Milk-Mead (a spin on koumiss) instruction, recipe & info

[HopHeaven]

You say you make cheese ... any feel for how that curd went, how it's firmed up ... yadda yadda?

I think it went well. It was pretty easy to get out of the jug, the yeast cake was pretty compact so the curds pretty much poured out. As for firmness, I would say it has the firmness and texture of a ricotta that you havent let drain long enough. It tasted like the mead so it was a bit young tasting but it had a nice creamy cheese taste at the very end. I have the curds sitting in my fridge right now, hoping to think of something good to do with them soon


On a racking note, with the curds and the yeast cake, obviously I have lost some volume as you can tell by the picture. Im a little nervous with all this head space as I wont be able to bottle this for two weeks. Hoping any off gassing replaces some of that O2 with C02. Next time, I think I'd rack into one half gallon growler and fill it all the way up.

Cant wait for this to be done! It looks crazy :fro::rockin:

 

[HopHeaven]

Wow. After 3 days in the secondary it's clearing up really nicely.



Don't mind the two pieces of curd that snuck in

 

[Leadgolem]

I'm not sure if this was brilliant or insane. I'll have to do a little more research into the chemistry involved, but I'll probably give something like this a try with the leftover whey the next time I make cheese.

 

[Jnco_hippie]

I still cant get over how this stuff clears. It starts out looking like rotten milk, then ends up like any other mead in 30 days.

Im saving my last bottle for the wedding august 31st.

We now have a red currant mead 2 weeks in primary. Hoping it will be ready for the wedding also.

Let us know about your taste test on the koumiss mead. I know you stole a sample during transfer

 

[bigbeergeek]

Standing by for tasting notes and some photos of the final product.

 

[LBussy]

Milk, chocolate milk, STRAWBERRY milk ... the possibilities are endless.

Trying this one probably this coming weekend.

As a wop I'd like to try my hand at making mozzarella too - which should be complimentary, but I think one new thing at a time is probably enough.

 

[LBussy]

HopHeaven, what yeast did you end up using? I thought from your comments the Montrachet but not sure.

 

[HopHeaven]

HopHeaven, what yeast did you end up using? I thought from your comments the Montrachet but not sure.

Yup that's correct. I followed the recipe exactly except for using Montrachet yeast, energizer at pitching and a second helping of nutrient at day 2.

Can't believe that I pitched this 9 days ago and it's so clear. I'll be away for 9 days so I will be waiting to bottle but will post finished pictures and taste notes then. I'm so interested in how this tastes and I love the idea of adding chocolate or strawberry.

 

[HopHeaven]

As a wop I'd like to try my hand at making mozzarella too - which should be complimentary, but I think one new thing at a time is probably enough.

Go for it! It's not that difficult and it's so rewarding. Just make sure you have good milk as fresh as possible

 

[Spinrathen]

Think I'll try this one this weekend. Would love to hear any curd recipe success stories!

 

[nitack]

Think I'll try this one this weekend. Would love to hear any curd recipe success stories!

Yeah, I'm considering trying this one for the curd alone. The milk-mead is an added bonus. Definitely nice that it has such a quick turn around time too, although I suspect that has more to do with the lower ABV than anything with the ingredients.

 

[saramc]

Think I'll try this one this weekend. Would love to hear any curd recipe success stories!

Put curd in a yogurt strainer to thicken it up. Have turned the curd into a creamy fruity dip...added drained crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, some marshmallow cream, vanilla, thinned with reserved pineapple juice. Served with graham crackers, fruit, gingersnaps. A chocolate curd was incorporated into a chocolate orange tiramisu I threw together, used half the amount marscapone. I had the chocolate curd from combining whole/2% milk, high quality chocolate(melted, stirred into milk) with vodka and oranges--makes a similar curd when compared the plain version to milk liqueur. You could easily add chocolate to the curd from milk mead.

 

[HopHeaven]

Yeah, I'm considering trying this one for the curd alone. The milk-mead is an added bonus. Definitely nice that it has such a quick turn around time too, although I suspect that has more to do with the lower ABV than anything with the ingredients.

I dunno how low the abv is really...1.5 lbs of honey alone has a decent amount of sugar to convert to alcohol. Then there's the milk...

 

[gayleygoo]

could the curds be used to make cheesecake? I'm thinking with strawberries or raspberries...

 

[nitack]

I dunno how low the abv is really...1.5 lbs of honey alone has a decent amount of sugar to convert to alcohol. Then there's the milk...

Gotmead calculator has the potential ABV of 8.5% if it is bone dry. The OP described this as a semi-sweet. So we're looking at maybe 7-8% ABV. I call that low, but I been pushing all mine into the high teens.

 

[HopHeaven]

Gotmead calculator has the potential ABV of 8.5% if it is bone dry. The OP described this as a semi-sweet. So we're looking at maybe 7-8% ABV. I call that low, but I been pushing all mine into the high teens.

Ahh gotcha. Well thanks for the info!

 

[saramc]

could the curds be used to make cheesecake? I'm thinking with strawberries or raspberries...

I see no reason why not, just strain them so they are even more dense. A few layers of damp cheesecloth, suspended over a bowl overnight in refrig will do the trick. I use fermented milk curd pretty frequently (strained milk kefir) to make cheesecake.

 

[nitack]

could the curds be used to make cheesecake? I'm thinking with strawberries or raspberries...

I'm sure they could, but would you bake it and let all that alcohol just evaporate out? I'm thinking of whipping it and making a parfait. Strawberries, blueberries and some nilla waifers.

 

[Leadgolem]

Would anyone care to post some tasting notes on the curd?

 

[gayleygoo]

I'm sure they could, but would you bake it and let all that alcohol just evaporate out? I'm thinking of whipping it and making a parfait. Strawberries, blueberries and some nilla waifers.

I've never made a baked cheesecake before, only the kind that you add whipped cream or gelatin to to make it firm.

Not sure mine is working... it's bubbly at the top but the curd isn't distinguishable yet (day 3). I wonder if it's to do with one of the cartons being a UHT milk? I'm just thinking now that it may not separate at all.

 

[HopHeaven]

I've never made a baked cheesecake before, only the kind that you add whipped cream or gelatin to to make it firm.

Not sure mine is working... it's bubbly at the top but the curd isn't distinguishable yet (day 3). I wonder if it's to do with one of the cartons being a UHT milk? I'm just thinking now that it may not separate at all.

That's interesting... Mine curdled within the first 12 hours. What is UHP milk? My milk was UP ( ultra pasteurized). I know for cheese making that usually doesn't work but it seems to be fine with this mead

 

[gayleygoo]

UHT is "ultra heat treated" milk, it's probably the same as your UP milk - sold in cartons that don't need to go in the fridge? Perhaps its just a bit cold in my kitchen, I have it wrapped in a towel to try and warm it up! Maybe if I add a little lemon juice it will curdle up more? I'll give it another day or two and see what it's like then. It doesn't smell bad so that's a positive!

 

[HopHeaven]

UHT is "ultra heat treated" milk, it's probably the same as your UP milk - sold in cartons that don't need to go in the fridge? Perhaps its just a bit cold in my kitchen, I have it wrapped in a towel to try and warm it up! Maybe if I add a little lemon juice it will curdle up more? I'll give it another day or two and see what it's like then. It doesn't smell bad so that's a positive!

Yeah I'd let it ride and see what happens. If its bubbling, that's gotta mean something's happening

 

[Leadgolem]

I've never made a baked cheesecake before, only the kind that you add whipped cream or gelatin to to make it firm.

Not sure mine is working... it's bubbly at the top but the curd isn't distinguishable yet (day 3). I wonder if it's to do with one of the cartons being a UHT milk? I'm just thinking now that it may not separate at all.

If I remember my cheese making correctly, UHT processed milk has been heated to the point that one of the components that you need to get a clean break has been greatly reduced. That makes it very difficult to make most kinds of cheese.

I do remember making some cheese with UP milk, I never did get a clean break. Ended up letting it acidify much more then usual and then heated it on the stove. It did separate, but came out more like ricotta then I intended.

At this point, you don't have anything to lose by letting it ride. I think it will curdle, but it probably won't happen until later then normal.

 

[HopHeaven]

If I remember my cheese making correctly, UHT processed milk has been heated to the point that one of the components that you need to get a clean break has been greatly reduced. That makes it very difficult to make most kinds of cheese.

I do remember making some cheese with UP milk, I never did get a clean break. Ended up letting it acidify much more then usual and then heated it on the stove. It did separate, but came out more like ricotta then I intended.

At this point, you don't have anything to lose by letting it ride. I think it will curdle, but it probably won't happen until later then normal.

You remember your cheese making correctly. UHT and UP milk has been heated to such a high degree that the whey protein is disrupted so you often get a very ricotta like curd. Most organic milks are UHT or UP.

That being said, I think I may have gotten lucky. I used UP organic lactose free milk and the milk curdled within 12 hours. With the poster who is using UHT milk, it's bubbling away so he may eventually get the milk to separate, the curd just may look a little funky( well, more than normally)

 

[gayleygoo]

So it might take a little longer but should clear eventually? The thought of drinking something that looks like alcoholic milk is enough to make me want to boke. I think it's doing fine though, heres a pic!

It needs another pound of honey. I used a cheap supermarket honey (No rock-throwing please, I know I shouldn't have!) which had no smell and not much taste. Hopefully a pound of orange blossom will perk it up. (Also I'm doing a 4.5 litre gallon so the OG will be too low with just one pound).

My DH thinks this milk mead thing is a bad idea

 

[Leadgolem]

You remember your cheese making correctly. UHT and UP milk has been heated to such a high degree that the whey protein is disrupted so you often get a very ricotta like curd. Most organic milks are UHT or UP.

That being said, I think I may have gotten lucky. I used UP organic lactose free milk and the milk curdled within 12 hours. With the poster who is using UHT milk, it's bubbling away so he may eventually get the milk to separate, the curd just may look a little funky( well, more than normally)

Thanks, my memory was a bit fuzzy. I think I read that, and made the no so great cheese, about 5 years ago.

So it might take a little longer but should clear eventually? The thought of drinking something that looks like alcoholic milk is enough to make me want to boke. I think it's doing fine though, heres a pic!

It needs another pound of honey. I used a cheap supermarket honey (No rock-throwing please, I know I shouldn't have!) which had no smell and not much taste. Hopefully a pound of orange blossom will perk it up. (Also I'm doing a 4.5 litre gallon so the OG will be too low with just one pound).

My DH thinks this milk mead thing is a bad idea

I think it will eventually clear. Yeah, I don't think I would willingly drink a fermented beverage that still had all the milk protein floating around in it.

 

[gayleygoo]

Day 6 and I think it had finished fermenting (I didn't take a hydrometer reading but there was no airlock activity today, yet there was yesterday!) You can see in the pic it has mostly separated out. Wow that's a lot of sediment. After I took the photo, I added another pound of orange blossom honey and top up with water to just over 4 litres, I may top up a little more after racking if there seems to be a lot of headspace, but I don't want to dilute too much. If it doesn't clear on it's own I will add finings, but I don't think it will get to that!

 

[Tim27]

I am going to start a batch of this tonight. I will use 2 pounds of honey.

 

[HopHeaven]

I am going to start a batch of this tonight. I will use 2 pounds of honey.

Let us know how it goes. I'm currently on vacation till Friday and the only reason I want to go home is to bottle this and drink some. It'll have been in the secondary for almost 2 weeks!

 

[Tim27]

Well the yeast is pitched. We will see how it goes. I didn't boil the honey but I attempted to pasteurize it by heating it up into the 170's for 20 min. I didn't make a starter or rehydrate my yeast but I don't think it will be a problem. At least it isn't usually a problem for me. Throwing this Mead to together was kind of impromptu anyway. We will see how it goes.

 

[Leadgolem]

Day 6 and I think it had finished fermenting (I didn't take a hydrometer reading but there was no airlock activity today, yet there was yesterday!) You can see in the pic it has mostly separated out. Wow that's a lot of sediment. After I took the photo, I added another pound of orange blossom honey and top up with water to just over 4 litres, I may top up a little more after racking if there seems to be a lot of headspace, but I don't want to dilute too much. If it doesn't clear on it's own I will add finings, but I don't think it will get to that!

Hmm, that doesn't look to bad. Most of the proteins look to have coagulated. I would move to another container and add a tsp of bentonite powder if you want it to clear further.

 

[Tim27]

Normally you would rack off the LEES. We will be racking off the CHEESE. I don't know I think it's funny.

 

[gayleygoo]

I racked this today, it was rather fiddly as the curds liked to move around a lot. There was loads of crap left over at the end, it looked so gross I didn't even wanna touch it, never mind eat the stuff. It's in a 4.5l DJ now, with a large amount of headspace.

I lost track of how much honey and water went in so I've really no idea what alcohol strength this is. Could be 5%, could be 10%, who knows!

Anyone tried this sparkling? I considered it, but worried about oxidation I threw in a campden tab so I've probably buggered the yeast now anyway, will try it still and might make it again, sparkling, for comparisons' sake.

 

[LBussy]

Not done it yet.

So I mentioned previously I was going to use rennet to drop the curds before starting the ferment. I notice on the box it lists salt as an ingredient. I expect that's there as some sort of stabilizer or even a bulker for the pill. I would not expect it to add much salt given the size of the tablet. Anyone know any specifics about that?

 

[HopHeaven]

So I bottled this a couple days ago. Taste: medium sweet with a milk taste on the end. Smells a bit green still and strong. I think I'm going to let these bottles age a bit. Maybe a month before I pop open a bottle

 

[gayleygoo]

A week after racking, there are still some curds floating on top of mine. Finings didn't bring them down, I think I'll just have to rack carefully a few times to try and get them out.

I really have no idea what the abv is, as I don't know how much honey or water I added in total, and not sure just how much alcohol got left behind in the racking. I'll just have to drink some and see how it goes!

 

[Halbrust]

Amazing stories guys!
I don't knowif I can make this, but it's intriguing.

 

[HopHeaven]

How's everyone's going? I'm going to wait another 2 weeks till I pop the next bottle, hoping some age helps mellow the heat and brings out more honey.

 

[LBussy]

Still just threatening to make it - have not made it yet.

I have a JAOM that jumped ahead of it in line for the fermenter.