Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[jstampler]

I am not sure as I just started my first concoction and have not racked anything, but this might help alleviate oxygenation and stirring up the lees while racking. I just got mine in the mail today. - http://www.eckraus.com/1-gallon-siphon-kit.html

It's no as much about the lees, its more about the amount of room the oranges take up on the bottom on the jug. It's probably not a big deal to have only 75-80% but I'm just wondering of people top up or leave it.

 

[Quokimbo]

Oh I see...You are speaking about topping it off after racking?

 

[jstampler]

Oh I see...You are speaking about topping it off after racking?

Exactly. When the fruit falls to the bottom combined with the raisins, cinnamon stick, and lees, there's going to be a good two inches at the bottom that can't be racked.

 

[GeorgiaMead]

Per direction there is no need to rack hence no need to top off

 

[Quokimbo]

Just doing a little journaling...I lifted the hood and saw lots of bubbles rising and some small sediments floating around. One chunk of orange looks like it was going up and down and revolving around the carboy. I think all is well and it smells of orange-ish something or another in the cabinet? I really squeezed the peels, ground up the spices, and chopped up the slices of orange meat into thirds so I imagine the chunks of stuff is just that. I like watching it swirl and am oh so excited about getting to taste it. I also am totally ready to start another batch! I have 5 more empty carboys waiting...I have been emptying Carlo Rossi jugs in preparation for the last 6 months! hahaha

 

[Kdog22]

Yeah I bottled straight off the lees after a hair over 2 months. Didn't do any racking. I think next time i'll rack at the 2 month mark, top up with water and let it sit and bulk age and further clarify before I bottle. Mine was still a little hazy during bottling which i'll assume is more of a pectin haze than yeast in suspension. As of today, I can still see my JAOM slowly clarifying more in the bottles as time goes by.

Pretty cool to see how clear some of yall's batches are at the 2 month mark. I didn't have that luck for some reason.

 

[Quokimbo]

So, I topped it up this morning. You can see just in a few minutes it made the yeast a bit more active...

 

[itsme_timd]

Bottle our JAOM yesterday and sampled it. Holy crap I can't believe how good this is! I've only tried 3-4 meads and this is better than any of the others I've tried. We'll definitely make this again as we're already bummed we only made a 1 gallon batch. It's just shy of 4 months old and if this gets better with age I'm really looking forward to trying it again in a few months.

 

[jstampler]

Awesome labels!

I plan on leaving mine in the gallon jug for 4 months too. I know if I bottled it at 2-3 months I would end up drinking most of it before it got as good as it should. The only way I can keep my hands off of anything is by letting it age in the carboy.

 

[SiriusStarr]

I love the labels; how do you make them?

 

[itsme_timd]

Thanks guys!

I designed the label then printed them on ivory colored paper. The image is full color as well. I cut them out square then set those suckers on fire around the edges and immediately blew them out. That part was tricky but I like the way it turned out. I only set the smoke detector off once!

 

[SiriusStarr]

Thanks guys!

I designed the label then printed them on ivory colored paper. The image is full color as well. I cut them out square then set those suckers on fire around the edges and immediately blew them out. That part was tricky but I like the way it turned out. I only set the smoke detector off once!

That is absolutely genius; I might have to steal that idea myself, if you don't mind.

 

[itsme_timd]

That is absolutely genius; I might have to steal that idea myself, if you don't mind.

Not at all, definitely share pics if you try it out.

 

[brianhewitt]

Tim did an excellent job on the labels. I can't get over how good this mead is. It's a shame we didn't make more of it. Next time.

 

[itsme_timd]

Can anyone tell me how they heck they get all the goop out of the gallon jug afterwards???

 

[harrke]

Can anyone tell me how they heck they get all the goop out of the gallon jug afterwards???

I shook the jug for a while, but ended up sticking a hook inside with the jug upside down and pulling it out over a bowl.

 

[itsme_timd]

I shook the jug for a while, but ended up sticking a hook inside with the jug upside down and pulling it out over a bowl.

I figured that might be the case but was hopeful there might be an easy trick I was missing.

 

[jonmohno]

Brewed this on 05/31, just checked it and the fruit is falling. Looks like we'll get it bottled up this weekend.

I was just curious how much actual volume you got out of yours? And were the bottles pretty clear? MIne is just starting to show signs of clearning now after 3 weeks primary. Cant wait to bottle them in a few months and give some out for Christmas(If they are good by then) I may do one or two wine bottles and then rest in beer bottles, I have about 1.5 gal right now so Im hoping to get at least like equivelant of 12-12 oz bottles for volume.

 

[itsme_timd]

I was just curious how much actual volume you got out of yours? And were the bottles pretty clear? MIne is just starting to show signs of clearning now after 3 weeks primary. Cant wait to bottle them in a few months and give some out for Christmas(If they are good by then) I may do one or two wine bottles and then rest in beer bottles, I have about 1.5 gal right now so Im hoping to get at least like equivelant of 12-12 oz bottles for volume.

We got eight 375ml bottles out of a gallon. It's fairly clear except for the last couple bottles. I know it's against the JAOM rules but on our next batch I'll rack this to secondary to drop a little more trub.

 

[cwdrake]

Can anyone tell me how they heck they get all the goop out of the gallon jug afterwards???

Needle nose pliers

 

[fuzzy2133]

Can anyone tell me how they heck they get all the goop out of the gallon jug afterwards???

Hot water and vigorous shaking.

 

[jstampler]

Has anyone tried hot water and some oxyclean? That stuff usually breaks stuff up pretty good.

To the guy that said needle nose pliers, can you elaborate a little? Do you have super long pliers or do you use them some other way?

I've been concerned with cleaning this thing since I started. Gallon jugs are a pain because of the small opening.

 

[Lungus]

He used the needlenosed pliers to pull the orange sections out of the neck as for the rest I put in some water, shake, dump, repeat until it's clean and a bottle brush with a bend on it will get to the yeast caked onto the top of the carboy if it won't rinse clean.

 

[cwdrake]

Yeah sorry. Used the pliers to pull the pieces out. I was able to get my jug clean with a bottle brush. Just bend the brush as needed to get the angles. Then sanitize with StarSan.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Hi people, quick question:
I got this started in June. It's been three months, and it doesn't look like it's cleared much at all. Some fruit has dropped, most are still suspended.
I have expected to bottle next month, but at this rate I'm not sure it'll be ready. I (stupidly) used some cheap honey from the supermarket, and I'm wondering if that could have an affect on the final product.
Is there any truth to that, or can I expect it to clear up in a few months?

 

[Lungus]

If the fruit has started to drop the others will follow shortly and cheap honey ferments just fine. Strange though, mine cleared after a month and the fruit dropped a month later.

 

[jonmohno]

Hi people, quick question:
I got this started in June. It's been three months, and it doesn't look like it's cleared much at all. Some fruit has dropped, most are still suspended.
I have expected to bottle next month, but at this rate I'm not sure it'll be ready. I (stupidly) used some cheap honey from the supermarket, and I'm wondering if that could have an affect on the final product.
Is there any truth to that, or can I expect it to clear up in a few months?

You are not moving around your fermenter are you? When mine starts to clear good and drop fruit Im going to set it on my counter(where I rack) for however long til its clear and settled enough to bottle without disturbing it.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I let it sit for about two months until I moved it to the kitchen, where it's been for about a month. It might have gotten bumped from time to time, I'll have to make certain it stays put.
Thanks folks, I'll let it ride.

 

[Bao]

Back in April, I got into making mead with the encouragement of a friend.
The first thing he suggested that I do was make a JOAM. Well, I did, but being who I am I wanted to tweak it just a bit. What became of it ended up being pretty damned interesting.

#1 – Jalapeno JOAM (12APR13)
3.5# honey
Red Star: D-47 yeast

The below was placed into a steeping bag during primary
1 large orange cut to eights
1 cinnamon stick
12 sunmaid organic raisins
2 large jalepeno peppers, stem and seeds removed, sliced thin
1 clove
Pinch of allspice and nutmeg

23APR13 racked to secondary, removed steeping bag
FG – 1.012 or ~14.2% ABV (No clue what the OG was so ABV is not accurate)
23MAY13 – moved secondary to fridge to cool and settle.
05JUN13 – racked to new bottle
01AUG13 – bottled to 6x500mL bottles.
This mead sat at a fairly high temperature 75-80 F during the bulk of primary fermentation.

I cracked the first bottle of this stuff early September. The first thing I noticed is an incredibly strong smell of jalapeno. Not the heat, but the pepper itself. Quite pleased with that. As for taste, it is an interesting combination of heat and sweet. Has about as much kick as a slice of jalapeno, but it doesn't linger. Has a slightly orangish tint to it. All the other spices I used are pretty much overwhelmed. There is perhaps a hint of clove and allspice left, but the cinnamon and nutmeg are gone entirely, which I suppose is fine. Quite please with how it came out. Hope those of you who try it enjoy it as well.

 

[Quokimbo]

Fermentation has slowed dramatically but there are still bubbles going on in there and small bits of the fruits have started falling!