Mead Attempt Number One...suggestions?
krausenator wrote:
i did just meet a guy last weekend who lives out in colorado but comes to this area frequently to visit family, and he has him self some colonies and we talked. i think i am going to get myself a honey-for-mead exchange program going. i think its mixed source honey, but hey it will be free!
Oooo! Ask for first flow honey. That's the first mass production of the season and it's supposed to be superior for mead-making (I've never been able to get ahold of any myself, but when the apiests come back around this spring, I intend on going and makng friends....)
he was talking about ice honey and cream honey too, so i am going to see what all i can get from him.
I'm not familiar with either of those terms, but I'd guess Ice Honey is stuff from over the winter?? Do you know?
And is cream honey the honey that's crystalized???
Just guesses on my part but I am interested in what they really are....
the cream honey is the stuff that has the tiny crystals, i can't remember what he said the ice honey was.
it was at a party and i was imbibing my holiday porter, which comes in at 11% ABV. i was halfway through the growler when i started talking to this guy, so the fact i even remember it is impressive.
I dont know that I'd use the cream honey. I got the Compleat Mead Maker for my birthday last year and I learned a lot from it (actually more than I was interested in learning about bees) ... honey crystalizes like that when it's old and while it is supposed to work, it's not as good as fresh liquid honey.
Crystalized honey is excellent for super dry high ABV meads.
brewskinewbski wrote:
Crystalized honey is excellent for super dry high ABV meads.
I don't care as much for those... personal preference I guess. I like them fairly sweet with a soft mouthfeel and a strong floral overtone.... mountain meadows meadery's honeymoon nectar being my number one preference and the reason I got into brewing in the first place!
I have since brewed mead with plain just champagne yeast and have had good results. I have a 3g batch going right now with a Safe-Ale yeast in an attempt to create a "sweeter" dry mead. I have yet to try the OJ starter thang. Maybe I need to for my meads.
It's always worked great for me... if you want the "recipe" let me know and I'll send you the one I have.
When ageing your mead, did you pasteurize it prior to bottling? I am reading different opinions and some people allow for their mead to age after killing off the yeasts with campden tablets (after a desired FG is achieved). I want to find out whether this is required. Do the yeasts in a mead (or any other homebrew) start to die off (reach a lag phase) and hence not further ferment your mead into something undrinkable (without the need to use campden tablets)?
Regards.
Gavin
PS I'm going to give your recipe a shot as soon as some of the ingredients come in through the post. Can't wait, have not tried mead before, I'm sure it will be a good experience nevertheless.