Check out my Lemon-Ginger Mead Recipe...

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Mr. Nice Guy

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I decided to make up a mead for my second batch, my first one was JAOM and it is still fermenting. Tell me what you think... whatever is helpful.

Recipe; 1 gallon batch:
3 pounds clover honey
zest and juice of a lemon
25 or so raisins
about 2 cups of ginger tea
(I got 2 cups water and a 1.5 inch cube of sliced ginger, simmered it for about 15 minutes, then turned off the heat and added 1 tea bag of cheap black/orange pekoe tea for tannins, let sit a couple of minutes or so, then added my lemon zest to it for about 30 seconds to help release the oils)
1/5 tsp yeast nutrient (weird chemical stuff so I use 1/5 of recommended)
I topped off with some tap and mostly RO water, my tap water is kinda funky, then shook hard for a couple minutes and added
lalvin D-47 yeast

Everything looks great so far, I put this together last night and this morning saw airlock activity, I keep my house around 65 degrees btw...
I'm hoping for something drinkable here in a few months, but don't mind waiting longer. I hope to get a mead with a balanced sweetness, not too dry, not too sweet.

So what do you think? :mug:
 
I only used a little nutrient for several reasons. #1 it just looks nasty, I don't even know what diammonium phosphate actually is. I think it may contribute to metallic off flavors but that is just something I have heard, don't know for sure. I have also heard that the raisins provide a little bit of nutrient but don't know for sure. Also, back in the day they didn't use it, so why should I now. (well it will take longer I guess) I am using the JAOM as a "template" for this mead but I know the changes I made are too dramatic to compare recipes, Charlie P's books also gave me ideas, he mentions that you don't need nutrient, but hey that guy doesn't worry about anything, lol...

So basically I just don't really know what I'm doing and figured a little nutrient might help. (yeah I'm really new to this, will probably look at this in a few years and just laugh)
 
Look up Hightest's sticky. Yeah nutrients weren't used before, so you can choose to not use them. I, more for a lack of having nutrients, made several batches without them. However, it helps to create a more consistant product, as well as providing the yeasts with everything they need to work quickly, and more importantly better. This leads to yeasts that aren't stressed and that leads to better mead.

If you want to go without because you would like be more traditional, that certainly is fine. But I will say, using only a little bit seems slightly hypocritical, and if you're going to use it, you should use it in the proper methods and amounts.
 
If you want to go without because you would like be more traditional, that certainly is fine. But I will say, using only a little bit seems slightly hypocritical, and if you're going to use it, you should use it in the proper methods and amounts.

No, I thought that if I only used a little in conjunction with the raisins that the yeast would have enough nutrients. I don't want any left over, unused nutrient in my mead if for some reason I added too much. This way I know that the yeast is getting some nutrients for sure. I figure if there is debate over using something, why not compromise. (I have read the sticky, that is one of the reasons for the nutrient)
 
Oh no it's cool, I came off a bit strong too. I was just confused why you would be ok with using some but not the full recommended amounts. A lot of brewing is personal preference, so you're free to ignore me entirely haha, I'm not much of an expert just passing on what I have been told for the most part.
 
When I make ginger syrup for mixed drinks, I like to toss some peppercorns in to the "tea" for a little extra zing. Not sure how that'd work in mead, but it'd be worth a try.
 
Tusch,
Yeah, I'm usually "black and white" on things, but this time I compromised, probably just a newbie mistake, who knows. I compare this too much to my other hobby, growing plants, "no, not too much nutrients!", lol...

Stpierre,
Good idea, I may try it later, most good ginger drinks have some kind of pepper in them, yum. I want to make a molasses/ginger cider soon, may have to try that, Thanks!

:mug:
 
I want to try using ginger in some of my recipes, I haven't tried it yet. Let us know how this turns out and especially the molasses/ginger cider if you go for it. That is a very interesting combo, is it inspired by anything at all like a recipe or does it just sound good to you?
 
Tusch,
I'll let you know how it turns out, check back here every once in a while. Right now fermentation has been steady and strong, I get a bubble in my airlock every second or two. Smells good too but I'm mostly getting a lemon zest odor so far, no ginger but I bet it will come through in the finished product.

I am going to do the molasses/ginger cider in a couple of weeks when my apfelwein is done. I'll probably just do juice, wheat beer yeast, maybe a cup of grandmas molasses (still researching that though, not for sure about amount and type, I might even use blackstrap if that is ok to use) and a good pile of ginger or ginger "tea", I might even throw in a few peppercorns too.

I came up with the general idea for the cider because I like wierd ginger drinks I guess. I used to live in the caribbean and they have all kinds of stuff like that, no ciders though. I know it won't turn out like it but I guess I want the cider version of a Dark and Stormy.(Goslings Black Seal Rum and Barretts Ginger Beer) I got the yeast idea from a thread that I think was called "Better than Apfelwein."

I'll do another one also, just juice with the same yeast, probably white labs hefeweizen (3068 I think). I won't add sugarr or anything, I want just a plain cider, hopefully sweet like strongbow or something.

El Dudearino (sorry not into the whole brevity thing),
No, I didn't go there. I just set the honey container in some warm water so it would be easier to pour.

I have to wonder about boiling honey. I know about the albumin thing but I assume some people boil it so it is sterile. (just guessing) Honey contains Hydrogen Peroxide or something along those lines so in my understanding while it is not sterile it shouldn't have any bacteria or other "bad" stuff in it. This is just something I have been wondering about like the time I thought I had some major breakthrough in brewing because I thought yeast was "always" anerobic, lmao...

Just proofread this believe it or not and man I'm outta control with the parenthesis. :cross: :cross: :mug:
 
One main reason it isn't necessary to boil honey for sanitation purposes, is its moisture content. There is so little water in honey, that essentially nothing can live in it. Hence, if you are going from jug of honey to carboy, you're fine.
 
Update: Fermentation is still pretty strong, maybe 1 bubble every 15-30 seconds. The mead smells good too but I don't smell much ginger. Temp was 65 or so but lately more like 70. I added water about five days ago and that seemed to boost fermentation slightly. So far so good...

I found an old 1/2 gallon growler so I started a cyser today! 12oz wildflower honey, 1/5 tsp DSP nutrient, topped off with apple juice, shook and added some(1 tsp) lalvin D47. Fermenttion started after only a couple of hours, now all I need to do is wait a few months!
 
If you're wanting more ginger flavour, try adding fresh ginger to your secondary, I've found that the boiled ginger is a much softer flavour profile than the fresh ginger. I used both boiled & fresh ginger for a greater depth of flavour in a sparkling apple wine. Also, if you slice your ginger thin or grate it, you'll be able to extract more flavour from it.

Also, IMHO molasses works great in a cyser; but a little bit goes a long way. Depending on how much you like molasses, you might want to keep it under at 10 oz & under for a 5 gallon batch. Molasses will easily overpower the honey & apple flavours. I've never used ginger in conjunction with molasses, but I can see where it might work well, especially if you were going to add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. Good luck & keep us posted on your progress. Regards, GF.
 
GF,
Thanks! I will probably add some paper thin sliced ginger to the secondary. At the time that I made the mead I read somewhere that ginger would inhibit fermentation, but from what I understand now, that was just wrong.

Yeah, I think maybe 1/2 cup molasses or less in 5 gal, Charlie P. recommends 1 cup or less. I will make the ginger molasses cider soon I hope, just waiting for my Apfelwein to finish up, it is getting close I think, has been clear for a week or two. I want to try the wheat beer yeast too...
 
I racked my mead over last night, it is starting to clear up a little today! So far it is not very good with very little ginger or lemon flavor. It tastes like MD20/20 or something. I still think it will be great though, I plan on letting this stuff take all the time it needs. Hopefully the "butt" flavor will dissapear with age.

BTW, I made something along the lines of the cider I was talking about. OT so I'll start a thread or something...
 
I bottled my mead a couple of days ago as it had been clear for a few months. I must say, it tastes great! I really thought it would barely be drinkable yet but it is smooth with no heat or "funky" ginger flavor. Honestly the last time I tasted I thought that maybe ginger was just a bad idea, it had a horrid ginger taste and I love ginger. I am also very happy about the body and it has a nice light amber/caramel color, I coudn't be happier. The ginger and lemon both stand out but do not overpower the honey flavor, exactly what I wanted.

Here in 6 months I'll taste what I bottled, I bet it will be awesome. It already tastes better than any commercial mead I have had.
 
Any pics of the process? Recipe sounds quite tasty.

This is a lesson to always bottle entirely in 12oz bottles or make sure you bottle in a few 12oz bottles so you'll have some to taste to determine if the batch is ready for drinking/giving away on a larger scale!!!
 
Sorry no pics...

And yeah, I like small bottles. I bottled some up in 7 oz little kings bottles and once I get a bench capper I'm going to bottle lots of mead in coronita bottles.
 
I wondered how this turned out after more aging? I've had this recipe bookmarked for a very long time, and it might be time to give it a go. :)

I like lemon (although I haven't done it in a mead yet) and I like ginger. The best mead I've made so far was a peach-ginger. Oh, yum!

My only concern with your recipe is that I keep thinking it has the potential to taste like a hot toddy - lemon, honey, ginger...
 
Any update on this? Sounds like a simple and tasty recipe to try! ...just wondering about the taste.
 
I added Raspberries to a gallon batch of ginger lemon mead. Used a mix of ginger tea and grated ginger. Beautiful color and already tasted great when we moved it to the secondary.

Thinking I will try a ginger pomegranate cider with peppercorns, fresh pomegranate, and a little pomegranate molasses. Thoughts on what yeast would be a good choice? I was thinking of cuvee..
 
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