Strawberry Peppercorn saison mead

[Vikingarch]

Hey guys,

I am interested in jumping into different yeasts with my meads. One I am interested in using is a saison yeast, as I heard they can bring interesting spice notes after fermentation. Therefore I was wondering if any would be interested in critiquing a strawberry peppercorn saison mead I had planned.

5 gallon recipe:
clover, wildflower, or orange blossom honey (probably lower abv so somewhere around 10-11lbs)
10-13lbs frozen strawberries in secondary
1 and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison

Most likely kegged after aging for 3 months

I would love to hear any ideas people have for this recipe. I am not familiar with working with ale yeasts so not quite sure what to expect.

 

[bernardsmith]

I don't see any nutrients being used - so that might be a problem. Also, you make no mention of tannins or of testing for TA and pH so it is a little hard to critique a list of ingredients. I am always very contrarian and so I would suggest that if you are asking for responses and you are saying that you don't have a good handle on what to expect then might it not make better sense to make 1 gallon rather than 5?

It's not going to be a disaster - and there is a world of difference in using clover honey or orange blossom - but it may not be something so great that every glass you pour all but forces you to pour another. Sure, if you normally make 5000 gallon batches , then 5 gallons is nothing but if you normally make 5 gallon batches when you know exactly what you want and you know exactly how to get it making this batch with so many uncertainties (including, presumably the optimal temperature for the flavors you want/hope to produce from this yeast). This sounds like someone spending a whack of money on a lottery ticket with the hope that the winnings will pay next month's rent. Your call, of course...

 

[Vikingarch]

Hello,

I thought it was a given that I would be using nutrients. I will measure out a SNA schedule for the OG I end up reaching using Fermaid O through TOSNA. I also have a fermentation temperature control system I have used for beers with which I will increase the temperature over the period of fermentation to a range of 75-80 F, where I will be able to hit the nice funk and spice notes typical of most saisons.

Regarding tannins, I may use some for this brew in secondary depending on how things feel after fermentation, especially considering what I may add in. But as I said above, the recipe isn't really set in stone yet. I don't typically test for TA or pH because I have none of the tools for that and according to my research, all of that really depends on the recipe you're working with.

I have made close to 100 batches of different meads of various sizes ranging from 1 gallon to 6 gallons. I have multiple 60lb pails of various different honeys and plenty of time so I was thinking of making an experiment with a new type of yeast and having fun with it. That is the point of this hobby right?

I don't know if you're having a bad day, but honestly none of your critique was constructive or helpful. What I was looking for any thoughtful advice on what to add/take away (personal opinions, different takes, tastes, etc.) and assistance in building a well-thought out recipe.

Clearly this site is not as welcoming and not quite the venue for cooperation/sharing of interests as I thought.

 

[bernardsmith]

I apologize if you felt that my comments were not helpful. Not sure how anyone would know what was "given" other than what you precisely presented.