Joe's Quick Grape Mead

[bob1852]

when you backsweeten, do you need to dissolve the honey, or can u just add it to the carboy?

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

I'm seriously considering using this recipe to make some cheap drinkin stuff...

As far as the ale yeast? Which one? I doubt it... I would stick toe the 1118

 

[LastKnight]

My 1-gallon batch of this turned out so well that I'm making a 5-gallon today.

Mine came out a lot dryer than I expected, though, and I think the potassium sorbate+1/2 campden tablet didn't stop fermentation as the second bottle (aged a month) tasted much dryer than the first. Still, it's an easy recipe, and it's been popular with everyone who's tried - I'll just make sure I backsweeten properly this time, instead of guesstimating (I used 1/2 a 12 oz. honey bear for my 6 oz. backsweeten - think I might have gotten the amount a bit off).

 

[hezagenius]

Quick question - can I do the primary fermentation for a 1-gallon batch in a 2-gallon bucket? Will the extra headspace give rise to any problems? I plan to do the secondary fermentation in a 1-gallon carboy.

 

[pizzaman]

would ale yeast work?

Any yeast will work and give its own unique characteristics. The EC-1118 is recommended because it has a high alcohol tolerance. K1-V1116 is another good one, made for high alcohols. If you use a yeast not specifically bred for higher alcohols you could end up with some off flavors. You could try ale yeast and post the results here(og, fg, tasing notes)

when you backsweeten, do you need to dissolve the honey, or can u just add it to the carboy?

I just warm up the honey enough to liquify it and dump it into the secondary, then mix well with the first 1-2 cups of mead being racked.

Quick question - can I do the primary fermentation for a 1-gallon batch in a 2-gallon bucket? Will the extra headspace give rise to any problems? I plan to do the secondary fermentation in a 1-gallon carboy.

Headspace doesn't matter in primary, only in secondary. That being said, I have had this sitting in secondary with looooots of head space and not had any problems because the clearing time is so quick.

 

[nystevecf]

Do you guys think just the camden tab by itself would do the job?

 

[jrogensk]

I started a batch on April 26 and now I have a question. I used 3 lbs. of Orange Blossom honey instead of the Clover and Buckwheat honey, and Lalvin D-47 yeast. I intended to follow the recipe, but two weeks into fermentation I realized I accidentally dumped all 3 lbs. of honey into the primary. The gravity on May 10 was 1.020. This past weekend the gravity was down to 1.016. I didn't take an OG reading.

Should I let this go until it stops fermenting and clears? It has not started to clear yet.


Thanks,
Jim

 

[mcwiehler]

when people make a 5 gallon batch out of this, do they multiply all the ingredients by 5? Im specifically wondering about the sorbate and the campden.

 

[hezagenius]

I racked to the secondary about a week ago. When I did that, I placed the sorbate and crushed campden tablet in first, then the honey, then the grape juice, then the mead. I took a look today and noticed sludge on the bottom that looks a lot like honey. Is it possible the honey did not mix in with the mead during racking? Should I give it a few quick stirs to mix it in better? The mead is still fermenting a little bit so I am wondering if the sorbate and campden did not do their job since they are under the honey.

 

[brewdude76]

I made a batch of this about 40 days ago and finally tasted it before planning on bottling it. After noticing a rocketfuel quality, i reracked to another secondary. I followed the recipe exactly and backsweetened with the semisweet amount, using the proper amounts of Campden and sorbate. I was skeptical of getting a drinkable mead in 35 days and now I'm convinced it's not possible. Am I unlucky/crappy or have people gotten good results after the minimal time?

 

[philthycoder]

I made a batch of this about 40 days ago and finally tasted it before planning on bottling it. After noticing a rocketfuel quality, i reracked to another secondary. I followed the recipe exactly and backsweetened with the semisweet amount, using the proper amounts of Campden and sorbate. I was skeptical of getting a drinkable mead in 35 days and now I'm convinced it's not possible. Am I unlucky/crappy or have people gotten good results after the minimal time?

I think the difference in individual opinion regarding what a constitutes a 'drinkable' mead accounts for differing opinions of the final product. I too made this recipe and followed the ingredients and additions exactly, and while I would call it 'drinkable' at the 5-week mark, it definitely still had characteristics of a young mead, i.e. some hot alcohol flavor and a general 'rawness'. It wasn't raw enough to keep my friends from polishing off the one gallon batch in the space of a weekend though

 

[dutchboy62]

Um I added Ilb of buckwheat honey instead of 1 oz. Any idea of what to expect?

 

[IrritableGourmet]

Um I added Ilb of buckwheat honey instead of 1 oz. Any idea of what to expect?

Hooch?

 

[dutchboy62]

i just hope its not undrinkable

 

[IrritableGourmet]

i just hope its not undrinkable

What do you have it in that you were able to add a lb of honey and not notice? Are you using a 1 gal container?

Also, how long ago did you start it? If it's fairly new and you have the space you can add water/juice to get it back down to a sensible SG. That, or let it brew out and see what it's like and possibly backsweeten more to cut the alcohol taste.

I'm just a noob, but that's what I'd do.

 

[Drew_101]

I bottled mine over the weekend and it is very dry,........ but I like it!! Going to let my 2nd gal. age a bit and see which one I like better..

 

[IrritableGourmet]

I just bottled mine today. After getting it all corked and labeled, I realized I forgot to backsweeten! There was a little left over from the bottling so I took a hydrometer sample (0.998, 12% A.B.V.) and had some. It's rocket fuel, but tasty nonetheless. I got 9 bottles out of a 2 gallon batch and I hope to age them for quite some time before popping one open. If it's too dry I'll probably mix in some sugar/sprite/etc.

 

[MrMiles]

i made one on 8-19-09 it just started tasting right i cant wait to crack open a bottle in a couple months.

 

[bob1852]

I had some of this over the weekend from a batch I started last March and bottled last August.

Man, it keeps getting better and better! I know this is a "quick" mead - but give it time and you'll be amazed!

 

[bob1852]

For some reason I always have huge fermentations with my JQGM! I thought I left enough room this time - guess not!

 

[Korben]

Wanted to make this but I cannot find buckwheat honey. What should I use to substitute?

Second question... Has anyone carbed this up for a sparkling mead?

 

[George7845]

I was worried about buckwheat honey too, i looked in my local price chopper, and they had it! It is price chopper brand, but it buckwheat none the less. Not sure if you have a price chopper around you, but if you do i would give it a shot. I price chopper checked all the ingredients today and it comes out to be roughly $20.00 a gallon, i think i may buy clove honey at discount store. But defiantly looking forward to a speed mead, something to drink while my cider is aging.

 

[George7845]

I was curious myself, planned on using 1 gallon glass jug, but how much head space should i leave so i dont have a mess? like 4 inches down? Ive seen a messy shot of it filling airlock, and i would assume when that happens it isnt good for keeping air out?

 

[theschick]

I had some extra apple juice from another mead, so I decided to follow this recipe exactly, using it instead of the grape juice. Looking forward to it!

 

[mrzazz]

Do you stir this everyday?

 

[George7845]

i dont, dont think you are suppose too.

 

[George7845]

2 weeks fermenting, 1 month secondary, tried a couple days after bottling and it wasnt bad. It was pretty sweet, and im sure a 12 ounce bottle or two and you would be rocked! Only did one gallon batch so i set a six pack aside that im not going to touch for 4-6 months, or try at least haha. Im going to make a 5 gallon batch soon.:rockin:

 

[Centexbear]

Just made a batch per the original recipe tonight.

I'll report back in a few months.

Jeff

 

[noggins]

Haven't brewed anything in a while, I always had great results with this recipe in the past. Started a 5gal batch of this on 10/10/10. When I was buying the grape juice I accidentally bought 3 grape juices and 2 grape/blueberry/pomegranate juices. Definitely looking forward to what the other juices add to it.

 

[noggins]

7 days later, gravity is down to 1.025. Tastes delicious already. I'm gonna shake the hell out of it once a day for the next few days to get it down closer to 1.00.