Jadwiga Inspired BOMM

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loveofrose

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Jadwiga Inspired BOMM

Jadwiga is considered the pinnacle of Polish mead and considered among the best in the world. The commercial description is as follows:

"It has very rich specific fragrance due to the addition of raspberries and wild rose to nectar honey.

1 litre of Półtorak style mead contains 720 g of natural honey. By comparison, the Dwojniak style of mead contains 610g/L of honey; the Trojniak contains 420g/L and the Czworniak contains 320g/L.

Półtorak mead matures for several years to achieve full clarity. In time its rich aroma hides a high content of alcohol (16%) and acidity forming the finest liquor there is."

I want to clone Jadwiga...sort of. In order to clone something, one needs to taste it first. After repeated attempts, I simply cannot get the stuff. So, I guess I'll have to make it!

I did a lot of digging to find out everything about this beverage. This required me to learn a lot about Polish mead making and the laws that are in place to regulate Polish meads. I also learned that some Polish meads are pure myth (I'm looking at you, Poltorak. SG of 1.240?! Yeah, right). Below is what I could dig up for Jadwiga:

Jadwiga Specs:
-16% ABV final after raspberry juice addition. Probably starts at ~18% ABV prior to fruit juice addition.
-Sugar content is reported to be 720g/L final with residual sugar at 300g/L. >This is a total of 6 lbs of honey per gallon with a theoretical FG 1.240 and SG 1.100. I call buuulllshiiiit.....

Ingredient List:
-Black Locust/Acacia honey
-Malaga yeast
-Barrel aged for a very, very long time (6-25 years). I presume Hungarian oak, but some Polish meaderies use American oak as well. After barrel aging, it is blended with the following:
-Raspberries (2 lbs pressed juice per gallon?)
-Rose hips (2 oz per gallon?) - Extremely high in vitamin C and very tart. Likely negates any need for acid blend.

My thoughts are that all of this sounds simple enough except for that impossible gravity. I'm never going to believe that SG is true. I'm setting out to make a Jadwiga style mead that is very good and NOT stupid sweet. So here goes my test run to attempt to get spices right:

Jadwiga BOMM - 1 gallon

1. Add 3.05 lbs of Black Locust honey to fermenter. SG ~1.120.
2. Add 1/4 tsp DAP and 1/2 tsp of Fermaid K.
-Add above again at 1.08 & 1.04.
3. Add 1/4 tsp K2CO3
4. I swirled to get some in solution, but couldn't get it all in solution. (Not supposed to lift too much)
5. Add a pack of Wyeast 1388.

Post Ferment Plan
-Step feed to 18% ABV and at least 1.02. Maybe higher if the sweet/sour balance requires it.
-Add 2 lbs of pressed raspberry juice and 2 oz rose hips.
-Add 3 Hungarian and 3 American medium toast oak cubes.




Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html
 
Dried are much better than fresh, 2 oz of dried equals about 5 oz of fresh. From my experience 2 lbs of raspberry juice will kill flavour from 2 oz of dried rose hips.
 
Day 3
Added nutrients. Still a bit of honey on the bottom.

Day 5
All honey dissolved. Gravity 1.044. This Acacia honey is incredibly aromatic. I see why Polish Meadmakers use the stuff!
 
Day 21

SG - 1.001. Add 6 oz honey.

Day 29

SG - 1.02. Very tasty. The acacia honey is really nice in mead. I may have a new favorite!

Added 2 oz of dried rose hips.
 
Day 43

Crystal clear. Wow. This is really good as it is. I'm a little afraid adding oak and raspberry juice might screw it up. Hmmm. May have to drink on it.
 
Day 52

I decided to add the following:
1 oz more of Rose Hips
4 medium toast Oak cubes sanitized in everclear for a few days to remove the astringency.

Now to find decent raspberries. That task has been difficult this year.
 
Day 57
Good raspberries are impossible right now. I'm very picky of course, but finding mold in freshly purchased raspberries does not make me want to add them to a mead this good. Screw it.

I noticed an ever so slight bitterness seeping into the mead, so I decided to be proactive. Bottled.
 
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