cuttsjp
Well-Known Member
Anyone had luck with hydromels, or "session strength" meads (OG 1.044-1.064)? I'm very intrigued to experiment with them as they are quicker to mature. Please share any advice and experiences you have
Hydromel
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fuelish
Well-Known Member
I've made a few, my wife prefers 'em lighter and carbed (frizzante-ish carb level).....they've all turned out well, turnaround is relatively quick (as far as meads go, but still nothing like beer....you still gotta wait on the hydromels, just not a year or more). Mine have been hydro-melomels (couple of peach pyment hydros, a black'n'blueberry, and a sweet'n'sour cherry) other than one hydro-metheglin (ginger root). Flavor has been great (although likely due to additions - I'd imagine a plain hydromel would be pretty flavorless), only thing missing is mouthfeel.....they're obviously gonna be thin on mouthfeel because that's just the nature of the beverage......am toying with the idea of adding some honey malt to a batch to perhaps boost the flavor/unfermentables to give it a lil more mouthfeel, dunno... Mine have carbed up nice - not champagne kind of carb, more frizzante or petillant-like....great mead for summer sipping 
Give it a try
Give it a try
OP
OP
cuttsjp
Well-Known Member
Thanks, all good info! Will definitely be trying some out in the very near future. I'd love to do some kind of stone fruit and perhaps a hibiscus batch, and I like the idea of lighter carbonation. How quickly do you find that yours are drinkable? I've heard somewhere in the 60-90 day range
HawleyFarms
Well-Known Member
I've made a couple batches of hopped cyser that turned out pretty good. The first was excellent. OG 1.085 FG 1.015 and was excellent at 30 days. Used Belle Saison at a low temp of 60-65. Second batch stalled at 1.03 so I added some nutrient and ramped temps up to 85-90 and it ended up getting down to .998 so it got too strong. At 60 days it is just getting better and plan to bottle soon. Primed with honey.
I think the next time I make it I will cut the amount of honey down to 2/3 and then replace half of that with DME for more of a graff/braggot hybrid.
I think the next time I make it I will cut the amount of honey down to 2/3 and then replace half of that with DME for more of a graff/braggot hybrid.
fuelish
Well-Known Member
Mine seem a lil slow to carb to even the lighter carb I'm getting, 90 days seems fair...been inventorying recently, seems I have about 31 gallons of various batches/ages pretty much ready to bottle...LOL...which is cool, as I have no empty fermentors at the moment...now, do I have enough empty bottles??? Hmmmm...
