Recipe for a spiced braggot / a sack mead?

[DG123]

Hi. I already tried to make a thread about this a day or two ago but it seems to have vanished or not posted properly, so I'll try again...

I'm new to brewing in any form. But my father has made wine and mead before so should be able to help me out.

I'm currently looking to work out whether the right ingredients for what I am considering are available (in England where I'm located) and how expensive it would be.

I really have no idea what types of honey, or yeast, or malt I should be using.
Any advice is appreciated. Recipes are even better!

There are two kinds of mead that I'm hoping to attempt at some point.

1. Sack mead. I can't buy Sack mead anywhere and I am therefore not sure what it should taste like. But what I'm hoping for is a very sweet mead, strongly honey flavoured as opposed to tasting like a white wine. Flowery flavour wouldn't hurt. Maybe mild spice? I don't want a drink that is overpowered with ginger or chilli or anything like that.

2. Braggot. I have in mind a strongly honey flavoured mead/beer hybrid, possibly closer to a stout than normal beer. I'm hoping to have a sweet malty flavour. No coffee like malt taste. Chocolate malt taste could be nice. Again, maybe some kind of mild spice? Sweet spices like chai latte, perhaps?

On a related note, is a "sack braggot" possible? Can the two be combined to give something deliciously sweet but also malty? I'm not sure if this would cause issues with the required yeast.

So, basically, what malt, what honey, what spices, and what water do I need? (I read somewhere to use distilled water, but then someone else said to NEVER use distilled water. Maybe one of them meant deonised? I don't know. I imagine spring water is super expensive.)

Also, I've heard good things about heather honey and orange blossom honey, but I'm unsure if they're suitable for this project. Any advice on that? What do they actually taste like?

http://www.therawhoneyshop.com/collections/all

This place delivers them where I live so they are a possibility.

 

[rowan57]

I can't really help with any of your questions, about to do my first mead myself. I have ordered the honey from Paynes (http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/honey-in-bulk/) which seems reasonable price wise and with a bit of googling seems to get a good write up. That Raw Honey site will bankrupt you I reckon.

I did also do a bit of looking just via google for a local beekeeper willing to sell in bulk and looks like I may have found one if he emails me back again.

 

[DG123]

. I have ordered the honey from Paynes (http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/honey-in-bulk/) which seems reasonable price wise and with a bit of googling seems to get a good write up. That Raw Honey site will bankrupt you I reckon.

Wait, am I missing something?

I just looked up the 3KG tub of heather honey on Paynes and it's £45.65. The 3KG container of "creamed" heather honey is £35 on the site I linked to.

Is creamed honey something I don't want? It sure seems cheaper.

The non-creamed raw heather honey would work out to about £45 for 3 KG so there seems to be no difference in price between the sites.

What IS creamed honey?

 

[The_Bishop]

It's crystalised honey, but very, very small crystals and sometimes whipped to make it creamy. Might also have other ingredients, depending on the seller. I'd avoid it for mead.

 

[rowan57]

Wait, am I missing something?



I just looked up the 3KG tub of heather honey on Paynes and it's £45.65. The 3KG container of "creamed" heather honey is £35 on the site I linked to.



Is creamed honey something I don't want? It sure seems cheaper.



The non-creamed raw heather honey would work out to about £45 for 3 KG so there seems to be no difference in price between the sites.



What IS creamed honey?

Not missing anything the raw honey site wasn't working very well when I went on it this morning, I couldn't see the big tubs only the small jars. Worth comparing the shipping charges I suppose if the prices are the same!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[rowan57]

Wait, am I missing something?



I just looked up the 3KG tub of heather honey on Paynes and it's £45.65. The 3KG container of "creamed" heather honey is £35 on the site I linked to.



Is creamed honey something I don't want? It sure seems cheaper.



The non-creamed raw heather honey would work out to about £45 for 3 KG so there seems to be no difference in price between the sites.



What IS creamed honey?

Not missing anything the raw honey site wasn't working very well when I went on it this morning, I couldn't see the big tubs only the small jars. Worth comparing the shipping charges I suppose if the prices are the same!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew