Re creating a high ABV mead I just tried how ???

[Jessevictory]

Hi friends , my buddy purchased a bottle of reservoir distillery mead from Europe I believe . It was 50% ABV . It was surprisingly smooth and had a very good flavor. I’d love to take a crack at recreating something similar … what yeast would I pitch to get that high up or close in ABV ?

 

[Jessevictory]

This was the mead

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

It’s distilled, no yeast known will live in that much alcohol. With that said champagne yeast can go to 18% (if I recall correctly) but it isn’t very likely to leave a lot of honey character or flavor behind.

 

[bushpilot]

That is either distilled or fortified, probably the latter.

 

[bushpilot]

I see the label says distilled.

 

[Jessevictory]

It’s distilled, no yeast known will live in that much alcohol. With that said champagne yeast can go to 18% (if I recall correctly) but it isn’t very likely to leave a lot of honey character or flavor behind.

So if you distill something don’t you still need yeast to ferment the mash prior to distilling ?

 

[bushpilot]

So if you distill something don’t you still need yeast to ferment the mash prior to distilling ?

In mead (as in wine), it is called a must, rather than a mash.

And, yes, it needs to be fermented, but that will take it to about 18% abv maximum. That product is 50% abv.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

So if you distill something don’t you still need yeast to ferment the mash prior to distilling ?

What @bushpilot said. You may research a process similar to making ”ice beer” for the distilling part after you finish making the mead.

 

[kmmuellr]

Make a mead; distill; age on french oak. Thank me in 3 years!

 

[Bobby_M]

Both the Meadary and Distillery is in Virginia, not Europe. Make Mead first by mixing Honey, water, nutrient and yeast. Then distill it (it's not legal).

 

[MightyMosin]

Kind of like this

 

[Ty520]

some recommendations for those who would try this...

distilled honey does better when treated like a brandy:

-don't ferment your wash to above 10%
-distill at slightly lower temps than you would a whiskey
-do not do a stripping run - do your cuts on the first run
-keep fewer heads and more tails than you typically would for something like a whiskey