• PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
  • We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.

My first JOAM attempt

Barrel Char Wood Products
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
I started my first JOAM recipe attempt on Feb. 17th. No complaints at this point. Been checking it daily & checking the balloon. Have a whole pack of balloons just in case. Just waiting for the next step...lol
Has anyone ever had a successful JOAM? Just curious. I read on a different post about how quite a few people weren't successful with this recipe.
 

darigoni

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Jun 4, 2016
945
63
28
Brookline, NH
I don’t think it’s that they were unsuccessful, it’s that they just were not satisfied with what they ended up with. It’s easy to make a better tasting mead.....
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
I don’t think it’s that they were unsuccessful, it’s that they just were not satisfied with what they ended up with. It’s easy to make a better tasting mead.....

Oh, okay. That makes sense. Thank you!
 

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
I wonder about the people who lie it. It's usually a one-time thing for most people I think.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
I wonder about the people who lie it. It's usually a one-time thing for most people I think.

I am curious about them too.
I was going to buy more honey & start a new batch (not this recipe... my own...) but then we decided to have an early birthday party for mom at my house.
 

rb2112br

Honey Master
Registered Member
Mar 27, 2018
156
34
28
I made two batches simultaneously last fall. One with buckwheat honey and the other with a local wildflower honey. I know the recipe goes against pretty much everything that modern protocols call for, but both of them turned out pretty good. Several people even asked for the recipe. One thing I will say is that it was just a hair sweeter than I would've liked, but I had no problem finishing it. I may try another batch at some point in the future, but experiment with using maybe a couple ounces less of honey. Who knows.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
I made two batches simultaneously last fall. One with buckwheat honey and the other with a local wildflower honey. I know the recipe goes against pretty much everything that modern protocols call for, but both of them turned out pretty good. Several people even asked for the recipe. One thing I will say is that it was just a hair sweeter than I would've liked, but I had no problem finishing it. I may try another batch at some point in the future, but experiment with using maybe a couple ounces less of honey. Who knows.

Thank you for the reply! Hmmm...buckwheat honey... I need to look into that. I like Nature Nate's. I used a mixture of Nature Nate's Raw Unfiltered & Great Value Clover Raw Honey for this one. Nature Nate's is a little more expensive but so good.
 

Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
621
63
28
Connecticut
I only made one. It was my first mead and I have no regrets doing it. The only thing it taught me was that I like mead, and so started making my own. I think that may be the whole point of it.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
I only made one. It was my first mead and I have no regrets doing it. The only thing it taught me was that I like mead, and so started making my own. I think that may be the whole point of it.

Thank you for the reply! Nice point.
I have a few ideas (my own recipes) to do over the next few months while waiting for this one to get done. Never had mead. May go to Safeway & buy some.
 

Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
621
63
28
Connecticut
Thank you for the reply! Nice point.
I have a few ideas (my own recipes) to do over the next few months while waiting for this one to get done. Never had mead. May go to Safeway & buy some.

Funny you say that. When I first considered making mead I asked a forum what commercial meads I should try to get an idea of what they're like. I was advised to just make my own first, because if a commercial one sucked it would turn me off to them. I'm glad I did that.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
Funny you say that. When I first considered making mead I asked a forum what commercial meads I should try to get an idea of what they're like. I was advised to just make my own first, because if a commercial one sucked it would turn me off to them. I'm glad I did that.

Thank you for the advice. I am not sure the stores here sell mead anyway. At least I haven't spotted any.
 

Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
621
63
28
Connecticut
Thank you for the advice. I am not sure the stores here sell mead anyway. At least I haven't spotted any.

Yeah you gotta ask them. I have a large liquor store near me with a huge wine selection and couldn't find any meads. They did have some - but tucked away in the "specialty" isle.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
Yeah you gotta ask them. I have a large liquor store near me with a huge wine selection and couldn't find any meads. They did have some - but tucked away in the "specialty" isle.

Alright. Thank you. Next time I go I will check the 'specialty' aisle.
 

Robert Scogins

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 29, 2018
84
0
0
Homestead, MT
Of all the luck! Went in to Reynolds grocery store in Sidney, MT last night looking for sherry for a chicken recipe. They didn't have it, but I ran across 9 different meads from Hidden Legends Meadery. They ranged from $16-$19 per bottle.
 

MeadLifeCrisis

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 27, 2018
5
0
0
USA
A 1 gallon batch of JAOM was one of my first meads. I actually love the taste and have been drinking mine young. I've upgraded to a 3gal batch and plan to try some aged.
 
W

Wheresthemead!

Guest
Guest
A 1 gallon batch of JAOM was one of my first meads. I actually love the taste and have been drinking mine young. I've upgraded to a 3gal batch and plan to try some aged.

The balloon is still inflated. I have a taste testing date set at the end of this month. But, it is nice to know that you love the taste!
 

MeadLifeCrisis

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 27, 2018
5
0
0
USA
The balloon is still inflated. I have a taste testing date set at the end of this month. But, it is nice to know that you love the taste!
Nice. Good luck. I'm amazed how meads change once allowed to age. If you love it, great. If not, rack it off the lees and let it sit for a couple months (but make sure the airlock doesn't dry up), and try it again.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
<shrug> I really like my JAOM and JAO variants, they're quick, mostly mindless, and respond well to neglect, and I happen to like the sweetness level, you just have to make sure you balance it somehow, however you make it. I've made over 40 JAO-based meads to explore the limits of the recipe. Some were terrible (learning experiences), and they're not often really great meads, but mine are usually pretty good (admittedly I don't have the most developed palate), and I've even suprised one or two of the JAO-haters who do have good palates with them.

The long and the short of it is, make what you like to drink. Try lots of things, try making meads via different methods, in case you find stuff you like better, experiemnt and document, but don't stop making and drinking something you enjoy because someone tells you it's garbage, unless you come to agree that it's garbage. There is no one way.
 
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns