Note to self: the size of this brown-glass carboy is, for reasons I do not understand, approx 2.8 liters
Kearney (~2.7 liters)
8 bags of Bengal tea (a known success) steeped to the max
1 kilo honey
mead yeast
to be put on cacao nibs in secondary
Idris, June
Racked the big batches.
IDRIS
Bochet with apple juice.
I was concerned I had made this too sweet, but it fermented out to 1012 SG (a touch too dry for my tastes) and 14% alcohol. Racked and added 500 gr honey. It's bubbling again now, so we'll see where that leaves us. I guess I could stabilise it? 14% is plenty so maybe I should.
JUNE
Bochet with cacao nibs
This had been in a bucket so far and still bubbling very actively. It's now in a demijohn.
Added 550 gram cacao nibs - toasted them first for about 20 minutes in a 150c oven. Really made the smell come up. Nibs are much, much less messy than cacao powder (which takes a century to clear out) so I just have to hope the taste transfers as well.
SG 1090, with alcohol at 9% - this still has a good distance to go.
I've ordered a 19 liter carboy. 19! That's kinda crazy. What the hell should I put in it? I feel like with a batch that big maybe it should be something simple and reliable and I can split it out and flavour it in secondary.
Or maybe I should do that Bengal Chai + cacao nibs idea I fever-dreamed up. Spicy peppery chocolate. That should be good, right? Right. Maybe I should test that theory in a 3 liter demi first.
19 liter! That's gonna take a fucking fortune in honey
IDRIS
Bochet with apple juice.
I was concerned I had made this too sweet, but it fermented out to 1012 SG (a touch too dry for my tastes) and 14% alcohol. Racked and added 500 gr honey. It's bubbling again now, so we'll see where that leaves us. I guess I could stabilise it? 14% is plenty so maybe I should.
JUNE
Bochet with cacao nibs
This had been in a bucket so far and still bubbling very actively. It's now in a demijohn.
Added 550 gram cacao nibs - toasted them first for about 20 minutes in a 150c oven. Really made the smell come up. Nibs are much, much less messy than cacao powder (which takes a century to clear out) so I just have to hope the taste transfers as well.
SG 1090, with alcohol at 9% - this still has a good distance to go.
I've ordered a 19 liter carboy. 19! That's kinda crazy. What the hell should I put in it? I feel like with a batch that big maybe it should be something simple and reliable and I can split it out and flavour it in secondary.
Or maybe I should do that Bengal Chai + cacao nibs idea I fever-dreamed up. Spicy peppery chocolate. That should be good, right? Right. Maybe I should test that theory in a 3 liter demi first.
19 liter! That's gonna take a fucking fortune in honey
June - Chocolate mead!
I remembered how nice Ehle (eventually) turned out and figured I should make a new batch so I'd have new chocolate mead in oh, 5 years or so. Adding the cacao right at the start made a huge mess last time (bubbles not popping but making a gross yeasty chocolate mousse that came right up through the airlock) so this time the plan is to let the primary fermentation slow down and only then add the cacao.
It's a 10 liter batch so the must is in a bucket right now and I can get the first sediment from the caramellisation out when I transfer to the demijohn and add the cacao.
JUNE
It's a 10 liter batch so the must is in a bucket right now and I can get the first sediment from the caramellisation out when I transfer to the demijohn and add the cacao.
JUNE
- 4 kilo lidl honey - caramellised medium dark
- 5 gr mead yeast
- teaspoon of energiser
- 200 gram Dutch cacao
Chalk!
Apparently you can use a type of chalk powder to knock some acid out of wine, so I'm trying that with the pomegranate and lemon meads. also added some bentonite hoping to clear it. I have in the past bottled things before they were perfectly clear (or rather, they seemed clear, and then dropped sediment in the bottle) so I'm hoping to be more thorough about that in the future.
Hild, Idris
Hild
5 liter bochet, maple syrup to be added later
2 kg honey caramellised to fairly dark brown
Port yeast [note: added sherry yeast the next day because it wasn't starting up and I was concerned about it going bad]
Idris
10 liter bochet with homemade apple juice
2.5 kilo honey caramellised to fairly dark brown
8 liter apple juice
~1.5 liter water
Mead yeast
Little concerned I made this one too sugar-heavy for the yeast to kick off, just like with Gaia, but the yeast was also really old, so probably the first step if it won't start should be ordering fresh yeast
An online tip to remember - if the caramel taste isn't sufficient by the time it's finished secondary, apparently toasted raisins or dates can help a lot.
5 liter bochet, maple syrup to be added later
2 kg honey caramellised to fairly dark brown
Port yeast [note: added sherry yeast the next day because it wasn't starting up and I was concerned about it going bad]
Idris
10 liter bochet with homemade apple juice
2.5 kilo honey caramellised to fairly dark brown
8 liter apple juice
~1.5 liter water
Mead yeast
Little concerned I made this one too sugar-heavy for the yeast to kick off, just like with Gaia, but the yeast was also really old, so probably the first step if it won't start should be ordering fresh yeast
An online tip to remember - if the caramel taste isn't sufficient by the time it's finished secondary, apparently toasted raisins or dates can help a lot.
Racking
Dale (pomegranate)
SG 1036
Alcohol 21% ?!
The vanilla balanced it out a bit, but it's still pretty fresh. Maybe some time will mellow it? I put the vanilla beans back in.
Added gelatin to clear it - never worked with gelatin for fining before, so curious how that will work. If it does work, this can be bottled next time.
Edain (Lemon)
SG 1030
Alcohol 19%
Wonderful lemon scent now, the zest did a lot of work there. The taste is good, but again, pretty fresh. I put the vanilla beans back in.
Also added gelatin
Floral (elderberry flower syrup)
This is the one that got infected and I have earmarked for destillation - I do not want to taste it since there is some small risk it would make me sick.
Smell is quite strongly floral. Very fizzy, too much to get a SG reading. Alcohol reading said 10%, which seems low.
Added gelatin.
SG 1036
Alcohol 21% ?!
The vanilla balanced it out a bit, but it's still pretty fresh. Maybe some time will mellow it? I put the vanilla beans back in.
Added gelatin to clear it - never worked with gelatin for fining before, so curious how that will work. If it does work, this can be bottled next time.
Edain (Lemon)
SG 1030
Alcohol 19%
Wonderful lemon scent now, the zest did a lot of work there. The taste is good, but again, pretty fresh. I put the vanilla beans back in.
Also added gelatin
Floral (elderberry flower syrup)
This is the one that got infected and I have earmarked for destillation - I do not want to taste it since there is some small risk it would make me sick.
Smell is quite strongly floral. Very fizzy, too much to get a SG reading. Alcohol reading said 10%, which seems low.
Added gelatin.
Gaia
Warming up Gaia in a waterbath seemed to get the fermentation going again a little, but not workable to keep it warm that way. It's now wrapped in a heat pad but probably at 1050 but 19%! not going to ferment much more. Added the dryest mead I could find in my storage - Shattered Spankerboom - and I think it's picking up a little. Let's see if we can get this to a drinkable rocket fuel state.
Chai, Dale, Edain, Gaia
Chai
Mead with Bengal Spice tea
SG 1030
Alc 17%
Ohh! Backsweetening was just what this needed. It's a well-rounded, medium sweet with a peppery backtone. Very nice and interesting but not a 'stunt mead'. Bottled this.
Dale
Pomegranate mead.
SG 1034
Alc 19%
Slight backsweetening has improved the taste a bit, but it's still very acidic in a way that further sweetening won't balance out. I had planned to bottle this but have added 3 vanilla pods instead. It was suggested to me that oak extract would help balance it, but I've run out - the pod of a vanilla bean might take on that job though. Let's hope so.
Edain
Lemon mead
SG ~1030
Alcohol 15%
Has the yeasty smell of fermentation-in-progress, but is probably well along the way to being finished. On the acidic side, which is to be expected of lemon. I don't taste the lemon though. Hmm. Added two vanilla pods hoping to counter the acidity a bit, and then we'll see. Maybe some zest after all?
Gaia
Apple mead
SG ~1050
Alc 19%
Oof. This is obviously Not Done but the alcohol percentage has to be pushing it even for the champagne yeast. I added back a bit of the yeast cake and gave it some new champagne yeast. It seems to still be alive, so we'll have to see how this goes.
Mead with Bengal Spice tea
SG 1030
Alc 17%
Ohh! Backsweetening was just what this needed. It's a well-rounded, medium sweet with a peppery backtone. Very nice and interesting but not a 'stunt mead'. Bottled this.
Dale
Pomegranate mead.
SG 1034
Alc 19%
Slight backsweetening has improved the taste a bit, but it's still very acidic in a way that further sweetening won't balance out. I had planned to bottle this but have added 3 vanilla pods instead. It was suggested to me that oak extract would help balance it, but I've run out - the pod of a vanilla bean might take on that job though. Let's hope so.
Edain
Lemon mead
SG ~1030
Alcohol 15%
Has the yeasty smell of fermentation-in-progress, but is probably well along the way to being finished. On the acidic side, which is to be expected of lemon. I don't taste the lemon though. Hmm. Added two vanilla pods hoping to counter the acidity a bit, and then we'll see. Maybe some zest after all?
Gaia
Apple mead
SG ~1050
Alc 19%
Oof. This is obviously Not Done but the alcohol percentage has to be pushing it even for the champagne yeast. I added back a bit of the yeast cake and gave it some new champagne yeast. It seems to still be alive, so we'll have to see how this goes.
Bathing
Gaia didn't start fermenting overnight, so I put it in a warm bath today to help the yeast get started
It's bubbling now.. or rather, foaming! Foam was pushing out through the airlock so I gave it a blow-off tube until it calms down
It's bubbling now.. or rather, foaming! Foam was pushing out through the airlock so I gave it a blow-off tube until it calms down
Gaia
Gaia
1800 gr supermarket honey
~4 liter homemade applejuice
Champagne yeast
yeast energiser
I think I want to make this a harvest mead, with spices in secondary
1800 gr supermarket honey
~4 liter homemade applejuice
Champagne yeast
yeast energiser
I think I want to make this a harvest mead, with spices in secondary
All Rise Up B, Chai, Dale
All Rise Up B
(2.5 liter overflow batch of the quince bochet)
SG 1012 - dryer than the A batch
15% alcohol
Dry ish but very drinkable, quite wine-like, good! Try giving this to Ank
Chai
Made with Bengal tea
SG 1004
16% alcohol
Oof, you can definitely smell and taste the tea. It's quite sharp-peppery on the tongue. I don't think it's bad at all but a bit sweeter this is probably going to work better
Added yeast stop
Added ~500 gram forest honey
Dale
SG 1020
18% alcohol
Pomegranate. Yikes, this is a hit of sharp-hot-sourness on your tongue for the first taste. You can taste the pomegranate but this is very acidic and because of that (and the alcohol), harsh tasting.
Added yeast stop
Added ~200 gram forest honey - it was all I had in the house.
May need to consider blending this with something or try whatever acid-lowering things they have in the brewshop
Floral update
It's taken off and bubbling away well now. I was rightly warned that not all mold toxins can be killed by boiling, so I need to keep a very close eye on this batch and unless it's tasty enough to risk myself getting sick, just dump it along the line
Floral: DO NOT GIFT
Edit to add: Bob v S has offered the use of his destilling rig for this batch, as that should render the result definitely safe. I've been wanting to try destillation with mead but never wanted to sacrifice a whole batch to it, so this could be interesting
Floral: DO NOT GIFT
Edit to add: Bob v S has offered the use of his destilling rig for this batch, as that should render the result definitely safe. I've been wanting to try destillation with mead but never wanted to sacrifice a whole batch to it, so this could be interesting
Whoa, it's a real one!
and infection, I mean.
It's a bit of a joke in the mead reddit that 9/10 things that people post as 'help, is this an infection?!' is nothing, but the yeast in Floral had trouble getting started and the elderberry flower syrup must not have been completely sterilised. I heated it up but did not boil it beforehand, so.
I removed the ick and am now boiling the must, and will then repitch with champagne yeast. All will be well.
My 20 ordered bottles arrived (I realised I didn't bottle a lot of my batches because cleaning labels off wine bottles is such a pain; a lot of times they're not glued but printed as stickers). I think I still have 2.5 liters of All Rise Up to bottle and Chai might also be ready, or should at least be racked. Maybe tomorrow.
It's a bit of a joke in the mead reddit that 9/10 things that people post as 'help, is this an infection?!' is nothing, but the yeast in Floral had trouble getting started and the elderberry flower syrup must not have been completely sterilised. I heated it up but did not boil it beforehand, so.
I removed the ick and am now boiling the must, and will then repitch with champagne yeast. All will be well.
My 20 ordered bottles arrived (I realised I didn't bottle a lot of my batches because cleaning labels off wine bottles is such a pain; a lot of times they're not glued but printed as stickers). I think I still have 2.5 liters of All Rise Up to bottle and Chai might also be ready, or should at least be racked. Maybe tomorrow.
Floral - Elderberry Flower mead
This is on the edge of not being mead because there's a good deal of sugar in the syrup, but what the hell
Floral
2200 cl elderberry flower syrup, made by friend Adriana
1 kilo flower honey
port yeast
little bit of energiser
Starting gravity was 1140
Maybe repitch this with champagne yeast? IDK I want to experiment with that some
Floral
2200 cl elderberry flower syrup, made by friend Adriana
1 kilo flower honey
port yeast
little bit of energiser
Starting gravity was 1140
Maybe repitch this with champagne yeast? IDK I want to experiment with that some
Edain - lemon mead
At the mead contest at Wasteland somebody had an amazing lemon mead. He'd gone through some super convoluted process with it (apparently it had been infected, they boiled it to sterilise it and boiled it down to a syrup, diluted it again and pitched it with champagne yeast?!)
That's clearly not repeatable but I figured I'd give lemon mead a go.
Edain
Overnight update: we have liftoff! Nice steady bubbling
That's clearly not repeatable but I figured I'd give lemon mead a go.
Edain
- 2000 gr flower honey
- 500 ml organic lemon juice (was gonna do 1 liter but figured it'd be too acidic for the yeast to work; might still be, we'll see)
- Mead yeast, because that's what I had
- Bit of yeast energiser to kick things off
Overnight update: we have liftoff! Nice steady bubbling
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