern regions of Tamriel than Skyrim.

I'd think trying to make a simple Nord Mead would be great fun. In Bloodmoon it is described as a such a powerful beverage it can even knock a Nord over! In Skyrim it is described as being made with huge amounts of honey, cold brewed (obviously, 'tis a cold region!), and a slightly minty. So perhaps it is a sack mead with a bit of mint for flavor. I don't expect Nords to do anything incredibly special/complicated with their brews, but you never know!
 
So Wolf Moon is fermenting away. I'll update in a month or 2 with some pics from racking and bottling.
 
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