Hibiscus mead

[Deafmeadmaker]

Saw some dried hibiscus in the store and I couldn't resist the challenge. The general plan is to make a 'tea'. One or two gallons of warm (not boiling) water and hibiscus in a flow through bag. When the water cools, add it to 15 lbs of honey and fill to the five gallon mark. I used Lalvin V1116 last time, but I'm going to go with D47 this time and my usual method of step feeding/ nutrients.
Any suggestions before I commit to this? My research on the amount of hibiscus varies from one to three cups of dried flower. Anyone have experience with hibiscus?

 

[TandemTails]

I did a batch that turned out great. It was a gallon batch with 3 lbs of neutral honey and a few ounces of dried hibiscus and d47 yeast.

I used the same technique you described for the flowers. The resulting color is awesome.

 

[loveofrose]

Here is how I use dried hibiscus (Jamacian hibiscus is called sorrel):
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/dragon-blood-sorrel-hibiscus-mead/

Wonderful red color. The trick is to make a mead you can drink fast. Otherwise, the color fades to brown, then golden with age.

 

[TandemTails]

Here is how I use dried hibiscus (Jamacian hibiscus is called sorrel):
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/dragon-blood-sorrel-hibiscus-mead/

Wonderful red color. The trick is to make a mead you can drink fast. Otherwise, the color fades to brown, then golden with age.

I also used some blueberries and blueberry juice in mine. After about 8 months it still had the purple-ish color (i guess from the blueberries?). Not sure if that'll still fade to a funky color as more time passes.

 

[loveofrose]

At 8 months, mine was brown. It turned rose then golden after a year. Mine was pure hibiscus though.

 

[Deafmeadmaker]

Thanks for the heads up on the color change, Rose. Some color difference is to be expected, as long as it doesn't look funky or affect the taste.

 

[bernardsmith]

I have made hibiscus wine a couple of times and have never had a problem with fading or changing color. Have some in bottles for more than a year and the wine is bright red. I wonder if the pH, presence (or addition) of tannins, the yeast used (71B) and a lower temperature of the ferment help set the color and prevent color loss? (never made an hibiscus mead, however)

 

[CKuhns]

Have done a couple of Hibiscus Meads.
1 Pound dried Hibiscus in a nylon bag steeped in 3 Gallons water for 10 minutes left the tea in the water and cooled to room temp. No appreciable bitter or off taste like you may get from other teas from doing so.

As LOR suggested - Does tend to change color over time. I think it could be from even a small amount of headspace causing just enough oxidation in secondary to impact the color. (Not sure) I did clarify and bottle a batch pretty quickly and that seemed to help a good bit with he color.