TheShadowfox
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone. I decided to get my brew journal up here finally.
On May 3rd 2012, I picked up 25 lbs of dark honey from my local apiary. I began working on the must later that night.
I found a good recipe that I've been wanting to work on for months now. http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_rapidrecipe&page=viewrecipe&recipe_id=19&Itemid=459
I followed the recipe almost perfectly. I changed the amount of cinnamon and added an extra vanilla bean. Other than that, nothing extra went in, and nothing was taken out.
25lbs dark honey ( ! ) in two stages
2 Madagascar vanilla beans
30 allspice
30 cloves
2 1/2 sticks of cinnamon (all spices crushed and free in the must)
6 oz frozen Orange Juide Concentrate (pulp free) for citric acid
6 oz frozen Apple Juice Concentrate for malic acid
5 gallons water (spring water)
Lalvin EC-1118 champagne yeast
I first sterilized everything in a potent bleach and water solution, the 6 gallon carboy, the coffee grinder, the jugs of water, carboy bung and airlock, everything. I washed the bleach out thoroughly, and dumped in two gallons of the water. I added half of my honey (12 1/2 lbs) and sloshed it around a little with another gallon of water. I separated all my spices then ground them all up in a coffee grinder before I dumped them into the must. I finished adding the rest of the water and yeast. Then I put the juice concentrates into the carboy and closed it up with the airlock at the top. It's been bubbling ever since!
This is my first mead, and certainly my largest brewing endeavor. I am very interested in getting thoughts on this. This is just an experiment that I hope to do very well so I'm laid back about it, please be kind. Here is a link to my pics. http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/The_Shadowfox/Vanilla mead/
On May 3rd 2012, I picked up 25 lbs of dark honey from my local apiary. I began working on the must later that night.
I found a good recipe that I've been wanting to work on for months now. http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_rapidrecipe&page=viewrecipe&recipe_id=19&Itemid=459
I followed the recipe almost perfectly. I changed the amount of cinnamon and added an extra vanilla bean. Other than that, nothing extra went in, and nothing was taken out.
25lbs dark honey ( ! ) in two stages
2 Madagascar vanilla beans
30 allspice
30 cloves
2 1/2 sticks of cinnamon (all spices crushed and free in the must)
6 oz frozen Orange Juide Concentrate (pulp free) for citric acid
6 oz frozen Apple Juice Concentrate for malic acid
5 gallons water (spring water)
Lalvin EC-1118 champagne yeast
I first sterilized everything in a potent bleach and water solution, the 6 gallon carboy, the coffee grinder, the jugs of water, carboy bung and airlock, everything. I washed the bleach out thoroughly, and dumped in two gallons of the water. I added half of my honey (12 1/2 lbs) and sloshed it around a little with another gallon of water. I separated all my spices then ground them all up in a coffee grinder before I dumped them into the must. I finished adding the rest of the water and yeast. Then I put the juice concentrates into the carboy and closed it up with the airlock at the top. It's been bubbling ever since!
This is my first mead, and certainly my largest brewing endeavor. I am very interested in getting thoughts on this. This is just an experiment that I hope to do very well so I'm laid back about it, please be kind. Here is a link to my pics. http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/The_Shadowfox/Vanilla mead/