I don't know about you but I can buy 18 liters of Reverse Osmosis water from the grocery store for under $5. The raisins aren't there for flavouring, they are yeast nutrient, I don't know the science behind it but I would stick with the raisins. When I made my JAOM about a month ago I looked for the oranges with the thinnest skins I could find instead of those ones, usually navels, with the pith that's like a 1/4 of an inch thick. A lot of the posters also say that because the JAOM is left so sweet you need the bitterness of the pith to counterbalance that so it isn't too sickeningly sweet but it does take a little time to mellow out. I guess I'll find out around Xmas.
I have now read every single one of the 1445 posts in this thread... (there oughta be a prize!).
First off, I swear I won't ask if I can use a different yeast!
Quick background on me; I have ZERO completed brewing experience unless you count starting a 4 gallon batch of mead with an ex-girlfriend in the late '90's - we broke up and she got the batch, the carboys, the books, the notes - everything. I got off easy though, her next boyfriend is stuck with her for 18 years plus college expenses.
Oh, and I've done some home-brewed fermented soda... I make a decent lemon-ginger soda with bread yeast.
So I'm thinking about making a batch of JAOM.. or two... to take to a family reunion next June. I have a couple questions and want to get some clarity on some other steps.
1. I live in a cool climate all year round, where my inside temps are unlikely to get over 60-64 degrees between now and June - how big an issue is this going to be for the bread-yeast? I keep a sourdough starter, and know that the yeasts in there operate slower.. is it just a matter of being in the fermenter longer? Or should I devise a clever warming pad?
2. I get that racking after two months (or when clear - which is the most important measure, I've gathered) is not necessary - but for those of us a little klutzy with a siphon, is there any harm in racking to a clean bucket, allowing to settle for a few days, then racking into bottles?
3. I'm not clear on whether it's "better" to leave it in the fermenter longer, vs bottling once clear for flavor development. Will it mature better left in the fermenter, or bottled?
4. My water is moderately chlorinated - will boiling it to drive off the chlorine be sufficient, or should I just spend a couple buck on a few gallons of bottled water. Come to think of it, does it even matter?
5. The ONLY changes I am considering to the recipe (and it's either-or, not both) would be replacing some of the raisins with dried cherries, OR adding a tsp per gallon of fresh grated ginger. Anyone forsee a problem, or have experience with, either one?
(Well, and I'm contemplating using the zest-and-peeled-orange to eliminate the pith... but I'm debating... I don't want to stray too far from the idiot-proofness of the original recipe).
Hoping to get this started by mid-september (I'm dead broke right now, as I work for a school and get no paychecks during the summer).
Thanks in advance for any feedback, even if it starts with "Paul, you idiot...."
Paul F.
Is it normal for the oranges to disintegrate when you make contact with them? I went to bottle once mine cleared and a huge sediment cloud game off of the oranges one my racking cane touched them. It was so thick I put it into another carboy. I admit I have not read this entire thread but I didn't see anyone else mentioning it. The orange pith taste is also overwhelming (I assume the cloud did that) it's like orange rind tea, not honey with orange flavor.
Paul, you idiot... I couldn't resist! Hope this clears things up for you.
1. The yeast might not attenuate as fully at those temps. Keep above your fridge and you should hit the 70* mark without a pad.
2. Oxidation is always a hazard when racking. If you rack off the lees then be sure you don't splash and mix up the liquid too much. Personally I am going to use a bright tank(what you proposed) on my current batch since I also suck at racking apparently.
3. It is rare but yeast can autolyze when they die lending meaty flavors to fermented beverages. Bottle age so you can make more jaom in your fermenters
4. If your water is suspect then get the bottled stuff. It adds very little cost in comparison to all the time lost on a bad batch.
5. I highly recommend your first batch is to the letter of the original. Futz with it once you have an idea of what it SHOULD taste like. I have completely omitted the orange on my current batch in favor of culinary lavender. It could be an epic fail but at least I will know why instead of wondering if the recipe is shoddy.
Just did my first batch of this yesterday, using honey from my parents' farm in Idaho. Assuming it turns out well, I will be doing it more cause it's dead easy.
I may have over pitched, not reading the label on the Fleischmann's package correctly. One of those little pouches is 2 1/2 tsp, but I put in the whole thing. Overnight, the airlock filled with krausen, clogged, and the pressure build up pushed out the stopper. Kind of messy but not terrible.
Looking forward to how this turns out.
Where in Idaho is the farm?
went to bottle the blueberry vanilla last night and 2 bottles in my corker broke. I've bottled a total 10 bottles with it so I was a little miffed. anyway it sure is pretty and I liked the flavor directly out of the carboy much more than the original recipe. I will make this one again
I still have an apple cinnamon to bottle but it will have to wait until I get more bottles and a new corker
any suggestions for a corker
I just broke this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064OFYIY/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
I used one similar to this. If I get serious about wine/mead I plan to buy it. I borrowed it from my father in law
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/portuguese-floor-corker.html
would you have found it on stormthecastle.com perchance?
Subscribe! I made something like this a few years ago when I first started brewing, I found it somewhere else and it wasn't called JAOM. It was just honey, water, orange, raisins and bakers yeast, no spices. It was so tasty I didn't even bother bottling it, I poured it straight from the jug to the glass.
Paul_F said:I might have screwed this up already!
The Cinnamon issue is now moot... I used the "Ceylon Cinnamon" sticks.
I think I may have erred in my scaling up...
This was supposed to be the "easy" recipe.... LOL... I'll bet it IS easy if you can read!
Even constructive ridicule welcomed!
Paul F.
Paul. Relax...
Not sure if someone has off lined you about your issue yet. But...
It will turn as mead and you will gulp it down with glee even if you're an orange and a stick shy. It will be great and it will be your own. Next time you won't even care about a recipe. I guarantee.
Has anyone tried using Craisins?
How important are the cinnamon sticks? I have everything I need but I dont have any cinnamon sticks at home and I don't feel like making a trip to my homebrew store.
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