I saw bottles of Spearmint and Peppermint oil (essence) in
the grocery store. I didn't catch the brand name, but they
were in small, clear 1/4 oz. bottles. They didn't have a list of
ingredients on it so I would assume that it is pure extract.
Has anyone used something like this to make a methyglyn?
If so, how much did you use? added when (Primary/
Secondary/Bottling)? was it drinkable?

I think I would like a mint methyglyn but I don't want to come
up with something else like my great spruce beer debacle
(what is the half life on spruce beer anyway, a year and a
half has only mellowed it marginally).

terry

• —

Terry Baldridge
B4PDETRB@SMTP.LMK.USACE.ARMY.MIL

Lee Bussy wrote:
>I remember someone posting something about one particular Lalvin type
>being excellent for meades… which one?

That might have been me asking the question. Gordon L. Olson responded:
>Lalvin EC-1118 is a champagne-style yeast that is very tolerant
>of alcohol, easily going to 15%. Lalvin K1V-1116 is much less
>alcohol tolerant, most of mine are 11-12%, and is my favorite
>mead yeast because it is clean and relatively fast.

Red Star Prisse de Mousse/Grand Cuvee have been recommended to me as well.

Wolf

Greetings and Salutations!

I've been subscribed for a few weeks, but have been lurking in the
shadows (BOO!) until now.

To avoid any flames (havn't seen any so far), I've already read the mead
faq, but have some questions.

1) I brewed (right term?) my first melomel (which I would like to be still)2
weeks ago wednesday with
15# wildflower honey/6gal water, acid blend, yeast energizer and nutrient,
and wyeast sweet mead with starter (mead starter from mead recipes). I'm
ready to rack to the secondary and add fruit (frozen mixed berry blend),
I'm just not sure on how much to add. I would like to have a nice berry
aroma and flavor, but not too overwhelming. Any suggestions?

2) I've never tasted a mead before, what should I expect? I thought it
would be a nice favor to leave for people at the reception.

3) I know it might not be drinkable by Aug, but will it be ready to
bottle? How long before (shortest time from yeast pitch/brew date) can I
bottle it? As a note I plan to bottle it in 7oz greeen vinegar bottles
with corks.

TIA

Have a hoppy (I'm a homebrewer at heart)

Tim Staiano
tstaiano@ultrix.ramapo.edu

re: Dandelion mead
>Taste a green petal, and you will find out that you do
>not want them in your mead. Bitter. Yuck.

Well, just to complicate the issue, I made a couple batches of dandelion wine
in my youth, with a very primative recipe (Y. Gibbons, floating a crust of rye
bread on top, etc) and used the whole flower, green and all. It turned out
fine, but did take a long time to age in. Don't know if the aging time was in
part due to the greens or not, though I suspect that it was the bakers yeast,
not the greens at all. If I come across a field of dandelions I may have to do
the experiment, or someone else might. The with-greens part of the experiment
is the easy part after all.

Good luck,
TomDoak
tom_doak@hlthsci.med.utah.edu

I've heard an urban(e?) legend about dandelion beverages being
dangerous. Sounds like a lot of people have made them without
ill effect. Anyone know of any science or even collected
anecdotes pertaining to the safety of this brew? It sounds
interesting enough, and I might want to try it myself…

Thanks,

• -Russell