Mint Hydromel

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Hrahn1995

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So I plan on doing a mint hydromel (low alcohol mead) that will be the embodiment of Niflheim, the norse world of Mist. To do this i plan on using a mint tea that has spearmint, peppermint, rose hips, and lemon peel so when you inhale after a sip you get a cooling effect/ tingling. My biggest debate on this mead is the fact that it will have little to no body, unless i up the honey and take it away from the hydromel. I would prefer not to use Maltodextrin, and i would prefer not to use any chemicals, I take a somewhat organic approach to brewing but its not a huge priority to me. A possible solution i thought of would be to add some honey in the bottom of the wine glass at serving. If i did a warm honey it would make a good decrative touch and would add a bit of sweetness, and possibly a little body.

The recipe for 1gallon
1 lb Wildflower Honey
4-8 Mint Tea bags (let sit in primary entire time)
1pkg ICV D-47 Yeast
1/2 tsp Yeast Nutrient.

Any Suggestions on the recipe to solve the body problem?
 
I'm far from an expert, but I find that raisins should help with the body. It might up your ABV a pinch tho.


-Kingboomer
 
Thanks. i just had an interesting idea! The raisin probably raise it due to pectin, i wonder if i can add a minute amount of pectin that has been activated through heating it. and if i dont like what it does, i can always throw in some pectic enzyme that i use for melomels.
 
Consider glycerin after the ferment is complete and mead is clear, not pectin...but definitely do bench trials because it does not take much. But I think after stabilizing, a honey with mint leaves added and then warmed (perhaps crockpot on warm) would add body and enhance the mint even more so, as well as backsweeten, 2-4 oz per gallon.
Or infuse some glycerin with mint leaves.
 
I had already thought of the Pectin Haze, which as long as it doesnt my mead doesnt turn to Jello, or get a chewy mouthfeel, wouldnt be bad because of the mead's name, and what it is supposed to embody. Usually pectin haze comes from when it is chilled correct? if so it would go perfectly with the idea of niflheim, the world of mists. I expect to serve this chilled, or cold. Where would i get glycerin/ how would i do the infusion, just leave the leaves in a solution of glycerin? Im a bit weary on doing the crockpot idea, but the glycerin idea seems more plausable for my set up. Im also not too worried about the mint flavor because the tea i am using is very strong and will be in there for around a month.
 
Food grade glycerin is what you need. Available at LHBS, etc. You infuse by warming and steeping in herbs, flowers, whatever...super low simmer.
 
Mkay, i will definitely look into the glycerin, or i may just use some Potassium Sorbate. We will have to see in 3 months or so.
 
Do you need both to stabilize? i was planning on just using sorbate, then adding some honey, but if you need both, i shall add K-meta to my shopping list
 
Do you need both to stabilize? i was planning on just using sorbate, then adding some honey, but if you need both, i shall add K-meta to my shopping list

Yes, if you are backsweetening you need to add k-meta plus sorbate..they work together. In lack of backsweetening, one typically stabilizes with k-meta. Just part of the process for protecting all your hard work. K-meta is commonly used on the front end also.
 
i have never had a turkish sweetened mint tea. I havent made this yet, its part of my next batch starting in march probably.
 
Sounds tasty--might just have to make some myself.

D-47 would work nicely (with the usual caveat of temp.). I would use an ale or beer yeast though.
 
What is the caveat with tempwith d-47? its hard for me to control temp would you sugggest i use another yeast? (i only have wine yeasts at the moment)
 
What is the caveat with tempwith d-47? its hard for me to control temp would you sugggest i use another yeast? (i only have wine yeasts at the moment)

D47 should not go over 70F. It is better if you keep in in the mid 60s. When it gets over 70F the yeast can produce some off flavors.

Matrix
 
alright then i wont have a problem i dont think, it will also work well with my Altbraggot idea using the dusseldorf yeast for the first 2 weeks then introducing the d-47 when i put it into the colder temp (~50)
 
I started one last Saturday, as well. Using 1/3 cup of dried spearmint, about 'bout a pound of honey, and used safale 05 yeast.

What was your OG?
 
I removed the tea bags after about 24 hours because i didnt want it to impart any off flavors. I can always add more when its in the secondary
 
Ok--I decided to leave my leaves in there until racking.

My OG was 1.040. Need to check it--not sure if the yeast died, or if it just finished really quick.
 
probably finished really quick. i notice that with anything i do with malt they always finish within 2 weeks, and sit for a while afterward until i do a bottling day. What type of yeast did you use? im thinking because i have an extra pound of orange blossom honey, im gonna try another hydromel with Red Star Champagne yeast instead.
 
Well i bottled it about a week ago, and looked at it, 1 of the back sweetened ones bottle bombed while i was at work..... only pushed out the cork but still not gonna be a fun mess to clean up. have to finish the bottle, but not bad for a week old ;)
 
WOW is all I can say, super crisp, nothing wrong with this mead, nothing to change except i need to stabilize it better. The ones that were back sweetened bottle bombed. Definitely a do it again kind of mead.

Sadly its sister mead, the Orange Blossom Habanero after 15 months was spiceless, A bit of a tingle on the taste buds but nothing more. Still had great flavor over all from the orange blossom honey and the pepper left a mark in the non spice flavors.

Happy Brewing
 
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