Mesquite and Watermelon Honey Meads

[NTexBrewer]

Just wanted to share.

Was at McKinney Texas Trade Days in December. There was a vendor selling honey and I bought two types that were collected in Texas. Mesquite and Watermelon Blossom.

I bought 4lbs of each to make 2 gallon batches. This came out to 18.7 Brix or 1.077.

I used EC-1118, 1 tsp acid blend and 2 tsp yeast nutrient. In January, I racked from a 2 gallon bucket to 1 gallon jugs. At the end of January I added 0.7lb of Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit to the Mesquite Mead and 2 cups of Dried Cranberries to the Watermelon Mead.

It is amazing the difference between the two honeys and meads. The mesquite honey had the typical honey flavor but the watermelon honey was very light and floral.

Will be bottling tomorrow so here is a picture of the what I have. From left to right, Mesquite Mead with Cactus Fruit, Mesquite Mead, Watermelon Mead, Watermelon Mead with Cranberries.

Will be sweetening with Splenda so I can bottle it sparkling.

 

[Arpolis]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. The prickly pear sounds like fun. I want tasting notes on that one!

 

[Vex3521]

Those look fantastic! I second more on prickly pear, but also watermelon since I've heard about fails there.

 

[NTexBrewer]

The prickly pear fruit I have had peeled and in the freezer for a long time. Some of it I picked from a neighbor, some came from the grocery store. The sample tastes great. To me prickly pear is a very subtle sweetness but definitely there.

The watermelon is honey from bees pollinating watermelon flowers, no watermelon fruit.

Those look fantastic! I second more on prickly pear, but also watermelon since I've heard about fails there.

 

[TandemTails]

Awesome. I just bottled a prickly pear mead I made. It came in around 14% and still needs some time to age but I'm hoping it turns out well after the hotness dies down. I used Lalvin D47 yeast and it fermented down to 1.000

Did you use dried, fresh or frozen cranberries?

 

[NTexBrewer]

They were dried. Bought them on Amazon. They hardly have any moisture content. For this batch I used 2 cups and rehydrated then in 1 cup of wine and then heated up to 180 to sterilize. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457117606.653146.jpg

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Wow those look really good in those bottles. That is awesome man I bet they are just as tasty. I bet you can find some more honey varieties in one of those shops in downtown McKinney square.

 

[NTexBrewer]

Good idea. With the weather warming up this is the time to do that.

Wow those look really good in those bottles. That is awesome man I bet they are just as tasty. I bet you can find some more honey varieties in one of those shops in downtown McKinney square.

 

[kempshark]

Wow those look really good in those bottles.

I was thinking the same thing. What kind of bottles are those, and where do you source them?.....if you don't mind me asking.

 

[NTexBrewer]

I got them from an Asian/Korean supermarket. They cost me $0.99 per bottle. I mainly bought them for the bottles as the drinks are not that good. The basil seed drink was ok to drink but just weird and the coconut drink was not that bad.

They are 9.6 oz.

Thinking that I may get a few more of the coconut drink and figure out how to make a nice summer cocktail for the wife this summer. I'm planning to cap the bottles and spray paint them similar to what Delirium does and use them for my high gravity beers.

Another great looking bottle that I use for my ciders is a Mexican Sangria soda. The bottle is 11oz. My kids like it so I buy a few each time I'm at the grocery store. I find the Mexican Sangria at our Kroger's in the Mexican food aisle and they are usually $0.67 per bottle.

I was thinking the same thing. What kind of bottles are those, and where do you source them?.....if you don't mind me asking.

 

[NTexBrewer]

Here is the final product with the labels.

 

[kempshark]

I got them from an Asian/Korean supermarket. They cost me $0.99 per bottle. I mainly bought them for the bottles as the drinks are not that good. The basil seed drink was ok to drink but just weird and the coconut drink was not that bad.

They are 9.6 oz.
.

Thanks!!......now that you mention it, I saw that bottle of basil seed drink at one of my Asian stores (Vietnamese stores) just last weekend....didn't even realize it was the same bottles you were using. Thought bottles in your pics were a little larger, but the smaller size might be better for the 8% flavored mead I was thinking of making and using them for.

 

[Vex3521]

Really nicely done! I love the bottles!! You can find some in really different places, and those just have such a nice appearance! Well done.

 

[txpitmaster]

was this the guys from Anna you bought the honey from?

 

[NTexBrewer]

was this the guys from Anna you bought the honey from?

Probably, here is their website http://www.warneshoneybees.com/index.html