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Mead: The Odyssey

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OOC92 said:
...snip... I have never fermented anything before and there is NO brew shop here...snip...
Click to expand...

I see this all the time on these forums and I just have to point out:

http://www.morebeer.com
http://www.northernbrewer.com
http://www.austinhomebrew.com
http://www.leeners.com
http://www.midwestsupplies.com
http://www.homebrewheaven.com
http://www.grapestompers.com
http://www.defalcos.com/
http://www.homebrewhq.com/
http://www.winemakershop.com/
http://www.fermentables.com/
http://www.thewinesmith.biz/
http://www.wernerstradingco.com/

The last six on this list are from TX, AR and AL.

Find more at:
http://www.beertown.org/apps/shops/index.aspx

You're on the web, there's really no shortage of places to make purchases and ship. I do it all the time and I have a homebrew shop less than 10 miles away from me.

Hope that helps,

Oskaar
 
Hmm I emailed the local apiary in Breaux Bridge. He told me that the local honey I was thinking of using is

a mixture of several honeys... clover, willow, tallow, privet and maybe some others. I guess it would be labeled wildflower.
Click to expand...

Could I still use it for the JAO? One great thing that happened is that he invited me to his apiary to sample the product and get a batch of a light honey is currently producing.

And you know what, I m getting the itches to make Joe's Grape Mead. But since this is my first time, I am trying to be conservative on both effort and resources...

Thanks, to the Hall.
 
I'm pretty sure you could use just about any type of honey in a JAO. That local wildflower sounds good to me, if you're unsure than try to find a way to sample it before hand--if it tastes good to you, than so will the mead.

JAO is a great first timers recipe, well endorsed.
Look around for 1 gal glass jugs elsewhere, apple cider season in not til the fall but it's great time to pick up a few gallons.
 
Easy Sanitizer

Pretty serious oops, forgot to order the sanitizer. Is there a household product that does it just as well. Shipping for JUST sanitizer appears to cost more than the sanitizer itself. Any advice? I checked hardware stores and nada.

And is it true? Is Bleach a no no?
 
Actually, for a sanitizing solution, bleach is OK at one TBSP per gallon. It is just more of a pain to use than the no-rinse sanitizers.

Leave all the surfaces you're trying to sanitize in contact with the bleach solution for at least one full minute, and make sure that you rinse everything enough to remove ALL hints of chlorine odor. That usually means either rinsing under a hot water tap for quite a while, or using pots of water that have been brought to the boil (to avoid transfer of any undesirable organisms from your rinse water) and rinsing through at least 3 water changes. Sodium hypochlorite (the active ingredient in bleach) tends to tenaciously stick to most food grade plastics, and the chlorine that it can then release into your must if there is any left behind after rinsing, will really muck up the flavor.
 
To me Joe's Grape Mead tasted like cheap grape flavored wine at the suggested finish date. So I just left it in the basement for a few months. At about 8months I opened another bottle and it was a whole different experience. Its still got a little of that grapey flavor but now it really tastes good. I may have to make another gallon of this cheap and easy mead just so i can keep some on hand.

You can use bleach as a sanitizer. It is actually very good at sanitizing, however it has a very negative effect in the mead/wine/beer. So when using bleach you must be sure to rinse fully after the sanitation. The problem with this is it does provide for an infection vector through the rinse water. It is unlikely this will cause a problem but it is less "safe" than using a no rinse sanitizer.

It is a good idea once you get your first batch under way to start on your second batch. It takes quite a while to have mead ready to drink so it is good to have several in the pipeline. This makes it easier to wait for the mead to mature and makes it less likely you will run out. If you are going to be sharing this mead with a few people it is a very good idea to make larger batches. 1 gallon of mead will probably only last 1 session with a few friends. With 5 gallons you can have an early tasting and still have plenty to save for later sessions and to taste as it matures. Even a JOA should last years in a bottle if stored correctly.

Craig
 
Craig, I would love to make 5 or even 10 gallons of mead. I would like nothing more. But I want to insure that I make it right. I can assure you that the minute I am sure we are doing it all right. I am on my second batch. If we deem that it is not worthy it is not. I may wait another month to start another JAO or ???
 
The strange liter bottle experiment cleared a few days ago, this morning I siphoned it into a 750 ml bottle. While I plan to bring the bulk of it to the cigar shoppe (numerous brew logs of that exist), my wife and I tried a shot glass of it, sipping and smelling softly.

The moment I sipped the orange and cinnamon caressed my nose and palate, the honey forming a solid base underneath. The taste, in that moment Odin lifted his patch and showed me what lay beneath- then let me lick it!

I honestly would have never thought it tasted like that- like nothing that has ever passed my senses. All those that laughed at me for making one little bottle you are right! Blast if I did not have more. Well there are 8 gallons brewing at the shoppe. But the first cherry-popping sip is just incredible.

Frankly, I barely know why people bother drinking wine, quite frankly. Though I have to admit drinking as much of this as wine would no doubt blast away the next couple of days- there is no such thing as sweet hangover!

Thanks for the advice, and happy the experiment worked. Considering I expected it to fail, Gods was it a success!
 
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