Two Wenches Travels...

Hi all....
My illusional meadery is called Two Wenches... so I thought I'd share my batches and keep a brewlog.

9-18-04
My first batch is the Olde Batte's Recipe... 3 gal.
Honey, cinnamon, cloves, allspice.
Fleishmann's Bread Yeast

I warmed the must, made a starter and added it after the must was cooled. It was imediatly then put in a 3 gal carboy.
9-18 - SG - 1.065
9-22 - SG 1.020
10-05 - SG 1.065
only because I added more honey and split it into a 3 gal & one gal batches.
11-09- SG - 1.060
Taste... harsh Alch.

**********************************************
Batch 1-B
Olde Battes (one gallon) 10-05-04
10-05 - SG - 1.095
11-09 - SG - 1.005
Taste... harsh Alch.

**********************************************

Batch 2 10-11-04 1 gal
Joe's Ancient Orange, Cinnamon & Clove
Followed the recipe exact... Fleishmann's Bread Yeast
10-11 SG - 1.140 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.070 est 18 Brix
Tasted... Very Smooth Alch.

**********************************************

Batch 3 & 4 are my Twins. 10-24-04
Thirsty Viking's Cyser & my Crabapple Cyser
TV Cyser
Red Star Champagne Yeast 1 gal
10-24 SG - 1.130 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.050 est. 13 Brix
Taste... Alch.

Crabapple Cyser 1 gal
Red Star Champagne Yeast
10-24 SG - 1.130 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.040 est. 12 Brix
Taste... Alch. tart

Batch 5
An Apple Pie Cyser 10-24-04 1 gal
Red Star Champagne yeast
10-24 SG - 1.140 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.060 est. 15 brix
Taste.. Alch.

**********************************************

Batch 6
Suzy Homemaker's Simple 10-24-04 1 gal
I call a basic mead... Honey, good well water, yeast & raisins.
10-24 SG - 1.0910 dry
11-09 SG - 1.060
Taste... Alch.

**********************************************

Batch 7
Halloween Knight Mead 10-31-04 3 gal
Another basic mead... Honey, good artesian well water, yeast & raisins.
10-31 SG - 1.120 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.110 est Brix 27
I plan to split this one up and add some of my concentrates to.
Taste... Alch.

**********************************************

I chilled the little samples for a couple of days now... retasted a few.... ( about 4) that's all I could take without them all beginning to taste the same. I wouldn't be a very good judge would I Vicky.

But I found that the Alch harshness has mellowed quite a bit.. they aren't so bitter. Perhaps there's hope after all for some good mead.

So.... to the 1B Olde Batte's batch... (1 gal) I added some concentrates.... WHY.... cuz I figured I couldn't make it any worse than it is now. and I want to experiment with the concentrates.

I added....
1/2 C Honey
1/2 C Strawberry Concentrate
1/2 C Strawberry Puree Conc.
1/2 C Raspberry Puree Conc.
1/2 C Blueberry Conc.

SG is now 1.020... up from 1.005

:-* Suzy Q, Brewmistress

12-21-2004
I began a new mead/melomel. The "Very Berry Winter Solstice" It's got a 5lb blend of Strawberry, Red Raspberry, Black Raspberry and Boysenberry. 3 gal batch, 10 lbs Honey, Orange, Raisins & Tea. Red Star Champagne yeast.... Beeboy's tweeked recipe
Beg. SG... 1.110

Tested the rest of the family....

My first batch is the Olde Batte's Recipe... 3 gal.
9-18 - SG - 1.065
9-22 - SG 1.020
10-05 - SG 1.065
12-21 - SG 1.045

**********************************************

Batch 2 10-11-04 1 gal
Joe's Ancient Orange, Cinnamon & Clove
10-11 SG - 1.140 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.070 est 18 Brix
12-21 SG - 1.035

**********************************************

Batch 3 & 4 are my Twins. 10-24-04
3 Thirsty Viking's Cyser 1 gal
10-24 SG - 1.130 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.050 est. 13 Brix
2-21 SG - 1.030

**********************************************
4 Crabapple Cyser 1 gal
10-24 SG - 1.130 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.040 est. 12 Brix
12-21 SG 1.028
**********************************************
Batch 5
An Apple Pie Cyser 10-24-04 1 gal
10-24 SG - 1.140 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.060 est. 15 brix
12-21 SG - 1.027

**********************************************

Batch 6
Suzy Homemaker's Simple 10-24-04 1 gal .
10-24 SG - 1.0910 dry
11-09 SG - 1.060
12-21 - SG - 1.010

**********************************************

Batch 7
Halloween Knight Mead 10-31-04 3 gal .
10-31 SG - 1.120 med/sweet
11-09 SG - 1.110 est Brix 27
12-21 SG - 1.035

I look forward to any comments or critiqueing....

Thanks everyone...

:-* Suzy Q, Brewmistress