First show mead

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aclimbatize

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Hey all, I've just begun my forray into mead making and currently have 4 1 gallon batches going including 2 JAOM, 1 Dandelion Wine, and 1 Dandelion Mead. All have been started about a week apart, I figure the more I have going now the more I'll have to drink and age while I still drink later.

With that in mind, I figure it's about time to try out a show mead. I plan on making this one pretty sweet using 3 1/2 lbs of honey for a gallon batch.

The honey I plan on using is colorado wildflower honey under the name of "Ambrosia" by Madhava. Supposedly the honey is from wildflowers that grow at high elevation. It is quite tasty, not too powerfull, but certainly not delicate, with a bit of a spicy taste to it. I've been eating it for a while and after discovering mead thought it might make an interesting tasting mead. So why not?

Anyways, any advice for show meads, I know they do not use any addatives and was wondering if any more experienced members had advice on making show meads? Thanks!

If this is successfull I think my next mead will be a bochet :rockin::rockin:, followed by a polish style mead.
 
My first show mead is on week 4 right now, so far so good. Based on help from the interweb forums, I kept the starting gravity low at 1.087 and used super yeast (EC1118) so I wouldn't get off-flavors from yeast stress, due to the fact you can't use energizers or nutrient additions to help them. You should consider that when you add all that honey up front. Consider adding honey later, or step feeding.


I've got some dandelions I collected this Spring bagged up in the freezer, wanting to do a dandelion wine or mead. What was your recipe for those? Do you mind sharing? How are they going?
 
Use a yeast that would do well in a lower nutrient situation, such as K1v-1116 or EC-118 instead of something like D-47 or Cote de Blanc. You might end up drier than you anticipate, if the yeast don't stall out, but if they do stall out, I would think the chances of them stalling at a lower S.G. is better than a yeast with a lower alcohol tolerance.

Make sure you keep up on your aeration.
 
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