Orange Hop Mead (official first batch by myself)

[StutteringBrew]

This is technically my first batch of mead I’m making, made a few with a friend of mine and decided to try it on my own.

So I decided to go with a Hopped Mead with some orange (thinking most IPA’s have some kind of orange in it so must go well)

1 gallon batch

1gallon arrow head spring water

Boiled water and added 1oz of Citra Hops Tea with half a gallon

Mixed my honey in the other half a gallon of water at room temp

Combined the two together once the hop tea cooled to room temp

WLP570 Belgian stronge ale liquid yeast (idk what I was thinking when I bought it, I panic being in the brew store not really knowing what I’m doing lol) next time I’ll go with us-05 or just D47

Fermaid K and Dap, 1/2tsp of FermK and Dap up front

Added 1/4 tsp the next 3 days as I aerated.

3lbs of some CloverHoney (next time I’ll use orange blossom)

SG was 1.115 if I read it correctly

In a fermenting bucket for 10days then racked it on half a orange and peels of 2 oranges and juice of two oranges

SG at time of racking on orange peels and juice was 1.050

After four days of being in peels reracked it in another carboy

Sg at the time was 1.030

made a hop tea with 1 cup of water and a smidge of honey (didn’t measure it, I should have) for the headspace.

Tasted it before I added the hop tea with honey, it tasted a bit on the alcohol side, I’m thinking it was the yeast I chosen. I can taste some of the hops but mostly the orange bitterness came through. I forgot to taste it once I added the extra hop tea to it.

I’ll definitely use pectin next time cuz I think this will be hard to clear on its own, I’m hoping after it ages for a bit the alcohol taste will calm down and the stronge orange bitterness will too, I’ll make another batch after I do some more research in making a Hopped mead but for my first one I think it will be “Okay” tasting.

Keep in mind the picture was taken before I added the hop tea because of the extra headspace.

 

[CKuhns]

Sounds like your well on your way. Great start on your first solo mead. You are correct. The alcohol taste will age out. Be patient both in your continued ferment and while aging. The hops will likely fade a bit over time.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi StutteringBrew - and welcome. You don't need to wait until next time to use pectic enzymes to help clear the mead. True, you need to use considerably more enzyme in the presence of yeast and alcohol but adding the enzyme even now will still help break down pectins and make for a more clear mead. The other thing is that the zest from the orange also seems to produce fairly large particles in alcohol (I often make a version of orange-cello liqueur and have a hard time filtering the liqueur.

Note that the white pith under the zest will add to the bitterness of your mead. When I make orange wines and mead I tend to use only the zest and not the whole peel. (I use a potato peeler to zest the orange).