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Buckwheat dark honey suggestions/recipes

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Smylle

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 7, 2019
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I'm rather new to the mead game, but so far I very much enjoy it! A maintenance guy at my work gave me about a gallon-a gallon and a half of dark buckwheat honey. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions what kind of mead would be good to make with this kind of honey? Would a spiced mead be better or a melomel or something more traditional? If anyone has any related recipes they'd like to share too that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for any and all help!
 

rb2112br

Honey Master
Registered Member
Mar 27, 2018
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I would suggest trying a 1 gallon batch of JAOM. I made some a couple months ago with buckwheat honey that was very good. Mind you, it won't help you learn how to make a good mead because it pretty much goes against all of the modern protocols for making mead, but it does make a tasty mead.
 

Squatchy

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I would suggest forgetting JOAM. Usually, new mead makers only make that one time. I would make a trad with it and add prunes, dates, and figs on the back side.
 

Smylle

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 7, 2019
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I looked up the JOAM recipe and I dont like the idea of using plain old bread yeast as well as some other aspects of it but I think the flavor profile of it might be good so I looked up the MOAM recipe and it seems much more to my liking so I might try it. Do you have any good recipes for a trad squatchy? Or any links to anything you'd recommend for someone wanting to make one that hasnt? I should have enough honey to make 5 gallons of both.
 

Squatchy

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I looked up the JOAM recipe and I dont like the idea of using plain old bread yeast as well as some other aspects of it but I think the flavor profile of it might be good so I looked up the MOAM recipe and it seems much more to my liking so I might try it. Do you have any good recipes for a trad squatchy? Or any links to anything you'd recommend for someone wanting to make one that hasnt? I should have enough honey to make 5 gallons of both.

Use K1V and DV10
 

Smylle

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 7, 2019
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Thanks a bunch squatchy! I'll look through it all and try to follow along.
 

Trenchie

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Feb 1, 2017
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I did some late season buckwheat honey and it's not all backside and figgy-pruning. any flavor modifications can only help it (the honey I had anyways). The buckwheat honey likely has a deeply "uric" flavor. please consider the honey as it tastes before you mead-make it. if you don't like it before you may find you don't like it after, even with additives. flavoring buckwheat will take a reasonable exercise of experience and understanding of how to implement your personal flavor (go with Squatchy's suggestion). However, if you do a good job, on the results end of the process, your mead will reflect the taste of the honey you put into it, buckwheat can be very full flavored.

-T
 
Last edited:

Squatchy

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There are also 2 different "buckwheat". Eastern and western. Western is much less offensive.
 

jjhodge3

Premium Patron
Premium Patron
Dec 28, 2019
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N Charlotte NC
Searching through for Buckwheat, I am designing my next traditional.

I have about 6 cups buckwheat from Mexico, which I am assuming is the western style. It has an earthy taste, even some banana-very lightly. I am warming it now to see if flavor changes, it was hard as a rock when I bought it.

I like the idea of prunes and dates on secondary, and I have K 1V and D47. K1V being more temp tolerant I am leaning this way, plus I have not used it before.

Recipe so far:
Dry Trad to be backsweetend, 10% ABV, SG 1.074, 1.8 gallon batch

K1 V- temp is 50-80, I should remain in the mid 60’s throughout
Medium nutrient requirement
I have an oxygen tank to aerate for 2 minutes occuring at 3 intervals
1- Before pitch
2- 12-15 hours later, but not before lag phase is finished
3- 5-6 hours later

go Ferm to rehydrate at .9 grams per gram of yeast= 4.5 grams go Ferm

Fermaid O for nutrient: 5.8 grams at medium requirements keeping ph at 4.0

Nitrogen requirements should be under 180 ppm at around 18-20Brix ( does this sound right at 1.074 1.080 OG?)

Dissolve 6 cups buckwheat into warm spring water, add Water to volume minus pitch

Aerate O2

Rehydrate Go Ferm 110* water

Record SG

Rehydrate yeast into Go Ferm at 104* let sit for 15 min
Attenuate yeast slurry 1/4 to 1 must
Let sit 15 min, check temp
Attenuate again if temp difference is over 18*

Question
***if I have 125 ml yeast I add 1 liter must? Or do I have this backwards? 32 ml must added to 125 ml yeast slurry?** want to ease into the pool!

Do I need to pay attention to ph at this point?

Pitch yeast, mix slowly

Cover bucket with cloth.

Questions:
Should I make up the must and let sit 24 hours with ( or without) k meta addition?

Degassing twice daily is still the norm?

Thanks for all input, looking to start this one this weekend!
-James
 

Squatchy

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Only adjust the pH if you must.
No need to sulfit a must with jusy honey a d water.
No need to degass except to help keep your volcano down when feeding. Mix food in liquid first and stir well and you won't make any volcanoes
 

rb2112br

Honey Master
Registered Member
Mar 27, 2018
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I'd pitch the whole packet. When I first started, I would measure out half a packet for 1-2 gallon batches trying to stretch the yeast farther, but I learned here, the yeast is the cheapest ingredient and the whole packet is not over pitching even on a 1 gallon batch so don't bother trying to save half of it.
 

Squatchy

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More yeast is always better. A half pack is nothing. you can't really overpitch
 
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