Now What?

[HollyM]

Hi all
After making several batches of wine, I decided to try my hand at brewing up some Mead/Melomel? Not one to follow recipes very well, I loosely followed the Joe' Ancient recipe. I used D47 yeast and campden. I racked out of the primary and removed the fruit after a couple of weeks, adding a bit more honey and a yeast nutrient and a touch of pectin enzyme which really got it perking. It cleared off beautifully after about a month. Not one to leave it alone, I racked it again, thought it tasted a very beery so I added some tincture(everclear that I soaked orange peel and spices in) and sugar syrup to it. Well that clouded it up again and after about three weeks essential oils and whatever has rose to the top(see pics). I'm sure I've got some of the more experienced of you seriously shaking your heads by now. Any suggestions for the next racking on how to clear this off? Bentonite or just filter thru cheesecloth?

 

[gizmodog51]

cold crash and re-rack and leave alone to age......

that's what i'd do but i'm a nonbody too

GD

 

[HollyM]

Thanks Giz
Had it out in my mudroom (60 degrees F give or take) thinking along those lines. It brought more stuff to the top. Now do I re-rack back into the secondary or bottle and age? And having never drank mead, I have absolutely no idea how it should taste so I'm going for sweet,spicy citrusy. Hopefully, that's what it will end up like.

 

[fatbloke]

hard as hell to explain what mead should taste like Holly.

Traditional meads are rather unique tasting. When they've had fruit, spices or god alone knows what added it's virtually impossible. There's one taste if the mead has been made with the fruit in primary, and a completely different taste if the mead has been made, then racked and the fruit added too secondary.

To many variables to explain really and too many different recipes, techniques etc.

The only thing you could do, is to make a batch of JAO but make it as close to the recipe as you can. That way, you'd know what a benchmark batch of that should taste like.

 

[HollyM]

Last racking, my test tasted quite close to beer. Didn't try it after my additions but I imagine it'll be interesting to say the least. I think this can be considered a Melomel with the fruit and spice. Went overboard on the clove at first then fished them out after a day when I came here and read up on it a bit. I'm always one to experiment.

 

[TheBrewingMedic]

You could get yourself some k&c to clarify it (link below), rack it and hide it away to age for a while...maybe a long while

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/super-kleer-kc-finings.html