Elderberry Danish Mead

[TheManicOrganic]

Here is the recipe for one of my first attempts on making mead of some of my surplus honey.
And as title indicates, its in metric. :cross:

Ingredients : ( for 25 litre )

8kg Summerhoney (rich flavoured )
4,5kg Spring honey ( rapeflower )
2 litres Elderberry juice ( homemade organic juice ) 3-4 kg berries
250 gram Sultana Raisins organic
2 big star Anise
60 gram organic powdered ginger
0,6 litre organic Limonjuice, freshly squeezed
1 bag organic chamomile tea
50 gram Organic Bakers yeast ( wet yeast i assume its called )

First the longer process of juicing the freshpicked elderberries in my new juicer.
http://imellemtiden.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/2013-05-31-10-06-16.jpg
I found it easier to remove the berries after a few hours in the freezer.

While that went on, i put on the big pot and mixed all the honey and 10 liter of tap water, brought to boil ( 30 minutes ) and skimmed the top for residues like vax and other impurities. (Learned the hard way to WATCH THE POT as it boils over when youre not looking )

In a second pot i added 2 litres of water, brought to boil, added the teabag and let it steep for 5 minutes, then remove teabag and add the ginger powder, star anise and raisins and boil for another 10-15 min.

After a cooldown the honey/water mix and the tea were mixed together in the carboy, except a cup of the tea thats used for dissolving yeast in.

Top up the Carboy, shake to airate and when at 25-30 degrees Celscius added the yeast.

Then placed under a blanket in my floor heated bathroom ( which got turned up to 23 degrees Celcius for this purpose ) and left to its own for 5-6 weeks, until only a bubble a minute or so.

Racked into a clean carboy and all raisins, star anise and most ginger powder was left behind. ( could be used in a new batch )

Left to its own for another 5-6 weeks, same location and temperature.
After 6 weeks a " yeast killer " was added and then rigorously shaken and left to settle for 2 days.

Then it was racked for the second time, in yet another clean carboy and then added Kieselsol, then shake and left alone for 4 hours and then Chitosan for clearing.

After another week of patience it was time to bottle and the taste was at that point very good, when considering that it had only taken just about 3 months to get a sweet and very tasty mead at 15,5%.

Now i am in the midst of my third brew of this wonderful Nectar of the Gods, so months has went by and after now 7 months, i opened an bottle and the taste is more "rounded of" and has the most wonderful colour and flavour.

 

[WVMJ]

Try making a batch without boiling all the aromatics off of your wonderful honey and see if there is a difference. Why are you bothering with juicing the elderberries instead of just putting them into a fermentation bag? A little oak if you like oak would also go well with this. Our favorite mead is a dried elderberry, a lot of berries, a little oak, heat just the dried elderberries but not the honey. WVMJ

 

[TheManicOrganic]

Try making a batch without boiling all the aromatics off of your wonderful honey and see if there is a difference. Why are you bothering with juicing the elderberries instead of just putting them into a fermentation bag? A little oak if you like oak would also go well with this. Our favorite mead is a dried elderberry, a lot of berries, a little oak, heat just the dried elderberries but not the honey. WVMJ

I must admit that is was mostly due to advice from other homebrewers. It seems that, at least locally in DK, its boiled to avoid any impurities and unwanted bacteria and the like. So i just "followed the crowd". Mostly due to food safety reasons. Denmark has a really harsh set of rules that has to be followed, so just trying to avoid any problems, though i know i suffer a lot in the taste department.

But i might make an batch for own consumption and testing.

The reason is the same for the berries. They take up more space when adding the fruits, so juice instead of fruit = more end product. ;-) ( considering my limited size fermentation "containers" )

I have thought about the oak, as i do love peated single malts and are considering to try age a batch in whisky/bourbon oakbarrels.

But even the oak "flavour sticks" that can be bought for soaking in alcohol to add flavour and colour i suppose would be of great use here too.

I visited you site WVMJ and ill definately try a few of your recipies.

Is the drying process of the elderberries a tough one or maybe doable for a smallholder like me with limited machinery and such.?

Thanks for the reply and suggestions.