First ever batch, this recipe correct?

[Gortkins]

Okay don't quote me 100% as I'm in work at the moment. My recipe I out of an old book and looks weird.

1ltr water
500ml honey
200g sugar
15g yeast
Some cloves
Some ginger
A lemon.

Boil water, sugar and honey together until dissolved. Then add juice from a lemon some clove and the grated ginger and leave to cool. Pour into a container and when still slightly warm spread the yeast over a piece of toast and float atop the warm solution. Leave to ferment for a week whilst covered over. Strain the liquid into bottles and cover or loosely close them and leave for 5-6 months.

The thing that is freaking me out is wont the bread/toast go moldy and kill my batch?

All help welcome and thanks in advance.

Dafydd Edwards.

 

[darigoni]

Hmmmm....... "some cloves"? It's usually recommended to have 1 (two at the most) for every 1 gallon (4 ltrs) of mead. You don't need to boil (or even heat) your water, just mix it together well.

You'd be better to try this recipe: http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showth...Ancient-Orange-Clove-and-Cinnamon-Mead/page79

Video of which can be seen at the 17:20 point of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oODPBYXqfjk

 

[Gortkins]

Ahh well I started it up now. All I need to know really is about the "bread" part. I tasted the mixture with the stuff in and got it to a flavour I like, just don't thinks its a good idea to have a piece of toast floating around in it for a week.

 

[darigoni]

I'm guessing that the toast is supposed to be nutrient for the yeast. I would guess that the toast would eventually saturate and sink, so wouldn't be a threat to turn moldy. You could always fish it out and throw in a small handful of raisins......

How may cloves did you add? If more than one, you should see about removing them (really).

 

[Gortkins]

Okay that sounds like a good idea with taking the bread out. And I did put four cloves in. I didn't like the idea if keeping them in so when I brought the temp up I put them in, got the flavour I wanted then fished them out. Only wish I had used a faster recipe but if it works and is good, next batch can be a lot bigger. ��

Thanks for the help so far guys .

Dafydd.