Using Tea as an Infusion?

[Doctorthe10th]

I have an idea for a homebrew sweet tea mead recipe. However my typical way to add flavors is after the fermentation process and making infusions. I've made, mixed berry, orange grapefruit, cinnamon apple and watermelon warhead candy infused and the batch I am brewing now will be green apple, butterscotch and blue raspberry warhead infusions. All of these have been added after the fermentation process and most of them turned out great. But for the next batch I am very interested in creating a southern style sweet tea mead.

What is the best way to add the tea to the batch? Is it possible to add black tea as an infusion or is it something that will go bad over time after being bottled? Would I have to reheat the mead to steep the tea after fermentation? Would it be better to add it in primary while the water is warm enough for it the steep easier and then ferment the tea with the honey?

 

[Ty520]

Heat is not good for mead,or alcohol in general. I recommend steeping the tea in the water before you add honey and pitch yeast.

Or alternatively, you could try reserving a small quantity of water - say, 8 ounces - and brew a really strong concentrate to add in secondary. This might be a good strategy because you could more easily control the flavor by adding a little at a time until you get it where you want.

 

[Doctorthe10th]

Heat is not good for mead,or alcohol in general. I recommend steeping the tea in the water before you add honey and pitch yeast.

Or alternatively, you could try reserving a small quantity of water - say, 8 ounces - and brew a really strong concentrate to add in secondary. This might be a good strategy because you could more easily control the flavor by adding a little at a time until you get it where you want.

Awesome. This is exactly what I was looking for. I think adding in secondary might be what I go for. Thanks!