Winter Mead (melo-meth)

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MeadLover

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Here's the recipe:
6 to 9 lbs honey - I used 9 lbs of clover
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice (crushed)
3 2-inch cinnamon sticks
1 gallon apple juice
1 gallon cranberry juice
water to top off

I actually got this recipe from a newsletter I used to get and had it laying around with plans to make it someday. Last September I decided it was time. I got real anal about the juices, since that makes most of the fluid, and I don't know how much of the flavor to account to those juices or not. I went to the local Whole Foods Market and got pure, not-from-concentrate, cranberry juice, which was surprisingly hard to find, for about $7 per quart. I also got the apple juice, same way from the same market.

Yeast:
The original recipe calls for Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast but I used the White Labs Sweet Mead yeast.

My method:
I heated the honey enough to be able to pour easily, no, I don't pasturize or boil, and some water to put in the container for the remainder. I filtered the juices into the carboy, again, no heating, and added the spices and honey. I then added water to top off the carboy, checked the temp, and pitched the yeast. The recipe says let sit for two weeks and top off with water but I racked it here and topped it off. Then after another 2 months I racked it and added wine conditioner to kill the yeast and resweeten some. I let that sit for another week and bottled it. When I bottled, I got a taste and, unlike all other meads I've made, it was good right then. I've had several people try it after that and they all liked it. My wife and I had a bottle with Christmas dinner.

After this experience, I will make this recipe quite regularly since it is my favorite so far.
 
primary fermentation... 2 weeks.

do I have to rack it after 2 weeks, or can I just let the primary fermentation die down first cause Ive had it in the first for about a week and a half now.
 
Wow, I had completely forgotten about putting this up.

How did this turn out

Everyone who's tried it has either loved it or been overly nice to my face. They have come back for more and more. I haven't brewed anything in a while because I just don't have the time right now but I would love to make some more of this.
 
I know this is an old thread but did you use tap water? I have read that chlorinated water can be bad for Mead but haven't had any issues while making wine or beer.
 
Also did you use any Fermaid K or other yeast nutrient? Or does the apple and cranberry offer enough nutrients?
 
I know this is an old thread but did you use tap water? I have read that chlorinated water can be bad for Mead but haven't had any issues while making wine or beer.

I actually used artisan well water that I got in the grocery store. I try to stick to that for consistency in my brews. I've been told that that's a shame since I live in Colorado and the water here is supposed to be miraculous or something but I've had good results and I'm sticking to it.

Also did you use any Fermaid K or other yeast nutrient? Or does the apple and cranberry offer enough nutrients?

I did not use any nutrients or extract. I don't know if the juices offer the nutrients but I didn't add any.
 
Last Sunday I started a 5 gallon batch that will hopefully be ready for Christmas... Looked and smelled very good in the Primary. The only change I made was the addition of Wyeast Wine Nutrient. (Besides upping the amount of ingredients to make a 5 gal batch)
 
I started a batch of this a week and a half ago. Almost time to rack. Its a wonderful colour. I too searched the local markets for local fresh pressed cran and apple. Got them both right from the producer. The cranberry was the sourest cranberry I have ever tasted, which I think should be a really good thing for my personal tastes. Thanks for posting this I am really excited about this one, can't wait to try it.
 
So I racked mine 3 weeks after putting it in the primary. There was still activity, but I worry the ABV is going to be very low, because the gravity was quite low. My OG was 0.069 and at racking was 0.010. So I tossed in another 1/2 cup of honey. I wonder if this is due to the sour cran's I put in. I have had some really sweet cranberries and this juice was definitely not sweet.

MeadLover, can you comment on how sweet your fruit juice was and how strong your drink was in the end?

Thanks,
 
I wish I could, and you have opened my eyes to something I should have looked into when making it. I never tasted the juices before the mead was finished. The other thing I can't honestly comment on is strength. I quite often just trust my meads to do their own thing so I don't take readings. I can be quite the unorthodox brewer at times and sometimes I completely forget about the idea of repeating a good recipe. I'm sorry I can't be of more help and I hope your's turns out as good as mine did.
 
I received a request for the ingredients I used on the 5 gallon recipe, so I figured I would post it for all to see.

Before I do I would like to thank MeadLover for the original recipe, my batch turned out delicious.

I used the following for the 5 gal batch:
12 lbs Clover Honey
1 1/2 Gal non-concentrate apple juice
1/2 gal non-concentrate Cranberry juice
1/2 gal from concentrate Cranberry Juice (non-concentrate is really expensive so I cheated a bit)
8 all spice
8 cloves
1/2 tbsp wyeast wine nutrient
Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast

OG 1.121
FG 1.025
ABV: 12.6%

I followed the instructions that MeadLover posted, with the exception of adding wine nutrient
 
I received a request for the ingredients I used on the 5 gallon recipe, so I figured I would post it for all to see.

Before I do I would like to thank MeadLover for the original recipe, my batch turned out delicious.

I used the following for the 5 gal batch:
12 lbs Clover Honey
1 1/2 Gal non-concentrate apple juice
1/2 gal non-concentrate Cranberry juice
1/2 gal from concentrate Cranberry Juice (non-concentrate is really expensive so I cheated a bit)
8 all spice
8 cloves
1/2 tbsp wyeast wine nutrient
Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast

OG 1.121
FG 1.025
ABV: 12.6%

I followed the instructions that MeadLover posted, with the exception of adding wine nutrient

Awesome, thank you very much! It looks like you opted out on the cinamon? How was at time of bottling vs aged?
 
14 days primary
A little over 2 months in the secondary (at work don't have the exact dates with me)

I must have overlooked the Cinnamon and didn't add it... lol... If I had to do it over again I would probably either leave it out or add a bit less all spice and cloves. It has about the right spice flavor for my taste. The all spice is strong so be careful or you will feel like you're drinking a Christmas candle
 
After drinking quite a bit of this mead over Christmas I would like to retract my Cinnamon statement. It was very delicious chilled with a Cinnamon stick.
 
I'm a little over two months in the secondary and it tastes a little like burnt rubber. Is this due to a lack of nutrients, or does it just need a little more aging time? You guys talk about drinking right about now, but to me it doesn't taste right. Maybe it was my low OG? Any suggestions/thoughts?
 
Burnt rubber huh... Thats very weird I would say after 2 months mine was very sweet. What type of honey did you use? Did you taste it before hand?
 
Yes. It's a really nice wildflower from a friend. I don't think it's the honey. The only thing I have found in reading up about faults is that the yeasts might have been nutrient deprived. Only cranberries are really nutrient rich, so I don't know.
Mine is not really sweet, I would call it very dry. Maybe my fruit was very high in acid and just needs more time to age.
 
Very well could be. Meadlover didn't use any nutrients so I don't think that the nutrients are key to the final product. I hope it turns out well for you. You should let us know what happens.
 
I tasted it last weekend and it was getting good. No more funny rubber taste and the nose is much better. I'm going to bottle it this weekend but I am assuming it won't be fully drinkable for another few months. I will update then.

Thanks for the comments.
 
After having another taste and checking the gravity I decided to hold off on bottling. Mine is still fermenting. I am going to rack it and add some strong tea to bring up the tannins (it was lacking a little in complexity)
I will update on progress in a few months.
 
I'm going to try a 5 gal batch for next Christmas. I'm in the process of making a basic mead at the moment, and trying to learn as much as I can. Should I use pectin enzymes, or will it clear since I'll be using juice and not actual fruit? Also, did anyone try boiling the spices before adding? I've heard this really brings out the flavors. Also, I was going to use Lavlin D-47, because that's what's on hand, as well as energizer and nutrients. Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I'm going to try a 5 gal batch for next Christmas. I'm in the process of making a basic mead at the moment, and trying to learn as much as I can. Should I use pectin enzymes, or will it clear since I'll be using juice and not actual fruit? Also, did anyone try boiling the spices before adding? I've heard this really brings out the flavors. Also, I was going to use Lavlin D-47, because that's what's on hand, as well as energizer and nutrients. Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Gorski,

I am semi-new at this so my advice it up for interpretation, but I figured I would give it while we wait for more experience.
1) you do not need pectin enzymes, not for this brew. The cider will clear on its own and the cranberry is clear to start. (Unless you use real apples/cranberries)
2) Boiling spices will bring out more flavor, but at the extreme it can bring out off flavors. If you like the taste of your boiled brew, then go for it. I started with just adding the spice to the primary. I then added some extra water at my last racking that I boiled with more spice. I found the spice to be lacking at my taste test. Whatever end up doing, try to avoid boiling the honey, this will break down its flavors.
3) Lavlin D-47 will highlight the fruit (I'm not sure what it will do to the spice). It ferments to a lower ABV, but that shouldn't be a problem in this recipe. Sounds good to me if you have some that needs using.
4)Cranberries are very high in nitrogen, so DAP isn't needed. If you see my posts above, you will see I have had problems with an off flavor with this batch. I still haven't pinned it down but I thought it might have been a lack of nutrients. It was then suggested that it had nothing to do with a lack of nutrients, and in hind sight I have to agree. Apples and cranberries are very nutrient rich (esp cranberries).
 
So here's the plan:

12 pounds clover honey
2 gal. ocean spray cranberry juice
2.75 gal. Mott's apple juice.
1 quart water
5 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Zest and juice from 1 orange
D-47 yeast
yeast energizer


I'll heat the juice to get the honey out and for pitching yeast. I'll break up the cinnamon and cloves a little and put the spices and orange rind in a bag, boil it for five minutes in a quart of water, then toss all that in the must. Stir it well and bottle some for back sweetening, if needed. Pitch yeast and energizer and aerate it until the 1/3 break. (I'm debating on treating the nutrients in the juice as the first dose of SNA and adding more at active fermentation and the 1/3 break. Is it possible to add too much?) Rack to secondary after about 2-3 weeks pulling out the spice bag. Age it about 3-5 months, rack again then bottle assuming the SG suggests the yeast is done.

This recipe will give me 6 gallons. I'll save 1/2 a gal of must for back sweetening if needed, or a non-alcoholic drink if it's not. I've read in one of the threads that aging on the lees of D47 brings out the spices in a mead. Unfortunately, I've not been able to find that thread again. I guess it'll depend on how flavorful the spices are when I sample during racking.
 
Just tasted this one last night. After seven months in the carboy it is starting to taste really nice. I think part of my problem earlier (and why I had to age so long) was that I used really tart juices. I live in cran/apple country and I bought cold pressed fresh cranberry juice and very tart cider. It is very dry, but the apple/cran taste is there and the spice/honey is on the nose. I bet by next fall this will be an excellent mead. I might force carbonate it in my keg to try to use some effervescence to bring out the spice flavors. I would also like a little more residual sugar, but can't figure out how to do it without chemicals. If anyone has some advice I would like to hear it.

Cheers,
 
Can I substitute chery juice for the cranberry juice? I am a chery fan and wouldn't mind a sweeter mead.
 
I just made my first attempt at mead- but I was hoping someone with experience could help me out with some questions?
Is 2-3 weeks the standard first fermentation?
Also I used a 5 gal pail with airloc - so I can't see what's going on- do I need to ?
Could I open that pail to look or wait to week 2?
I used 4 quartered oranges and spices in a hops bag and floated them, should I let them loose?

Thanks!
 
I just made my first attempt at mead- but I was hoping someone with experience could help me out with some questions?
Is 2-3 weeks the standard first fermentation?

I don't have a lot of experience but I'll give it a shot. I think 2 - 3 weeks is fairly common for the primary. I've also seen recommendations to watch the airlock and rack when there's only a bubble every couple seconds or so.
Also I used a 5 gal pail with airloc - so I can't see what's going on- do I need to ?

There's no need to see what's going on, although it can be fun to watch. Just keep an eye on the airlock and it will tell you what's going on in there. If you just started it yesterday, give it a day or so to see some bubbles.
Could I open that pail to look or wait to week 2?

I would definitely wait until week 2, unless there's no activity in the airlock.
I used 4 quartered oranges and spices in a hops bag and floated them, should I let them loose?

Thanks!

Loose or bagged really makes no difference. There may be slightly less flavor imparted with them in the bag but it will still work.

Mainly, relax and let it work. Mead takes time and gets better with time. I've only really brewed a few batches but I've seen almost every one get better with age.

Just a side note one the forums specifically, this post should probably have gone in the general mead forum. You would have gotten more views/replies over there.
 
MeadLover... was that old newsletter you mentioned the Foamy Express by any chance? I thought I may have recognized your original post recipe.

HanasHoney... a lot of people like to get their mead out of the primary fairly quickly. I use a bit more honey (about 3.6 pounds per gallon), so usually end up in the primary for 4-6 weeks. I then go into the secondary until I get negative pressure on the airlock (air starts getting sucked in rather than blown out). I then rack once every 6-8 weeks for about a year to clarify and age. I never use sulphites and only rarely use sorbate (usually when I want to sweeten late in the game.) I never use artificial clarifiers, but frequently use vibration (placing the carboy on top of a fridge or clothes dryer) and chilling to help with the clearing.

The important thing with the mead is that by the 6 month mark, it should taste the way you want it and be the sweetness level you're looking for, and just need to age to take the hard edges off. If you're drinking it before it's a year old, you're too anxious. If before it's 2 years old, you're missing out. I actually just gave away the last of a batch of cyser I brewed in 2001 that took the Silver in the AHA nationals in 2005. Last month, it was outstanding!!!
 
MeadLover... was that old newsletter you mentioned the Foamy Express by any chance? I thought I may have recognized your original post recipe.

I wish I could remember what the newsletter was. Foamy Express doesn't sound familiar but I can't be sure. The other thing is it could have been reprinted in a few.
 
Hi there- thanks for your feedback - after bottling back in march, we opened a bottle (I used 750cl) and wow had it changed for the better. Strong, but smooth. It was the hit of the party !
 
What did you use to sweeten once you killed the yeast? Just more honey? How carbonated should this be? Do I need to use tablets to carbonate and if so what is the usual recommendation of tablet to use?
 
What did you use to sweeten once you killed the yeast? Just more honey?

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/wine-conditioner-500ml.html This is what I used to kill the yeast and resweeten. I'm not sure I would use it again as I don't know the specifics and have learned more now about controlling the fermentation. I have a batch in my basement right now and I have changed several things about it. When I see how it comes out I'll post an update. But, as for yeast killing, I used potassium sorbate, and for sweetening I will just add honey.

How carbonated should this be? Do I need to use tablets to carbonate and if so what is the usual recommendation of tablet to use?

I have never carbonated this mead, in fact, I hardly make any carbonated mead. If someone else has advice on carbonating this, please feel free to help out.
 
Thank meadlover. So there is no risk of oxidation if you don't carbonate the mead while bottling? I am used to beer making where carbonation is key. Didn't know if that translates to mead.
 
Thank meadlover. So there is no risk of oxidation if you don't carbonate the mead while bottling? I am used to beer making where carbonation is key. Didn't know if that translates to mead.

As far as I know, no. As long as you're careful and fill the bottles you should be good. Mead is no different than wine, they will both oxidize. I know some people will use bottled CO2 and blanket each bottle to protect it. I've never had a problem with it and I just fill completely using my wand and cork.
 
any pictures of this. I am thinking about brewing up a batch of this soon for x-mas and am just wondering how it looks
 

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