Citrus mead?

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beyondthepale

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I am planning to brew some mead very soon, and I want to make it with grapefruit. I've always liked honey on grapefruit, and thought a grapefruit mead might be good. However, several people have told me that the acidity could be a problem, and so has Ken Schramm's The Complete Meadmaker. Still, they don't say don't do it, just that it might be a problem. So, has anyone done a citrus mead? How did it work out, if so?
 
Let me get this straight...you want to make a citrus mead...all the sources say not to...but you want to any way...are you waiting for a shot upside the head???:drunk:

OK, I would recommend against a citrus mead only because some ideas sound better on paper and should NEVER come to fruition.

However, should you decide to go against the grain GO FOR IT! I would advise you to make only 1 gal of mead though so you don't waste all that precious honey.:D
 
Ok,

To give credit, this recipe comes from Joe over on Gotmead.com . Lots of us have tried it and it gives you a quick (70 days and it is ready to drink) citrus mead. He uses oranges but there is no reason why you couldn't try grapefruit.

1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon

Process:

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80).
 
Thanks for the recipe, missing. I think I'll make two one gallon batches, one with, one without the rind. I find it encouraging that others seem to have had success with this approach. I suppose the sweeter Ruby Red grapefruit might be better that the highly acidic white...


Oh, and hb_99, none of my sources said don't do it, they just said that the acidity of citrus fruits could pose a problem, making a tarter mead than most people might like. Schramm suggested possibly sweetening at serving time. I'll mess around, and let y'all know how it works out...
 
OK. It seems that with the use if citrus there would be no need to add citric acid/acid blend.

How would one "sweeten it" at serving time? Any suggestions at your source?

The only thing that touches my meads after bottling is usually LIPS!!:drunk: :D
 
homebrewer_99 said:
OK. It seems that with the use if citrus there would be no need to add citric acid/acid blend.

How would one "sweeten it" at serving time? Any suggestions at your source?

The only thing that touches my meads after bottling is usually LIPS!!:drunk: :D



No suggestions, but I would think that a dose of honey in the glass would work pretty well. Guess I'll just have to mess around and see what I get... :)
 
You are welcome for the recipe. The beauty of this recipe is that it gives you something easy to start with.

As to your question, I was thinking Ruby grapefruit as I typed it. I think it would make a great addition. I would also leave at least half the rind in each batch. My understanding is that the slight pithy addition rounds out the acid and sugar.

For future references, you can awalys neutralize some of the acid (and perhaps up the honey a little) to balance out the citrus. I may have to try a batch of ruby grapefruit mead myself. Good luck, let us now how it goes.:D
 
That Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice recipe gets around! Wish i had shares in Fleishmann’s bread yeast! ;)

beyondthepale - Citrus notes work well with mead just don't overdo the acid. A little acidity (and nutrient) helps yeast to get a hold on the honey in a mead anyway. If you added grapefruit i'd do it at the primary in a fairly small quantity. But do experiment - try a few smaller batches and vary if possible as Bill suggested and find one to suit.
 
a few suggestions for your mead: 1) use less fruit than you'd normally use in a melomel 2) consider using a yeast that will metabolize some of the acid (71B is a great choice) or consider adding a little calcium hydroxide to eat up some of that acid. don't use baking soda, as the resulting salts will impart (big surprise) a salty flavor. 3) are you sure you want the rind in there? Aside from the potentially toxic fungicides that may be lurking in it, too much rind will make it too tannic, and grapefruit's tannic enough.
 
palecricket1 said:
a few suggestions for your mead: 1) use less fruit than you'd normally use in a melomel 2) consider using a yeast that will metabolize some of the acid (71B is a great choice) or consider adding a little calcium hydroxide to eat up some of that acid. don't use baking soda, as the resulting salts will impart (big surprise) a salty flavor. 3) are you sure you want the rind in there? Aside from the potentially toxic fungicides that may be lurking in it, too much rind will make it too tannic, and grapefruit's tannic enough.
Man, we've been trying to tell him, but if he wants to make a pucker-face mead...he better be willing to share!:drunk: :tank:
 
Caplan said:
That Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice recipe gets around! Wish i had shares in Fleishmann’s bread yeast! ;)

beyondthepale - Citrus notes work well with mead just don't overdo the acid. A little acidity (and nutrient) helps yeast to get a hold on the honey in a mead anyway. If you added grapefruit i'd do it at the primary in a fairly small quantity. But do experiment - try a few smaller batches and vary if possible as Bill suggested and find one to suit.
I'm doing this tomorrow as well.
Went to meijer's to buy the yeast... This brand is the most expensive breaders yeast among 5 brands available hahahahaha!
still cheaper than dry ale yeast though :)

and you know about this recipe: don't change a thing otherwise the guarantee expires ;)
 
missing said:
Ok,

To give credit, this recipe comes from Joe over on Gotmead.com . Lots of us have tried it and it gives you a quick (70 days and it is ready to drink) citrus mead. He uses oranges but there is no reason why you couldn't try grapefruit.

1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon

Process:

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80).


How does this recipe turn out with different yeast? Like ale or wine yeast?
 
mbeattie said:
How does this recipe turn out with different yeast? Like ale or wine yeast?
NO! The whole point is to use the bread yeast. Don't do it.:)
 
Well you know, I had some success once making some sort of brew from honey, molasses, bakers yeast and water, in a plastic fermenter with no attempts at, or even knowledge of, sanitation whatsoever. It wasn't the greatest thing I've ever drank, but at 17, that didn't matter very much. It was good enough that I'd actually like to try it again, one batch with the bakers and one with something good...
 
Thanks for the recipe, missing. I think I'll make two one gallon batches, one with, one without the rind. I find it encouraging that others seem to have had success with this approach. I suppose the sweeter Ruby Red grapefruit might be better that the highly acidic white...


Oh, and hb_99, none of my sources said don't do it, they just said that the acidity of citrus fruits could pose a problem, making a tarter mead than most people might like. Schramm suggested possibly sweetening at serving time. I'll mess around, and let y'all know how it works out...
I have done a lemon mead and an orange mead. Planning on doing a 3-gallon go citris going to be Grapefruit, blood orange, and lemon. about 3 to 4 lbs of fruit per 1 gallon of water. WIth 4lbs of honey per gallon. I do not put the rind in but I do zest the fruit and put the zest in.
 
Talk about dredging up a dinosaur thread to reply to.......2006, that may be a new record.....LOL
 
I had good experience with lemon mead. About 10 abv with lemons into primary in the end of fermentation.
Grapefruit was good too.....added squeezed fruit into secondary.

Not sure why opinion in 2006 was so against it.
 
I made a grapefruit and rosemary mead. Used juice with primary added zest and the herb at the end, (a little zest goes a long way. Took second place at homebrew ally other comps have scored pretty well. No issues during fermentation.
LOL just realized I’m replying to a zombie thread.
 
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