Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[granddeity]

I just made this with Colorado mountain wildflower honey. I am very excited, this is my first mead.

 

[SgtGrumbles19]

Hey, I was wondering if it's important to try and sanitize all of the food products, like the outside of the orange and the cinnamon stick. Thanks!

 

[CreamyGoodness]

If it was important to sanitize the oranges and cinnamon sticks I might just be a dead fellow .

 

[BigKahuna]

If it was important to sanitize the oranges and cinnamon sticks I might just be a dead fellow .

I am currently fermenting bugs.

 

[baseness]

Here's my batch after one month. Those yeast are working hard.

 

[SgtGrumbles19]

If it was important to sanitize the oranges and cinnamon sticks I might just be a dead fellow .

Haha okay, thank you.

 

[dohertyc9]

Let us know how the batches come out. I've read Wild Fermentation and have wanted to try a wild fermented mead since reading it. But I can't get past the thought of wasting precious honey if it comes out bad.

I think one key would be to have & maintain a starter. If your starter looks and acts and smells normal, then you'd know. But I guess that negates what I said about this making it easier.

Here's my two batches. It's been about a month now. One is with wild yeast and one is with bread yeast. I'm surprised by how much both have cleared. Haven't tasted them yet.

 

[billslaw1024]

Both are looking pretty good. I'm going to start up my second batch tomorrow. Going for a three gallon batch this time. I have a one gallon batch I plan to bottle on 12/6/12. Hoping to be able to save some of it for Christmas. I used bread yeast at first. Then one week in, I made a one gallon batch of cider and threw some of the cider yeast into the mead.

 

[luda007]

I don't have anymore bottles!
And yes those are captain Morgan bottles.

 

[Tnoodle]

Entered a bottle of JAOM in the F.O.A.M. Cup and scored a 38. It was from a 5 gallon batch, aged for 1 year.

 

[rialaigh]

Just started a one gallon batch, really looking forward to it, plan on aging for a long time before consuming and will likely do 2-3 more batches before I get a chance to taste the first....

such is life though right?

 

[sdclong]

Thought I'd give this a try. Started a one gallon batch last night... Just realized I used 3 lbs of honey, not 3.5. Okay to add the other half pound to my top off water?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Thought I'd give this a try. Started a one gallon batch last night... Just realized I used 3 lbs of honey, not 3.5. Okay to add the other half pound to my top off water?

I cant see why not, as long as it fits. I wouldnt do this after fermentation stops though. KABOOM!

 

[flb_78]

Hi all, first post, first attempt at making any kind of home brew.

I thought about making a 1 gallon batch of beer, but then I ran across this thread and decided this is mostly idiot proof. I followed the recipe except I had Fleschman's yeast, and now Im thinking I used the wrong kind of yeast.

Alas my problem. I mixed this up today and after 3 hours, Im not noticing any bubbles in the air lock. Maybe I'm just anxious because it's my very first attempt.

Here's the yeast I used. I just read that it's the same as Fast-Rise, RapidRise and/or Active yeast. Did I just waste a bunch of honey?

 

[Lamminis]

Hey there flb_78, you should be fine. It usually takes 12-48 hours for yeast to multiply and start active signs of fermentation. Relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew!

 

[bottlebomber]

Hey there flb_78, you should be fine. It usually takes 12-48 hours for yeast to multiply and start active signs of fermentation. Relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew!

He can't, he doesn't have any

Seriously though flb, even if for some reason that yeast was bad, which I can almost stake my life on that it's not, the honey must is still ok - you would just pitch new yeast and carry on. Welcome to the forum, and the obsession! I think Northern Brewer has some very user friendly 1 gallon kits.

 

[flb_78]

Thanks for the welcomes!

I may not be able to have a homebrew, but I have a keg of craft beer in the keezer from a local micro brewery.

Im probably just over anxious. I keep watching the air lock looking for bubbles and Im not seeing any, but it's also in a plastic container so it could be slowly building pressure and swelling the container. The "cup" in the air lock is also pushed up against the top.

 

[bottlebomber]

It looks like you've got some activity. Why not get a good nights sleep, and wake up Sunday morning to bacon and a bubbling airlock.

 

[flb_78]

but...but...I wanna watch it. It's my first one!

 

[flb_78]

I think my yeasties are dead. 12 hours now and almost no foam on top and no activity in the air lock.

 

[flb_78]

ohhh.....

I think I killed them. I added the yeast and then shook the crap out of it to mix it up. A couple of times to dissolve the honey.

I just tested the yeast in a cup of warm water and sugar and in 10 minutes the foam was thicker than the water and it's still rising.

Im assuming it would be ok to add more yeast since the I murdered the first ones.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I dont think you murdered them. Shaking aerates the must, which is actually a good thing. My vote is you wait longer. Dont forget the Creamy mantra, "honey and yeast WANT to make mead". With JAOM you really really have to screw things up to fail, and that doesnt include shaking. Yeast are tougher than any shaking we weakling brewers can throw at them.

Do nothing, relax, and freak out again in a week.

 

[bottlebomber]

I think my yeasties are dead. 12 hours now and almost no foam on top and no activity in the air lock.

That thing is fermenting dawg. Look at all the bubbles in the must. Unless you just shook it before the picture was taken its starting to take off. Instead of looking at the airlock look at the liquid for signs of activity. You should see small bubbles.

 

[flb_78]

Ive watched the liquid. Nothing moving, no bubbles, nada.

I read all 104 pages last night and watched a video on youtube, so I consider myself an expert now... :fro:

I went ahead and threw in another teaspoon of yeast about an hour ago and gently rolled the bottle to mix it in. Now the airlock is bubbling quite regularly.

 

[bsjracing]

Question, I currently have a 1 gallon batch going into its 2nd week of fermentation....currently it has a balloon for an airlock. I have a couple of S-lock airlocks coming in the mail this week, will it hurt anything to switch from the balloon to the airlock?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Question, I currently have a 1 gallon batch going into its 2nd week of fermentation....currently it has a balloon for an airlock. I have a couple of S-lock airlocks coming in the mail this week, will it hurt anything to switch from the balloon to the airlock?

Nope. Don't tell anyone I said this, but if the balloon popped or tore between now and then and you didnt know it, you are most likely fine as well.

Remember, honey and bread yeast want to make mead, not toxic sludge.

 

[bsjracing]

Thanks!

 

[CreamyGoodness]

If there is ANY homebrew advice I am qualified to give (and thats debatable) its all the ways to mess up making JAOM and still come out with something drinkable. hehe.

 

[dougen]

Just made my first Jaom...made mead before but first this way

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

threw this one together for my batch that i started in august, should be ready to bottle this weekend i hope.