Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[sbrann]

I used warm water, about 90-100 degrees just enough to dissolve it.

 

[fuzzy2133]

I used warm water, about 90-100 degrees just enough to dissolve it.

+1
once the honey is dissolved and fermenter topped up with water you will be close to the right temp to pitch the yeast.

 

[brewski09]

I boil my water for 15 minutes to make sure it's sanitary and then add my honey when it's around 90F so I don't lose anything aroma wise from the honey.

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[scottdmichael]

Awesome! Costco has 5# containers of honey for $13.77, can't beat that. Also - one last question - in the instructions, when you combine the honey with "warm water" - like warm water from the faucet, or boiling water or what? I know, I know, this is a recipe that probably shouldn't be over thought, but I can't help myself from asking...

I just warmed the honey so it was easy to pour. All of the honey came out of the bottle. I just used room temperature water.

 

[salli4102]

Awesome! Costco has 5# containers of honey for $13.77, can't beat that. Also - one last question - in the instructions, when you combine the honey with "warm water" - like warm water from the faucet, or boiling water or what? I know, I know, this is a recipe that probably shouldn't be over thought, but I can't help myself from asking...

I use store bought spring water for my Meade, as tap water is not sterile and ours here is a bit hard. I warm the honey and some of the water together so that it will incorporate easily, and also to make it easier to get into the carboy. (I make mine in 5gallon batches.) Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[zhubbell]

Any reason you use spring water instea of distilled? I have been using RO/DI water for my brewing thus far...

 

[brewski09]

Spring water will have some minerals. Are you adding back any mineral content into your RO water?

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[zhubbell]

No - I'm guessing from the sound of your comment that I should be using spring water?

 

[brewski09]

Try a batch that you know well with only the water change and see if it makes a difference to you.

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[zhubbell]

Just waiting for my batch to cool so I can pitch the yeast, and start the waiting game!
I had just ran out of cloves, so I used 2 all spice berries and a tsp of corriander instead.
Also used 2 Minneolas instead of Orange - zested them, & cut the peel away pretty aggressively so I probably only used about 75% of each one.

 

[Waramir]

im about ready to start my first batch of jaom. are all bread yeasts the same?

I went to my local HEB/Walmart and they dont carry fleichsmans yeast , all i could find is a bread yeast of another brand local to my country (Mexico) , owned by Lesaffre.

would that be ok?

 

[brewski09]

im about ready to start my first batch of jaom. are all bread yeasts the same?

I went to my local HEB/Walmart and they dont carry fleichsmans yeast , all i could find is a bread yeast of another brand local to my country (Mexico) , owned by Lesaffre.

would that be ok?

As long as it's not instant or rapid rise yeast, you should be good.

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[D_Nyholm]

As long as it's not instant or rapid rise yeast, you should be good.

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What is wrong with rapid rise? Just realized that is what I used!

 

[brewski09]

What is wrong with rapid rise? Just realized that is what I used!

I've been told it doesn't behave the same. Never tried it myself. I would just keep the temp under 70F

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[Waramir]

the one i got is not rapid rise , but it is instant...

are you sure thats a problem? coz the all fleischmans yeast i could find on amazon are instant yeast as well...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EKD3PO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[jak1010]

I think you'll be fine. With all the nutrients in this brew, as long as the yeast is viable, you're sure to get alcohol. With all the flavor and spices, any effect on taste should be minimal.

 

[fuzzy2133]

you might be OK. Our supermarket has both versions of fleischmanns; one labeled as rapid rise on the front and the other (what I use) does not say anything other than bread yeast on the front. The recipes intent is probably noting rapid rise and instant rise being the same. I do agree that dry yeast of any kind can be viewed as "instant" once re-hydrated (in water, wort or must).

 

[salli4102]

Any reason you use spring water instea of distilled? I have been using RO/DI water for my brewing thus far...

I use the spring water because it tastes better.

 

[brewski09]

I'm curious now to hear how the fast acting yeast performs since I haven't found anyone that had used it so far.

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[zhubbell]

This, and rapid rise were the only two yeasts the grocery I went to had so I used this one - pitched about 20 hours ago, as of this morning I'm getting a bubble every 5 seconds or so

 

[jak1010]

View attachment 177079
This, and rapid rise were the only two yeasts the grocery I went to had so I used this one - pitched about 20 hours ago, as of this morning I'm getting a bubble every 5 seconds or so

Same stuff I use. Works every time.

 

[zhubbell]

Getting excited! Fermentation is slowing down to 1 bubble every 15 minutes or so, still extremely cloudy, but I'm only 2 weeks in..

 

[hehawbrew]

I did a Joam back in April 1, 2013. Bottled in July. Opened on Thanksgiving. It was amazing!!! But I guess fermentation wasn't finished bc it was carbonated!

Opened my last bottle of it on January 13 with some brew buddies. 15 min later, my wife called and told me her water broke!

It must be a magical drink.


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[bounty1012]

This is my first time ever brewing anything and I think I messed up. Is it okay if I didn't totally dissolve all the honey in the water? Also I read about people reusing their ingredients, is it alright if I reuse the honey that isn't dissolved to make another batch? Thanks.

 

[brewski09]

This is my first time ever brewing anything and I think I messed up. Is it okay if I didn't totally dissolve all the honey in the water? Also I read about people reusing their ingredients, is it alright if I reuse the honey that isn't dissolved to make another batch? Thanks.

The year should still work their way through it. If you are really worried and JUST made it, shake the crap out of it (I know, I know, it's JAOM, just leave it alone). With that said, lock it away in a dark corner and don't look at it for a few months and you will be fine.

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[bounty1012]

Okay, thanks.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Trust me, I'm not just throwing out a meaningless platitude when I reiterate that it is very very very difficult to screw this recipe up. So long as you have yeast, water, and honey in proportions somewhere in the ballpark of the recipe and you are in a space in which human beings can live in a reasonably comfortable fashion, you will make mead.

I know I am only sort of helping when I say this, but it has to be said again. He or she who overthinks on this one will succeed in losing the enjoyment of the brew (but will most likely make the same mead they had if they had just stuck it in a closet and went back to their lives).

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

My JAOM be chillin down to pitchin temps. I still have to top off the 2 on the left. First time for mead, and I'm following the original page 1 recipe including optional pinches of allspice and nutmeg, with the following exceptions:
Used 3.0 lbs of honey in each batch.
I zested the rinds of the citrus and squeezed and put the pulp and seeds in but no rind.
I just used a box of raisins in each.
Batch 1: red star bread yeast and a navel orange
Batch 2 Lalvin K1-v1116 wine yeast and a lemon
Batch 3: Lalvin EC-1118 champagne yeast and a navel orange, I plan to carbonate.
My goal is to leave it til May 15, then bottle batches 1 and 2 still, backsweetening batch 2 if necessay, and bottling batch 3 in champagne bottles.
And let it sit til Christmas!!


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[D_Nyholm]

Are people carbonating this? I plan to bottle my batch into bombers and not sure if I should carbonate all, none, or half and half.

If you are carbonating, what volume and are the yeast too stressed at this point to even work? I am not sure if they are all Tuckered out and that is why this is such a sweet mead?

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

And I have airlock activity from all 3 batches in 45 minutes!!!:rockin: