Holiday Mead?

[MotherOfDragons2]

I am feeling festive. Ideas for any of the following:
Chocolate Pumpkin Spice
Blood Orange w/ Cranberry
Cranberry w/ Lime
Chocolate Mint

Anyone done these? Do they come out ok? ‍

 

[BoozeMedic]

Judge me not, but we make a pumpkin spice mead every year and it's the only good pumpkin spice thing I've ever had. Pumpkin pie filling and basically whatever mulling or holiday spice on hand. I bet it'd be good with cacao nibs or some cocoa powder

 

[TJ_760Mead]

@BoozeMedic, Mind sharing your pumpkin spice mead? Thanksgiving is coming up and i would love to give it a try. How much pumpkin pie filling are you using? Is it a 5 gallon batch? And what spices. Thanks

 

[MotherOfDragons2]

I do have some cacao nibs. I was thinking of using maple syrup with my honey to brew but that might be going too far

 

[BoozeMedic]

@BoozeMedic, Mind sharing your pumpkin spice mead? Thanksgiving is coming up and i would love to give it a try. How much pumpkin pie filling are you using? Is it a 5 gallon batch? And what spices. Thanks

Nothing fancy and super easy. Honey to 22 brix, pumpkin filling (just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling which has a ton of extra sugar-- which will throw off your brix-- and spices), then whatever holiday spices you have on hand (for 5 gallons: 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cloves, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, 2 star anise, etc) all in the primary. Ferment to 0.998, rack and back sweeten with honey to your taste

 

[BoozeMedic]

Nothing fancy and super easy. Honey to 22 brix, pumpkin filling (just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling which has a ton of extra sugar-- which will throw off your brix-- and spices), then whatever holiday spices you have on hand (for 5 gallons: 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cloves, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, 2 star anise, etc) all in the primary. Ferment to 0.998, rack and back sweeten with honey to your taste

*1 can of pumpkin (only) filling

 

[TJ_760Mead]

@BoozeMedic , Much appreciated! Cant wait to give it a try for the holidays. Thank you

 

[BoozeMedic]

@BoozeMedic , Much appreciated! Cant wait to give it a try for the holidays. Thank you

Let me know how it comes out! If you have any good mead recipes, I'd be interested

 

[BoozeMedic]

@BoozeMedic , Much appreciated! Cant wait to give it a try for the holidays. Thank you

Oooh it'll definitely need some bentonite and possibly sparkloid. It's messy.

 

[MotherOfDragons2]

*1 can of pumpkin (only) filling

I will let you know how it goes with the cacao.

 

[MotherOfDragons2]

Anybody tried blood oranges in their brews?

 

[BoozeMedic]

Anybody tried blood oranges in their brews?

No, but if we want to get festive, orange and cacao would be very Xmas'y in a mead. Anybody else like those chocolate oranges?

 

[MotherOfDragons2]

Got it started, with the cacao. This will take a few minutes to brew

Here’s my work

 

[novafire]

I made this last fall based on the recipe posted on Groennfell Meadery's Winter Warmer. They have the recipe posted on their website here: https://www.groennfell.com/recipes/winter-warmer

The orange juice and brandy really add something unique to the flavor and none of the spices are over the top.

It requires making the base mead, Valkyrie’s Choice, and then adding to that finished mead in the keg.

Base recipe:
Valkyrie’s Choice Clone Recipe
5 Gallon/19L
OG = 1.062
FG = .998
ABV = 8.5% abv.

Ingredients:

• 9 lbs Raw Wildflower Honey
• 4.5 Gallons Water
• 1 oz. Wyeast Wine Yeast Nutrient
• 5 Campden Tablets (if desired)
• 5 packets Lalvin D-47 yeast

Step by Step
Combine the first four ingredients at 104°F (40°C) stirring vigorously to aerate.
Wait 24 hours for the sulfites to do their thing, then sprinkle the dry yeast over the top of the must.
Maintain the fermentation at about 86°F (30°C).
Bottle (with priming sugar) or keg when bubbling has completely stopped (should be 8-10 days).
Enjoy in a week or two!


WINTER WARMER:

Next, add the following to your 5 gallon batch of Valkyrie’s Choice.

• 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite
• 2 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (together with sulfites, this keeps the OJ from refermenting)
• 1 lb. Chopped Raisins
• 8 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice Concentrate
• 4 cups VSOP Brandy of your choice
• 4 cups of tea made by boiling the following for an hour:
  • 20 Cloves
  • 8 Cardamom Pods
  • 2 whole Nutmeg, crushed (not grated)

To get this carbonated, unfortunately you have to use kegs or some other pressure carbonation system. But, fear not: It's equally good uncarbonated, and it tastes great served warm!

 

[BoozeMedic]

I made this last fall based on the recipe posted on Groennfell Meadery's Winter Warmer. They have the recipe posted on their website here: https://www.groennfell.com/recipes/winter-warmer

The orange juice and brandy really add something unique to the flavor and none of the spices are over the top.

It requires making the base mead, Valkyrie’s Choice, and then adding to that finished mead in the keg.

Base recipe:
Valkyrie’s Choice Clone Recipe
5 Gallon/19L
OG = 1.062
FG = .998
ABV = 8.5% abv.

Ingredients:

• 9 lbs Raw Wildflower Honey
• 4.5 Gallons Water
• 1 oz. Wyeast Wine Yeast Nutrient
• 5 Campden Tablets (if desired)
• 5 packets Lalvin D-47 yeast

Step by Step
Combine the first four ingredients at 104°F (40°C) stirring vigorously to aerate.
Wait 24 hours for the sulfites to do their thing, then sprinkle the dry yeast over the top of the must.
Maintain the fermentation at about 86°F (30°C).
Bottle (with priming sugar) or keg when bubbling has completely stopped (should be 8-10 days).
Enjoy in a week or two!


WINTER WARMER:

Next, add the following to your 5 gallon batch of Valkyrie’s Choice.

• 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite
• 2 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (together with sulfites, this keeps the OJ from refermenting)
• 1 lb. Chopped Raisins
• 8 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice Concentrate
• 4 cups VSOP Brandy of your choice
• 4 cups of tea made by boiling the following for an hour:
  • 20 Cloves
  • 8 Cardamom Pods
  • 2 whole Nutmeg, crushed (not grated)

To get this carbonated, unfortunately you have to use kegs or some other pressure carbonation system. But, fear not: It's equally good uncarbonated, and it tastes great served warm!

Thanks for the recipe! Making this for Christmas gifts for everyone!