D
drink_of_smiles
Guest
Guest
I didn't see an introduction forum, and there probably isn't a need for one. If you are looking for this simple recipie, scroll down past the following.
I've never been one to brew to match a style, but here is the first mead I have completed and aged properly. By age properly, it was 7 years to the day. Brewed Mid-Winter (February 02) 1997, enjoyed beginning Mid-Winter 2004.
Mid-Winter 2004 was a crappy day, not only late on taxes, but three months behind on mortgage. Something clicked and realized it was the seventh anniversary of brewing the two remaining bottles. I went to my pantry, and looked at the bottles and decided it was time to try one. I scrubbed my chalice with salt and water to remove some of the oxidation, which had not seen a drop for a couple of years. Silver when I bought it, it had turned a shade of gold. The moon was shining bright, high overhead. It was cool outside, but I managed to pour a glass wearing only sleeping clothes under the moonlight, and watched the reflection of the moon in the shaking ambrosia meditating on it for a few minutes. I went inside where it was more comfortable, sat back in my recliner still trying to rid myself of the tension of the day.
I brought the chalice to my nose and swirled it, glad to detect the prevalent orange blossom nose, mixed with a slight butterscotch scent and the obvious ethanol fumes, almost like single malt scotch.
I released a breath and took a sip.
There was still a butterscotch taste to it which caught my attention and worried me. I took another and it wasn't a fault at all. The third sip, the heavy, velvet brew rolled over my tongue - and it was good. Laughter, loud laughter, bellowed from me. I felt tension surrounding me shatter as if a god had destroyed it, feeling the crumbling fall to the ground around me. I laughed many times that night, and since it was a 1.5 liter bottle, I've been laughing for two more nights.
The meaning of life, I don't know - but this drink was obviously meant to be a part of me.
Since then I have switched to a wine glass, watching the fingers linger for a full minute if not more.
I only bottled one gallon, between pint bottles, 750 ml bottles
and this one.
To end with one gallon (please always brew more than one gallon) I used this as an approximate recipe.
2 lbs orange blossom honey
2 lbs clover honey
1 oz of the dark blueberry extract that was available
years ago (this required much aging, and not sure
flavoring remained after aging.)
WYeast Sweet Mead yeast
1 tsp Fermax yeast nutrient
Spring Water
Polyclar at second racking
The honey and water were heated to a boil briefly, covered and allowed to cool in a sink of cool water. The yeast was pitched with the berry extract. This was racked to a 5 liter primary, leaving little room for krausening - guess not enough.
Then racked to a 1 gallon secondary, and finally to a third when I thought fermentation was about done - probably three months. Polyclar was all I had to help clarify which was added at this point. A few months passed before bottling.
After seven years, it has a somewhat dry finish by the end of a glass despite using the sweet mead yeast.
The first three bottles seemed wasted at this point. This one is just right - other than I am finishing my last glass. The last bottle won't last, I just want to find a cute nymph to enjoy it with.
It looks like most meads don't need to age this long - this one did.
I never checked sg, any ideas of where WYeast sweet mead yeast would have left the remaining sugar content and alcohol content? Doesn't matter - I just hate to think of waiting so many years to try to match this.
I've never been one to brew to match a style, but here is the first mead I have completed and aged properly. By age properly, it was 7 years to the day. Brewed Mid-Winter (February 02) 1997, enjoyed beginning Mid-Winter 2004.
Mid-Winter 2004 was a crappy day, not only late on taxes, but three months behind on mortgage. Something clicked and realized it was the seventh anniversary of brewing the two remaining bottles. I went to my pantry, and looked at the bottles and decided it was time to try one. I scrubbed my chalice with salt and water to remove some of the oxidation, which had not seen a drop for a couple of years. Silver when I bought it, it had turned a shade of gold. The moon was shining bright, high overhead. It was cool outside, but I managed to pour a glass wearing only sleeping clothes under the moonlight, and watched the reflection of the moon in the shaking ambrosia meditating on it for a few minutes. I went inside where it was more comfortable, sat back in my recliner still trying to rid myself of the tension of the day.
I brought the chalice to my nose and swirled it, glad to detect the prevalent orange blossom nose, mixed with a slight butterscotch scent and the obvious ethanol fumes, almost like single malt scotch.
I released a breath and took a sip.
There was still a butterscotch taste to it which caught my attention and worried me. I took another and it wasn't a fault at all. The third sip, the heavy, velvet brew rolled over my tongue - and it was good. Laughter, loud laughter, bellowed from me. I felt tension surrounding me shatter as if a god had destroyed it, feeling the crumbling fall to the ground around me. I laughed many times that night, and since it was a 1.5 liter bottle, I've been laughing for two more nights.
The meaning of life, I don't know - but this drink was obviously meant to be a part of me.
Since then I have switched to a wine glass, watching the fingers linger for a full minute if not more.
I only bottled one gallon, between pint bottles, 750 ml bottles
and this one.
To end with one gallon (please always brew more than one gallon) I used this as an approximate recipe.
2 lbs orange blossom honey
2 lbs clover honey
1 oz of the dark blueberry extract that was available
years ago (this required much aging, and not sure
flavoring remained after aging.)
WYeast Sweet Mead yeast
1 tsp Fermax yeast nutrient
Spring Water
Polyclar at second racking
The honey and water were heated to a boil briefly, covered and allowed to cool in a sink of cool water. The yeast was pitched with the berry extract. This was racked to a 5 liter primary, leaving little room for krausening - guess not enough.
Then racked to a 1 gallon secondary, and finally to a third when I thought fermentation was about done - probably three months. Polyclar was all I had to help clarify which was added at this point. A few months passed before bottling.
After seven years, it has a somewhat dry finish by the end of a glass despite using the sweet mead yeast.
The first three bottles seemed wasted at this point. This one is just right - other than I am finishing my last glass. The last bottle won't last, I just want to find a cute nymph to enjoy it with.
It looks like most meads don't need to age this long - this one did.
I never checked sg, any ideas of where WYeast sweet mead yeast would have left the remaining sugar content and alcohol content? Doesn't matter - I just hate to think of waiting so many years to try to match this.
