Caramel Apple Mead

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I never tell my wife what I spend on my brewing supplies....man she would kill me. ha ha ha.

Anyway...where do you get your Blackberry honey from? I am looking for a supplier online and have found a couple, but it's horribly expensive. Bout $8.00 a pound!!!!! I'll pay it if I have to, but if there's someplace cheaper, I'd love to know.
 
Anyway...where do you get your Blackberry honey from? I am looking for a supplier online and have found a couple, but it's horribly expensive. Bout $8.00 a pound!!!!!

I have a friend in Colorado who did a bulk order and I was able to get 60 lbs for $140. This isn't something he gets on a regular basis and whenever I see what I think is a good deal, I jump on it.
 
Nice. After much research yesterday I did find an apiary that has bulk blackberry honey (not blackberry flavored) like some places try to sell. It is pure, raw and unfiltered, just screened for large chunks. I can get 18 pounds for $55 shipped. I think that's a pretty good deal. Plus they have others like Meadowfoam, orange blossom, buckwheat, raspberry blossom, tupelo and others. So I think I have a good source now.

Dan
 
Hey Dan,

Where exactly is this source?? I would like to get some honey ordered and that seems like a fair price??
 
I have a question about this. I assume I'm just adding 1 lb of Buckwheat honey to the carboy when I rack the mead. However, the recipe calls for a total of 2 lbs buckwheat honey. So, is this 1 lb, I quoted above, in addition to the 2 lbs listed?

Im confused??? In an earlier post it was not a third pound of buckwheat, however in this post it seems it is? Can I get some clarification please? Do I need a total of three lbs of buckwheat?
 
Inyermouth...I am going to be ordering honey from Wayne and Kathy that own theflyingbeeranch...they only advertise on Ebay...no website. I talked to Wayne last night, and read nothing but positive comments on their products. I think 18 pounds of blackberry honey is going to cost me under $55..I think he said something like $52.50...so I am ordering from them. Hope that helps.
Dan
 
Im confused??? In an earlier post it was not a third pound of buckwheat, however in this post it seems it is? Can I get some clarification please? Do I need a total of three lbs of buckwheat?

What I probably did was add 2/3 of a qt, or about 2 lbs, to the initial recipe, reserving 1/3 qt, or about 1 lb. or so to add at the end. It's been so long I don't remember and I'm at work and I can't look at the original recipe.
 
hey all. I'm almost to the point of adding the vanilla beans and I have a question. Do I need to sanitize them in anyway or does the alcohol at this point make it safe to just toss them in?
 
I like to slice mine open...I think it helps really get out the flavor from the bean.
 
Mine fermented nicely down to the 1.010-1.012 range from OG 1.136. I varried the recipe slightly by adding 15 pounds of honey and then the next day adding 1 gallon of water. The cider I used was much sweeter than the spreadsheet calculator has it at so my original OG reading was 1.162! I wasn't sure if that was fermentable so I adjusted the spreadsheet calculator and it looked like 1 gallon of water would work nicely. Heck 1 more gallon of this stuff works out great for me! :ban:

So I obtained to vanilla beans and split them down the middle and opened them up. The only problem is now there is little black "seeds" flooating on the top.


Its cool to see different layers forming.


Do the black dots eventually sink? Should I wait for them to sink before racking into long term aging carboy?

I'm very excited about this one. My sample was already drinkable. Give this a year and it should be excellent:mug: Thank you SummerSolstice!
 
De nada. If you're worried about the seeds at racking, put some cheesecloth or panty hose over the tip of the racking cane. Personally, I wouldn't worry about them.
 
Oops....sorry I wasn't clear....when I split my vanilla beans, I also scrape the inside of the beans to remove the seads. Then I put the split beans in....I don't add the seeds at all.

Dan
 
I thought they would add more flavor if I left them in since they were all resinous. I've never had a mead clear before and the vanilla beans seem to have started a clearing process at the top, and extends down in layers. 2 more disticnt layers have formed since I added the beans or could that be the work of the campden tablets?

Anyways I should have a nice mead to share over next years holidays :rockin:
 
I just bottled my attempt at this, first mead I have ever made. It is 6 months old, and very flavorful at this point. Still a good bit of warm alcohol though. When does this stuff peak? How long does it keep?
 
I think I will put these in the basement and try one in 3 - 4 months. I hope it cools down a little.
 
Are you suppose to bring anything to a boil? It seems like you would want to after the grains were steeped and the dme was added. But I didn't see anything mentioned and I'm going to get a batch going soon.
 
This bad boy is bubbling away right now. I have a feeling this is going to be very, very good. I am glad I have a couple other batches going right now so that I can let this one get some age on it.
 
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I based my latest mead batch off this one. I'm basically making caramel mead (i hope). I put it in the primary yesterday and it was bubbling along by bedtime, one bubble every three seconds.

Given my hubby's preferences, I decided to forgo the apple, although I may try this at a later date including the apple.
 
Got the buckwheat oredered today....will be starting this one in the next couple weeks!! cant wait!! Keep us posted on any taste tests so I know what to look forward to!!:ban:
 
Well, I'm going to tell ya' make twice as much as you think. It was soooo good. Even young. I'm already planning to make a 5 gal. batch (I already purchased the DME). I'm working on accumulating enough honey for a bigger batch. I only made 1 gal and only put up three bottles to age. My DH drank the entire sample I gave him and said, make more!
 
I put this into a primary last night. The only issue I had is that I used an exra lb of honey initially and my OG came out at 1.146!!! Im worried now that it may come out like rocket fuel because if it attenuates all the way it will be 18%. I read up on the yeast and accordingto the website the yeast should handle it, Im just worried about finished quality. Any thoughts or suggestion? anyone else ever come out this high??
 
Mine came out at 18% too. It was a bit harsh when I first tasted it, but I'm gonna let it sit for a year before I bottle it. So I expect it to mellow out a bit.
 
My little batch, I did not bulk age. I am going to give that a try with my second 5 gal. batch. I just racked to secondary, with about 3/4 gal. lees & leftovers (which I thought would be easier to separate out in a smaller container and leave me mead to top off with). This one is fermenting slower than my last. Only one bottle left from my first batch. I tucked it away!
 
It has been bulk ageing since 1-29-2010. It is a bit mellower. It came out at 18% abv. I plan on letting it sit the summer and then bottling it in November.
 
I guess as long as it is 18% and drinkanble I will be happy. Im just worried its gonna be to strong to enjoy....
 
I am having a hard time finding orange blossom honey locally. I know I can order some online, but what do you think of using just clover? I've never had orange blossom, so I don't know how much of a citrus flavor it has. Would adding fresh orange juice be a silly idea?
 
I've not been using Orange Blossom honey with my batches. I've been using just basic clover honey available from Sam's. My first batch was so good, it's completely gone. My second (larger) batch is still aging in my brew area in my kitchen. I'm going to move it downstairs to my basement if it stays this warm, though.
A little bit of orange added to the mix might add an interesting depth to the flavors.
 
Summer- I made this recipe as my first homebrew ever! I am very excited. I just racked into my secondary and everything is going great as far as specific gravity...My concern is that I tried a little and I actually thought it was rocket fuel!!! Please tell me that when I rack onto the buckwheat and bulk age it it will mellow out.....I hope.....I pray....
 
Whipped this up 5 mos ago and coming around amazingly!!! Def tastes better chilled....Cant wait for another 6 mos to go by!!!!
 
This is quite a pathetic post here, but...After many attempts, I have this mead stuck at 1.030. I'm not asking for assistance on that, I've been down that road. I'm down to making another 5 gallon batch and mixing the two. The second batch will ideally be quite a bit lower in gravity.

Now for the pathetic part. Anyone willing to let me try a finished version of this? I would really feel dumb having 10 gallons of something I don't like. And with the costs associated with the honey and everything, it would be a monumental waste.
 
This is quite a pathetic post here, but...After many attempts, I have this mead stuck at 1.030. I'm not asking for assistance on that, I've been down that road. I'm down to making another 5 gallon batch and mixing the two. The second batch will ideally be quite a bit lower in gravity.

Now for the pathetic part. Anyone willing to let me try a finished version of this? I would really feel dumb having 10 gallons of something I don't like. And with the costs associated with the honey and everything, it would be a monumental waste.


Mine finished at 1.028. My advice....just dont back sweeten. Bulk age and let it sit...Thats what I did and it ages out fine....just takes time....the more time you let it sit the better it will become!!
 
You didn't find 1.028 too sweet? I have no problem letting it age, my plan is to wait until next September (its already 4 months old now), and sure wasn't going to back sweeten! Thanks for the post, it makes me feel better about my high gravity.
 
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