Mead - the homebrew thread

[Beerontwowheels]

Fired up a six gallon batch this evening. Trying my hand at a Bochetomel. Caramelized orange blossom honey paired with a pile of red raspberries. I'd imagine it will be ready around the end of January or beginning of February.

Definitely want to try to make this style. Keep us updated!!

 

[wiltznucs]

Definitely want to try to make this style. Keep us updated!!

From a mead making perspective it's really just a melomel with the additional step of caramelizing the honey. But, it's this additional step that makes or breaks it. Too little caramelization and the flavor really isn't impacted. Too much and you'll burn the honey leaving the sugars unfermentable. Using a crock pot or pressure cooker is a great way to caramelize the honey without overshooting it.

Because some sugars are rendered unfermentable during the caramelization it's important to use a bit more honey than you might normally to hit the desired alcohol content. Moreover, odds are it won't ferment to dry so in most cases they'll retain residual sweetness.

Every batch is a bit unique and achieving consistency is nearly impossible. That's part of the fun of Bochets.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

From a mead making perspective it's really just a melomel with the additional step of caramelizing the honey. But, it's this additional step that makes or breaks it. Too little caramelization and the flavor really isn't impacted. Too much and you'll burn the honey leaving the sugars unfermentable. Using a crock pot or pressure cooker is a great way to caramelize the honey without overshooting it.

Because some sugars are rendered unfermentable during the caramelization it's important to use a bit more honey than you might normally to hit the desired alcohol content. Moreover, odds are it won't ferment to dry so in most cases they'll retain residual sweetness.

Every batch is a bit unique and achieving consistency is nearly impossible. That's part of the fun of Bochets.

I've never had a commercial example. Sounds like something I would like though...

 

[wiltznucs]

Racked down Double Black (Black Currant and Blackberry Melomel) today. A 14 gallon batch using a new 60 liter Speidel fermenter.

A couple of observations. The open top on the Speidel makes adding fruit and cleanup a breeze. Having handles makes lifting it easy as long as you have help. The oversized airlock is amazing, next to a blowoff tube it's the best thing ever. Really happy about that. On the downside, the opaque plastic makes it impossible to see what's happening. Not a deal breaker but I like to see what's going on. Also, the plastic is quite thick and acts as a great insulator. The temp climbed almost 10 degrees over the outside ambient temp. I ultimately placed the fermenter into a cool water bath to increase the thermal mass.

Have a 10 gallon freshly emptied wheat whiskey barrel ready for this one. Will clarify and backsweeten in the coming weeks then place in the barrel for a rest.

 

[mjohnson171]

Racked down Double Black (Black Currant and Blackberry Melomel) today. A 14 gallon batch using a new 60 liter Speidel fermenter.

A couple of observations. The open top on the Speidel makes adding fruit and cleanup a breeze. Having handles makes lifting it easy as long as you have help. The oversized airlock is amazing, next to a blowoff tube it's the best thing ever. Really happy about that. On the downside, the opaque plastic makes it impossible to see what's happening. Not a deal breaker but I like to see what's going on. Also, the plastic is quite thick and acts as a great insulator. The temp climbed almost 10 degrees over the outside ambient temp. I ultimately placed the fermenter into a cool water bath to increase the thermal mass.

Have a 10 gallon freshly emptied wheat whiskey barrel ready for this one. Will clarify and backsweeten in the coming weeks then place in the barrel for a rest.

Hnnnngggg. Everything about this post. Hnnnggggg.

 

[sweemzander]

Excited for some kind of share. Just started making around this time last year and dove in head first. Made smaller batches at first but up to 3 gallon batches lately

https://untappd.com/Alkeme/beer

If you are curious

 

[Jb123]

When adding vanilla beans. Split, scrape seeds into primary AND add left over bean or discard that? What's the best practice here.

Thanks!

 

[mjohnson171]

When adding vanilla beans. Split, scrape seeds into primary AND add left over bean or discard that? What's the best practice here.

Thanks!

I've only used vanilla beans twice with meads, but I always cut off the tips, split, scrap the caviar out, & score/mark up the beans, then toss the whole bean in, not the beans/caviar.
I also add my beans to the secondary so I get a 'fresher' vanilla taste.

People also tell me you could do a tincature, but i've never tried it.

 

[Jb123]

Alright yeah I was thinking of adding five to prim and five to secondary. Bought ten Mexican vanilla beans. Apparently these are supposed to be the bees knees when talking about VBs

 

[sweemzander]

I have only used vanilla beans once, but added them into secondary using a tincture with a bit of vodka. Pretty simple really, but I found it effective. + it removed any of my concerns concerning sanitzing. It basically making your own vanilla extract

I cut, scraped, scored for that

Excited to see the results as I added that with Cacao Nibs in secondary for my Raspberry Chocolate Pyment. (Hoping the vanilla helps lend itself for creating a more pronounced chocolate flavor)

 

[Jb123]

Making the tincture I guess what's the difference between that and buying a really nice extract, generally curious not trying to come off as a dick!

 

[sweemzander]

Again, not an expert, but some of the ones you buy may have other additives in them that you wouldnt want in your mead.

 

[sweemzander]

+ if you find one that is truly pure, it may be hella expensive. . . making your own could likely be cheaper

 

[ExPimp]

You can buy bulk vanilla beans off of eBay from a provider. They come in different grades which can be much cheaper for making your own pure vanilla extracts, and you can make it much more potent than store bought stuff. My favorite are the Thahitian, which have a nice floral note and are not over powering like the bourbon Madagascar.

 

[Jb123]

You can buy bulk vanilla beans off of eBay from a provider. They come in different grades which can be much cheaper for making your own pure vanilla extracts, and you can make it much more potent than store bought stuff. My favorite are the Thahitian, which have a nice floral note and are not over powering like the bourbon Madagascar.

I did what I consider research and everything u read said Mexican provide the most 'vanilla' flavor...they were expensive like 30$ for 10 beans, still cheaper than beans from the grocery store. I think beanilla.com

 

[ExPimp]

I did what I consider research and everything u read said Mexican provide the most 'vanilla' flavor...they were expensive like 30$ for 10 beans, still cheaper than beans from the grocery store. I think beanilla.com

Definitely, wasn't saying Thahitian have the most vanilla flavor. Mexican certainly has the most vanilla pop, kinda of like vanilla on steroids. Great in ice cream.

 

[Jb123]

That's great to hear! Never had it !!!!

 

[wiltznucs]

The vodka/bean extract method works great. Unfortunately, it's not something you can do if producing commercially in the States.

I typically use whole beans slit lengthwise and placed in the secondary. You get better flavor when there's alcohol already in place. I've also had decent luck with taking a small sample of mead and placing it in a glass jar with some beans. I then place the jar on a windowsill and let it cook in some sunlight for a few days. I then add it back to the mead after a week or so.

 

[wiltznucs]

Newest batch from Garagiste. A pyment inspired by mixing big Spanish flavors of fruity wines with Mexican Molé. Tempranillo wine grapes fermented with honey harvested from the swamps of the Achafalaya Basin of Louisiana. Aged on cacao nibs, cinnamon, Arbol chiles and French Oak. Pretty tasty!

 

[mjohnson171]

Busy bottling day. Bottled a 5 gallon batch of my Vanilla Orange Blossom (aged in secondary w/ 20 vanilla beans for about 5 weeks) to give a gifts this holiday. Then bottled a small 1 gallon batch of cranberry/orange blossom.



Finished product.

 

[Jb123]

20 beans five gallons, what kind of flavor did ya end up with? I'm looking at adding 10 beans to a 2-3 gallon batch thanks man.

 

[mjohnson171]

20 beans five gallons, what kind of flavor did ya end up with? I'm looking at adding 10 beans to a 2-3 gallon batch thanks man.

I was going for lots of vanilla. My target flavor is a orange cream soda. So you get a hint of orange from the honey, but lots of vanilla. It's a really sweet mead too, 5 lbs of honey per gallon. So it does taste like a flat orange cream soda.
For a frame of reference I made a 1 gallon batch of this vanilla orange blossom where i originally put 1 bean in for a few weeks and didn't get much noticeable vanilla flavor, then I tossed in 3 more beans for about a month and it was almost to where I wanted it. Which is why I decided to go 4 beans per gallon with this newest batch.

Why is your base mead and what types of vanilla are you trying to achieve? I would think 10 beans sounds like it should give you a real strong, but nice, vanilla flavor.

 

[Jb123]

Nice! Well in aiming for the same thing kinda. Orange creamsicle that a Detroit buddy made. Orange blossom honey 4-5lbs a gallon and was going to add a ton of orange type fruit peels. Like clementines oranges tangerines etc and then secondary with vanilla beans. Maybe 10 is too many for 2-3 gallons ?

 

[mjohnson171]

Naw, sounds like 10 is the perfect amount for 2-3 gallons for your desired flavor outcome.

Plus, and this is something I haven't been making mead long enough to experiment with, I've found that a really good mead gets better with age, but vanilla fades with age. Personally I'd prefer to have a vanilla bomb up front, then in a year, two, or three the mead hits its stride but the vanilla is still there.

 

[wiltznucs]

Not much activity lately here...

So I fired up Goober Fraise almost two weeks ago. A pile of locally sourced strawberries plus orange blossom honey and peanut butter. I'm thinking it will be ready by February.

I also started a 14 gallon batch I'm calling "Lady in Red". Orange Blossom honey plus red currant, red raspberry, sweet cherry and Balaton cherry. Will age on Thomas Handy Sazerac soaked oak spirals. Thinking this one will be more like March or so.

I placed the Black Currant/Blackberry melomel in the wheat whiskey barrel last week. I used a new source for currant and increased the amount of blackberries. The body is good but it's pretty tart. I'm guessing I will have to backsweeten a bit after removing it from the barrel.

Lastly, I'll be bottling the raspberry Bochet next week.

My next startup will be a experiment called "Oh hot damn, this is my yam". A sweet potato Bochet made with pecans and spices.

 

[Jb123]

Not much activity lately here...

So I fired up Goober Fraise almost two weeks ago. A pile of locally sourced strawberries plus orange blossom honey and peanut butter. I'm thinking it will be ready by February.

I also started a 14 gallon batch I'm calling "Lady in Red". Orange Blossom honey plus red currant, red raspberry, sweet cherry and Balaton cherry. Will age on Thomas Handy Sazerac soaked oak spirals. Thinking this one will be more like March or so.

I placed the Black Currant/Blackberry melomel in the wheat whiskey barrel last week. I used a new source for currant and increased the amount of blackberries. The body is good but it's pretty tart. I'm guessing I will have to backsweeten a bit after removing it from the barrel.

Lastly, I'll be bottling the raspberry Bochet next week.

My next startup will be a experiment called "Oh hot damn, this is my yam". A sweet potato Bochet made with pecans and spices.

When do you back sweeten? After fermentation? Won't it start back up or do you add anything to stop further fermentation? The reason I ask is my blueberry mead that I really watched and paid attention more than any mead I've made carbonated once I bottled it. Was essentially done fermenting like 13.89% or whatever human error the eye has, was completely still and delicious before bottling. Thanks for any help

 

[Jb123]

Ya read about sulfite and sorbate but then ya read about how they can give off tastes. I heard schramms doesn't use these as they decrease shelf life etc....I haven't used them but 2 out of the 8 meads I've made carbonated...

 

[wiltznucs]

When do you back sweeten? After fermentation? Won't it start back up or do you add anything to stop further fermentation? The reason I ask is my blueberry mead that I really watched and paid attention more than any mead I've made carbonated once I bottled it. Was essentially done fermenting like 13.89% or whatever human error the eye has, was completely still and delicious before bottling. Thanks for any help

I typically let the mead ferment until dry. I then rack to a clean container. I will then add Potassium Metabisulfite and some 24 hours later I will add Potassium Sorbate. A day or two later I will backsweeten and add finings if I wish for more clarity.

The sulfite/Sorbate addition should stop refermentation after sweetening; however, it's an imperfect process and you do occasionally get refermentation. Some argue that Sorbate alone is sufficient but I choose to do both.

Carbonation is a clear sign that yeast/bacteria is still active. Be careful, bottle bombs aren't fun. It happens to all of us eventually, just part of the learning curve.

 

[Jb123]

I typically let the mead ferment until dry. I then rack to a clean container. I will then add Potassium Metabisulfite and some 24 hours later I will add Potassium Sorbate. A day or two later I will backsweeten and add finings if I wish for more clarity.

The sulfite/Sorbate addition should stop refermentation after sweetening; however, it's an imperfect process and you do occasionally get refermentation. Some argue that Sorbate alone is sufficient but I choose to do both.

Carbonation is a clear sign that yeast/bacteria is still active. Be careful, bottle bombs aren't fun. It happens to all of us eventually, just part of the learning curve.

Alright, that makes sense. Thank you.

 

[wiltznucs]

Alternatively you can make meads and ensure the yeast reaches its alcohol tolerance. As long as it ferments completely and you don't sweeten it should be stable.