Carbonating my Traditional mead

[eogaard]

I've just racked my traditional mead to secondary, and it ended up finishing at .997 (from OG 1.113 using lalvin 71B-1122). I used about 1/3 buckwheat honey and the rest clover honey, and I'm really unsure about the aftertaste given off by the buckwheat. However, I feel like this is as good an opportunity as any to try carbonating a mead when I bottle it. Is this something that would be feasible given that it fermented to dryness? Anyone have experience on the subject?

 

[Arpolis]

Your mead is about 15% ABV now and 71b will not ferment much further than that. So if you want it to carbonate you would have to pitch a new yeast. You can make a small starter of lalvin ec-1118 and that may carbonate this. But since you used buckwheat I would think leaving this still and back sweetening with a nice verietal honey like orange blossom would be best. The carbonation would only excentuate that after taste you are questionable about.

 

[eogaard]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I've never had orange blossom, but have been meaning to. In another case, if I were to abandon it being a traditional for the sake of having it actually taste good, any fruits in particular that go well with buckwheat that you would suggest?

 

[Arpolis]

Welche's concord grape frozen concentrate does well. Look up Joea Quick Pyment. The original recipe uses a 1/2 pound of buckwheat.