Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[luda007]

Thanks!

 

[CGVT]

I was just getting ready to make a gallon of this, but I don't have any raisins. I do have Craisins, however. I didn't read all 900 pages and the search didn't bring up any hits for Craisins in this thread so...

Has anyone used Craisins in this recipe? I imagine they wouldn't hurt it, but I don't know.

 

[rack04]

I was just getting ready to make a gallon of this, but I don't have any raisins. I do have Craisins, however. I didn't read all 900 pages and the search didn't bring up any hits for Craisins in this thread so...

Has anyone used Craisins in this recipe? I imagine they wouldn't hurt it, but I don't know.

Use the "Search this Thread". There are multiple posts relating to craisins in this thread.

 

[CGVT]

**sigh**

OK. So, for the people that used craisins instead of raisin or tried both. How did it turn out?

 

[CGVT]

I guess not.

I'll let you all know how it comes out in a few months

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I havent, but I'd think they would work just as well as raisins as far as yeast food goes, while adding flavor of their own.

 

[CGVT]

That's kind of what I figure. I did read one post where it was mentioned that the raisins were to add tannin. I don't know squat about mead or raisins but I figured this looked pretty easy and I had about 3.5 lbs of honey left over from making a Saisson, so why not?

I'm pretty sure it will be fine, was just looking for some reassurance...

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I have been playing around with JAOM almost exclusively, and one thing I have to say is that the recipe (even with some tweaks and downright mistakes) seems to WANT to make mead. Heck, I made one with no fruit and tablespoon of celery seeds to a liter batch and even that came out palatable.

 

[BigKahuna]

Yikes. Five gallons would be expensive for me. Hope you have cheaper honey.

I make all of my mead in 5 gallon batches ! Stop buying honey at the grocery store!
Farmers markets, local bee keepers and flea markets are your friend!

 

[hubblyGoz]

Ive got two gallons both a'bubbling now! Both are stored in a dark cabnit in my kitchen at about 76 degrees. Is this an ok temp or should they be placed in a fridge or someplace cool for the primary fermentation?

 

[luda007]

6 gallon Carboy

1.154
17 lbs honey
-10 wild flower
-7 clover
5 oranges (sliced in 1/8
1lb raisins
4 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
1/2 t energizer
5 t nutrient
5 t yeast

 

[Vox]

6 gallon Carboy

1.154
17 lbs honey
-10 wild flower
-7 clover
5 oranges (sliced in 1/8
1lb raisins
4 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
1/2 t energizer
5 t nutrient
5 t yeast

Wow. Cheapest honey I can find is Mrs. Crocketts 12 bucks for @4 lbs at sams club or 35 a gallon (which is 12lbs?) for local honey. That's an expensive batch. I only made a gallon a few weeks ago. Thinking of trying to make a ceyser soon. Never had one so I don't know if I will like it.

 

[luda007]

I had 7lbs from Costco. (clover)
I did have 10lbs but I used 3lbs on a maple mead last night
My buddy gave me 10lbs of wild flower from his work.
Wasn't to expensive at all.
I can't wait!

 

[Vox]

I had 7lbs from Costco. (clover)
I did have 10lbs but I used 3lbs on a maple mead last night
My buddy gave me 10lbs of wild flower from his work.
Wasn't to expensive at all.
I can't wait!

Lucky. The Mrs. Crockett honey at sams club just says honey. Doesn't say if it is clover.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

where have people been finding relatively cheaper honey? most of the places i've been to it's around $4/pound. is that about the standard price? granted this was minnesota clover honey. i'm sure it'd be much more for orange blossom and the like. I'd like to do 5 gallons worth

 

[Vox]

Is a gallon of honey 12 pounds?

 

[luda007]

Approximately 12lbs.

 

[BigKahuna]

Wow. Cheapest honey I can find is Mrs. Crocketts 12 bucks for @4 lbs at sams club or 35 a gallon (which is 12lbs?) for local

honey is roughly 12# per gallon.

 

[nmacholl]

I see some people have been scaling back the spices for larger batches. I used 6 cloves in a 6 gallon batch, should I be worried or has 1 clove per gallon worked well for anyone?

Cheers.

 

[Bigbeavk]

As long as you didn't crush the cloves you will be fine.

 

[rack04]

I have bottled my first batch and I'm interesting in aging it for awhile. What is the ideal temperature to age the mead in bottles?

 

[luda007]

I started my batch on 7/28. I only have 2 orange slices left floating, the other sank already.
It appears to be clearing as well.
Is this normal for it to be happening this quickly?

 

[Ibrewaletx]

Wow. Cheapest honey I can find is Mrs. Crocketts 12 bucks for @4 lbs at sams club or 35 a gallon (which is 12lbs?) for local honey. That's an expensive batch. I only made a gallon a few weeks ago. Thinking of trying to make a ceyser soon. Never had one so I don't know if I will like it.

Yes, I agree it seems pretty expensive especially when I am brewing all grain beers for considerably less. BUT, if you can squeeze about 24 bottles (750ml) out of a 5-5.5 gallon batch you are looking at roughly $2/bottle (without fruit). Even with fruit, at most $4/bottle.
Not bad.

 

[BigKahuna]

I just spent $40 for a 12# jug ( gallon) of local honey. You just have to remember that you are making mead, not vodka, not prison hooch! It's supposed to be good, not cheap!

 

[newbrew77]

Can I cold crash jaom to help it clear?

 

[BigKahuna]

Can I cold crash jaom to help it clear?

You can, but just because you can does not mean you should! See page 1 of this thread.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

BTW... something I just learned... as the mead ages fruit flavors get more and pronounced. Just finished a bottle of pineapple JAOM that I had in the fridge for almost a year, and what started as a nice pineapple flavor 5 months ago ended up at HOLY PINEAPPLE BATMAN!

 

[ianoconnor]

Amazon has this cheap(er) clover honey that comes in at $2.90/lb

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E5DZRU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[BigKahuna]

As long as you take it for what it is this is a pretty good deal. You are not going to make a world class wine with this honey, but for a batch of quick mead this might just be the ticket.

 

[luda007]

I started my batch on 7/28. I only have 2 orange slices left floating, the other sank already.
It appears to be clearing as well.
Is this normal for it to be happening this quickly?

As of today all oranges have fallen to the bottom. There are only a few raisins left floating. Normal? Not normal?
Ideas?