Adding Red Color to a Mead

doctorseth · Jul 21, 2015

I am making a Christmas Mead (with things like Mulling spices, cinnamon, etc.) and I would like to make it a nice red color. Is there a good way to make it red without adding much flavor? Or at least something that is appropriate to the mead (I'm not looking to add fruit to it)? I was looking for something other than red food coloring unless that's simply the best way to go.

Thanks!

loveofrose · Jul 21, 2015

Dried hibiscus. Make a strong tea with it and use it in the mead. If you want an example recipe, look at my Dragon's Blood mead recipe on my site here:

www.denardbrewing.com

doctorseth · Jul 21, 2015

Excellent. Thanks for the link too that looks like a useful website!

skadalajara · Jul 21, 2015

Serve it warm with a small candy cane in the glass. Would probably work best in a very dry mead.

Chris_The_Rogue · Jul 21, 2015

Red food coloring after fermentation ends might work. Just don't add it in the beginning, the yeast soaks it up.

mwilcox · Jul 22, 2015

I use dried hibiscus too. It can add a little astringency and some flavors - some say raspberry/rhubarb but to me its closest to cranberry - but neither would likely be very noticeable in a big or sweet or spiced mead, and I'm guessing you've got all three.

rmyurick · Jul 22, 2015

I've had hibiscus tea & it's pretty tart--not an objectionable flavor, but not flavorless. You might want to make a tea out of what you're going to use first & taste it. Or steep a small amount as a test.

doctorseth · Jul 22, 2015

Chris_The_Rogue said:
Red food coloring after fermentation ends might work. Just don't add it in the beginning, the yeast soaks it up.

Thanks for the info! That's interesting and good to know. I think I am going to try the hibiscus tea and maybe start low and dose it up to what I want.

Adding Red Color to a Mead

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