Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

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So I was at the store earlier and go down the baking isle and there it was staring me in the face, Fleishmann’s bread yeast which normally ignore as I have a very healthy sourdough culture for all my baking needs, i grab a pack, check the recipe, only need an orange, check!

And a new batch is born:DView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1437924892.404477.jpg
 
I think it's already (3 weeks in) beginning to clear.

As mixed, 3 weeks ago:
IMG_7993.JPG


Today:

IMG_0444.JPG



Update: 12 days later, Aug 8, some fruit (two slices of orange and many raisins) have dropped and it is clearing up nicely now:
TI97HsqiBUsg-KfVT5qslig6gcbKJG900J1EsdbOmYM7=w967-h725-no
 
TheWadeShow said:
What should starting and ending hydrometer readings be?
Click to expand...

Never measured it myself, as it needs to be thorougly mixed and I hate to lose hydrometer volume in 1G batch, but should be about 1.100. My beer smith recipe says OG 1.097.
 
Cheesy_Goodness said:
I touched this mango experiment for the first time since August. It probably should have been racked way sooner but excuses and what not.

I was tempted to dump it based on the smell. It was super flat and nasty smelling (oxidization? autolysis?) but tasted it anyway.

Frankly it tastes like a syrupy honey water. There's not much in the way of mango flavoring but it still has the potential to be a decent (super sweet) dessert mead.

I racked it from a one gallon carboy to a 3 liter jug and capped it to bulk age for a few months. We'll see what happens.
Click to expand...

Finally got this experiment in bottles. I must say, so far it tastes pretty good.

It started to clear a bit but I would be surprised if it ever clears like JAOM does. Not much in the way of mango flavoring, it's sort of like JAOM without the citrus.

All in all, it turned out alright but I probably won't do this again unless I come in to a bunch of free mangos.
 
I accidentally used the rapid rise yeast. Should I let it ride or put some of the normal bread yeast in too?
 
Ooooo.....look what I get to experiment with!!!

20150818_175643-picsay[1].jpg

Since my JOAMs are coming out pretty neutral, just going to use each of these as part of the honey in the batch. Blend both with same base honey and see what happens.
 
Last edited:
sablesurfer said:
Ooooo.....look what I got to experiment with!!!

View attachment 297377

Since my JOAMs are coming out pretty neutral, just going to use each of these as part of the honey in the batch. Blend both with same base honey and see what happens.
Click to expand...

I would assume these are flavored honeys? I think chipotle flowers are hard to find:p
 
sablesurfer said:
Is that spicy mead? There are so many mead types, and I have only ever judged beers, so just venturing in the world of meads. I've never tried a spicy mead, so just thought since these samples were pretty cheap why not.
Click to expand...


It's mead made with peppers.

Are there ingredient lists on those jars?
 
BGBC said:
Are there ingredient lists on those jars?
Click to expand...

Nope, that is kind of the mystery of the whole thing. These are test batches of stuff that you can buy if you want to. These were like $1.99 each. I'll taste test them first and then see if they ferment. <shrug>

(So they question is, could they have preservatives in them? Maybe, no idea, it was a $4 gamble that I'll never be able to recreate. :D )
 
sablesurfer said:
Nope, that is kind of the mystery of the whole thing. These are test batches of stuff that you can buy if you want to. These were like $1.99 each. I'll taste test them first and then see if they ferment. <shrug>

(So they question is, could they have preservatives in them? Maybe, no idea, it was a $4 gamble that I'll never be able to recreate. :D )
Click to expand...

We are home brewers its just because we can! Just remember to report back how it turned out. I got a jar of macadamia nut honey to make a mead with. I figured why not all the other mead makers here are using different verities too. :D
 
As threatened. Two JOAMs today. The chipotle seems to be the best flavor with honey. The habanero is actually very clear on the pepper flavors, but much warmer than the other.

20150823_105202[1].jpg

(fingers crossed these two test batches didn't have any preservatives in them yet.)
 
NO PRESERVATIVES! YAY. Got home to some bubbly airlock action yesterday. So that is a step in the right direction. Interesting gravities on these, but then I had no idea what was in them....

Habanero = OG 1.118
Chipotle w Orange blossom honey = OG 1.108

sablesurfer said:
As threatened. Two JOAMs today. The chipotle seems to be the best flavor with honey. The habanero is actually very clear on the pepper flavors, but much warmer than the other.

View attachment 298440

(fingers crossed these two test batches didn't have any preservatives in them yet.)
Click to expand...
 
55x11 said:
I think it's already (3 weeks in) beginning to clear.

As mixed, 3 weeks ago:
IMG_7993.JPG


Today:

IMG_0444.JPG



Update: 12 days later, Aug 8, some fruit (two slices of orange and many raisins) have dropped and it is clearing up nicely now:
TI97HsqiBUsg-KfVT5qslig6gcbKJG900J1EsdbOmYM7=w967-h725-no
Click to expand...

Aug 25, 7 weeks in. All fruit (except maybe a few raisins) have dropped. The liquid is very clear now.


IMG_8978.JPG


IMG_8941.JPG
 
Sorry if this has been asked, has anyone made this without the orange? I'm allergic to citric acid and I don't know how I will handle fermented citrus.
 
Tsuyako said:
Sorry if this has been asked, has anyone made this without the orange? I'm allergic to citric acid and I don't know how I will handle fermented citrus.
Click to expand...

So, being somewhat inquisitive I tried to look into why this recipe works. The orange, along with the peel, should be changing the pH of the 'wort' (what'cha call it for mead?) so that it is more favorable to the yeast.

The raisins appear to be the source of 'nutrients' that would be added to your more mainstream meads.

Finally, in the finished mead that orange 'pith' and just the ascorbic acid are adding some balance to what would be a very sweet drink.

So, from that, you'd probably want to look for a substitute that would play those roles? <shrug>
 
sablesurfer said:
So, being somewhat inquisitive I tried to look into why this recipe works. The orange, along with the peel, should be changing the pH of the 'wort' (what'cha call it for mead?) so that it is more favorable to the yeast.

The raisins appear to be the source of 'nutrients' that would be added to your more mainstream meads.

Finally, in the finished mead that orange 'pith' and just the ascorbic acid are adding some balance to what would be a very sweet drink.

So, from that, you'd probably want to look for a substitute that would play those roles? <shrug>
Click to expand...

If that's the case, he could substitute any mild food acid for the citric and get the same effect in pH change, as long as he adjusts for the difference in strength.
 
organ said:
Mine isn't clearing and it's almost been two months...
Click to expand...

really? Has the fruit dropped?

This thread makes me wonder - the fruit drops as the alcohol level rises and overall density of fluid (specific gravity) drops. One could design some easily sanitizable, floating marbles of some sort, with densities/specific gravities, of say. 1.010, 1.015, 1020 etc.

Then you wouldn't need to take the sample out of the carboy at all and use hydrometer - just watch the marbles float at the top, and as they sink one by one, you would know the density dropped below that level. Should be easy enough to do, it's basically like little hydrometers with different specific gravities. How come nobody makes those?
 
sablesurfer said:
So, being somewhat inquisitive I tried to look into why this recipe works. The orange, along with the peel, should be changing the pH of the 'wort' (what'cha call it for mead?) so that it is more favorable to the yeast.

The raisins appear to be the source of 'nutrients' that would be added to your more mainstream meads.

Finally, in the finished mead that orange 'pith' and just the ascorbic acid are adding some balance to what would be a very sweet drink.

So, from that, you'd probably want to look for a substitute that would play those roles? <shrug>
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, maybe I'll just make it as is and find out. My husband would enjoy it either way. :) I could make a second batch with mixed fruit and see how that works too.

If that's the case, he could substitute any mild food acid for the citric and get the same effect in pH change, as long as he adjusts for the difference in strength.
Click to expand...

She, actually. ;) When you say 'mild food acid', do you mean in a powder form?
 
Anyone try using a straight up Habanero in this? We managed to get a grand total of 1 (1!) pepper this year so in a misguided effort to save my pride I'm thinking about throwing it in a batch of JAOM for fun.
 
Cheesy_Goodness said:
Anyone try using a straight up Habanero in this? We managed to get a grand total of 1 (1!) pepper this year so in a misguided effort to save my pride I'm thinking about throwing it in a batch of JAOM for fun.
Click to expand...

it's highly subjective. But I wouldn't do it - I love spices and spicy food, but for every beer with peppers that I enjoyed, there must be a dozen that I hated. Plus this mead will already have strong honey and citrus flavors, in addition to strong alcohol kick - making it also spicy is way too much, at least for my taste - too many contradicting, overpowering flavors that don't compliment each other. It's like a band where everyone is screaming different songs trying to outscream each other and all amps are set to 11. :)

Even though sometimes sweet and spicy mix well.
 
55x11 said:
it's highly subjective. But I wouldn't do it - I love spices and spicy food, but for every beer with peppers that I enjoyed, there must be a dozen that I hated. Plus this mead will already have strong honey and citrus flavors, in addition to strong alcohol kick - making it also spicy is way too much, at least for my taste - too many contradicting, overpowering flavors that don't compliment each other. It's like a band where everyone is screaming different songs trying to outscream each other and all amps are set to 11. :)

Even though sometimes sweet and spicy mix well.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with beer, because beer is supposed to start out with IBU's. It can be a difficult game to balance biter into a spicey drink, those two can conflict terribly.

But, with mead I'd have to disagree. The number of Eastern dishes that mix honey and spices? Uncountable. The classic sweet and heat is a match that works perfectly. Put some heat into brownies and...YUM. I have a habenaro version going right now, just made it a week ago. (Although mine is adulterated and not straight out pepper.) Smelled great before fermentation.
 
I think I'll give it a go. Surely one tiny pepper can't make it taste like fire (right?). I've got a few gallons of the traditional recipe tucked away somewhere, so I'll not be out too much if it goes south.
 
55x11 said:
really? Has the fruit dropped?

This thread makes me wonder - the fruit drops as the alcohol level rises and overall density of fluid (specific gravity) drops. One could design some easily sanitizable, floating marbles of some sort, with densities/specific gravities, of say. 1.010, 1.015, 1020 etc.

Then you wouldn't need to take the sample out of the carboy at all and use hydrometer - just watch the marbles float at the top, and as they sink one by one, you would know the density dropped below that level. Should be easy enough to do, it's basically like little hydrometers with different specific gravities. How come nobody makes those?
Click to expand...

This is the principle upon which the Galileo thermometer works. The problem is, as with the thermometer, the temperature of your mead will affect the accuracy of the balls. Just like your run of the mill hydrometer, if it's not at the calibration temperature, the readings will be off.
 

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