Well, as I understand it, the term honeymoon comes from the traditional use of mead as a gift/social lubricant for honeymooners. And, I just got engaged. So, I want to make a mead for my honeymoon. It will be next fall or winter so I don't have that long to age it. What recipes would you all suggest? Thanks for any input.
honeymoon mead
- Thread starter kid mode
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dibby33
Well-Known Member
I am so sorry.
"social lubricant for honeymooners".
Please forgive me.
"social lubricant for honeymooners".
Please forgive me.
MikeRLynch
Well-Known Member
A traditional or melomel might be nice, just make sure to keep the alc content relatively low, that way it won't take as long for it to mellow out. Shoot for 9-10% or so.
If you're going the melomel route, make sure to use sweet fruits, not tart ones (cranberry, pomegranate, etc) as they will take longer to smooth out. (my pom mead is still aging at 5 months, and between the ABV and the heavy pomegranate, its completely undrinkable).
If going the traditional route, use clover or orange blossom honey. Clover will ferment out very clean, particuarlly if it's store bought (prepasturized). There have been some reports of slightly grassy flavors from clover, but I haven't had that experiance yet. I'm waiting until I have enough disposable income to purchase enough orange blossom honey to do a traditional, but it's so damn expencive.
BTW, i'm in the same boat as you man, got enganged in Feb. Hopefully that pom mead will be drinkable by june '08!
cheers!
mike
If you're going the melomel route, make sure to use sweet fruits, not tart ones (cranberry, pomegranate, etc) as they will take longer to smooth out. (my pom mead is still aging at 5 months, and between the ABV and the heavy pomegranate, its completely undrinkable).
If going the traditional route, use clover or orange blossom honey. Clover will ferment out very clean, particuarlly if it's store bought (prepasturized). There have been some reports of slightly grassy flavors from clover, but I haven't had that experiance yet. I'm waiting until I have enough disposable income to purchase enough orange blossom honey to do a traditional, but it's so damn expencive.
BTW, i'm in the same boat as you man, got enganged in Feb. Hopefully that pom mead will be drinkable by june '08!
cheers!
mike
congratulations, M. Thanks for the reply. If I'm shooting for lower ABV, I guess I should stick with an ale yeast, right? I might split a batch and try ale in one and champagne in the other. Any other thoughts?
kid mode said:
Actually I think it was given as a gift because if the woman drinks the mead everyday for the following month after her marrige, she will give birth to a son. And, back then, sons were really important...
And, I agree with MLynch. Go traditional with clover. That's why you're doing it, right? Tradition?
Oh, and I think the reason for the champange yeast is so it will withstand the high sugar/high alchohol content better than ale yeast. May be wrong on that one. I would use champange and shoot for a OG of 1.100 (12-15lbs.honey/5gal give or take) or lower and ferment out to a FG of 1.005 or lower.
Good luck,
-Jbot
homebrewer_99
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If you like ginger then I would definitely recommend the Barkshack Ginger Mead from Papazian's TCJOHB.
Congrats!
Congrats!
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MikeRLynch
Well-Known Member
As far as shooting for lower abv, there is of course a bunch of ways to go about it. I personally lower my initial honey amount, and ferment dry, simply because dry, still mead is more my taste.
By using ale yeast the yeast poop out at a certain abv, which leave the remaining honey unfermented and thus a sweeter mead with the same abv. The only problem with this is sometimes the initial amount of sugar in a mead must is so high, the ale yeast might be shocked and not able to get a foothold and start fermentation. There is a technique to start out the must with less honey, let fermentation start, and then add the remaining honey over time to slowly bring up the abv. This is a bit labor intensive, but i've heard it works.
So it really depends upon taste. If you and your fiance like sweeter meads, go for about 2.5 lbs of honey per gallon of water with a beer yeast that ferments clean, maybe even a lager yeast (personally have never done this, but its on the list of things to try in the future
), with a healthy dose of nutrient. If you like dryer, still meads like a white wine, use the same amount of honey but use lalvin k1-v1116 or something with a similar alc tolerance to ferment out dry. I've been experimenting with different types of wine yeast for mead, but since it takes so long to age I don't have any real data yet. Maybe someone else can pipe in here.
Again congrats, and thanks for the wishes kid. Hope she likes it, I have a special bottle that will be approx 1.5 years old by our wedding...I call it liquid panty remover
mike
By using ale yeast the yeast poop out at a certain abv, which leave the remaining honey unfermented and thus a sweeter mead with the same abv. The only problem with this is sometimes the initial amount of sugar in a mead must is so high, the ale yeast might be shocked and not able to get a foothold and start fermentation. There is a technique to start out the must with less honey, let fermentation start, and then add the remaining honey over time to slowly bring up the abv. This is a bit labor intensive, but i've heard it works.
So it really depends upon taste. If you and your fiance like sweeter meads, go for about 2.5 lbs of honey per gallon of water with a beer yeast that ferments clean, maybe even a lager yeast (personally have never done this, but its on the list of things to try in the future
), with a healthy dose of nutrient. If you like dryer, still meads like a white wine, use the same amount of honey but use lalvin k1-v1116 or something with a similar alc tolerance to ferment out dry. I've been experimenting with different types of wine yeast for mead, but since it takes so long to age I don't have any real data yet. Maybe someone else can pipe in here. Again congrats, and thanks for the wishes kid. Hope she likes it, I have a special bottle that will be approx 1.5 years old by our wedding...I call it liquid panty remover
mike
MikeRLynch
Well-Known Member
kool, keep us updated!
mike
mike
mgayer
Well-Known Member
This is one I use and have had great sucess with. It will be ready very quick in Mead standards. Somewhere between 3 and 6 months. Very traditional flavor and can be sweetened unless you like it dry.
5 gallon batch
12.5 lbs honey
5 tsp of nutrient
3 packs Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast
Mix about a tablespoon of honey in a few cups of 78-80 degree water and toss in the yeast, let this sit while your mixing the honey. I will use a smaller jar and place some warm water and honey then shake till dissolved and pour into the carboy. Repete this until all the honey is mixed well. Put the Nutrient in the carboy. Your arms and shoulders will be sore but you have got the O2 infused this way and mixed well!!
By the time your done your yeast should be kickin' and foamin'. Toss the yeast and top off the carboy. I usually just tie a rag over the top for the first two weeks.
In two weeks rack it, add the airlock and let her sit.
I rack about once a month after and add 1lb of honey during the first two rackings. About the second month this starts developing a beautiful nose depending on your honey, I love the cranberry and clover mix. It will also develop and nice gold color about then.
Just keep this up until she has finished fermentation. Temp range is able to handle between 50-86 degrees. They say if you leave the must on the lees it will develop spicy aromas but I haven't done that as of yet.
I had one batch off in three months and it was not too bad then but got better at about 3 month intervals. This will be a still mead but you can carb it as you would other wines.
I just bottled a batch that was finished in 3 months and is very drinkable now. I am having another bottle over the weekend. I am using at least 5 lbs of Buckwheat Honey on the next batch to give it a deeper color. This is a great quick Traditional style mead.
5 gallon batch
12.5 lbs honey
5 tsp of nutrient
3 packs Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast
Mix about a tablespoon of honey in a few cups of 78-80 degree water and toss in the yeast, let this sit while your mixing the honey. I will use a smaller jar and place some warm water and honey then shake till dissolved and pour into the carboy. Repete this until all the honey is mixed well. Put the Nutrient in the carboy. Your arms and shoulders will be sore but you have got the O2 infused this way and mixed well!!
By the time your done your yeast should be kickin' and foamin'. Toss the yeast and top off the carboy. I usually just tie a rag over the top for the first two weeks.
In two weeks rack it, add the airlock and let her sit.
I rack about once a month after and add 1lb of honey during the first two rackings. About the second month this starts developing a beautiful nose depending on your honey, I love the cranberry and clover mix. It will also develop and nice gold color about then.
Just keep this up until she has finished fermentation. Temp range is able to handle between 50-86 degrees. They say if you leave the must on the lees it will develop spicy aromas but I haven't done that as of yet.
I had one batch off in three months and it was not too bad then but got better at about 3 month intervals. This will be a still mead but you can carb it as you would other wines.
I just bottled a batch that was finished in 3 months and is very drinkable now. I am having another bottle over the weekend. I am using at least 5 lbs of Buckwheat Honey on the next batch to give it a deeper color. This is a great quick Traditional style mead.
Moonpile
Well-Known Member
mgayer said:
What, in your opinion, makes this fast by mead standards? The OG? The nutrient? The type or amount of yeast? Some combination?
The Blueberry Mead I have going is very close to this except we used 2x 11g packets of Red Star Côte des Blancs. Otherwise 1gal (~12 lbs) Honey and 5 tsp Fermax. Maybe there's hope that we'll be drinking this one before the end of the year?
mgayer
Well-Known Member
Moonpile said:
I say this is fast by mead standards because I am drinking this in less than 3 months. It comes out really smooth and although it mellows with a bit of aging it is ready to drink and very enjoyable. No sulf orders or tastes and crystal clear. I believe it is the yeast as D47 is fast, compact lees and I add extra honey in stages instead about all 15 lbs at the begining.
This receipe came out of a 1996 article on mead making and don't know where I got it, it has been a long time ago, but I just maintain the temps in the 70's and rack once a month. I like this one as it is not too sweet and not to dry and as I said this one was finished in about 2 and 1/2 months. It reminds me of the mead I got at the Texas Ren Fest over Easter weekend. I enjoy making several meads but this just has the flavor I like best within a few months, not a year.
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