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- Jul 22, 2021
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Almost a year ago I started a batch of B.O.B.
I'm not ashamed to say that I love my B.O.B.
B.O.B. is simple, like me. B.O.B. takes time to turn the corner.
B.O.B. is a 50-50 honey ratio of Buckwheat and Orange Blossom honey mead. It is a traditional mead.
After initial fermentation is complete, you might wonder why you wasted expensive honey on something that doesn't taste so well. So was I the first time I made this ~2+ years ago. A funny thing happens after about 10 months... The aroma becomes very honey forward and the Buckwheat starts to fall behind the Orange Blossom and provides a solid base of flavor that is no longer objectionable; it is well balanced. The aroma is very nice and the taste is nice for a completely dry mead.
The prior time I made B.O.B. it finished at 1.004 SG and those 4 points were nice. I may add .004 points to this one to try and add that faint sweetness... or not as I'm not sure yet.
If you want to make this, just use equal amounts of Orange Blossom and Western Buckwheat honey and shoot for your preferred ABV, but 12%-14% is probably the sweet spot. I used K1-V1116 yeast. I also used Booster Blanc during the fermentation. This was done with a TOSNA protocol, Go-Ferm rehydrated yeast, and using pure O2 prior to yeast pitch and again at 18 hours post yeast pitch.
Oak was used at ~1 gram per liter during fermentation and carried to secondary. I believe I used an equal division of American and French at a medium toast level. I'd have to check my notes, but oaking preferences are individual anyway.
===========================
I went back and checked my notes and have these additional comments.
Initial pH of 3.7, finished at pH of 3.6
Additives in primary:
11.65g Opti-White, 6g Noblesse, 6.5g FT Rouge Tannin
2.25 tsp Bentonite in primary (added dry (no slurry) and not sure why I didn't have it by weight)
14.4g Hungarian Oak
29g French Xoakers (4 each)
fermented dry in 34 days (13.3% abv)
Racked, stabilized. Oak carried from primary to secondary with an added 5 American Xoakers (didn't weigh but >30g) and another 56g Hungarian oak .
I'm not ashamed to say that I love my B.O.B.
B.O.B. is simple, like me. B.O.B. takes time to turn the corner.
B.O.B. is a 50-50 honey ratio of Buckwheat and Orange Blossom honey mead. It is a traditional mead.
After initial fermentation is complete, you might wonder why you wasted expensive honey on something that doesn't taste so well. So was I the first time I made this ~2+ years ago. A funny thing happens after about 10 months... The aroma becomes very honey forward and the Buckwheat starts to fall behind the Orange Blossom and provides a solid base of flavor that is no longer objectionable; it is well balanced. The aroma is very nice and the taste is nice for a completely dry mead.
The prior time I made B.O.B. it finished at 1.004 SG and those 4 points were nice. I may add .004 points to this one to try and add that faint sweetness... or not as I'm not sure yet.
If you want to make this, just use equal amounts of Orange Blossom and Western Buckwheat honey and shoot for your preferred ABV, but 12%-14% is probably the sweet spot. I used K1-V1116 yeast. I also used Booster Blanc during the fermentation. This was done with a TOSNA protocol, Go-Ferm rehydrated yeast, and using pure O2 prior to yeast pitch and again at 18 hours post yeast pitch.
Oak was used at ~1 gram per liter during fermentation and carried to secondary. I believe I used an equal division of American and French at a medium toast level. I'd have to check my notes, but oaking preferences are individual anyway.
===========================
I went back and checked my notes and have these additional comments.
Initial pH of 3.7, finished at pH of 3.6
Additives in primary:
11.65g Opti-White, 6g Noblesse, 6.5g FT Rouge Tannin
2.25 tsp Bentonite in primary (added dry (no slurry) and not sure why I didn't have it by weight)
14.4g Hungarian Oak
29g French Xoakers (4 each)
fermented dry in 34 days (13.3% abv)
Racked, stabilized. Oak carried from primary to secondary with an added 5 American Xoakers (didn't weigh but >30g) and another 56g Hungarian oak .
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