Hibiscus mead recipe?

[Danlund443]

Howdy, I've been wanting to make 1 gallon of hibiscus mead 1st time. Can't find much online but figured I'd use: 3 lbs of buckwheat honey, 1 oz of hibiscus, Nottinghams ale yeast, yeast nutrient, 1/4oz tartaric acid, 1/2 malic acid, and 2 tbsp of strong black tea (for tannin). Do I dissolve honey in the water and bring to boil to steep the Hibiscus? How long to steep? Your thoughts and experience would be much appreciated thank you.

 

[S-Met]

I would bring h20 to 190 then kill the heat. Then drop in your hibiscus until 155 then stir in honey and other ingredients. The hibiscus can get gelatinous, you may want to drop it in a bag and let it steep then toss when you drop it in the fermenter.

 

[Danlund443]

Nice I can do that thank you. I'll give it a shot. Hope the recipe works out

 

[S-Met]

I can't remember, but I think I used 8oz hibiscus and 2lb ginger in my last cider. It had a good hibiscus flavor but not enough ginger bite.

 

[bernardsmith]

@S-Met: Two POUNDS of ginger in ONE gallon of wine? Thirty-two ounces? And it was not gingery enough? You can make a ginger beer with about 2 oz of ginger /gallon.

@Danlund433: Buckwheat honey (at least on the right coast of the US) is very earthy. I am not sure that it makes for a good tasting mead if it is not blended with other honeys. Left coast buckwheat is said to taste very different but if you like the buckwheat you have for making meads then go for it. Personally, I would want to highlight more the hibiscus and look for a wildflower or orange blossom honey.

 

[S-Met]

@S-Met: Two POUNDS of ginger in ONE gallon of wine?

5 gal. My apologies, I thought I added that line.

But also depends on the ginger. Some is more spicy than others.

 

[Danlund443]

@bernardsmith, ok I can use the buckwheat honey for a simple ale mead (1lb honey to 1 gallon). Clover honey is light and cost effective, will that do well for the hibiscus?

 

[bernardsmith]

IMO, clover honey would be a great vehicle for hibiscus mead but I would canvas the opinions of others. I am often a contrarian here... Hibiscus mead is on my to do list but my plan is to use orange blossom for this...

 

[loveofrose]

This is how I make it: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/dragon-blood-sorrel-hibiscus-mead/

Jamaican sorrel is hibiscus. Also called Jamaica flower. I would wait to add acid until secondary because it likely won’t need it. Personal taste though.

 

[SKBugs]

What form is the hibiscus in? I'm not really sure where you would find it. I know the tree ok but not how it gets to the mead.

 

[loveofrose]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q6HCJA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Danlund443]

@SKBugs, I went to a tea shop for dried whole petals, I was told there that 1 oz can make about a gallon of tea.

 

[SKBugs]

Right. That makes sense. I've been wanting to give tea thing a go so that's great. Thanks Dan