The recipe was Royal Metheglin (1 gallon)
Ingredients
• 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) honey
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) orange zest
• 3 tsp. (15 g) lemon zest
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. (5 g) dried hyssop
• 4 allspice berries
• 6 cloves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 bags Earl Grey tea
• 1 tsp. (5 g) pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp. (5 g) acid blend
• 1-1/2 cups (360 mL)
• orange juice
• 1 package Montrachet yeast (5 to 7 g)
• 1 tsp. (5 g) yeast nutrient
• 1/4 tsp. (about 1 g) grape tannin
• 1 campden tablet
Method
Boil the honey in water (1 part honey to 2 parts water) in a large non-reactive pot for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming off the foam. When the foam stops rising, add herbs and spices. Cool and transfer to a two-gallon plastic container. Brew the tea by steeping in a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the tea to the honey mixture along with the acid, the pectic enzyme and water to make a gallon. Add the campden tablet and let the mixture sit, well-covered, for 24 hours.
Thing is, I felt that there wasn't enough zest flavour so I added a little more, except that this time I didn't boil that - just added into the must. Maybe there was some pith in there too, although i thought I was careful not to let this happen. Now, after 6 months the mead still has this harsh (perhaps bitter) flavour.
Question is: will this age out or alternatively is there anything else I could do to reduce it a little? I have to say I plan to add more herbs and spices again later on as these flavours are not prevalent enough for my taste.
Ingredients
• 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) honey
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) orange zest
• 3 tsp. (15 g) lemon zest
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. (5 g) dried hyssop
• 4 allspice berries
• 6 cloves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 bags Earl Grey tea
• 1 tsp. (5 g) pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp. (5 g) acid blend
• 1-1/2 cups (360 mL)
• orange juice
• 1 package Montrachet yeast (5 to 7 g)
• 1 tsp. (5 g) yeast nutrient
• 1/4 tsp. (about 1 g) grape tannin
• 1 campden tablet
Method
Boil the honey in water (1 part honey to 2 parts water) in a large non-reactive pot for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming off the foam. When the foam stops rising, add herbs and spices. Cool and transfer to a two-gallon plastic container. Brew the tea by steeping in a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the tea to the honey mixture along with the acid, the pectic enzyme and water to make a gallon. Add the campden tablet and let the mixture sit, well-covered, for 24 hours.
Thing is, I felt that there wasn't enough zest flavour so I added a little more, except that this time I didn't boil that - just added into the must. Maybe there was some pith in there too, although i thought I was careful not to let this happen. Now, after 6 months the mead still has this harsh (perhaps bitter) flavour.
Question is: will this age out or alternatively is there anything else I could do to reduce it a little? I have to say I plan to add more herbs and spices again later on as these flavours are not prevalent enough for my taste.
