Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[TheWadeShow]

What should starting and ending hydrometer readings be?

 

[ChefRex]

So I was at the store earlier and go down the baking isle and there it was staring me in the face, Fleishmann’s bread yeast which normally ignore as I have a very healthy sourdough culture for all my baking needs, i grab a pack, check the recipe, only need an orange, check!

And a new batch is bornView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1437924892.404477.jpg

 

[55x11]

I think it's already (3 weeks in) beginning to clear.

As mixed, 3 weeks ago:

Today:

Update: 12 days later, Aug 8, some fruit (two slices of orange and many raisins) have dropped and it is clearing up nicely now:

 

[ChefRex]

Never know raisins could swim

 

[55x11]

Never know raisins could swim

they can also surf:

 

[55x11]

What should starting and ending hydrometer readings be?

Never measured it myself, as it needs to be thorougly mixed and I hate to lose hydrometer volume in 1G batch, but should be about 1.100. My beer smith recipe says OG 1.097.

 

[CGish]

Opened a two year old bottle of this tonight. It is amazing. Smooth, sweet, and perfect.

 

[Maylar]

What should starting and ending hydrometer readings be?

Typically 1.130-ish to start (mine was 1.127) and 1.030-ish finished.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I touched this mango experiment for the first time since August. It probably should have been racked way sooner but excuses and what not.

I was tempted to dump it based on the smell. It was super flat and nasty smelling (oxidization? autolysis?) but tasted it anyway.

Frankly it tastes like a syrupy honey water. There's not much in the way of mango flavoring but it still has the potential to be a decent (super sweet) dessert mead.

I racked it from a one gallon carboy to a 3 liter jug and capped it to bulk age for a few months. We'll see what happens.

Finally got this experiment in bottles. I must say, so far it tastes pretty good.

It started to clear a bit but I would be surprised if it ever clears like JAOM does. Not much in the way of mango flavoring, it's sort of like JAOM without the citrus.

All in all, it turned out alright but I probably won't do this again unless I come in to a bunch of free mangos.

 

[jdelvo06]

I accidentally used the rapid rise yeast. Should I let it ride or put some of the normal bread yeast in too?

 

[brewski09]

I accidentally used the rapid rise yeast. Should I let it ride or put some of the normal bread yeast in too?

Should be fine from what people have said.

 

[sablesurfer]

Ooooo.....look what I get to experiment with!!!



Since my JOAMs are coming out pretty neutral, just going to use each of these as part of the honey in the batch. Blend both with same base honey and see what happens.

 

[ChefRex]

Ooooo.....look what I got to experiment with!!!

View attachment 297377

Since my JOAMs are coming out pretty neutral, just going to use each of these as part of the honey in the batch. Blend both with same base honey and see what happens.

I would assume these are flavored honeys? I think chipotle flowers are hard to find

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

Ooooo.....look what I get to experiment with!!!

View attachment 297377

Since my JOAMs are coming out pretty neutral, just going to use each of these as part of the honey in the batch. Blend both with same base honey and see what happens.

Essentially, wont this become a capscimel??

 

[sablesurfer]

Essentially, wont this become a capscimel??

Is that spicy mead? There are so many mead types, and I have only ever judged beers, so just venturing in the world of meads. I've never tried a spicy mead, so just thought since these samples were pretty cheap why not.

 

[BGBC]

Is that spicy mead? There are so many mead types, and I have only ever judged beers, so just venturing in the world of meads. I've never tried a spicy mead, so just thought since these samples were pretty cheap why not.

It's mead made with peppers.

Are there ingredient lists on those jars?

 

[sablesurfer]

Are there ingredient lists on those jars?

Nope, that is kind of the mystery of the whole thing. These are test batches of stuff that you can buy if you want to. These were like $1.99 each. I'll taste test them first and then see if they ferment. <shrug>

(So they question is, could they have preservatives in them? Maybe, no idea, it was a $4 gamble that I'll never be able to recreate. )

 

[fuzzy2133]

Nope, that is kind of the mystery of the whole thing. These are test batches of stuff that you can buy if you want to. These were like $1.99 each. I'll taste test them first and then see if they ferment. <shrug>

(So they question is, could they have preservatives in them? Maybe, no idea, it was a $4 gamble that I'll never be able to recreate. )

We are home brewers its just because we can! Just remember to report back how it turned out. I got a jar of macadamia nut honey to make a mead with. I figured why not all the other mead makers here are using different verities too.

 

[sablesurfer]

As threatened. Two JOAMs today. The chipotle seems to be the best flavor with honey. The habanero is actually very clear on the pepper flavors, but much warmer than the other.



(fingers crossed these two test batches didn't have any preservatives in them yet.)

 

[sablesurfer]

NO PRESERVATIVES! YAY. Got home to some bubbly airlock action yesterday. So that is a step in the right direction. Interesting gravities on these, but then I had no idea what was in them....

Habanero = OG 1.118
Chipotle w Orange blossom honey = OG 1.108

As threatened. Two JOAMs today. The chipotle seems to be the best flavor with honey. The habanero is actually very clear on the pepper flavors, but much warmer than the other.

View attachment 298440

(fingers crossed these two test batches didn't have any preservatives in them yet.)

 

[55x11]

I think it's already (3 weeks in) beginning to clear.

As mixed, 3 weeks ago:

Today:

Update: 12 days later, Aug 8, some fruit (two slices of orange and many raisins) have dropped and it is clearing up nicely now:

Aug 25, 7 weeks in. All fruit (except maybe a few raisins) have dropped. The liquid is very clear now.

 

[sablesurfer]

Yep, looks good!

Aug 25, 7 weeks in. All fruit (except maybe a few raisins) have dropped. The liquid is very clear now.

 

[55x11]

Yep, looks good!

so. you think I should bottle it?

 

[sablesurfer]

Well....should?...lol. I have bottled at 8 weeks with no problems.

 

[brewski09]

To each his own. I prefer to bottle condition.

 

[Tsuyako]

Sorry if this has been asked, has anyone made this without the orange? I'm allergic to citric acid and I don't know how I will handle fermented citrus.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Sorry if this has been asked, has anyone made this without the orange? I'm allergic to citric acid and I don't know how I will handle fermented citrus.

Do you enjoy (and can your body tolerate) mixed berries?

 

[Tsuyako]

Do you enjoy (and can your body tolerate) mixed berries?

As long as there are no strawberries, yes I do.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Then my suggestion is to swipe out the oranges for a half-bag of frozen mixed berries. Make no other changes.

 

[Tsuyako]

Then my suggestion is to swipe out the oranges for a half-bag of frozen mixed berries. Make no other changes.

Sweet, thanks. I'll give that a try.