Looking for ideas

**Alden** · 07-24-2006, 12:03 PM

So I've been a mazer for a couple years now, and am quickly approaching my 10th batch. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of a recipe I could use to celebrate batch number ten. So far I've done mostly melomels: pear, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, a cyser, a dry mead, a maple wine, and an acerglyn (from the over-run of dry mead and maple wine).

I'd like something special for number ten. Any recommendations?

**insanity** · 07-24-2006, 12:50 PM

Yes - Why not one of Oskaars 2006 California State Fair contest winners or the best of show? They can be found in the members only section.

**WRATHWILDE** · 07-24-2006, 01:43 PM

Alden,

I'll second that! I've had Oskaar's Oak Aged Sweet Mead - the best Mead I've ever had, scratch that.... the best drink of any kind I've ever had. Pony up for a subscription and treat yourself to the best of the best.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde

**insanity** · 07-24-2006, 02:57 PM

I've been looking for 5 gallons of good honey for those recipes and for use with some other experiments.

This mead making is quite the obsession. Lately, I have this problem deciding whether to bottle some batches up or buy more carboys. Now, I'm starting to understand why Oskaar has so many carboys. At some point obsession equates to being practical. Ha ha!

**GrantLee63** · 07-24-2006, 08:30 PM

I've already made TEN 5 or 6 gallon batches of mead, but my 11th is going to be really something special .... I too am going to be making a batch of Oskaar's Oak Aged Sweet Mead !

**yabodie** · 07-25-2006, 09:32 AM

I have to third that. Next big batch will be Oskaar's Oak Aged Sweet mead!!

His Mutiny on the Bounty Cyser is really nice thus far in the fermentation process…

**scout** · 07-26-2006, 10:52 AM

Hey Alden! *waves* It just occurred to me this morning that over the past week I started brews #10, 11, and 12, and that my tenth brew started was a 6 gallon batch of JAO - and my first was a one gallon batch of JAO!

I did it completely unintentionally, but what a cool "anniversary" mead

**Alden** · 07-26-2006, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by scout

Hey Alden! *waves* It just occurred to me this morning that over the past week I started brews #10, 11, and 12, and that my tenth brew started was a 6 gallon batch of JAO - and my first was a one gallon batch of JAO!

I did it completely unintentionally, but what a cool "anniversary" mead

Haha! How very serendipitous.

I'm thinking for a label I need to do something with "X marks the spot" (obvious reference to the roman numeral)

**storm1969** · 07-27-2006, 03:25 PM

You guys actually keep track of the number of brews you've done?

WOW, you got me beat. I mean I keep records, and I could go back and total them up, but I really haven't kept track since maybe my second year....

Hey Oskaar, how many batches have you done?

Brian

**Oskaar** · 07-27-2006, 03:59 PM

I don't track batches really, batch numbers aren't important to me. You can make a 100 batches of something and if it's just average the numbers just mean that you're producing the same average mead over and over again.

I look for changes in my end product so in some cases I've made as many as thirty batches in a year, and in others as few as eight or ten. It really depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. I mostly work on traditional meads because honestly if you can't make a simple traditional mead consistantly, how do you really expect to make anything else with consistancy?

That's my story and I'm stickin to it!

Cheers,

Oskaar

**scout** · 07-28-2006, 09:55 AM

Brian it's REAL easy to count to TEN!

Seriously, when your total mazing/winemaking experience amounts to less than one year and about 20 gallons (6 of which had to be thrown out for one reason or another), it's pretty easy to keep track of how many batches you've done.

(these are my numbers, I don't know Alden's)

**Alden** · 07-28-2006, 11:32 AM

When you only do a handful of batches a year, it's not hard to keep count. It's still only a hobby for me, not an obsession, and I have a pretty healthy number of hobbies that keep me busy - mostly they revolve around the SCA.

**WRATHWILDE** · 07-28-2006, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Alden

It's still only a hobby for me, not an obsession.

"It's at time like these I remember what my ol' dad used to say to me."
" Why, what'd he say?"

"An unbeliever! Persecute! Kill the heretic!"

Wrathwilde

**webmaster** · 07-28-2006, 01:55 PM

Alden, if you're going to Pennsic, I'll be there for the second week, arriving on the 11th. Look me up in N01 at Shadow Legion camp and we'll shar a glass! You'll also find me in the peanut gallery at the IKBG competition Sunday.....

E me and I'll give you the cell phone number....

Vicky - working overtime to get everything caught up so I can go to Pennsic....

**Alden** · 07-31-2006, 09:00 AM

Vicky,
Until recently, I was going to Pennsic, however my wife lost her job a couple weeks ago so we're cutting back on a lot of "luxury spending" until we can verify that we can live on my income alone. I recently got promoted to Senior Project Engineer, with a nice little raise, so we're going to make a go of being a single-income household for a while.

My reason for going to Pennsic is that my bardic teacher will be recognized at Ealdormere court as a Companion to the Order of the Laurel. If you haven't heard her (or her husband for that matter) perform, you should definitely check them out. Their SCA names are Eleanor Fairchild and Garraed Galbraith.

I'll very likely be at Gulf Wars next March, and will hopefully make it up to Pennsic next year.