So, a few words about this:
1 - I had 2 lbs of raw honey leftover from making my JAOM back in January and mixed it with 5 lbs of newer raw "fall wildflower" honey. I split the two into 1 gallon of show mead and 1 gallon of methiglin.
2 - If I didn't trust the supplier and my tastebuds, I'd swear I was using molasses! I've never seen honey that dark and thick!
3 - Yes, the Original SG really is 1.21! I tested it three separate times.
Now, the recipe:
3 1/2 pounds of honey (see note 1)
1 gallon spring water
1 cinnamon stick
2 medallions of candied ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp ea - ground cloves, allspice, nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (see my post about extract vs bean)
Process:
I mixed the 2 pounds raw honey and 5 lbs "fall wildflower" in a sterilized pot with about 4 cups of water and heated through just to thin it out. I did scoop off some foamy scum off the must before bottling it.
I placed equal amounts of the nutrient and energizer (per the bottle directions) into sterilized 1 gallon carboys. The spices and vanilla were added to one carboy.
The must was equally divided between the two carboys (trust me, as a paramedic, I'm unbelievably OCD about measurements).
I bloomed 2 separate amounts of the D47 (1 tsp in one cup of warm water) and pitched 1 each onto the carboys.
Within 12 hours, the methiglin practically exploded and I ended up clearing out the airlock 4 times before it calmed down!
The Show Mead is kinda just bubbling along.
Question for the pros: anything in the spice mix that might account for the massive difference in reaction to the yeast?
1 - I had 2 lbs of raw honey leftover from making my JAOM back in January and mixed it with 5 lbs of newer raw "fall wildflower" honey. I split the two into 1 gallon of show mead and 1 gallon of methiglin.
2 - If I didn't trust the supplier and my tastebuds, I'd swear I was using molasses! I've never seen honey that dark and thick!
3 - Yes, the Original SG really is 1.21! I tested it three separate times.
Now, the recipe:
3 1/2 pounds of honey (see note 1)
1 gallon spring water
1 cinnamon stick
2 medallions of candied ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp ea - ground cloves, allspice, nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (see my post about extract vs bean)
Process:
I mixed the 2 pounds raw honey and 5 lbs "fall wildflower" in a sterilized pot with about 4 cups of water and heated through just to thin it out. I did scoop off some foamy scum off the must before bottling it.
I placed equal amounts of the nutrient and energizer (per the bottle directions) into sterilized 1 gallon carboys. The spices and vanilla were added to one carboy.
The must was equally divided between the two carboys (trust me, as a paramedic, I'm unbelievably OCD about measurements).
I bloomed 2 separate amounts of the D47 (1 tsp in one cup of warm water) and pitched 1 each onto the carboys.
Within 12 hours, the methiglin practically exploded and I ended up clearing out the airlock 4 times before it calmed down!
The Show Mead is kinda just bubbling along.
Question for the pros: anything in the spice mix that might account for the massive difference in reaction to the yeast?