Appalachian Trail Mead

[brewdogskip]

Howdy yall, I'm planning on thru-hiking the AT in 2011 starting in April. I am planning on having a few big beers aging for when I return and figured I may as well make and age a mead for the 6 month hiking trip.

I could start fermenting now, bottle in March, and age until I return in September. Does anyone have a good mead/melomel recipe they would like to share for this occasion? I have done a few standard, dry meads and they have been great, but this time I think I want something with fruit. Maybe strawberry or blueberry? How will these age over time?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AnOldUR]

Nothing brew related to add, just AT jealousy. Youth is wasted on the young.

But damn, six months! I met a girl who did it in like two.

J/K (except for the jealousy part.) Enjoy!

 

[Nikkimaija]

Everyone I know who has thru-hiked the AT has taken around (or at least!) 6 months...isn't it something like 2000 miles? I personally love blueberry mead and I bet it would age well. I've made huckleberry wine and it only gets better with age. I think the tannins in blueberry would help it hold up. in fact, I think 6 months might be considered youngish for mead anyhow, fruited or not.

 

[jasonsargo]

Obviously there's a few different environments along the trail, but the huckleberry comment got me wondering...what berries and/or aromatics is the trail known for? Maybe focus on those flavors to commemorate things?

 

[jezter6]

I like that idea as well, only saving it for post-trip mead. Document (and if possible, bring back ingredients, and make a kitchen sink "this is what I found on the trail" mead).

That said, to brew a mead now and have it worthy of bottle by march is going to be tough. Sure, you'll want to age it for the flavors, but possibly it will continue to clear for weeks or months beyond march, and you may end up with a TON of sediment in each bottle.

 

[Yooper]

That said, to brew a mead now and have it worthy of bottle by march is going to be tough. Sure, you'll want to age it for the flavors, but possibly it will continue to clear for weeks or months beyond march, and you may end up with a TON of sediment in each bottle.

I agree. I'd say that it would be ready for your September 2012 return, if you made it today!

You can do it quicker of course, but I like a super clear mead with no lees and a smooth finish.

You can try to find a recipe for a "quick mead" as that is what you'd need if you want to bottle in 2 1/2 months or so.

 

[brewdogskip]

Thanks for all the responses! Quick note, I don't necessarily have to bottle when I leave, I can bulk age for that time and just get it over with while I'm out on the trail.

Some of my favorite memories that I have had living and working on the AT for the past 4 years have been the fragrant mountain laurel and sweet blueberries on many a mountain top. Now I am really considering a blueberry mead, how does 12#'s wildflower honey with 5#'s of blueberries sound?

 

[MedsenFey]

Sourwood honey, which comes from the southern end of the trail is an excellent honey and you might want to try that.

 

[ceannt]

Wave when you cross Route 9 in West Virginia.... I go by there every day!
Be awesome if you could get Mountain Laurel Honey.....

 

[brewdogskip]

I wish I could do a Mountain Laurel Honey mead, but I could die...

http://www.pickenscountyscbeekeepers.com/MLH.html

I guess a wildflower/blueberry melomel will have to do. I bought 15#'s of wildflower yesterday and am trying to decide how much blueberries to ferment. Any help appreciated.

 

[ceannt]

oops.... yes, please use something else! wow what a shame... they smell so good too, one of my favorites. I always wanted to make some single malt whisky, and age it where Mountain Laurel grows.... maybe I should rethink that...

 

[fatbloke]

I wish I could do a Mountain Laurel Honey mead, but I could die...
http://www.pickenscountyscbeekeepers.com/MLH.html
I guess a wildflower/blueberry melomel will have to do. I bought 15#'s of wildflower yesterday and am trying to decide how much blueberries to ferment. Any help appreciated.

oops.... yes, please use something else! wow what a shame... they smell so good too, one of my favorites. I always wanted to make some single malt whisky, and age it where Mountain Laurel grows.... maybe I should rethink that...

Damn, you learn something new every day don't you. That's the first time I've heard reference to "toxic honey". I know that laurel is poisonous, but you don't associate the nectar etc with the main plant toxins do you.....

Ah well, s'pose the bitterness of the honey alluded to in brewdogskips link is worthy of recall though. After all, don't they say that human taste buds are good at warning us, that sweet is usually safe, bitter is dangerous (can't recall what salt/sour are supposed to tell us - apart from "yum yum" of course ).

regards

fatbloke

 

[brewdogskip]

Well just an update, my hiking plans are settled (hit the Trail on 4/6/11) and my mead is already finished fermenting. I ended up using about 15 #s of honey with 5 # of blueberries. I used staggered nutrient additions and it finished in about 10 days @ FG 0.999. Even this young, it tastes and smells very fragrant, surprisingly not hot to the tongue, and the color is a rich pink/purple. This is going to be a good one.

My plan is to leave it in a pressurized keg until I return and can bottle.

Here's some pics...

mixing it all up, bathtub gin style

2nd SNA and stirring, lots of activity and smells amazing!

 

[DarkBrood]

The northern end of the trail is loaded with blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries through Maine, fewer cranberries and more strawberries moving through NH. Lots of juniper, lavener, and wild herbs throughout the northern end of the AT too!

 

[Rahahb]

Is it possible those toxins could be broken down in the fermentation process?

Also, nice looking mead!

 

[Jaysus]

Lookin' good brewdog, I hope the trail magic is treating you well on your walk!

 

[beersteiner2345]

Well, he should be fairly well up the trail now. Subscribing.

Wife and I have been picking away at the AT via thru hiking with the goal to do the whole thing. Our jobs will not allow a thru hike, but I can't even imagine how amazing it would be.

Also couldn't be away from my dogs that long. lol