Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[noblex]

Ok, thank you.

I just have one more question.
I'm reading these pages and i read that this mead needs much aging to be really good to some tartness that, reading the variant "Maom" is given by the white part of the orange. So I was thinking to remove it using only the orange zest and the pulp, peeling away the white **** (as I've always done with lemons when i was into liquors). Do you suggest to use a different quantity of honey if i remove the white part? I make this question because i wanna make a jaom variant with a bread yeast of my country and the orange without white, but in maom, which should be similar, use half of the honey!!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50201

my recipe should be (following jaom method):
5l (1.32 gal)
2kg (4,4 lib) honey
1 full orange and a third of another one
1 clover
1 stick of cinnamom
1 piece of nutmeg
allspice doesn't exist here.

water to reach 5l


with maom advice it would drop to 1.3kg (3.8lib)

 

[sablesurfer]

Two more starting tonight. Found both a light color and dark 'wildflower' honey at the local market last weekend. More raisins this time and I diced them a bit first.

Edit - don't see much about gravities on here, but then honey is variable. tonight's OG's are 1.114 and 1.112.

Edit two - not sure if this should go on front page, but one packet of Red Star bread yeast (USA) has two teaspoons of yeast.

 

[JDWebb]

Ok, thank you.

I just have one more question.
I'm reading these pages and i read that this mead needs much aging to be really good to some tartness that, reading the variant "Maom" is given by the white part of the orange. So I was thinking to remove it using only the orange zest and the pulp, peeling away the white **** (as I've always done with lemons when i was into liquors). Do you suggest to use a different quantity of honey if i remove the white part? I make this question because i wanna make a jaom variant with a bread yeast of my country and the orange without white, but in maom, which should be similar, use half of the honey!!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50201

my recipe should be (following jaom method):
5l (1.32 gal)
2kg (4,4 lib) honey
1 full orange and a third of another one
1 clover
1 stick of cinnamom
1 piece of nutmeg
allspice doesn't exist here.

water to reach 5l


with maom advice it would drop to 1.3kg (3.8lib)

If you're using clove, you don't need allspice. The pith of the orange does offer flavor characteristics, the bitter helps balance the sweetness. Honey seems excessive, typically its 3.5 pounds to 1 gallon US. I've done it with 3.2 pounds just fine. When you say 1 piece of nutmeg, I hope you're not referring to one whole nutmeg. I usually break off a piece that equals about 1/8 tsp and crush it. Nutmeg is a very strong spice, like cloves and allspice.

 

[noblex]

If you're using clove, you don't need allspice. The pith of the orange does offer flavor characteristics, the bitter helps balance the sweetness. Honey seems excessive, typically its 3.5 pounds to 1 gallon US. I've done it with 3.2 pounds just fine. When you say 1 piece of nutmeg, I hope you're not referring to one whole nutmeg. I usually break off a piece that equals about 1/8 tsp and crush it. Nutmeg is a very strong spice, like cloves and allspice.

Ok thank you very much, the problem is only because i'm not familiar with american and english imperial unit so I'm asking 246789 times to be sure not to use too much or not enaugh.

The recipe says 3.5 pounds (1pound = 1 lib???) for 1 gallon, I'm making 5 liters, wich are roughly 1.3 gallons, shouldn't I use 1.3*3.5 pounds = 4.4 pounds of honey?

 

[noblex]

Here it goes my first batch of JAOM, i followed the original recipe after all.

I used 1.9kg of unpastourized honey from a local beekeper, half wildflowers (the black one, and trust me, THAT is the clolor of wildflower honey, the pale **** you are being sold in super market is not real honey. Anyway the photo makes it a little too black, the real color is a dark brown like ebony or so) and half linden (it has a particular taste, try it if you find it, i really like it), 1 giant orange, 1 whole clover and a little piece, nutmeg, cinnamom, and raisins.

I boiled 3l of low-sediment super market water, let it cool up a bit and then added all the ingredients, exept the orange, i sliced the orange in +- 20 slices and put into the fermentor. Now it's cooling to room temp (24°C) and then I'll add the bread yeast.
Og is something above 1025, maybe 1030 or so, my densimeter goes from .990 to 1.100 only

Can I make it ferment in my basement (17-18°C) or it is better to keep it here in my home? Thank you

 

[odubbs25]

I recently made my first 1 gallon batch of mead 10 days ago and now all the ingredients are all decomposing. I know stuff decomposes but is this just a normal thing and nothing to be worried about?

I also used an HPLC to determine my sugars and alcohol and this is what i got for results.

Cellobiose: 23.1167 g/L
Glucose: 27.7718 g/L
Xylose: 90.8419 g/L
Latic Acid: 0.2630 g/L
Glycerol: 9.2519 g/L
Acetic Acid: 9.4070 g/L
Alcohol: 72. 3866 g/L

The mead has not been bubbling anymore for the last two days and I was wondering if I need to add more yeast because I have quite a bit more sugar left. I am not too sure how well this yeast does with xylose but I believe glucose goes first before they are even interested in the xylose. What do you peeps think?

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Some pics would be helpful, but I would be surprised if there were any decomposition going on after 2 days.

Did you follow the recipe exactly or did you make some changes?

If you used bread yeast like the recipe called for, the leftover sugar is there by design. The intent is for it to be sweet at the end without having to backsweeten.

 

[JDWebb]

I recently made my first 1 gallon batch of mead 10 days ago and now all the ingredients are all decomposing. I know stuff decomposes but is this just a normal thing and nothing to be worried about?

I also used an HPLC to determine my sugars and alcohol and this is what i got for results.

Cellobiose: 23.1167 g/L
Glucose: 27.7718 g/L
Xylose: 90.8419 g/L
Latic Acid: 0.2630 g/L
Glycerol: 9.2519 g/L
Acetic Acid: 9.4070 g/L
Alcohol: 72. 3866 g/L

The mead has not been bubbling anymore for the last two days and I was wondering if I need to add more yeast because I have quite a bit more sugar left. I am not too sure how well this yeast does with xylose but I believe glucose goes first before they are even interested in the xylose. What do you peeps think?

Yes it will decompose. If you have it sealed tight with an airlock, you're fine. Don't worry about not seeing any bubbles, it is still fermenting. Staring at the airlock will drive you nits, give it a few months, and don't touch it.

 

[JDWebb]

Ok thank you very much, the problem is only because i'm not familiar with american and english imperial unit so I'm asking 246789 times to be sure not to use too much or not enaugh.

The recipe says 3.5 pounds (1pound = 1 lib???) for 1 gallon, I'm making 5 liters, wich are roughly 1.3 gallons, shouldn't I use 1.3*3.5 pounds = 4.4 pounds of honey?

Looks fine. Your carboy looks fine too. Now, just have a lot of patience, leave it alone for at least 4 months.

 

[sablesurfer]

Followed the instructions (GASP) about not needing to stir/swirl the yeast into the wort(?) and just sprinkled dry right on top.

Bubbling away happily now for last few days, not explosive or fast, but pretty good. Yay.

 

[JDWebb]

Followed the instructions (GASP) about not needing to stir/swirl the yeast into the wort(?) and just sprinkled dry right on top.

Bubbling away happily now for last few days, not explosive or fast, but pretty good. Yay.

DO NOT touch it for the next 4 months. Don't take it for walks, to movies, out on a date, do not water it, trim it, or bathe it. Don't give it a manicure, haircut or facial. Leave it alone!

 

[sablesurfer]

DO NOT touch it for the next 4 months. Don't take it for walks, to movies, out on a date, do not water it, trim it, or bathe it. Don't give it a manicure, haircut or facial. Leave it alone!

HAHAHA....this is my third and forth batch...I am such an old hand at this point.








....however a date would have been fun.

 

[JDWebb]

I made a 5 gallon batch with 15 pounds of orange blossom instead of the almost 18 according to the recipe and 5 oranges last January. It came out really good, like a white wine, just a hint of sweetness. Popped a bottle open last week, was gone in 2 days, will open another one in a few months. I might do another 5 gallon batch as soon as my cider is done.

 

[ChefRex]

Consuming a bottle as I type sent to me by another member, delicious! I bottled a couple gallons of mead today so I have the room, I think I see this in my future.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1433206564.707199.jpg

 

[Dartman14]

I had my batch, 5 gallons, sitting in the carboy for about three months. Some of the oranges had fallen to the bottom and the liquid itself is extremely light and clear. I bottled it in about 20, 750mL wine bottles and corked them. I realize after I bottled them that I didn't think about making sure all the yeast was 'deactivated/dead.' Has anyone had any problems with bottle bombs that could help me? I just want to know whether I should open them all back up to make sure I kill the yeast. First batch of mead, newbie to the homebrewing ways. I just simply used Fleischmann's Bread Yeast since it was my first time.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

If everything dropped and it was crystal clear at bottling and you used bread yeast, you don't have anything to worry about.

 

[rideincircles]

I just racked over my batch that sat for almost 2 years with cherries added instead of grapes the other day and it tastes amazing. I have been lazy on racking my meads lately. The batch I made using mandarin oranges from my garden has more bitterness than usual which seems to be from the variety of orange. It is also over a year old and needs to be bottles.

The longer I have been brewing, the less inclined I am to bottle things, but I need to get to it for these guys.

 

[sablesurfer]

The longer I have been brewing, the less inclined I am to bottle things, but I need to get to it for these guys.

Straw? I mean it is only a gallon.....

 

[noblex]

Hi, I think I'm having a problem with my JAOM.
I started it on the 26th of may and I stored it in my basement thinking about leaving it for 3-4 months.. So, yesterday i went in my basement for another reason and I found a surprise: the jaom was already cleared, all the fruit were on the bottom and i could easily read a newspaper through the carboy.

So I took a champion. FG 1006 (SG 1130+-). I used a local baking yeast (since here in Italy i'm no able to find the original of the recipe) i took from Eataly.

The problem is that the taste and the smell is (as predictable) awful. It's something like fermented concentrated orange zest without any sugar or honey in it. I think I'll rack it, add sugar, and let it age in the carboy for some month....

Any suggestion?

 

[Andi Dawson VO]

You could always back sweeten with a little honey. I had a batch a while ago which turned out like that (turns out I'd used too much yeast by mistake), but after the extra honey, it came out delicious! Obviously campden and potassium sorbate too ;-)

 

[noblex]

You could always back sweeten with a little honey. I had a batch a while ago which turned out like that (turns out I'd used too much yeast by mistake), but after the extra honey, it came out delicious! Obviously campden and potassium sorbate too ;-)

mmm, maybe could be the extra yeast dose... I put in 2 7g packets... Could it be due of that?
About the backsweeting, how much honey/sugar should I add to get something edible?

 

[Andi Dawson VO]

I found it to be a preference thing at that point - I ended up adding the same amount of honey again as the original time, but I like a very sweet mead! Just add some and give it a taste, then repeat until you're happy

 

[noblex]

I found it to be a preference thing at that point - I ended up adding the same amount of honey again as the original time, but I like a very sweet mead! Just add some and give it a taste, then repeat until you're happy

mmm, I don't think 4kg of honey in 5l mead will be a clever idea

Anyway, the point is that i read that this mead taste like **** when young, and should be left on his own for some months. I would like to know where the fermentation use to stops, so I'll be able to add honey until I reach back the "standard" FG, maybe a little more due to an higher alcoolic grade (we are past the 16°)

 

[RichBrewer]

Mine has been going for over 4 months and I couldn't get it to clear so I cold crashed it for about 3 weeks. It was Crystal clear when I pulled it out Sunday. Once I set it on the counter and warmed it up it has gotten cloudy again. There is a lot of Lees that is very easily stirred up. I'll let it sit a few more days and then bottle if it clears.

 

[fatmalky]

I made this up the other day. Can't wait to see how it turns out

 

[odubbs25]

Just curious how people clean out the oranges of the their carboys, any suggestions?

 

[fuzzy2133]

If using glass hold on tight and shake like it owes you 10 grand.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Use a shopping bag the same way as getting a cork from inside a bottle

 

[brewski09]

Just curious how people clean out the oranges of the their carboys, any suggestions?

Rack off the yeast and fruit in the carboy (or whatever you want to call the jar/jug you are fermenting in) and then rinse/hold upside down to pull the fruit out. Something like a squished coat hanger works really well once the mead is out.

 

[sablesurfer]

Yes, I am breaking the do not touch rule again. Moving over to secondary so that I can get the bigger 1gal carboys back into rotation. Both honeys from the farmers market, one from a place with light honey and other from a place with nice dark wildflower. Even at a month, these are tasting great and completely different from each other.




((Decided to open one of my first ever batch to drink as I went, it has changed for the better in just a few months! Clean now and whatever the 'olive' taste was when first bottled is gone now.))

The first two batches are running into about 2 months in bottle and flavors are cleaning up nicely there. Not sure why these two batches are already super clean.

(ps....for these plastic carboys, orange bits come out mostly by filling 1/3 with rinse water and squeezing just as orange gets to neck to pop it out into sink.)