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hello to everyone

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greenbucks

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 24, 2011
17
0
0
Just wanted to finally say hello to everyone!

After bursting several balloons, mistaking cloves for 'cloves of garlic', and miscalculating the amount of honey - from what should have been 6 lbs I instead put 7 to 8 lbs of honey for a 2 gallon recipe, I find myself challenged to make better mead.

Thanks to Thawk, a patron member here, who has guided me patiently and encouraged (more like given me more than a couple of bottles of great tasting blueberry mead) i find myself wanting to make my own and share it with neighbors.

There's nothing like a great tasting mead after a hard days work or a gathering of friends with whom to share it with.

Right now am excited about a blackberry mead am fermenting, jao style.

2 gallon

3lbs blackberry puree
6 lbs hero honey
d47 yeast

Started Nov 21.

I hope to rack just before christmas and bottle a few months thereafter. I registered a few months back but only found the guts to say hello as I found myself just reading a lot about how you guys do your mead.

Am really glad there's such a website like gotmead.;)
 

Soyala_Amaya

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 21, 2011
991
6
0
Missouri
Actually, I've had garlic/basil mead. It was...special on it's own, but fantastic paired with pizza! So depending on what you mixed it with, it could still be an interesting pairing drink!

As for the times you've quoted, do you have a hydrometer? An airlock (or balloon) bubbling (or breathing) is not an accurate method of testing the fermentation. A hydrometer reading that stays the same for several days in a row is much better, and will give you an idea of the sweetness of your brew. Not having one is possible, but it's basically flying blind.

Have you used any nutrients? I know blackberry bushes want a more acidic soil, but I'm not sure how that applies to the fruit, and if it has enough nitrogen in there not to stress the yeast. I'm sure someone else will comment on that one.

I had a few more questions, but I'm out of time this morning, so I'll leave it at
WELCOME TO GOTMEAD!
 

TheAlchemist

I am Meadlemania
GotMead Patron
Sep 9, 2010
2,464
8
0
near a lake
Actually, I've had garlic/basil mead. It was...special on it's own, but fantastic paired with pizza! So depending on what you mixed it with, it could still be an interesting pairing drink!

WELCOME TO GOTMEAD!
I've been curious about the garlic meads. Was yours a bochet?
 

JSquared

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 4, 2011
89
1
0
Tucson, AZ
Greetings and welcome! Tons of info here, starting with the NewBee guide on the left menu and use of the search feature will lead to many questions answered and hours of reading enjoyment. Glad you are one of us...one of us...one of us... :confused2:
 

JimSar

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 11, 2009
144
1
0
Vallejo, CA
Greenbucks, welcome to GotMead.

I 2nd Fatbloke's caution about fermentation temperature, only because you mentioned association with THawk. It gets pretty warm there for D47, even at this time of the year. Are you in the same area?
 

THawk

Crazy Martian Cat
GotMead Patron
Greenbucks, welcome to GotMead.

I 2nd Fatbloke's caution about fermentation temperature, only because you mentioned association with THawk. It gets pretty warm there for D47, even at this time of the year. Are you in the same area?

We're on the same block, actually. So, yes... you might say we're in the same area... ;D

Greenbucks, do you have any raisins in the must? I'm not sure about puree providing nutrient for the yeast.
 
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