SpaceInvadingMonkeys
Well-Known Member
Hello!
So I am graduating in slightly over a year so I wanted to prepare something delicious and interesting for it. I am starting now because I've decided to make a pyment and hopefully (fingers crossed) will be ready in slightly over a year. But, hey if it isn't, I have like 7 gallons of Edwort's Apfelwein going right now and I understand that will be amazing in slightly over a year!
Also, thanks to summersolstice for pointing me to a place where I can buy some ultimate pressed grape juice. It is exactly what I was looking for.
This is to make 5 gallons:
- ~3 gallons pinot noir grape juice
- ~6 lbs of honey
- usual yeast nutrients + energizers
- water to about 5 gallons
- wine yeast
- 4 oz. oak chips ~2 weeks before bottling
Real questions
1. Honey? I have access to a multitude of honeys but, being somewhat new to mead, I am not sure what honey would complement the pinot noir. It has a lighter body taste to it unlike most reds (reason I chose this) but usually has a light berry aroma. So I was thinking something like raspberry honey which of course I do not have access to :-\. I have access to: clover (sweet), orange blossom, white sage, mesquite, buckwheat and wildflower. I'd probably opt out of wildflower because last time I made mead with wildflower, it didn't too good even after aging and I've read mixed reports about it.
2. Yeast? I'm sort of in a qualm about yeast. I started out brewing beer and used to make mead with my mom when I was a kid so I figured I'd give this a shot (and I love it). So really any help would be amazing here. I really only have experience with Montrachet and Champagne yeast.
3. Suggestions? Really, this is a rough idea for me right now. Probably won't get implemented until early June. So I would love to soak up any knowledge you guys have about this subject. Feel free to tell me that I am off my rocker and need something better to do with my time.
So I am graduating in slightly over a year so I wanted to prepare something delicious and interesting for it. I am starting now because I've decided to make a pyment and hopefully (fingers crossed) will be ready in slightly over a year. But, hey if it isn't, I have like 7 gallons of Edwort's Apfelwein going right now and I understand that will be amazing in slightly over a year!
Also, thanks to summersolstice for pointing me to a place where I can buy some ultimate pressed grape juice. It is exactly what I was looking for.
This is to make 5 gallons:
- ~3 gallons pinot noir grape juice
- ~6 lbs of honey
- usual yeast nutrients + energizers
- water to about 5 gallons
- wine yeast
- 4 oz. oak chips ~2 weeks before bottling
Real questions
1. Honey? I have access to a multitude of honeys but, being somewhat new to mead, I am not sure what honey would complement the pinot noir. It has a lighter body taste to it unlike most reds (reason I chose this) but usually has a light berry aroma. So I was thinking something like raspberry honey which of course I do not have access to :-\. I have access to: clover (sweet), orange blossom, white sage, mesquite, buckwheat and wildflower. I'd probably opt out of wildflower because last time I made mead with wildflower, it didn't too good even after aging and I've read mixed reports about it.
2. Yeast? I'm sort of in a qualm about yeast. I started out brewing beer and used to make mead with my mom when I was a kid so I figured I'd give this a shot (and I love it). So really any help would be amazing here. I really only have experience with Montrachet and Champagne yeast.
3. Suggestions? Really, this is a rough idea for me right now. Probably won't get implemented until early June. So I would love to soak up any knowledge you guys have about this subject. Feel free to tell me that I am off my rocker and need something better to do with my time.