Planning my first batch

[jgonzo108]

So I have decided to make the jump and try making a batch of mead. I have two sources of honey and so far have around 8 lbs. collected. Question is, one of the sources collects his honey from a different portion of the state. The flavor of the honey is distinctively different, more flowery (if that's even a word), than the other. This only makes up around 2 lbs of the total amount I have and plan on getting the rest of my honey from the my other source (it's good to be friends with bee keepers). Would using the different flavored honey effective the overall batch or simply impart an interesting flavor profile?

Thanks in advance.

 

[fsr_racer]

I'm realatively new to mead making myself, but I believe that unless you have drastically different honey varieties, say a dark rich buckwheat vs a much lighter honeysuckle, it shouldn't make much of a difference. You are probably dealing with wildflower honey from different regions and the yeast you choose to use will probably make a more noticeable difference. I've only recently tried experimenting with yeasts to help compliment the varietal characteristics. I think I was going to use D-47 for the wildflower, and either 71B or RC-2 for the fruit (I have orange & blueberry blossom waiting).

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

The main problem I would foresee is recreating your recipe from one batch to the next. Without knowing what kind of flowers they have access to it would be difficult to find an exact replacement should you need a new source for honey. You can get wildflower honey in the stores but its really a roll of the dice what flowers they got into.
The end results should be just fine, but recreating that exact flavor would be hard.

Mind sharing your planned recipe and yeast choice?

 

[jgonzo108]

Was thinking of making using a traditional recipe as my first batch. As for yeast, D-47 or Wyeast 4632 or 4184.

 

[On-target]

Getting the exact same honey to perfectly recreate a batch is pretty hard. Just try the best you can to make a good mead. You will probably want to try differnt recipies before you start trying to recreate anything anyhow. Good luck on this!

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

D-47 is a great yeast for a traditional show mead. Ive not used any of the Wyeast myself but have heard good things. Just remember to add yeast nutrient or raisins and you should have no problems.

 

[bernardsmith]

In my opinion, meads are a great deal like wines. Every season, every year will produce honey (or fruit) with different profiles. Rather than try to make every batch taste like every other batch you embrace the differences. In other words, mead is not engineered for sameness. It is made organically and a large part of the pleasure is in the uniqueness of each batch. Bottom line, I would not be concerned about the unique profile the different sources of honey might produce. I would delight in this.

 

[WVMJ]

Honey is an agricultural product made from an agricultural product so its going to be different each season even from the same hives placed in the same apiary from year to year, the only way to get the sameness from year to year is to by your honey from the big food warehouses! You might want to save your more floral honey to add back to sweeten this batch or towards the end of your fementation to preserve some of its floweriness. Dont boil or heat any of your honey and you will be able to keep these qualities much better in the finished mead. Good luck, WVMJ

So I have decided to make the jump and try making a batch of mead. I have two sources of honey and so far have around 8 lbs. collected. Question is, one of the sources collects his honey from a different portion of the state. The flavor of the honey is distinctively different, more flowery (if that's even a word), than the other. This only makes up around 2 lbs of the total amount I have and plan on getting the rest of my honey from the my other source (it's good to be friends with bee keepers). Would using the different flavored honey effective the overall batch or simply impart an interesting flavor profile?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jgonzo108]

Sorry for the delay but here are the mash tun pics

 

[jgonzo108]

Locline recirc arm

View attachment 1418771806606.jpg

 

[jgonzo108]

Sorry. Posted in wrong thread..lol