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Ok, guys. I'm through the vast majority of The Compleat Meadmaker and bouncing off the walls. I went today to a wine shop, a town away, that sells homebrewing equipment, seemingly for less than I've found on the internet which I'm excited about. I plan on going back next week to get some of the stuff I'll need to start. I also found some honey..Virginia Brand Honey at my bulk store in 5 pound jars. Can anyone tell me if you use this kind of honey or have used it? It says Grade A Clover on the jar and I figured for right now it would suit my needs, what with their seemingly being no place carrying any other types. The brewers also have many kinds of yeast, though most seems to be Red Star and other than that only saw Lalvin EC 1118. As for the first batch I will indeed be doing JAO, which as I've found is this:
3 1/2 lbs Clover
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove
1 teaspoon of Fleismanns bread yeast
Balance water to one gallon
Some immediate questions: What needs to be done to make this into a 5 gallon batch as all I seemed to have found was the recipe for a one gallon, at least 15 pounds of honey? Can I use the EC1118 or does it have to be Fleismanns? Can anything successfully (meaning, have any of you successfully done it) take the place of the orange?
I'll try and post some more tomorrow, hopefully I'll have some good info and by Tuesday I can go and get everything I need.
3 1/2 lbs Clover
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove
1 teaspoon of Fleismanns bread yeast
Balance water to one gallon
Some immediate questions: What needs to be done to make this into a 5 gallon batch as all I seemed to have found was the recipe for a one gallon, at least 15 pounds of honey? Can I use the EC1118 or does it have to be Fleismanns? Can anything successfully (meaning, have any of you successfully done it) take the place of the orange?
I'll try and post some more tomorrow, hopefully I'll have some good info and by Tuesday I can go and get everything I need.
Hello Storm,
The Clover honey should work just fine for a JAO recipe. If you find local beekeepers in your area, you can get fresher unprocessed honey which may be superior in any recipe you use it in. For the JAO recipe, you are able to tweak it with different yeast, and different ingredients and processes, but if you do, the warranty is void! As an example, if you use EC-1118, it is a yeast with a much higher alcohol tolerance than the bread yeast and it will produce a dry result that you may or may not like.
I would recommend sticking to recipe as written to make your first batch. See how it works; see how it tastes, and then based on that, you can make changes to try and suit what you like best. To make 5 gallons, just multiply all the ingredients by 5 - it scales up easily.
Good luck with it!
Medsen
The Clover honey should work just fine for a JAO recipe. If you find local beekeepers in your area, you can get fresher unprocessed honey which may be superior in any recipe you use it in. For the JAO recipe, you are able to tweak it with different yeast, and different ingredients and processes, but if you do, the warranty is void! As an example, if you use EC-1118, it is a yeast with a much higher alcohol tolerance than the bread yeast and it will produce a dry result that you may or may not like.
I would recommend sticking to recipe as written to make your first batch. See how it works; see how it tastes, and then based on that, you can make changes to try and suit what you like best. To make 5 gallons, just multiply all the ingredients by 5 - it scales up easily.
Good luck with it!
Medsen
So...somewhere around 17 1/2 pounds of honey? The yeast thing is good...I don't want a high alcohol content, so I'll grab some Fleismann's. The reasoning behind the honey is one of money. My friend has an aunt and uncle who sells honey, but at something like 10-12 dollars a pound I think. That's way too much for me right now.
10-12 dollars a pound?!? Shouldn't be more than 1/2 that at most, if it is a really desirable varietal (single source) honey.
If clover or wildflower should top out a like at like $3 a pound.
If clover or wildflower should top out a like at like $3 a pound.
Yeah, I don't recall...something might have been lost in translation.
I am tentatively going tomorrow to obtain my homebrewing equipment. I plan on getting the wine kit that includes: a fermenting pail, 6.5 gallon (I think) carboy, hydrometer and racking stuff. I also plan on picking up the honey, water and other ingredients needed for the JAO recipe. As the place is a good drive away, is there anything else I should get? An extra carboy perhaps? I thought about one or two gallon ones to do smaller one gallon batches that I can use my cherries with and to try some other things with. Depending on the cost I'm going to nab some extra airlocks either way. Any other suggestions? I know it's late and it's a little short notice...but...
I am tentatively going tomorrow to obtain my homebrewing equipment. I plan on getting the wine kit that includes: a fermenting pail, 6.5 gallon (I think) carboy, hydrometer and racking stuff. I also plan on picking up the honey, water and other ingredients needed for the JAO recipe. As the place is a good drive away, is there anything else I should get? An extra carboy perhaps? I thought about one or two gallon ones to do smaller one gallon batches that I can use my cherries with and to try some other things with. Depending on the cost I'm going to nab some extra airlocks either way. Any other suggestions? I know it's late and it's a little short notice...but...
Possibly some DAP, yeast energizer, and a couple of packets of dried yeast if this is a long drive. If you are
planning to pick up some extra airlocks and bubblers, then it might help to have something to start any new batches
your thinking of starting up later on at the spur of the moment. Especially if you think that you might be able to find
some cheap 1 gallon glass jugs, cheap or free.
Then again I always wander out of the local homebrewing shops with more than I intended to buy in the first place. :
planning to pick up some extra airlocks and bubblers, then it might help to have something to start any new batches
your thinking of starting up later on at the spur of the moment. Especially if you think that you might be able to find
some cheap 1 gallon glass jugs, cheap or free.
Then again I always wander out of the local homebrewing shops with more than I intended to buy in the first place. :
