Ice cream flavor

[rcosu]

Has anyone tried to get an ice cream type flavor into their mead, and if so, how did they do it?

My grandmother used to make some of the best homemade ice cream there is, and I'm trying to recreate the flavor in a mead for all of the grandkids for Christmas if possible. I've played around with adding various amounts of vanilla (trying both beans and extract) but I can't seem to quite get the 'ice creamy' flavor.

So I thought I would ask around, and see if it was even possible.

Thanks!

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I'd add 2oz of Lactose per gallon. It's an unfermentable sugar (not very sweet though) that is from milk. It is what is used in milk stouts for beer. It still might not be like a milkshake, but I think it'd put you in the right direction.

With vanilla you {need} a bit of sweetness for it to work the way people want it to. Dry mead with vanilla is more of a spicy vanilla flavor (so by need i mean to get that perception of what everyone thinks of when you say vanilla).

 

[bernardsmith]

A great idea but I am not sure how you will pull it off. The flavor of ice-cream presumably has a great deal to do with its mouthfeel and the mouthfeel of ice-cream is very different from a mead that is meant to be drunk and not eaten and is meant (presumably) to be drunk close to room temperature and not frozen. Would making the mead into a kind of slushie get it closer to ice cream?

 

[rcosu]

Thanks for the responses...I'll look into the lactose and play with that a bit!

That's a good point about the way it feels; I didn't think about the texture of it. That's going to require more thought! Perhaps looking at a sweet mead that has a similar taste, if I can't match it outright..

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Well, the lactose should help with keeping your mead from being too thin in the body department.

 

[Matrix4b]

Thanks for the responses...I'll look into the lactose and play with that a bit!

That's a good point about the way it feels; I didn't think about the texture of it. That's going to require more thought! Perhaps looking at a sweet mead that has a similar taste, if I can't match it outright..

I would also add Maltodextrin as well. Possibly the same amounts as lactose.

Matrix

 

[gratus fermentatio]

You might also try using one of these yeasts:
(Wyeast)
3242 Chablis : Produces extremely fruity profile, high ester formation, bready, vanilla notes. Allows fruit character to dominate aroma and flavor profile. Finishes slightly sweet and soft. Fruity White Wines, Chardonnay, Chablis, Ciders, Gewurtztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris.

3783 Rudisheimer : Produces distinct Riesling character. Rich flavor, creamy, fruity profile with nice dry finish and a hint of Riesling sweetness in the aftertaste. Rhine Wines, Fruity Ciders, Riesling, lce Wine.

Combined with vanilla & a bit of lactose, you might get just what you're looking for.
Regards, GF.