Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[sablesurfer]

View attachment 248474

Started this on October 31st. Then all the fruit dropped to the bottom so I racked it off into this yesterday. Hasn't cleared any, will it end up clearing?

If I have read everything correctly, most of the comments are saying about 3 months to clear. You are on two months and change, so might need to continue to wait and quit moving the bottle around to get to your counter. The original recipe says

More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

 

[Briatta]

I've made two one gallon batches so far and both have started clearing at almost two months to the day, but neither had dropped the fruit by three months. I got impatient for the fruit, though I realize it's not necessary, and I rack it out from between the fruit and yeast, then let that settle and then bottle. Again, not necessary, just what I've done.

 

[rlmiller10]

I've made two one gallon batches so far and both have started clearing at almost two months to the day, but neither had dropped the fruit by three months. I got impatient for the fruit, though I realize it's not necessary, and I rack it out from between the fruit and yeast, then let that settle and then bottle. Again, not necessary, just what I've done.

if the fruit is not dropping after the mead has cleared, try putting it in the fridge for a couple of days. That has dropped the fruit for me.

 

[JINKS]

WOW! Seriously? Gorgeous looking.

Looks good but tastes bitter, needs some aging to mellow out the bitter pith.

 

[sablesurfer]

Not sure if this will be found so far back in the thread, but here is an update on mead where the honey settles out to bottom of fermentor. The really old honey I used in one batch (>17yrs old) really didn't want to mix well. I was worried about it, and three days after fermentation started all signs of active fermentation stopped.

Since this wasn't the only single gallon I made that day, I left it alone. No activity for about three days. Then just this Sat there were more bubbles again. At the same rate of about 10 seconds apart.

So, even it if does stratify or settle out, it appears it will kick back up again.

 

[JDWebb]

From what I understand, yeasties are hunter/gatherers. They will find the sugar, even it its at the bottom.

 

[jgny]

Mine is 2 1/2 months old so far, beautiful and clear. BUT,,, I am not liking the strong orange rind smell and the taste is strange, like no alcohol, just watered down orange rind water.
What can I do to correct it and tone down the rind flavor and smell? Can I doctor it up, like add something fruity to overcome the orange?

 

[RichBrewer]

OK. I had to try it!

Sorry but I modified the recipe a bit. Both my SWMBO and I do not like orange peal or clove. So I pealed the orange and nixed the clove. Other than that I followed the instructions completely.

 

[rlmiller10]

Mine is 2 1/2 months old so far, beautiful and clear. BUT,,, I am not liking the strong orange rind smell and the taste is strange, like no alcohol, just watered down orange rind water.
What can I do to correct it and tone down the rind flavor and smell? Can I doctor it up, like add something fruity to overcome the orange?

rack it off the fruit and lees and either bulk age for 6 months or so or bottle and let age.

You could also hit it with Potassium sorbate and Potassium meta sulfite and then back sweeten with some honey. The sweetness will help counteract the bitter of the oranges.

 

[jgny]

rack it off the fruit and lees and either bulk age for 6 months or so or bottle and let age.

You could also hit it with Potassium sorbate and Potassium meta sulfite and then back sweeten with some honey. The sweetness will help counteract the bitter of the oranges.

Thanks! I did rack it off the oranges as soon as it was done fermenting. But wow the orange rind is still way too powerful!! Yuck. I guess you gotta love oranges a lot to enjoy this mead. I feel like I've wasted time on this one. It sounded good in theory.
So any ideas on how to overcome the flavor, such as fruit of any kind? Like cranberries or something?

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

Has anyone had mold on the orange peels? I'm not at home to take a pic but I'm noticing some white strands on some of the exposed orange peel. I'm sure it is probably remnants from the yeast. I would expect a blue/green carpet to form if it was mold. Thoughts?

 

[sablesurfer]

You could also hit it with Potassium sorbate and Potassium meta sulfite and then back sweeten with some honey. The sweetness will help counteract the bitter of the oranges.

If the recipe was followed, and a bread yeast was used, there should be plenty of residual sugar from what I have read. However I have no results as my first batch is only 2 weeks in the fermentor.

 

[sablesurfer]

So any ideas on how to overcome the flavor, such as fruit of any kind? Like cranberries or something?

Age. How old is your mead?

 

[jgny]

Its 10 weeks old so far, nice and clear, looks quite beautiful.

 

[Hanso]

Let us know in 40 more weeks what it is like.

 

[rlmiller10]

If the recipe was followed, and a bread yeast was used, there should be plenty of residual sugar from what I have read. However I have no results as my first batch is only 2 weeks in the fermentor.

Totally depends on the yeast you happen to get. Mine totally fermented out, final gravity 0.998.

 

[JDWebb]

I have a JAOM thats been cookin' since 12/31, so its about 3 weeks into it's 2 month journey. I followed the recipe exactly, right down to the yeast. The only exception I made was taking advantage of one of his spice options. I HATE cinnamon, so I opted for allspice and nutmeg.

I haven't touched it, shaken it, checked the gravity, moved it, nothing, just like the instructions. Everything looks good, no unusual bacterial organisms oozing from the orange peels, nothing with legs and feelers crawling up the glass, nothing with fins and teeth swimming around in the must.

Thats a blueberry mead next to it, the others are ciders.

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

I have a JAOM thats been cookin' since 12/31, so its about 3 weeks into it's 2 month journey. I followed the recipe exactly, right down to the yeast. The only exception I made was taking advantage of one of his spice options. I HATE cinnamon, so I opted for allspice and nutmeg.

I haven't touched it, shaken it, checked the gravity, moved it, nothing, just like the instructions. Everything looks good, no unusual bacterial organisms oozing from the orange peels, nothing with legs and feelers crawling up the glass, nothing with fins and teeth swimming around in the must.

Thats a blueberry mead next to it, the others are ciders.

Cool labels

 

[JDWebb]

Used avery labels and MS Word and made my own.

 

[DwaynieAD]

Well I've taken quite some time off from brewing due to a corker breaking on me and ******* me off. Lost two batches due to that.

Started back up last week and made two variations on the JOAM with about six more ideas on the horizon.

Mobile is giving me problems uploading pictures but if you're so inclined you cam search "mead at sundown" on twitter, Instagram, or facebook

Recipes:

Numero uno:
3 lbs clover honey
2 handfuls dried cranberries
1/2 an orange
1 granny smith apple cored and sliced
1 clove
2 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans
D47

Number B:
3 lbs orange blossom honey
1 handful dried cranberries
1 orange
A bunch of strawberries, sliced
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
D47

 

[JDWebb]

Well I've taken quite some time off from brewing due to a corker breaking on me and ******* me off. Lost two batches due to that.

Started back up last week and made two variations on the JOAM with about six more ideas on the horizon.

Mobile is giving me problems uploading pictures but if you're so inclined you cam search "mead at sundown" on twitter, Instagram, or facebook

Recipes:

Numero uno:
3 lbs clover honey
2 handfuls dried cranberries
1/2 an orange
1 granny smith apple cored and sliced
1 clove
2 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans
D47

Number B:
3 lbs orange blossom honey
1 handful dried cranberries
1 orange
A bunch of strawberries, sliced
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
D47

No pectic enzyme or campden for the apples?

 

[DwaynieAD]

No pectic enzyme or campden for the apples?

I've made this recipe before and cloudiness and clogging wasn't an issue.

Not worried about wild yeast, that just makes it more ancient.

 

[DwaynieAD]

So I've been reading back thru this thread since I've been away for it for a good long while and I noticed people still worrying about fruit dropping before bottling.

You don't have to wait for the fruit to drop to bottle. as long as the mead's clear then you are in the clear, go ahead and bottle.

My first two batches the fruit would rise and fall with the ambient temperature in the room just like a Galileo Thermometer, you could literally turn the heat up and down and watch the fruit move.

anyway, no longer on mobile so I'll upload some pictures.

 

[JDWebb]

Those look good DwaynieAD. In my early mead-making journey, I'm more into experimenting, but it helps to know what works and what doesn't work. I watched a YouTube video of a guy who's name escapes me now, but he has won numerous mead competitions, and his best advice which sounds reasonable to me is find a recipe you can do well, and do it well a lot until it's second nature and then start exploring and experimenting. Pretty sound advice. I have a simple recipe of honey, bee pollen and oranges that we racked into a 5 gallon carboy from our primary a few days ago and it tastes like a young semi-sweet white wine with citrus tones. We are very happy so far with it, just hope it clears with time, we intend to bulk age for at least 4 months or it clears before we bottle.

I should explain, I do my experimenting with my 1 gallon carboys.

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

Just finished racking crystal clear JAOM into secondary. Tastes ok so far. OG 1.130, current reading 1.040. I'm pretty surprised that good ol' bread yeast can make an almost 12% Mead.

 

[DwaynieAD]

Those look good DwaynieAD. In my early mead-making journey, I'm more into experimenting, but it helps to know what works and what doesn't work. I watched a YouTube video of a guy who's name escapes me now, but he has won numerous mead competitions, and his best advice which sounds reasonable to me is find a recipe you can do well, and do it well a lot until it's second nature and then start exploring and experimenting. Pretty sound advice. I have a simple recipe of honey, bee pollen and oranges that we racked into a 5 gallon carboy from our primary a few days ago and it tastes like a young semi-sweet white wine with citrus tones. We are very happy so far with it, just hope it clears with time, we intend to bulk age for at least 4 months or it clears before we bottle.

I should explain, I do my experimenting with my 1 gallon carboys.

I do all my mead in 1 gallon batches. I want to experiment all the time. Today I started a raspberry lemonade and a blackberry lemonade.

Both:
2 lemons, peeled and zested
1/2 an orange peeled and zested
2lbs orange blossom honey
1lb alfalfa honey
D47

Then in one 2 cups of red raspberries
The other 2 cups blackberries

I had bubbles in the airlocks in minutes! That's a first. I'll get more pictures up when I'm on the computer again.

I have about 6 more ideas i'M kicking around, but I think the wife my disown me if I start any more before these are done. May have to hide them in the closet

 

[BowAholic]

should I use priming sugar before bottling?

 

[tellyho]

If you want sparkling mead, there's plenty of sugar left in this recipe, so no need for extra. I believe technique is to pitch a neutral champagne or mead yeast in small quantities before bottling. Not sure how you'd make sure it didn't carbonate too much.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[sompls]

Quick question for everybody...made this back in the middle of December, followed the recipe to a "t"...looks great, crystal clear...fruit still on top (which I'm not worried about)...but, if I'm not in a hurry to bottle do I leave it in the primary or should I rack it until I do bottle? Should I have already done that?

 

[JDWebb]

Everything I've read about mead, if its clear, bulk age or bottle it. I made mine on 21/31, loos good, starting to clear, but have a ways to go yet.

 

[sompls]

Everything I've read about mead, if its clear, bulk age or bottle it. I made mine on 21/31, loos good, starting to clear, but have a ways to go yet.

Thanks so much, I think I'll bottle it up then....can't wait to give it a try!

 

[tellyho]

With the bread yeast, I'd recommend racking it to a carboy for a week or two for the yeast to settle again.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Briatta]

With the bread yeast, I'd recommend racking it to a carboy for a week or two for the yeast to settle again.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

I so agree. If you even look at that thing wrong the yeast swirls up, let alone bump it. LOL

 

[Bonia]

Does anyone know what the rough abv will be at the end?

 

[DwaynieAD]

here are all four of mine going. Once I have some good lighting I'll get a more recent picture because the blackberry and raspberry are turning pretty colors.

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

Does anyone know what the rough abv will be at the end?

Mine's about 12%

 

[jak1010]

Mine's about 12%

Yup, impressive for bread yest but that Fleischmann yeast can be a beast in the right conditions. Very surprised by this and wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't experienced it for myself.

 

[Culinarytracker]

Made a 1 Gal batch of this yesterday. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I didn't have the cinnamon stick that I thought I had. So I used about a half tsp of ground cinnamon. And the orange was some special variety that was a little red in color. Not quite a blood orange, but definitely more red than any normal orange. The color was beautiful.

It is bubbling away in my bedroom right now, at about 70F. My plan is to forget that it exists for about three months, then bottle it in some swing top bottles.

For aging I am planning on taking the bottles to my grandparents house. They have a real deal cellar, underneath their basement, through a big clunky steel door, through a stone hallway, and down into a room about 20x15. It is built to specs for a post war bomb shelter, complete with two escape tunnels. It stays a pretty consistent 55 degrees down there.

I was thinking I'd put them down there, and tell my Google calendar to remind me to get them in a year.

Is this a good way to approach this mead?

 

[JDWebb]

Made a 1 Gal batch of this yesterday. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I didn't have the cinnamon stick that I thought I had. So I used about a half tsp of ground cinnamon. And the orange was some special variety that was a little red in color. Not quite a blood orange, but definitely more red than any normal orange. The color was beautiful.

It is bubbling away in my bedroom right now, at about 70F. My plan is to forget that it exists for about three months, then bottle it in some swing top bottles.

For aging I am planning on taking the bottles to my grandparents house. They have a real deal cellar, underneath their basement, through a big clunky steel door, through a stone hallway, and down into a room about 20x15. It is built to specs for a post war bomb shelter, complete with two escape tunnels. It stays a pretty consistent 55 degrees down there.

I was thinking I'd put them down there, and tell my Google calendar to remind me to get them in a year.

Is this a good way to approach this mead?

Dude, you got the perfect place to age wines, temps shouldn't vary a whole lot, I'm bringin' all my stuff to your place...LOL

 

[cwdrake]

Made a 1 Gal batch of this yesterday. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I didn't have the cinnamon stick that I thought I had. So I used about a half tsp of ground cinnamon. And the orange was some special variety that was a little red in color. Not quite a blood orange, but definitely more red than any normal orange. The color was beautiful.

It is bubbling away in my bedroom right now, at about 70F. My plan is to forget that it exists for about three months, then bottle it in some swing top bottles.

For aging I am planning on taking the bottles to my grandparents house. They have a real deal cellar, underneath their basement, through a big clunky steel door, through a stone hallway, and down into a room about 20x15. It is built to specs for a post war bomb shelter, complete with two escape tunnels. It stays a pretty consistent 55 degrees down there.

I was thinking I'd put them down there, and tell my Google calendar to remind me to get them in a year.

Is this a good way to approach this mead?

I've only made this a couple of times, but in my limited experience and from reading this discussion, it shouldn't need any aging as long as you used the bread yeast as prescribed in the original recipe. Mine has always been wonderfully drinkable as soon as it cleared. I think where some people have run into the need to age and mellow is when they use a different yeast.

-Craig