First mead is on the docket!

[Dude]

I'm heading to the HBS tomorrow for 20 lbs. of honey!

I think I have a pretty good plan--the green board has a nice faq on mead, and it doesn't look too difficult.

I've got some general questions that I'm sure will get answered as I research, but I think I am set.

I'm going to add kiwi fruit to it after primary, can't wait for a year from now to see how it turns out.

 

[Brewsmith]

Sounds good. The kiwi sounds interesting. That's something that I think I might try sometime soon. I'm going to do a cider first though.

 

[BootYtRappeR]

What is this?

Jeopardy!?

 

[Dude]

Well, the first mead is in the fermenter!

15 lbs of clover and orange blossom honey. 1.102 OG.

After a month or so I'll transfer it and add the 5 lbs of kiwi fruit--but I think I'm going to split the batch. I got about 6 gallons of must so 2 of it might be an experiment with another kind of fruit or spice. Haven't decided what yet though. Any suggestions?

 

[homebrewer_99]

I split one batch into 2 single gals and a 4 gal batch.

The singles I added 2 oz of the extract flavoring (just to get rid of it), the other I added 1/4 tsp of Anise seed. It's light on the anise, but tasty...the raspberry is so-so.

I have a batch of Mango Melomel (Mead) going right now. It's been in the primary a couple of weeks. Time to rack soon...probably this weekend.

 

[BeerLuvnGrl]

good luck with it.. ours is SLOW SLOW SLOW.. but tastes good!! i just hate the WAIT!!!

 

[Dude]

It has been steadily bubbling for 13 straight days now. Unreal!

I was plannign on racking it this weekend but at the rate it is going, it'll be at least another week. I hope I can find kiwi fruit this late in the game.

Still tryign to decide what I want to do with the extra 2 gallons. Vanilla?

 

[Cheesefood]

I hit this post too late. Dude, I wanted to let you know that Costco has SueBee honey for $6.00 for 5 pounds.

If you decide to do the vanilla mead, let me know how it turns out. I'm about to start up a new mead soon, I just need to figure out if I want to do Hibiscus or Marshmallow Root.

 

[Dude]

I cannot believe this thing is still steadily bubbling. I think I'm going to have to take a gravity reading on it.

3 weeks straight!

 

[Brewpastor]

Raspberries are great in mead. Frozen work fine. That is my suggestion for the 2 extra gallons. I have done vanilla but wasn't too impressed with the results.

 

[Dude]

Okay....lots has changed since my last update on this baby. it got racked to a secondary just to clear....but it has sat since then and no fruit was ever added. I just took a hydro sample and it is 1.000--which in mead terms is pretty much done, right?

It tastes, REALLY hot. The flavor is good, but the alcohol burn detracts from it. Does that mellow over time?

I think I am going to bottle some now, without fruit, maybe take 3 gallons and add some fruit to it in the next few days.

 

[Brewpastor]

Time SHOULD mellow the hot character and let its sweetness come through.

 

[Dude]

Time SHOULD mellow the hot character and let its sweetness come through.

Thanks Tom...I feel better.

So...can I get help naming this baby?

I did the mead on the eve of Hurricane Ernesto hitting us. The hurricane made landfall right during it and we even lost power before fermentation started. This should pretty much name itself, but I am blanking....

Come on creative minds....

Here are some facts on Hurricane Ernesto, maybe some ideas can come from this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ernesto_(2006)

 

[Brewsmith]

Cyclone Cider?
-edit- it's a mead and I'm stupid!

How about Monsoon Mead? There, I feel better

 

[ALPS]

Time SHOULD mellow the hot character and let its sweetness come through.

Finishing at 1.000, this mead will be dry, not sweet.

 

[Dude]

Finishing at 1.000, this mead will be dry, not sweet.

Oh, it is definitely sweet.

 

[Cheesefood]

Okay....lots has changed since my last update on this baby. it got racked to a secondary just to clear....but it has sat since then and no fruit was ever added. I just took a hydro sample and it is 1.000--which in mead terms is pretty much done, right?

It tastes, REALLY hot. The flavor is good, but the alcohol burn detracts from it. Does that mellow over time?

I think I am going to bottle some now, without fruit, maybe take 3 gallons and add some fruit to it in the next few days.

n000b!!! You know that mead taken a minimum of a year to get good. Mine's ALMOST a year old. I've drank plenty of glasses of it, but I notice that each time I take a break it gets better.