Gruit Mead

[KingBrianI]

Any updates?

 

[loveofrose]

Yes. After a few iterations, this recipe is perfect. See here: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/gruit-bomm/

 

[Miraculix]

Subscribed!

 

[KingBrianI]

Yes. After a few iterations, this recipe is perfect. See here: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/gruit-bomm/

Sorry, but that link is a little underwhelming. In this thread you were talking about experimenting with additional gruit herbs and using the wild yeast you isolated, but the link just takes me to a bland recipe. Did you ever use the yeast you isolated from honey for a real batch, or did you only ever taste the starter liquid? You mentioned certain herbs (i.e. sweet gale) need to be "dry-hopped" for effect, but the recipe doesn't mention any post-boil additions. If your interest in this petered out and there wasn't much more experimentation done that's one thing (god knows I lose motivation halfway through most of my projects), but if you have more info on your findings after your last update to this thread we'd like to hear about it!

 

[loveofrose]

Ok, point by point:
1. Wild Yeast - The wild yeast has been purified via this method I developed:

Isolation Part 1
http://gotmead.com/blog/articles/an...rt-1-wild-yeast-culture-from-honey-honey-bug/

Isolation Part 2
http://gotmead.com/blog/articles/4597/

First test batch is currently aging. I don't expect it to be fast as it is a wild yeast. I think 8 months is coming up, so I'll taste then to see if this yeast ages well or I need to try another isolate.

2. Dry hopped - I tested both ways and found no benefit to dry hopping with effect or flavor. Dry hopping is actually detrimental to flavor. I have read that fresh herbs tend to have a stronger effect, so I've started growing the gruit trinity. Here is yarrow from my garden: View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1497443246.722595.jpg

The recipe I gave is honed after much experimentation. Overall, I think my progress is going quite well. I'm sorry if you are underwhelmed.