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wildoates

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2009
2,373
4
0
Elk Grove, CA
Several months ago my daughter and I were bottling a traditional mead and decided to try to bottle condition a few bottles. We hadn't done it before, and I was just sure that it wasn't gonna work, but on Thanksgiving we cracked open one of the bottles and WOW! Not only was it carbonated like any other sparkling wine, it tasted great too! Sooo much better than wine, and much like the sparkling mead from Heidrun that we drank last Christmas.

SO stoked, both on the carbonation (I know, I know, it has to work if you do your sums right, but I didn't trust myself) AND the great taste of the mead in general. The only problem was that my sister forgot that it had the spent yeast at the bottom and stirred it up so it was a bit cloudy, but we figured, hey, it works for beer, right?

We have three bottles left. We're set for New Year. ;D
 

Golddiggie

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 22, 2010
472
0
0
Nashua, NH (USA)
photo.golddiggie.com
There are always more batches :)

Very true... You're only limited by square footage, your budget (when you can't fudge it) and any spouses (probably less of an issue once they get to sample some finished product ;D)... Right now, my kitchen is being slowly consumed by my brewing... I need to leave enough room to move around, and actually USE the kitchen for cooking food... :eek:
 

wildoates

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2009
2,373
4
0
Elk Grove, CA
Well, there's no spouse, and plenty of empty carboys, so the only person I have to convince would be me...although since I'm one of those teachers who got a pay cut this year, the limiting factor is the moolah. My most recent batch used meadowfoam honey, and it was muy expensivo. I'm still looking for my honey-daddy to buy it for me so he can drink my mead. So far, no luck. :)
 

Golddiggie

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 22, 2010
472
0
0
Nashua, NH (USA)
photo.golddiggie.com
I'm still looking for my honey-daddy to buy it for me so he can drink my mead. So far, no luck. :)

Now I know what I'm going to tell my mother to get me for my b-day next year... 20-30 pounds of wildflower honey from the local apiary... ;D They sell it in 5# jars at $7/pound (right now)... I know, expensive stuff. But, having high grade honey on hand for making mead would be a GOOD thing... I'll just tell her that she gets a bottle (375ML) from that batch when it's ready, in about a year... lol

I already have my LHBS looking up pricing for the bottles I want to use for my mead... I like the look of the frosted bottles, so they're looking to see what other sizes they can get (other than the 750ML)... I'd like at least an option of 375ML too... Those can be gifts, the 750's will be for me, or maybe some family members... maybe...

Already looking forward to starting next years 'big batch' of mead... Once the current stuff is in bottles, or I get more carboys... I might have to empty out a closet (I only have two in my place) for storage of brewed products... The one in the kitchen gets cooler during this time of year, so it will be good for things like bottled beer, or aging meads... Once summer hits, though, it gets warmer... Thinking there's really not nearly enough insulation in the walls there...
 

dave_witt

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Oct 4, 2009
112
2
18
Buffalo, NY
Very true... You're only limited by square footage, your budget (when you can't fudge it) and any spouses (probably less of an issue once they get to sample some finished product ;D)... Right now, my kitchen is being slowly consumed by my brewing... I need to leave enough room to move around, and actually USE the kitchen for cooking food... :eek:
LOL, You're not the only one who has to worry about spouses and a small kitchen. ;-)
 

Golddiggie

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 22, 2010
472
0
0
Nashua, NH (USA)
photo.golddiggie.com
LOL, You're not the only one who has to worry about spouses and a small kitchen. ;-)

Actually, right now, I don't need to worry about a spouse, since I'm still single... :eek: My kitchen is on the larger side, which is why I have room for the three 5 gal carboys plus one 3 gal carboy all full... Tomorrow (or Tuesday) I'll transfer my melomel from the 6.5 gal bucket to a 3 gal carboy... I did just start a small batch in a 2 gal bucket... Letting it temp stabilize overnight before actually starting it tomorrow... I'm going to pull one quart (it's a 5 quart mixture right now) to put into the fridge to use in 'topping off'... I do plan on having brews going often enough so that I won't need to buy beer again... I'm also looking forward to having enough mead in process that (after this lag time) I'll always have a good supply on hand... ;D Hardest part is figuring out exactly what to make next... There's just SO MUCH to try/make... ;D
 
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