Joe's Ancient Orange Mead

[brewski09]

I asked the beer brewing store to give me yeast for mead, and they told me they don't really know what should I use, and gave me yeast that people buy from them for mead brewing. it is used for cider or sparkling wine, it is called Lellamand E491, and according to google it is "not recommended above 13% abv", but I don't know if it means the yeast will die or it would produce bad flavors. The original gravity is 1.130, so if the end gravity will be 1.030 it's alcohol content will be 13.12%. Is it good?

I couldn't find lallemand e491. If it's good to 13% then the yeast basically goes dormant at that point because it can't make more alcohol. I wouldn't age it in bulk for a year or two on that cake (but I'm sure others would and have had no issues). I like this recipe with Nottingham beer yeast myself and feel it's better than the bread yeast (whatever strain it may be).

 

[yuval12321]

I couldn't find lallemand e491. If it's good to 13% then the yeast basically goes dormant at that point because it can't make more alcohol. I wouldn't age it in bulk for a year or two on that cake (but I'm sure others would and have had no issues). I like this recipe with Nottingham beer yeast myself and feel it's better than the bread yeast (whatever strain it may be).

What's your end gravity usually?
Do you think I will have to kill the yeast somehow?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I'm rereading Joe's recipe (I do that quite often). I do not see any mention of boiling, scrubbing, divination or other jiggery-pokery. I definitely saw no mention of killing yeast, pasteurization, homogenization, castration or masturbation.

My new friend, why are you trying so hard to make something so beautifully simple into something overly complicated? Make JAOM EXACTLY the way Joe told you to. I promise you unless you urinate in the fermenter or your kid throws a handful of pickle spears in there you will like it. Do this 2 or three times and THEN mess with the recipe and experiment.

Good God, this is frustrating.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I'm rereading Joe's recipe (I do that quite often). I do not see any mention of boiling, scrubbing, divination or other jiggery-pokery. I definitely saw no mention of killing yeast, pasteurization, homogenization, castration or masturbation.

My new friend, why are you trying so hard to make something so beautifully simple into something overly complicated? Make JAOM EXACTLY the way Joe told you to. I promise you unless you urinate in the fermenter or your kid throws a handful of pickle spears in there you will like it. Do this 2 or three times and THEN mess with the recipe and experiment.

Good God, this is frustrating.

Gotta read between the lines, but it is definitely there.

 

[sablesurfer]

I stand AGAINST YEAST CASTRATION! We need to stop this outrage!!

(Wonder if this will get reported as OT...hmmm.)

 

[brewski09]

What's your end gravity usually?

Do you think I will have to kill the yeast somehow?

I did a dry and petillant (lightly carbonated) version all by taste and mouthfeel. Stovetop pasteurization on the small batch for me. Don't worry about the purists, this thread will be right back to normal after you are done with your modifications.

 

[sablesurfer]

Don't worry about the purists, this thread will be right back to normal after you are done with your modifications.

The problem is that people change the recipe and then ask what we think. If the entire thread is, 'just do this', and then someone comes along and is like, "but i don't have oranges and i want to use this high powered yeast and i want to add calf's blood...do you think it will come out ok?!??!"

We don't know, this is not the bloody f'd up mead thread.

 

[brewski09]

The problem is that people change the recipe and then ask what we think. If the entire thread is, 'just do this', and then someone comes along and is like, "but i don't have oranges and i want to use this high powered yeast and i want to add calf's blood...do you think it will come out ok?!??!"

We don't know, this is not the bloody f'd up mead thread.

Saying you don't know or not saying anything is different than some of the responses this person has received. There is a lot of negativity about changing the recipe when there should be more encouragement to experiment with the disclosure that it may not turn out "right" like the original recipe. And where the heck did you get calf's blood from?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I just want to encourage everyone who tries this recipe to make the first couple batches exactly to specs and THEN start to play around with yeasts and fruits and adjuncts.

 

[Gavin C]

The point of this recipe aside from helping folks make a delcious drink is to introduce mead in a simple manner. No fancy setups or ingredients are needed. It's all stuff available in any grocery store.

Boiling oranges
Wine yeast
stabilization
Why, why, why? I just don't get it.

This is such a fun thing to make, its super simple, the instructions are idiot proof. By all means make mead however the heck you want but why not just do one of the other great recipes in the database where more complex process is the norm.

As the author of the recipe states. Once you do it this way you'll need to unlearn these bad habits if you want to make mead the way most mazers do.

The success of the recipe is dictated by following the recipe. It's a really good recipe. Why overcomplicate it.

Honey, water, orange, raisins, some spices, bread yeast = delicious mead in under a year using a method the ancients may have used. So fun.

JAOM 11 months old

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Just got through brewing this up for my first mead. Time to see what all the fuss is about!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1443926141.687667.jpg

 

[ChefRex]

Started a new blood orange batch, last batch needs bottling,View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1444082911.204663.jpg

 

[fuzzy2133]

Beware of wierd looking bottles. Opened a questionable bottle tonight. Did a poor job bottling, got too much sediment and after a year of aging tasted like bitter orange peel with a touch of banana. Kinda thought something was wrong when it was not clear like the other bottles.

 

[yuval12321]

Damn I got some problem. The airlock was bubbling till yesterday for sure, I checked it on the evening and it bubbled every ~35 seconds. Now I checked it and guess what - no bubbling! And the co2 firstly enters the airlock trying to get out, and then finds another easier way!
Is the mead ruined if it was this way for a couple of hours?

**edit: I checked now and realized that for some reason the lid is loose! When I press a little bit on the lid, the airlock bubbling like crazy about the same rate as it bubbled 4 days ago without me pressing anything! And it looked normal, every day I bubbled a little bit less. Someone got any idea what's happening (I use bucket fermenter)?
I believe the mead should be ok because of the vigorous fermentation, am I right?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

 

[brewer_in_the_cap]

Think I'll give this a go! I got 20 pounds or so of honey that's pushing 30 years old from my grandmother and don't use it enough in cooking so this is a great way to use it.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Think I'll give this a go! I got 20 pounds or so of honey that's pushing 30 years old from my grandmother and don't use it enough in cooking so this is a great way to use it.

If you follow the recipe and dont mess with the fermenter too much you will NOT regret it!

 

[sablesurfer]

Think I'll give this a go! I got 20 pounds or so of honey that's pushing 30 years old from my grandmother and don't use it enough in cooking so this is a great way to use it.

I used 14yr old honey and it was good. And that was only just a year ago now, so only going to get better.

 

[Bent-Brewer]

I'm pushing 3 months in on my batch. The fruit dropped and I'm pretty sure I could read a book through the carboy. A few questions though, since this is my first mead:

1) Racking - The first post says not to rack. I'm fine with that, but I'm pretty sure I kick up this yeast by just looking at the carboy. If I do rack to reduce risk of yeast transfer, could I just flush the carboy with CO2 and top it off with boiled/chilled water, then cold crash it for a couple days? Do I need to sulfite it if I rack? Do you even recommend racking?

2) Bottling - Would you recommend sulfiting before bottling? I'm shooting for using 375mL bottles and leaving them untouched until late next summer for a wedding. If I can do it without sulfites, I'd like to, but I'd rather play it safe. Figured asking wouldn't hurt.

Silly questions, I know... But I've only bottled beer once before swapping to kegging, and I've never done mead/wine before this.

 

[sablesurfer]

1) Racking - The first post says not to rack. I'm fine with that, but I'm pretty sure I kick up this yeast by just looking at the carboy. If I do rack to reduce risk of yeast transfer, could I just flush the carboy with CO2 and top it off with boiled/chilled water, then cold crash it for a couple days? Do I need to sulfite it if I rack? Do you even recommend racking?

I rack to a bottling carboy for the same reason, that yeast explodes, explodes I say, by the time I have climbed all the stairs up to kitchen. So, one rule I break is moving it to a secondary for a couple of weeks, let that settle then bottle out of that. It is just that it is not 'necessary'.

2) Bottling - Would you recommend sulfiting before bottling? I'm shooting for using 375mL bottles and leaving them untouched until late next summer for a wedding. If I can do it without sulfites, I'd like to, but I'd rather play it safe. Figured asking wouldn't hurt.

This mead uses bread yeast because it cannot ferment beyond it's somewhat higher final gravity. So there there is no worry about trying to kill it off with additives. The no 'ites or 'ates is one reason this is staying as my mead process. Keep in mind that you will be bottling a still mead with this recipe.

 

[Chifriedchicken]

I multiplied this into a 5 gallon batch and it has already begun to clear in about 2 months. Should I be worried? Or should I just leave it alone until before Christmas I would like to bottle for gifts.

Question would be how long should it take? The oranges still have not dropped but everything else has.

https://www.facebook.com/brian.allen.376043/posts/1458523254477119

 

[sablesurfer]

I multiplied this into a 5 gallon batch and it has already begun to clear in about 2 months. Should I be worried?

AHHH...YES YES YES, WORRY WORRY WORRY....worry a lot...care a lot...about the birds and killer bees, about the NASA shuttle falling in the seas, we care a lot!

Oh, sorry.

 

[sablesurfer]

From, the very FIRST post, on this thread....

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all)

and

If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready.

 

[fuzzy2133]

I multiplied this into a 5 gallon batch and it has already begun to clear in about 2 months. Should I be worried? Or should I just leave it alone until before Christmas I would like to bottle for gifts.

Question would be how long should it take? The oranges still have not dropped but everything else has.

https://www.facebook.com/brian.allen.376043/posts/1458523254477119

IMO the last month of bulk aging will help if you can wait, if you need to bottle cause you might be pressed for time next month you should be fine. My last batch (early 2014) was 3 gallons. The bulk aging seemed better with the 3 gallon volume compared to the 1 gallon batches.

 

[Chifriedchicken]

Thanks fuzz2133 I appreciate your feedback as this is is my first batch. Seems you get a little paranoid that you are doing everything correctly.

 

[Dominic1920]

I have a dumb question. How do you remove the orange slices from a narrow mouthed carboy after this is done?
Heres my JOAM just started today:
I upped the oranges to two since my navel oranges seemed kinda small.

 

[Gavin C]

I have a smart question. How do you remove the orange slices from a narrow mouthed carboy after this is done?

FTFY

Here is a great way I use for doing this. Works with rubber bungs in carboys too

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y82j3R7tXw[/ame]

 

[Dominic1920]

FTFY

Here is a great way I use for doing this. Works with rubber bungs in carboys too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y82j3R7tXw

Slick. Thanks. I had a heck of a time getting a bung out of a carboy once. I fished it out with a wire. This looks much easier.

 

[brewski09]

Nifty

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I'll go ahead and be the smartass that says "next time slice your oranges thinner"