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maybe too gung ho?

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BellaCrow

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Mar 17, 2005
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I should post more often -

Here's what's new with me and Jackalguy:

Mead happiness

We just pitched two new meads.

1. A bigger, 5 gallon version of Ryan's 1 gallon Cranberry/Rasberry experimental. We change the yeast to this new uber yeast so it has the possibilty of being up to 15% percent alcohol. The one gallon version of "Red Land" mead is very sweet and smooth, very berry tasting but not terribly alcoholic. It took 6 weeks to ferment and be aged enough for taste testing.

2. A one gallon experimental strawberry mead. I used 3 lbs of Mesquite honey and 2 lbs of pureed strawberry and water to fill. It's really thick and we will have to filter it when we rack it and move it to the secondary fermentation. I have added a cinnamon stick and will add a bourbon vanilla bean when it goes into secondary.

So now in our meadery we have:

1. Ryan's vanilla batch - possibly infected, we've only saved a gallon of it to see if aging will help

2. My 5 gallon cyser (Apple) that already tastes smooth, golden and slightly spicy.

3."Ancient Orange mead" (1 gallon) - a recipe from the Got Mead forums. We've bottled it. It has a slightly bitter mid-tone to it. It tastes sweet, then bitter, then sweet (and orange).

4. Cran-Ras "Red Land" - (1 gallon) - now bottled to age more.The one gallon version of "Red Land" mead is very sweet and smooth, very berry tasting but not terribly alcoholic. It took 6 weeks to ferment and be aged enough for taste testing.

5. Coffee mead (1 gallon) - experimental blend made with 8 cups of hazelnut coffee and clover honey

6. Maple Mead (5 gallon) - pitched 8 days ago with the uber yeast. With a gallon of maple syrup and clover honey.

7. Red Land redone- 5 gallon

8. Strawberry experimental 1 gallon


Upcoming meads - Pumpkin, pomegranate, vanilla, Nutmeg, Hazelnut

Possible - a pear

And we've only started a few months ago so I couldnt really say we quite know what we're doing yet!

Bella
 

toolboxdiver

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Registered Member
Apr 3, 2005
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toolboxdiver.tripod.com
You go Bella Crow, your really fermenting your butt off girl......go, go, go sounds great, I have a 5 gallon Maple Mead going, 6 gallon of Peaches and Cherry Hard Cyser, 6 gallons of Apple Cyser, 4 gallons of Joes Ancient Orange, 1 gallon of Apricot and Ginger, 1 gallon of Pear, 1 gallon og Ginger Mead, 1 gallon of Blueberry, and 1 gallon of Blueberry/Cranberry. And I am in the process of a white grape Pyment.

Good Luck with all your ventures
 

Marion

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Jun 1, 2004
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You guys are doing great. Keep at it.

I pretty much tend to stay with Basic Mead. Then seasonally I do "Country Meads", such as Dandelion (which I started last week) Honey Suckle, Red Clover, etc... (which aren't in season yet) I have 10 gallons of Basic Mead going and tend to keep a carboy or so of it going year 'round. Probaly next new moon I'll start some Braggot.
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
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The OC
I'm trending in the same direction Marion. I've been all over the map and sometimes it's refining the basics that is the most challenging.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 

BellaCrow

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Mar 17, 2005
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Marion said:
You guys are doing great. Keep at it.

I pretty much tend to stay with Basic Mead. Then seasonally I do "Country Meads", such as Dandelion (which I started last week) Honey Suckle, Red Clover, etc... (which aren't in season yet) I have 10 gallons of Basic Mead going and tend to keep a carboy or so of it going year 'round. Probaly next new moon I'll start some Braggot.

Thanks Marion!

I think we're trying to find what we like best and can do well. The Cyser is one I think I'll keep remaking. I think Jackalboy likes the tinkering around with stuff idea because he likes new stuff ;-)

What kind of honey do you use in your basic mead?

Bella
 

Marion

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Jun 1, 2004
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Well, thus far, as we know aging Mead is an ever changing process and I am not very good at extended aging...lol, I tend to rely on Clover honey a lot. But, I have made many batches using "wild" honey that suited my taste. Probably my best Mead to date has been with a light Clover honey. But, I certainly would not discredit other honeys as Orange Blossom, I just don't have the experience under my belt to ellaborate on them. In this area of the country, honey that is harvested elsewhere, such as the Florida Citrus Groves, can be rather expensive, thus my experimentation limited. I'm certain there are more qualified Mead makers here that can be much more assistive than I on different honey.
 

Marion

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 1, 2004
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Oskaar said:
I'm trending in the same direction Marion. I've been all over the map and sometimes it's refining the basics that is the most challenging.

Cheers,

Oskaar

I agree Oskaar, a Basic Mead, done with care and patiently awaited, is, in my opion, the most rewarding and as you adequately stated, the most challenging.
 

toolboxdiver

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 3, 2005
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toolboxdiver.tripod.com
I think I'm going to do 5 gallons of Basic mead next as Aldi has Clover honey for $1.66 a pound I picked up 9 pounds for my white grape and peach pyment and it seems pretty good. I do need a few more carboys. I wish Lagerman would get back to me about his truckload of carboys. I could use a few more. LOL. Well good luck to all of ya in this never ending venture. ;D
 
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