Vikings Blod inspired mead - Need advice

[Xantus954]

So I tried my first mead while on vacation last week and due to the poor selection at our state run liquor stores here in PA. I want to start my own inspired by Vikings Blod.

I've been brewing beer, ciders and wines for over 2 years but this will be my first batch of mead so I'm looking for some advice on the recipe I have going here.

I've read through these threads:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/vikings-blod-clone-367596/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/viking-blod-recipe-assistance-244915/

And kind of combining the two, this is what I'm thinking about rolling with

Vikings Blood Mead

Batch Size: 5 gallons
18 lbs Wildflower Honey
Yeast nurtrient (1 tsp per gallon)
5 oz dried hibiscus
3 oz Styrian Goldings hops
Lavlin D-47 yeast

Boil 6lbs honey in 3 gallons of water
1.5 oz Goldings hops - 30 mins
1.5 oz goldings hops - 15 mins
Hibiscus in at flameout, strain out during transfer to primary along with hops

Should I be looking at multiple yeast and/or nutrient additions? Any other suggestions?

 

[snuesen]

You don't need to boil the honey unless you want some caramel flavor.

Staggered nutrient additions are good way to go (spread out the total over first 1/3rd of fermentation).

D47 needs to be under 70 Fahrenheit. Don't feel like you're limited to one yeast, there are a number out there that make good mead. I wouldn't mix yeast tho, just stick with one.

In my experience, it's convenient to shoot high on initial volume to make up for future losses. Say you make 5 gallons and after racking off the lees 3 times you're down to 4.5. Now you have a half gallon of headspace to worry about. Mead takes a while to mature, and keeping the carboy absolutely full for aging saves a lot of potential headaches due to oxidation and/or infection.

 

[snuesen]

Oh and I would probably put hibiscus in secondary, or at least after most of the fermentation is done. I've never used hibiscus but you'd probably lose a lot of it in primary. Someone else I'm sure has direct experience with it.

 

[Xantus954]

Any recommendations for yeast, I'd probably be OK temp wise since my basement is usually pretty steady but I'm definitely open to suggestions.

I usually have a packet of Montrachet laying around for Edworts apfelwein.

 

[Xantus954]

OK revised recipe:

Batch Size: 6 gallons
24 lbs Wildflower Honey
Yeast nutrient & energizer
6 oz dried hibiscus
3 oz Styrian Goldings hops
Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast (Higher alcohol tolerance than Lavlin D47)

Boil 6lbs honey in 3 gallons of water (Boiling some of the honey to help with hp utilization)
1.5 oz Goldings hops - 30 mins
1.5 oz goldings hops - 15 mins

After fermentation finishes, I'll add the the dried hibiscus and start tasting after a week. Ill remove it when I think its picked up enough flavor, No experience using hibiscus so I'm not sure how long to let it go with this, just have to figure it out as I go.

Yeas nutrient addition schedule.
I'm using a mix, I've used in all my beers and wines called Superferment

3 tsp to start

1 tsp at active fermentation
Active fermentation is defined when the Brix drops 2-3 degrees

1 tsp at fermentation midpoint
The fermentation mid-point can be determined by
(OG+TG)/2

 

[snuesen]

Hop utilization is actually decreased with increasing gravity, not sure where you heard otherwise but aside from that it sounds like a promising product! Keep us posted!

 

[Xantus954]

Hop utilization is actually decreased with increasing gravity, not sure where you heard otherwise but aside from that it sounds like a promising product! Keep us posted!

First I'd like to say thanks for replying, good to bounce my ideas off someone else...

I'll probably still boil some of honey because from what i've read it changes flavors and body of the finished mead. So I figure best of both worlds, some boiled and some unboiled.

I picked up some hibiscus from the Mexican market this weekend. Trying to find a local source for the honey. So far all I've found is places that sell in 1 lb jars or smaller at farmers market and such, and 24 lbs of that would break the bank. My LHBS carries wildflower honey in 1/2 gallon jugs a fairly reasonable price, so I might end up going with that.

Was hoping I'd get a few people to chime in that have experience with hibiscus but no luck so far.

Since all the other threads seemed to have tapered off, I'll try and update this one with pics and notes when I get everything together and tasting notes as the mead ages a bit. I figure it will be 2 years before this hits it peak.

 

[thgirtruoc_nairb]

Ask the people selling the honey at the farmers markets if they sell in bulk. Some will, some won't. A 5 gallon (around 60-70lbs) pail of honey can run anywhere between $120-180. Others will sell 5lb or 10lb jars.

 

[jonmohno]

Is Vikings Blod worth 29$$. I just seen it and I hesitated to buy it,but meads are pretty far and few in my neck of the corn. I may get back to it...hopefully on sale then?? Cool heavy ceramic bottle though. Seen some reviews about it,but the history of it is what intrigues me some. Meanwhile I bought a 9$ Oliver-Camelot mead which is pretty decent. Had a diehocker limeblossem mead which was good but super citrusy tart finish. Nice lime character- although too acidic finish IMO. Would like to be steered in the good-mead direction though but its random for me. I know BK Nectar is up there but I cant find any of that.

 

[Xantus954]

To be honest its the only mead I've tried. Its hard to get from the state run liquor stores here. I think it was very good and worth a try but I'm not exactly a mead connoisseur.

 

[dcrockett5669]

does anyone have a gallon recipe?

 

[iadknet]

Is Vikings Blod worth 29$$. I just seen it and I hesitated to buy it,but meads are pretty far and few in my neck of the corn. I may get back to it...hopefully on sale then?? Cool heavy ceramic bottle though. Seen some reviews about it,but the history of it is what intrigues me some. Meanwhile I bought a 9$ Oliver-Camelot mead which is pretty decent. Had a diehocker limeblossem mead which was good but super citrusy tart finish. Nice lime character- although too acidic finish IMO. Would like to be steered in the good-mead direction though but its random for me. I know BK Nectar is up there but I cant find any of that.

The bottle is awesome, but the mead itself was a bit hot-alcohol tasting for me. I think with a few years of aging it could be really excellent, and I'm tempted to get another bottle and forget about it in a closet for a while to see how it turns out.

 

[jonmohno]

The bottle is awesome, but the mead itself was a bit hot-alcohol tasting for me. I think with a few years of aging it could be really excellent, and I'm tempted to get another bottle and forget about it in a closet for a while to see how it turns out.

Its good, I had it. It took me a while to finish the bottle though. It grew on me. I would imagine the hop and spice character to be long gone if you aged it. I noticed a bit of the herb (hibiscus) at first but after a few times a week or two later it was gone. I enjoyed it, it small amounts. Its pretty strong,sweet and boozy. Full of honey character though.

 

[Dendion]

Same here, still drinking it, small amounts, lol. Awesome bottle too!


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[romitaz]

I bought and tried my first bottle of this last week. I am having a tough time finishing this bottle. I can't get past the hibiscus. It seems way too heavy for me. I feel like I am getting punched in the mouth with each sip. Now, I will say that it does finish with some nice flavors but it is so hard to get around the hit from the hibiscus. Maybe I got a bad batch. I could see this being very good if the hibiscus was toned down a couple of notches. I like hibiscus but not when it tries to beat my taste buds into submission. Just IMO.

 

[Damgaard]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but have my first one gallon batch of mead currently bubbling away in my pantry right now.

I bought a bottle of Viking Blød and enjoyed it very much. Being a Danish - American pretty much makes it illegal not to purchase something called Viking Blød that is bolted in Billund, DK if you run across it in the store, regardless of the $29 price

Needless to say, I saved the bottle. Pretty sure my dad is going to buy a bottle as well.

Can I store my mead in this bottle once I have racked it a few times? Any concern for developing pressure / popping the cork off?

How would I go about using this bottle properly? Seems like it would be a great bottle for setting some aside to age (future batches...I'm already losing my patience and want to drink this one! LOL).

Thanks, sorry for the noob question...


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[loveofrose]

When I started working with hibiscus, I had the same problem. Most folks had not tried anything with it. I currently have 2 batches under my belt. One with KIV that is tasty, but still a bit hot due to being young (Kvasir) and the other that was ready to drink in less than 30 days due to following a BOMM protocol (Sorrel). Neither of these are designed to be like Vikings Blod. They are designed to be better. The most important point with hibiscus is that you must boil it and steep for long periods of time to get/stabilize the blood red color. Recipes below:

Kvasir Metheglin - 1 gallon

1/4 tsp mace
1/4 whole nutmeg
1/2 stick of cinnamon
1 small clove
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
1 black peppercorns
1 small sprig of Rosemary
1/2 oz hibiscus
Put all spices in a French press to steep with 2 cups boiling water.
Let cool.

Add 3.5 lbs honey (mixture of OB and Sue Bee Raw), cooled spice liquid, and water to 1 gallon to fermenter.
Add 1 tsp of 1:2 DAP:Fermaid K and 3/4 tsp potassium carbonate.
Shake like hell to aerate.
Add KIV-1116 rehydrated in GoFerm.
SG 1.13 (a bit warm though, may be 1.14)

Blew through the airlock in less than an hour!
Cleaned and replaced airlock with no liquid in it.
Backsweetened through honey addition to an FG of 1.01. ~18% ABV.




Sorrel Metheglin Recipe - 1 gallon
(Sorrel is a Caribbean hibiscus)
Photo log on gotmead.

3 quarts Ozarka Spring water
4.5 oz dried Jamaican sorrel sepals
2" of dried china ginger
10 cloves
2 tsp allspice berries
1 stick cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
orange peel from one small orange
lemon peel from one lemon
2 tsp mace

Preparation

-Add sorrel, spices, and water to a pot and rapidly bring to the boil.
-Allow the mixture to boil for 10 minutes.
-Take the mixture off the heat. Once it has cooled, place in the fridge for 24 hours.
-After 24 hours, take the mixture out of the fridge and strain.

Day 1
-Add 3 lbs of honey (1 quart). SG ~1.12.
-Add 1/2 tsp K2CO3.
-Add 1/4 tsp DAP and 1/2 tsp of Fermaid K.
-Add above again at 1.08 & 1.04.
Add a starter of Wyeast 1388 yeast.
No water in airlock for 7 days.

FG was 1.022 and damn tasty at Day 21! That's no typo, I repeat Day 21!
This one is also good fortified with a nice dark rum.

Hope that helps! If you want it more like Vikings Blod, add your Styrian Goldings as you previously planned.



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[jonmohno]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but have my first one gallon batch of mead currently bubbling away in my pantry right now.

I bought a bottle of Viking Blød and enjoyed it very much. Being a Danish - American pretty much makes it illegal not to purchase something called Viking Blød that is bolted in Billund, DK if you run across it in the store, regardless of the $29 price

Needless to say, I saved the bottle. Pretty sure my dad is going to buy a bottle as well.

Can I store my mead in this bottle once I have racked it a few times? Any concern for developing pressure / popping the cork off?

How would I go about using this bottle properly? Seems like it would be a great bottle for setting some aside to age (future batches...I'm already losing my patience and want to drink this one! LOL).

Thanks, sorry for the noob question...


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You shouldn't have to worry about pressure if its stabilized/finished or still (not carbonating it) I should say. I saved the bottle but the label is hard to get off if you want it off. The cork I had on mine origionally was pretty flimsy really, I would suggest you get corks that fit it.

 

[hammersteps]

Alright mazers.....I know this is an old thread, and probably beat to death.

I understand that VB is not a terribly well received mead by a lot of people, but my wife and I are some of the people in the other camp. We love it! Regularly we go to the bottle shop down the road and get a glass or two each. The owner gives us the bottles that he has gone through over the week.

I'm really trying to get this 3gal batch right to send out to my dad and keep a bunch for our own enjoyment. I have found a cool product that i think will go well in it: Wild hybiscus flowers in syrup

Any thoughts on how much you would use of a wet product like this?

I like the sound of Styrian Goldings, or EKG, but don't want the hops super prevalent. Was thinking more like .75oz at 30, .75oz at 5

4lbs raw honey per gal.

So....thoughts on this are as follows:

3Gal Batch:

12lbs honey (1/2 boil / 1/2 raw)
2-3 hibiscus flowers with the syrup rinsed off slightly
.75oz some kinda goldings (30)
.75oz some kinda goldings (5)

Follow the following feeding schedule: days 1,3,5,7 agitate, days 2,4,6,8 feed

I'm no expert, only have 4 meads under my belt. All were quicker meads. Please offer any help you might have floating in this sea of knowledge.