Apple Cyzer
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon apple juice/cider
- 1 lb unprocessed honey
- 1 Campden tablet
- 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1/4 tsp acid blend
- 1/4 tsp pectic enzyme
- 1 packet Red Star Champagne yeast
Heat apple juice (or cider) to 120 degrees and stir in honey, nutrient, pectic enzyme, and acid blend. Cover the must and let it cool to room temperature. Heating is not absolutely necessary, but it does make it easier to thoroughly blend the honey into the mixture. Transfer to the primary fermentation chamber and add crushed Campden tablet. Cover loosely for 24 hours, then pitch yeast and add a fermentation lock. Rack after 2 to 4 weeks when fermentation lock bubbles once every 30 seconds or less. After 2 months in the secondary, the cyser can be bottled still or sparkling. For best results, age at least 6 months in bottles.
Apple Wine
Ingredients per Gallon;
- 16 lbs of any variety fresh ripe Apples - juiced makes about 1 gallon
- Or 1 gallon fresh pressed Apple Cider or 100% juice - No preservatives
- 2-1/2 cups Sugar - half Brown Sugar
- 1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
- (Or 2 to 3 oz Raisins - golden, white or regular - chopped)
- Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon - add to secondary - optional
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/2 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
- Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
- (15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14%
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 2 to 4 Months
For stronger fruit taste and aroma; Add an additional 4 to 6 lbs of pureed apples in the secondary, or add 6 to 8 oz frozen 100% apple juice concentrate in the secondary.
For Spiced Apple; Add 50+ raisins, 1 clove, 1/2 teaspoon total of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground Ginger.
Note: All of the Santa Cruz Organic juices and Knudsen juices work fine, ascorbic acid is vitamin C, not a preservative, I have found that using just processed juice will leave your wine or mead wanting for taste and body, I suggest you use at least some actual apples in your must. I prefer sweet apples not tart ones and wash them with a little baking soda in luke warm water, then either juice them in a juicer or cut them up and puree them in a blender. Use the juice and add at least 2 lbs of real apples per gallon.
For Troll Drool Wine; Use only tart green apples.
Black Currant Cherry Melomel
- 22 lbs Wildflower Honey
- 8 lbs Black Currants
- 12 lbs Tart Cherries
- 3 gal Water
- 3 tsp Yeast Energizer/Nutrient Blend (Fermaid-K and DAP)
- 10 g Lalvin Narbonne Yeast (71B-1122)
- Approximate OG: 1.161
- Target FG: 1.030 – 1.040
- Estimated ABV: 16.1%
Submerse the honey containers in hot water to loosen the honey, which will make it easier to dissolve. Partially or totally thaw the fruit. Sanitize all equipment used for making your mead. Mash the bagged fruit with your hands. If you prefer, put all the fruit into the pail and mash with a potato masher or similar tool.
Use enough honey and water to get a total volume of 4.5 to 5 gallons (excluding fruit). Honey weighs approximately 12 pounds per gallon. Put all the fruit into your fermenting pail. You will want the temperature of the mead must to be 65 to 70 °F. If the fruit is still very cold you should heat the water enough to bring the temperature of the must into that range. Add the honey and water to the pail. Use a mixing spoon or wine degasser to mix the must and completely dissolve the honey. After the honey is dissolved, stir vigorously for a few minutes to aerate the must. The must does not need heat to pasteurize the honey or fruit.
Prepare your yeast by re-hydrating, following the instructions on the packets. The use of a re-hydration nutrient such as Go-Ferm is highly recommended. This will prepare the yeast for the strenuous journey ahead of them. Pitch the yeast, add the first SNA and mix well.
Fermentation should begin in about 12 to 24 hours. When signs of fermentation are noticed, start managing the fruit cap and begin the SNA schedule. With some luck, fermentation will be complete in two to four weeks. Once half of the sugar is depleted, continue to punch the cap at least twice a day but refrain from introducing oxygen into the must. Allow the mead to stay in primary for 4 weeks. At that point, transfer to the secondary carboy for clarifying. Taste the mead for sweetness level. If you desire more sweetness, now is the time to adjust it.
To sweeten mead, start with a cup of the mead and add honey to a level sweeter than you want.
Then blend the dryer mead with the sweetened sample to get three samples that vary by 10 gravity points ranging from too sweet to not sweet enough. Taste and blend the samples until you get the sweetness level you want. Get some help with this as your palate may get fatigued.
Take a gravity reading of the sample you chose. Determine the specific gravity difference between the mead and the sample. Now you can figure out how much honey you will need to sweeten the entire batch to the desired level. One pound of honey will raise one gallon of mead approximately 34 gravity points. If you have 5 gallons of mead, each pound of honey will raise the batch about 6 to 7 points.
Once you determine how much honey you need to add to the batch, use 1 cup of boiled water per pound of honey to dilute the honey. Pour the mixture into the carboy and mix until evenly dispersed. Take a sample and see if further adjustment is needed. Take caution to keep from over-sweetening the batch. It’s much harder to make it drier!
After a month or two if the mead is not clear, transfer again and use a two-stage clarifier such as Super-Kleer. You can also use relatively inexpensive plastic filters with filter pads, pumping the mead from one keg, through the filer to a second keg. You will be amazed by the amount of fruit debris and insect parts on the filter pads, but your mead should be sparkling clear. One word of caution when filtering, pectin will clog a filter very quickly. You can use pectic enzyme to help remove the pectin. Two stage clarifiers do not remove pectin. Once you are completely sure there is no fermentation and the mead is clear, you can bottle. For sparkling mead, I suggest kegging and force carbonating. Bottle-conditioning sweet mead can be difficult, as well as creating exploding bottles.
Staggered Nutrient Addition (SNA)
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix immediately after pitching yeast.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 24 hours after fermentation begins.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 48 hours after fermentation begins.
Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix after 30% of the sugar has been depleted.
SNA serves many purposes for yeast health. Abundant CO2 is toxic to yeast, so mixing while adding the nutrients will release the gas. Vigorous mixing introduces oxygen needed by growing yeast. The mixing also disturbs the fruit cap (or floating fruit). Punching down the cap should be done at least three times a day during the period of vigorous fermentation.
Cap management is important for releasing toxic CO2 and preventing temperature buildup below the cap. For every 1 degree reduction of brix in the must, there is approximately a 2°F increase in temperature. Unmanaged, the temperature can increase to the point of killing your yeast in the heat zone below the cap, potentially driving off the floral fruity character of your fruit. This is less of a concern in the five gallon homebrew scenario but could still be a potential problem. If the cap is not pressed down into the must it can dry out. Then, if oxygen is introduced, spoilage organisms grow and produce off flavors.
Traditional Option
Making a melomel with nearly 20 pounds of fruit can get pricy! As a cheaper alternative, forgo the fruit and juice to create a traditional mead consisting purely of honey, water and yeast. Yeast nutrients and the SNA schedule should still be followed for optimum fermentation. Take into consideration that forgoing the fruit and juice will alter specifications listed above.
Blueberry Melomel
Ingredients per Gallon;
- Frozen or Fresh Ripe Blueberries
- Medium Fruit Taste; 3 lbs - after 7 to 10 days
- Strong Fruit Taste; 4 lbs or more - after 7 to 10 days
- 3-1/2 lbs Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
- (or 1 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
- Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
- Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
- (15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
- Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
- Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14%
- Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
- Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
- Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Directions;
Start your must with the honey, sugar, white grape juice. Fill to about 3/4 of a gallon with water, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. Then after 7 to 10 days, add the fruit, top off with water.
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
If you rack and age it once a month, it will be ready to bottle in 4 months, faster with ale yeast, Nottingham, Safale 04, or 05, or Muntons ale yeast, all ferment quick, usually within 2 weeks, the rack and age once a month for 2 months, cold crash and bottle.
Blueberry Cranberry Wine
Ingredients per Gallon;
3 lbs frozen or fresh ripe Blueberries
1 lbs frozen or fresh ripe Cranberries
2/5 can (5 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
(Or 3 oz Raisins - golden, white or regular - chopped)
Juice of 1 Lemon or 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
5-3/4 cups Sugar (2-1/2 lbs)
1 cup strong brewed Black Tea
Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient (Fermaid-O) - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Recommended – Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 2 to 4 Months
Primary ferment for 3 weeks to a month, Check the SG if 1.020 or lower rack into a clean carboy. If the SG is 1.000 or lower add some sugar or honey. Let age 3 weeks to a month, rack again, and check the SG again. If the SG is 1.000 or lower add some sugar again, repeat as necessary until the must stabilizes at a reasonable SG.
Wine with a final specific gravity (FG) of 1.002 or less is considered dry.
FG between 1.003 to 1.010 is considered semi-sweet.
FG between 1.010 and 1.020 is considered sweet, above 1.030 is considered very sweet or known as a desert wine.
Some argue that a different scale should be used for mead;
Dry Mead: 0.099 to 1.006
Medium Mead: 1.006 to 1.015
Sweet Mead: 1.012 to 1.020
Dessert Mead: 1.020 +
How to naturally clear the must: This should be at least the third rack. Then "Cold Crash" the must in a refrigerator, or outside if the temperature is in the correct range, for 3 to 5 days between 26°F and 40°F. Rack again, degas, and then bottle the must. Let the wine or mead age for a minimum of an additional 2 weeks. Note: "Cold Crashing" works best if the ferment has been allowed to go on its own to completion. It does not replace stabilization. It only helps clear the must of the yeast and sediment in suspension. After the fermenting has completely stopped and your SG has been the same for about 3 consecutive weeks, then degas well, and wait another week, check the SG again to make sure the ferment is in fact stopped, then cold crash it for 3 to 5 days between 26°F (-3.33°C) and 40°F (4.44°C). Rack, degas, and bottle. LOL, outside works just fine, down to 26°F (-3.33°C)
This is the exact method I use, and it works just fine without heating or pasteurizing the must, or using any any additional fining.
Blueberry Pi
Batch size: 3 gallons
SNA schedule - 3 days
Yeast: D47
OG: 1.107
FG: 1.000
Primary
- 12 lbs wildflower honey
- 2.5 gal water
- 3 pints blueberries
Secondary
- 2 pints blueberries
- 2 Madagascar vanilla beans
- 2 Mexican vanilla beans
- 2 lbs toasted pecans
- rum soaked oak cubes
- back sweetened to taste
Bouchet - Burnt Honey Mead
Ingredients for 1 gallon:
Pour 2.5 lb. honey into a large pot, and begin to heat over medium-high. You’ll need to stir as you go, so have a spoon ready.
As the honey cooks, it will begin to bubble and rise considerably. Take a look at the pictures below of the raw honey level compared with the level at the end. Constant stirring is key to keeping it from getting out of control.
When it gets to a dark color, and begins to spit puffs of steam, I turn mine off. You’ll not go wrong turning it off sooner, but knowing when takes both fierce attention, good instincts, and some luck.
Gradually add the water (careful, it spits like mad as it touches the honey!), then boil the whole mixture until it is reduced to the previously noted 1 gallon level, about 30 minutes in my case. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a carboy and add the ale yeast.
When racking into secondary carboy, add the spices in a mesh bag. Let those soak for 2-3 days, then remove. When the mead is done working, bottle.
Bouchet Mead
Note: you will need time to make the honey bochet, and you have to be OK with your house smelling like burnt honey for a few days. And please do NOT call this process Botching the honey. LOL
Warning; You will need a very large non-aluminum pot, at least four times the size of the amount of honey that you are going to caramelize. Honey can very easily and quickly boil over and burn you. Also, do not caramelize honey outside, except for the dead of Winter, when the bees are hibernating, as bees will swarm and attack you.
Ingredients per Gallon;
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Directions;
Chaos Cyser Clone Recipe
5 Gallon/19L
OG = 1.050
FG = .998
ABV = 6.1% abv.
Ingredients:
The basics of mead brewing should be mastered before performing any advanced projects. This recipe assumes a standard 5 gallon batch of mead using a 4 parts water to 1 part honey mixture (Must).
If you prefer your mead boiled, do so before adding any cocoa from this recipe as the foaming will remove the chocolate from the mix. Boiling is optional in mead and if you would like the pro's and con's, please ask. I personally boil nothing in mead making.
To your standard must, before adding the yeast add 16 oz of Cocoa Powder (Nestles works great). Mix well before adding yeast. You will notice a lag in the start of the yeast, however this is common and due to the oils in cocoa. It will start bubbling madly in a few days, but never as much as a normal mead.
THIS STEP IS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT!
Cocoa contains a number of different very bitter oils that must be given time to break down. After the bubbling slows down, strain the must once, and put your fermenter/carboy away for one full year. Any other method of removing the oils will result in the loss of that little enzyme that the ladies are so fond of.
At the end of that year, sweeten to approx. 1.030 on a hydrometer (semi-sweet) or to taste. Clarify and bottle normally.
Some production notes:
This mead leaves a very light aftertaste of chocolate that most people will not be able to identify readily. However the other effects of chocolate, i.e. orgasmic like pleasure is there. In the original test 1 of the samplers didn't care for it, 1 identified the flavor and tried to steal the bottle, and the other 28 thought it good with comments ranging from "very good" to "OH MY GOD!". I make 5 gallons each year to share with friends, and that is all due to space from brewing. I used an apple flower honey, but any light honey should work. Just avoid heavy flavored honeys that might overpower the chocolate. In addition brew down only once, a heroic mead would likewise overpower the delicate flavor.
This mead is best served to the one you love ice cold, in candlelight, with a bowl of fresh strawberries for dipping. And privacy would be recommended.
Special note: A few people have commented on the Mead Lover's Digest that they have tried this recipe with varying results. However, since there has not been time for these to have aged for a year yet, the jury is still out. This recipe MUST be allowed to age.
Also, some have noted that a chocolate syrup, such as Hershey's, seems to dissolve more easily and be less bitter than the cocoa powder.
Chocolate Wine or Metheglin Mead
with Cherries is called "Liquid Sex"
with Raspberries is called "Love Potion"
with Blueberries is called "The Pantie Dropper"
with Bananas is called "Dirty Monkey Mead"
with Strawberries is called "Randy Berry Mead"
or add what you like and make up a name for it.
Ingredients per Gallon:
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14%
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Directions:
Substitute sugar only for the 3 lbs Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar mix.
for Sweet Cherries use 4-1/2 cups sugar
for Tart Cherries use 5-1/4 cups sugar
for Raspberries use 5-1/2 cups sugar
for Blueberries use 5 cups sugar
for Bananas use 4-1/2 cups sugar
for Strawberries use 4-3/4 cups sugar
To make Chocolate Port Wine:
Make the Chocolate Wine, then just add 12 to 16 oz of Brandy per gallon, When the Specific Gravity of your ferment drops to about 1.040, or perhaps 1.030 begin “feeding” the brandy into the must to stop the fermentation, mixing the must almost continually in order to get a good distribution of the added alcohol throughout your fermenter. For Standard Chocolate Wine, use plain Brandy, or Chocolate flavored Vodka. For Cherry Chocolate Wine, use Cherry Brandy, or Kirschwasser. Brandy, and or flavored liquor is available in Blueberry, Blackberry, Banana, Raspberry, Peach, Pear, Strawberry, and other flavors. Or make your own fruit flavored infusion to use.
Cinnamon Clove Spiced Hydromel
OG on the traditional mead: 1.106 which fermented to .996. The final product after the addition of the coffee/honey was 1.006.
Cold steeping is the preferred way to use coffee in recipes since it allows you to extract the coffee flavor without bringing out the oils and acidity that come with traditional hot brewing.
From Reddit:
Coffee (preferably whole beans, but if not, one can). Make sure it's gourmet coffee and not one of those instant craps or watered down version of coffee. 3 to 3.5 lb's of honey 1 gl of water One of those steeping socks thinguies airlock, 1 gl glass bottle or carboy or whatev's, yeast. I'm going to make mine with either an extra D47 I ordered or with ale yeast. choose whatever you think will work.
Ideas: Add cold-steep coffee to secondary, add acid blend to control acidity, particularly if adding it in the primary where yeast might be stressed by high acid content. Also add cold-steeped coffee in primary and coffee beans in secondary.
Step 0: SANITIZE! But that goes without saying.
Step 1: Steep about half a can or a bit more of coffee over night on the gallon of water. Do not boil anything. Just let it steep at room temperature. If you're going whole bean, slightly grind whatever amount you want (depending on how strong you want it) and steep just the same. Now you basically have cold brewed coffee (less bitterness). Remove left over coffee waste.
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
If you rack and age it once a month, it will be ready to bottle in 4 months, faster with ale yeast, Nottingham, Safale 04, or 05, or Muntons ale yeast, all ferment quick, usually within 2 weeks, the rack and age once a month for 2 months, cold crash and bottle.
Blueberry Cranberry Wine
Ingredients per Gallon;
3 lbs frozen or fresh ripe Blueberries
1 lbs frozen or fresh ripe Cranberries
2/5 can (5 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
(Or 3 oz Raisins - golden, white or regular - chopped)
Juice of 1 Lemon or 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
5-3/4 cups Sugar (2-1/2 lbs)
1 cup strong brewed Black Tea
Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient (Fermaid-O) - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Recommended – Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 2 to 4 Months
Primary ferment for 3 weeks to a month, Check the SG if 1.020 or lower rack into a clean carboy. If the SG is 1.000 or lower add some sugar or honey. Let age 3 weeks to a month, rack again, and check the SG again. If the SG is 1.000 or lower add some sugar again, repeat as necessary until the must stabilizes at a reasonable SG.
Wine with a final specific gravity (FG) of 1.002 or less is considered dry.
FG between 1.003 to 1.010 is considered semi-sweet.
FG between 1.010 and 1.020 is considered sweet, above 1.030 is considered very sweet or known as a desert wine.
Some argue that a different scale should be used for mead;
Dry Mead: 0.099 to 1.006
Medium Mead: 1.006 to 1.015
Sweet Mead: 1.012 to 1.020
Dessert Mead: 1.020 +
How to naturally clear the must: This should be at least the third rack. Then "Cold Crash" the must in a refrigerator, or outside if the temperature is in the correct range, for 3 to 5 days between 26°F and 40°F. Rack again, degas, and then bottle the must. Let the wine or mead age for a minimum of an additional 2 weeks. Note: "Cold Crashing" works best if the ferment has been allowed to go on its own to completion. It does not replace stabilization. It only helps clear the must of the yeast and sediment in suspension. After the fermenting has completely stopped and your SG has been the same for about 3 consecutive weeks, then degas well, and wait another week, check the SG again to make sure the ferment is in fact stopped, then cold crash it for 3 to 5 days between 26°F (-3.33°C) and 40°F (4.44°C). Rack, degas, and bottle. LOL, outside works just fine, down to 26°F (-3.33°C)
This is the exact method I use, and it works just fine without heating or pasteurizing the must, or using any any additional fining.
Blueberry Pi
Batch size: 3 gallons
SNA schedule - 3 days
Yeast: D47
OG: 1.107
FG: 1.000
Primary
- 12 lbs wildflower honey
- 2.5 gal water
- 3 pints blueberries
Secondary
- 2 pints blueberries
- 2 Madagascar vanilla beans
- 2 Mexican vanilla beans
- 2 lbs toasted pecans
- rum soaked oak cubes
- back sweetened to taste
Bouchet - Burnt Honey Mead
Ingredients for 1 gallon:
- 1 1/2 pints (3.6 cups/2.6 lbs.) honey
- 1.4 gallons water
- .8 cup ale yeast barm (or dry ale yeast)
- .2 oz. each fresh ginger, long pepper, grains of paradise
- .05 oz. cloves
Pour 2.5 lb. honey into a large pot, and begin to heat over medium-high. You’ll need to stir as you go, so have a spoon ready.
As the honey cooks, it will begin to bubble and rise considerably. Take a look at the pictures below of the raw honey level compared with the level at the end. Constant stirring is key to keeping it from getting out of control.
When it gets to a dark color, and begins to spit puffs of steam, I turn mine off. You’ll not go wrong turning it off sooner, but knowing when takes both fierce attention, good instincts, and some luck.
Gradually add the water (careful, it spits like mad as it touches the honey!), then boil the whole mixture until it is reduced to the previously noted 1 gallon level, about 30 minutes in my case. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a carboy and add the ale yeast.
When racking into secondary carboy, add the spices in a mesh bag. Let those soak for 2-3 days, then remove. When the mead is done working, bottle.
Bouchet Mead
Note: you will need time to make the honey bochet, and you have to be OK with your house smelling like burnt honey for a few days. And please do NOT call this process Botching the honey. LOL
Warning; You will need a very large non-aluminum pot, at least four times the size of the amount of honey that you are going to caramelize. Honey can very easily and quickly boil over and burn you. Also, do not caramelize honey outside, except for the dead of Winter, when the bees are hibernating, as bees will swarm and attack you.
Ingredients per Gallon;
- 3 lbs Honey - caramelized
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
- (or 1 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
- Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
- Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
- (15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
- Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Directions;
Pour the honey in to your very large pot. On medium-low heat, slowly bring the honey to a boil, as soon as it boils, lower the heat, honey has a tendency to "Boil over" very, very fast, so you have to use a very large oversize pot, and keep the heat very low, and be ready to remove the pan from the heat quickly. Be extra careful not to burn yourself doing this. When you see the color of the honey begin to darken, it is almost done, the darker it gets the stronger the "Caramelized" taste will be, simmer for 20 to 40 minutes. Do not over darken or burn the honey, if you do burn it, you will have to discard that burned honey and start over. Remove from heat, mix in some water slowly to cool the honey, and add the caramelized honey into your primary fermenter.
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months - many people have said that they like to age their Bochet for 18 months to over 2 years as it improves the taste.
First, you need to make a starter of Wyeast 1388.
Add the following to a sterilized 2 liter flask:
Place covered but not air locked on a stir plate for 3 days.
No water in airlock for 1 week.
De-gas daily.
Ferments dry in about a week, clears in 3-4 weeks.
At bottling, use an alcohol-based mint extract and red dye. The reason not to use actual candy canes is they are just sugar, food coloring, and flavoring so whatever coloring the must has at pitching will be lost through fermentation. Cleaning the carboy of the sugar trub at the bottom will also be difficult.
Ingredients:
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months - many people have said that they like to age their Bochet for 18 months to over 2 years as it improves the taste.
Bray's One Month Mead (BOMM)
(5 gallon)First, you need to make a starter of Wyeast 1388.
Add the following to a sterilized 2 liter flask:
- 1800 ml of Ozarka spring water
- 1/2 cup of honey (SG ~1.04)
- 1 tsp of GoFerm
- 1 activated smack pack of Wyeast 1388
- 1 cross shaped stir bar
Place covered but not air locked on a stir plate for 3 days.
- Add 1 gallon OB honey to 3.5 gallons water. (SG 1.09-1.1)
- Use a drill powered mixer to mix honey completely.
- Dose the following at must creation, 1/3 & 2/3 sugar break (this is generally at day 3 & 6)
- 1 TBSP DAP + 2 TBSP Fermaid K
- Add 3/4 TBSP K2CO3.
- Stir again to aerate and add starter.
- Add additional water to SG 1.09-1.1.
No water in airlock for 1 week.
De-gas daily.
Ferments dry in about a week, clears in 3-4 weeks.
Candy Cane Mead
Make a traditional mead or hydromelAt bottling, use an alcohol-based mint extract and red dye. The reason not to use actual candy canes is they are just sugar, food coloring, and flavoring so whatever coloring the must has at pitching will be lost through fermentation. Cleaning the carboy of the sugar trub at the bottom will also be difficult.
Celtic Druid’s Honey Mead (Metheglin)
Makes: 1 gallonIngredients:
- 2 ounces ginger root
- 2 lemons, juice and rind of, thinly pared peel
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 8 pints water
- 3 lbs flower honey or 3 lbs light honey
- 1 ounce mead, wine or 1 ounce baker’s yeast
- Bruise the ginger by folding it in to a clean cloth and hitting it with a hammer to release its flavour.
- Tie the bruised ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick and the lemon peel in a muslin cloth and put it into a 12-pint pan.
- Add the water and lemon juice and bring it to the boil.
- Allow to cool to 50C/122°F.
- Meanwhile, stand the honey in a warm place and allow to come to the same temperature.
- Add the honey to the lemon and ginger water and mix.
- Allow to cool to 21C/70F and then remove the muslin bag with the ginger and lemon peel in it.
- Crumble the yeast into the honey water and mix lightly.
- Pour the liquid into an 8-pint fermentation jar, it should reach about three quarters full, and fit the airlock.
- Leave until all fermentation has finished, racking if necessary.
- Leave for another 1-2 weeks before bottling and storing.
Chaos Cyser Clone Recipe
from Groenfell Meadery
5 Gallon/19L
OG = 1.050
FG = .998
ABV = 6.1% abv.
Ingredients:
- 6 lbs Raw Wildflower Honey
- 1 Gallon Apple Juice
- 3.5 Gallons Water
- 1 oz. Wyeast Wine Yeast Nutrient
- 5 Campden Tablets (if desired)
- 5 packets Lalvin D-47 yeast
- 4 tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- Combine the first five ingredients at 104°F (40°C) stirring vigorously to aerate.
- Wait 24 hours for the sulfites to do their thing, then sprinkle the dry yeast over the top of the must.
- Maintain the fermentation at about 86°F (30°C).
- Add Vanilla Extract after 7 days.
- Bottle (with priming sugar) or keg when bubbling has completely stopped (should be 8-10 days).
- Enjoy in a week or two!
Chocolate Mead
By Lord RhysThe basics of mead brewing should be mastered before performing any advanced projects. This recipe assumes a standard 5 gallon batch of mead using a 4 parts water to 1 part honey mixture (Must).
If you prefer your mead boiled, do so before adding any cocoa from this recipe as the foaming will remove the chocolate from the mix. Boiling is optional in mead and if you would like the pro's and con's, please ask. I personally boil nothing in mead making.
To your standard must, before adding the yeast add 16 oz of Cocoa Powder (Nestles works great). Mix well before adding yeast. You will notice a lag in the start of the yeast, however this is common and due to the oils in cocoa. It will start bubbling madly in a few days, but never as much as a normal mead.
THIS STEP IS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT!
Cocoa contains a number of different very bitter oils that must be given time to break down. After the bubbling slows down, strain the must once, and put your fermenter/carboy away for one full year. Any other method of removing the oils will result in the loss of that little enzyme that the ladies are so fond of.
At the end of that year, sweeten to approx. 1.030 on a hydrometer (semi-sweet) or to taste. Clarify and bottle normally.
Some production notes:
This mead leaves a very light aftertaste of chocolate that most people will not be able to identify readily. However the other effects of chocolate, i.e. orgasmic like pleasure is there. In the original test 1 of the samplers didn't care for it, 1 identified the flavor and tried to steal the bottle, and the other 28 thought it good with comments ranging from "very good" to "OH MY GOD!". I make 5 gallons each year to share with friends, and that is all due to space from brewing. I used an apple flower honey, but any light honey should work. Just avoid heavy flavored honeys that might overpower the chocolate. In addition brew down only once, a heroic mead would likewise overpower the delicate flavor.
This mead is best served to the one you love ice cold, in candlelight, with a bowl of fresh strawberries for dipping. And privacy would be recommended.
Special note: A few people have commented on the Mead Lover's Digest that they have tried this recipe with varying results. However, since there has not been time for these to have aged for a year yet, the jury is still out. This recipe MUST be allowed to age.
Also, some have noted that a chocolate syrup, such as Hershey's, seems to dissolve more easily and be less bitter than the cocoa powder.
Chocolate Wine or Metheglin Mead
with Cherries is called "Liquid Sex"
with Raspberries is called "Love Potion"
with Blueberries is called "The Pantie Dropper"
with Bananas is called "Dirty Monkey Mead"
with Strawberries is called "Randy Berry Mead"
or add what you like and make up a name for it.
Ingredients per Gallon:
- 4 lbs fresh ripe fruit of choice - optional - after 7 to 10 days
- 4 oz to 8 oz Chocolate Syrup - see recipe below
- 3 lbs Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate
- (or 2 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
- Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
- 2 cups (16 oz) strong brewed Black Tea
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon
Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14%
Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Directions:
Start your must with the honey, sugar, white grape juice. Fill to about 3/4 of a gallon with water, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. Then after 7 to 10 days, add the fruit, top off with water.
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
If you are adding fruit; Use 1 lb to 1-1/2 lbs additional fruit in the secondary ferment.
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
Options; In the secondary ferment add a split vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or add one hot pepper, or add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, or both.
Chocolate Syrup Recipe
Note: It is very important to use only a 100% Cocoa product with absolutely no preservatives or sorbates added.
Ingredients for 8 ounces - enough for a 1 to 2 gallon batch
1/2 cup (4 oz) Cocoa Powder (No preservatives or sorbates)
5/8 cup (5 oz) Water
3/4 cup (6 oz) Sugar
3/4 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Ingredients for 40 ounces - enough for a 5 to 10 gallon batch
2-1/2 cups (20 oz) Cocoa Powder (No preservatives or sorbates)
3-1/8 cups (25 oz) Water
4 cups (32 oz) Sugar
3 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Directions; Use a 2 quart saucepan for 8 oz or a 6 quart pot for 40 oz as this will expand when boiling and can easily overflow. Combine the cocoa powder, water, sugar and salt in pan or pot over medium heat. Mix with a whisk until smooth, and continue to stir constantly until it boils. Boil the mixture for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Allow to cool completely and it will thicken to about the same consistency as Hershey’s syrup.
To make Chocolate Wine instead of Mead
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
If you are adding fruit; Use 1 lb to 1-1/2 lbs additional fruit in the secondary ferment.
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
Options; In the secondary ferment add a split vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or add one hot pepper, or add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, or both.
Chocolate Syrup Recipe
Note: It is very important to use only a 100% Cocoa product with absolutely no preservatives or sorbates added.
Ingredients for 8 ounces - enough for a 1 to 2 gallon batch
1/2 cup (4 oz) Cocoa Powder (No preservatives or sorbates)
5/8 cup (5 oz) Water
3/4 cup (6 oz) Sugar
3/4 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Ingredients for 40 ounces - enough for a 5 to 10 gallon batch
2-1/2 cups (20 oz) Cocoa Powder (No preservatives or sorbates)
3-1/8 cups (25 oz) Water
4 cups (32 oz) Sugar
3 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Directions; Use a 2 quart saucepan for 8 oz or a 6 quart pot for 40 oz as this will expand when boiling and can easily overflow. Combine the cocoa powder, water, sugar and salt in pan or pot over medium heat. Mix with a whisk until smooth, and continue to stir constantly until it boils. Boil the mixture for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Allow to cool completely and it will thicken to about the same consistency as Hershey’s syrup.
To make Chocolate Wine instead of Mead
Substitute sugar only for the 3 lbs Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar mix.
for Sweet Cherries use 4-1/2 cups sugar
for Tart Cherries use 5-1/4 cups sugar
for Raspberries use 5-1/2 cups sugar
for Blueberries use 5 cups sugar
for Bananas use 4-1/2 cups sugar
for Strawberries use 4-3/4 cups sugar
To make Chocolate Port Wine:
Make the Chocolate Wine, then just add 12 to 16 oz of Brandy per gallon, When the Specific Gravity of your ferment drops to about 1.040, or perhaps 1.030 begin “feeding” the brandy into the must to stop the fermentation, mixing the must almost continually in order to get a good distribution of the added alcohol throughout your fermenter. For Standard Chocolate Wine, use plain Brandy, or Chocolate flavored Vodka. For Cherry Chocolate Wine, use Cherry Brandy, or Kirschwasser. Brandy, and or flavored liquor is available in Blueberry, Blackberry, Banana, Raspberry, Peach, Pear, Strawberry, and other flavors. Or make your own fruit flavored infusion to use.
Cinnamon Clove Spiced Hydromel
- 1 Gallon water
- 1.5 lbs Orange Blossom Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Rooibos Tea (23 fl.oz Brewed)
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 whole cloves
- Muntons Ale Yeast
Coffee Mead
I cold-steeped 8 ounces of freshly ground German Chocolate coffee beans for 14 hours. I added one cup of the steeped and strained coffee to one cup of a 50-50 honey water mixture and added it to one gallon of traditional mead which had fermented to dryness.OG on the traditional mead: 1.106 which fermented to .996. The final product after the addition of the coffee/honey was 1.006.
Cold steeping is the preferred way to use coffee in recipes since it allows you to extract the coffee flavor without bringing out the oils and acidity that come with traditional hot brewing.
From Reddit:
Coffee (preferably whole beans, but if not, one can). Make sure it's gourmet coffee and not one of those instant craps or watered down version of coffee. 3 to 3.5 lb's of honey 1 gl of water One of those steeping socks thinguies airlock, 1 gl glass bottle or carboy or whatev's, yeast. I'm going to make mine with either an extra D47 I ordered or with ale yeast. choose whatever you think will work.
Ideas: Add cold-steep coffee to secondary, add acid blend to control acidity, particularly if adding it in the primary where yeast might be stressed by high acid content. Also add cold-steeped coffee in primary and coffee beans in secondary.
Step 0: SANITIZE! But that goes without saying.
Step 1: Steep about half a can or a bit more of coffee over night on the gallon of water. Do not boil anything. Just let it steep at room temperature. If you're going whole bean, slightly grind whatever amount you want (depending on how strong you want it) and steep just the same. Now you basically have cold brewed coffee (less bitterness). Remove left over coffee waste.
Cold brewing coffee: https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/basic-cold-brewed-coffee-30487
Step 2: Bring the coffee water thingui to a boil (without the actual coffee) and boil for about 5 minutes. This is for sanitation purposes.
Step 3: Remove kettle (pot) from heat and let it cool off a bit. Preferably to a room temp.
Step 4: Add and dissolve honey. Make sure you get you get your yeast started going more or less now.
Step 5: Cool down the must to about 70-80F (if it's still warmer than that) and pitch the yeast.
Step 6: Pour into container of choice, or siphon it, or whatever method you prefer, and shake the living hell out of it to airate it.
Step 7: Ferment. Then, when you rack for secondary, add some more coffee (not too much, specially if it's pre-ground. Whole beans are the preferred way to go in this step).
Step 8: Rack again in about 2-3 weeks so the mead doesn't get too much of the coffee bitterness.
Step etcetera: Now you just re-rack how much you feel like it until it clears out and is ready for bottling.
Cream Soda Mead
Prepare as normal traditional mead, just honey, water, and yeast (and whatever nutrients/energizers you like).
2 weeks later, rack into secondary on top of the extract (as in, pour the cream into the secondary and have the tube run the mead over it while racking, this will effectively mix it in)
3 weeks later, cold crash for 12 hrs and add the super-kleer per instructions with the proper dosage of the campden tablets and potassium sorbate with the second half of the super-kleer.
24hrs later, rack into a 5 gal keg.
Force carb and bottle in beer or champagne bottles (50 beer bottles worth were had)
The second time I made this I crashed and force carbed it a week earlier.
It turned out nummy both times.
Dragon's Blood Wine
A recipe from DangerDave
For mead, substitute honey for sugar
Step 2: Bring the coffee water thingui to a boil (without the actual coffee) and boil for about 5 minutes. This is for sanitation purposes.
Step 3: Remove kettle (pot) from heat and let it cool off a bit. Preferably to a room temp.
Step 4: Add and dissolve honey. Make sure you get you get your yeast started going more or less now.
Step 5: Cool down the must to about 70-80F (if it's still warmer than that) and pitch the yeast.
Step 6: Pour into container of choice, or siphon it, or whatever method you prefer, and shake the living hell out of it to airate it.
Step 7: Ferment. Then, when you rack for secondary, add some more coffee (not too much, specially if it's pre-ground. Whole beans are the preferred way to go in this step).
Step 8: Rack again in about 2-3 weeks so the mead doesn't get too much of the coffee bitterness.
Step etcetera: Now you just re-rack how much you feel like it until it clears out and is ready for bottling.
Cream Soda Mead
- 15 lbs of Crockett Mesquite Honey (from Tempe, they also sell some Cali stuff that isn't as good for meads, trust me.
- 4 gal of distilled water (Yes, distilled, it is what I use in all my meads.)
- Red Star Premier Cuvee, 1 pack
- 1 bottle Rainbow Flavors, Inc. Cream
- Super-Kleer KC
- Campden Tablets
- Potassium Sorbate
Prepare as normal traditional mead, just honey, water, and yeast (and whatever nutrients/energizers you like).
2 weeks later, rack into secondary on top of the extract (as in, pour the cream into the secondary and have the tube run the mead over it while racking, this will effectively mix it in)
3 weeks later, cold crash for 12 hrs and add the super-kleer per instructions with the proper dosage of the campden tablets and potassium sorbate with the second half of the super-kleer.
24hrs later, rack into a 5 gal keg.
Force carb and bottle in beer or champagne bottles (50 beer bottles worth were had)
The second time I made this I crashed and force carbed it a week earlier.
It turned out nummy both times.
Dragon's Blood Wine
A recipe from DangerDave
For mead, substitute honey for sugar
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle) More or less lemon juice can be added to your taste, (i.e., if you want to reduce the acid level use less lemon juice). The acid added here will help balance the final wine. Substitutes include any other kind of citrus juice (orange, lime, etc.), or use no citrus at all for a very soft, supple blush.
- 6 gal. water
- 20 cups of white granulated sugar (you will be looking for a SG of around 1.075 after filling to 6 gallons below. This will give you a finished alcohol by volume of about 10%-11%). Add more/less sugar for high/lower desired final ABV.
- 6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--available in most grocery store freezer sections), frozen then thawed
- 1 tsp. tannin
- 3 tsp. yeast nutrient
- 1 tsp. yeast energizer
- 3 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast
Process:
- Into a 7-gal. or large fermenter add the lemon juice and water to about 4 gal. Stir in sugar until completely dissolved.
- Add tannin, yeast nutrient, yeast energizer, and pectic enzyme, stirring thoroughly after each addition.
- Top water to six (6) gallons and stir well.
- Test SG with hydrometer (remember, you are looking for a SG around 1.075) Note: The natural sugars from the fruit (below) will slightly increase the final ABV, so be careful how high you drive up the SG at this point!
- Add the Triple Berry Blend in a fine mesh nylon bag (tied shut), placed in primary (add any extra juice from the fruit as well)
- Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme. You may also toss the fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and further racking. Dozens of variations on this recipe have been created by simply substituting different or combinations of different fruit.
- Cover primary: Do not snap down the lid or add an airlock. Cover the lid with a cloth or towel.
- Place brew belt (if desired): Keep temp in 68F-80F range. A higher temp will result in a faster fermentation, and a sharper tasting, more colorful wine. A lower temp will produce a paler blush with more fruity aroma and a smoother taste.
- Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours
To the primary fermenter, add:
- 1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (follow yeast manufacturer's directions):
- Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains also work well. Experiment!
- Stir Primary Vigorously!
Each day, do the following, in this order:
- Uncover primary
- Check and record temperature
- Check and record specific gravity
- Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter and remove fruit pack (The Presser Method):Temporarily place in sanitized bucket or bowl.
- Stir primary vigorously: To introduce oxygen into must, suspend the yeast, and drive off CO2..
- Replace fruit pack in primary
- Cover primary
When the SG drops to less than 1.000, do the following:
- Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove fruit pack: Discard fruit.
- Note: When the specific gravity (SG) has fallen below 1.000, and the fruit bag has been removed, discontinue stirring daily but check the SG and temp daily as before. Proceed from here only when the wine's SG has stabilized below 1.000. A stable SG means that the SG for three consecutive days reveals no change in the SG.
- Uncover primary
- Rack (siphon or drain) the wine into a cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy, leaving the grosslees (the stuff in the bottom of the primary) undisturbed.
- Add 1/4 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (dissolved in half cup cool water) and stir
- Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (dissolved in half cup cool water) and stir
- Degas wine very thoroughly: I cannot emphasize this enough! Gas in the wine will prevent it from clearing quickly.
- Add Sparkolloid* (or other clearing agent) per package directions (stir for 2 minutes): *1 tbs in one cup of water simmered (boiled) for about 5-10 minutes. Add hot mixture directly to carboy and stir.
- If the carboy is not full, add enough cool water to bring the level within two inches of the top opening: Adding a like wine rather than water is preferred. A cheap white zinfandel will work well.
- Add a bung and airlock (filled half way with sulfite solution)
- Allow to clear undisturbed for no less than 1 week
When wine is clear:
- Carefully rack off one gallon of wine into a cleaned and sanitized container, and set aside.
- Carefully rack the remainder of the wine off of the lees into a cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy.
- Add 2-6 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely dissolved): This is where your personal taste comes in. Different people like different levels of sweetness in their wine. My DB is made with of a cup of sugar per gallon. Remember! The sugars will blend with the lemon and berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not oversweeten!
- If carboy is not full, top up within two inches of top of carboy opening with some of the spare gallon of wine
- Replace bung and airlock
- Allow wine to sit quietly for another week.
- Filter if desired
- Bottle in clear bottles (because it's beautiful)
- Note: Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!
- Enjoy!
This wine is great right from the start! It will, however, improve over time in the bottle. The first few weeks brings a noticeable improvement as the flavors blend and meld, while months will make it smooth and delightful. Be warned, though, it will go quickly. So, get some more going, fast!
SO MANY VARIATIONS!
Any kind of fruit you can imagine may be substituted for the triple berries in the above recipe. Use the exact same procedure, just use different fruit in the bag. I personally have made blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and a delightful tropical blend using pineapple/mango/peach/strawberry. Other wine makers have had success with a quad-berry blend (blueberry/blackberry/raspberry/strawberry), a tropical blend using pineapple juice instead of lemon, and even cherry-lime (with lime juice). Fruit purees and fruit wine bases abound on the market. Try oak and/or raisins in the primary or secondary. The list of possibilities is endless. Use your imagination. Pick your favorite fruit, and make a Dragon Blood version of your own. Try raisins, spices, oak, or extracts. Give it a catchy name, and make this recipe yours!
Simmer herbs in 2/3 gallon of the sweetened water for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for another 15. Strain out the herbs, and allow the liquid to cool somewhat. Pour into a carboy, and pitch yeast when it’s cool enough.
When the mead is done fermenting, bottle and age. Mine was good even before bottling, but after a month the flavors really settled in. I’m looking forward to testing it after a year!
Fall Spice Metheglin
Makes one gallon of mead.
Ingredients
Put the spices and juice of the orange into a two-gallon plastic container. Boil the honey in water (1 part honey to 2 parts water) in a large non-reactive pot for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming off the foam. Pour the honey-water mixture over the spices and juice. Cool. Add the acid, the pectic enzyme and water to make a gallon. Add the campden tablet and let the mixture sit, well-covered, for 24 hours.
Make a yeast starter culture by combining the yeast and yeast nutrient with the tepid orange juice. Cover, shake vigorously and let stand until bubbly (1 to 3 hours), then add to the must. Allow the mixture to ferment. Rack after the most vigorous fermentation and siphon the wine into a one-gallon, airlocked fermenter. Rack into another airlocked fermenter in 3 months and again in 6 months. Rack again right before bottling, one year after fermentation started. Bottle and cork the finished metheglin. Store for 6 months.
Hillbilly Hard Apple Cider
(Makes 6 gallons)
Ingredients:
Process:
From a recipe from Unemployed Hillbilly Redneck on YouTube.
For smaller batches, use 1 lb of light brown sugar for a 3 gal batch; 1/3 lb for 1 gal.
Use 2 lbs of white granulated sugar per 3 gal.; 3/4 lb per 1 gal.
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch
After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead - Modified
Ingredients per Gallon;
3-1/2 lbs Any Pure Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar
Note: The 1/4 cup Sugar is optional
1/2 can (6 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
(or 2 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice - or more (up to 12 oz) Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3 Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon - Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14% Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
For Spiced Mead add the following in the Secondary;
1/2 stick of Cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1 whole Clove
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/2 teaspoon 100% Pure Vanilla Extract or 1/2 Vanilla Bean - split
Then add 1/4 cup of sugar in addition to the honey to help jump start the ferment and leave residual sweetness from the honey.
Primary Fermenting Time: 4 to 5 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 12 Months or more
Options; For stronger melon taste and aroma; add 1 lb to 2 lbs of additional melon per gallon of must in the secondary ferment.
Note: All melon juice goes bad literally overnight. It doesn't mater if it's watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, casaba, etc. There is something inherent about melon juice that causes this. The traditional way to deal with this is to use a fast startup fermenting yeast like Red Star Montrachet Yeast, use double the regular amount of yeast, do a yeast starter, and hope for the best. One whole packet is actually 4 times the regular amount.
There is another method I think is better, make your must must using all of the other ingredients, then let it ferment for about 7 to 10 days then add in the melon juice. After 7 days there will be enough alcohol content that it will preserve the melon juice. That takes care of the juice issue, but the mead will still have a washed out color and possibly not much taste. One thing you can do is buy some pre-made syrup like Torani Melon Syrup. Monin also makes syrups that are good for wine and mead including a Cantaloupe flavor. Adding a half cup or more into the must at the second ferment after racking can do a world of good for the color, taste, and aroma of your finished mead. You will still have to age the must at least a year. The Torani syrup has preservatives and may stop the ferment, so you have to add it after the ferment has finished.
Mixed Berry Mead
Based on Ken Schramm’s Mambo in your Mouth melomel.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
First, add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient once all the above ingredients are combined.
And then –
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient 24 hours after fermentation begins
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient 48 hours after fermentation begins
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient after 30% of the sugar has been depleted
I bought some large nylon mesh bags to put all the berries in when they are in the fermentor. I use a bucket for primary and I am hoping the mesh bag makes it easy to remove the seeds from the finished mead.
With the raspberry mead that I made, I had to rack it 5 or 6 times to clarify it. With the bag, maybe I will only have to rack it 2 or 3 times.
I use frozen fruit for my meads but if you can get your hands on some fresh fruit, go for it.
The mead will ferment for a few weeks but will condition for a good 2 months before it’s ready to drink. This mead will probably be very “hot” tasting right after the primary fermentation but it will mellow out over time. The more time you let it condition, the better off you will be.
Target original gravity should be 1.092.
Ingredients:
Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon Recommended – Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14% (Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%, Lalvin ICV-D47 14%, Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting Time: 4 to 6 Weeks
Options:
This is just the tip of the iceberg in sessionable mead making. Try adding exotic fruits or steeping specialty grains. Make a dry batch, and back sweeten it with different varietal honeys to get a feel for them. Whether it’s for experimentation or pure enjoyment to be repeated again and again, hydromels make an excellent tool in your arsenal.
Strawberry-Peppercorn Short Mead
This recipe was one of the first short meads I brewed. I served it at an outdoors art and music benefit bash in Brooklyn, where it was about 100°F outdoors. The strawberry peppercorn short mead was a huge hit, and the keg kicked in an hour, beating out a slew of beer and cocktails. The spiciness of the peppercorns is a wonderful complement to the sweetness and delicate floral nature of the strawberry. Carbonated lower-alcohol beverages are delightfully refreshing on a hot summer day, but the strawberry aroma will bring you back to warmer times on even the coldest of winter days.
Yield - 1 gallon
1. Place your yeast packet, stopper or lid, airlock, and scissors (to open the yeast packet) into a sanitizing solution. Clean and sanitize a glass jug or jar.
2. Pulverize the freeze-dried strawberries. A small food processor works best, but I’ve used a mortar and pestle, too. You can also transfer the berries to a zippered plastic bag, squeeze the air out, seal, and hand-crush or use a rolling pin on the berries. Crack the pepper slightly—a mortar and pestle works best for this. Place the crushed berries and peppercorns into a heatproof glass measuring pitcher.
3. Heat 2 cups of water to a boil. A teapot is perfect for this purpose. Pour the off-boil water over your berries and peppercorns, add yeast nutrient, stir, and steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, place your tea in an ice bath to cool to below 75°F.
4. Place the sanitized jug or jar on the scale. Zero the scale and add 1.25 pounds of honey.
5. Remove the jug from the scale, add filtered water leaving enough room for the tea, cap or cover the opening securely, and shake until the honey is combined. Take a look at the bottom of your jug; if honey is still clinging on, keep shaking.
6. Uncap the jug and add the cooled strawberry-peppercorn tea. Do not strain the tea.
7. Top off with water to bring up to 1 gallon, recap or cover, and shake gently to combine. You may take a gravity reading using your hydrometer or refractometer at this point if you like. Your OG will be in the 1.042 to 1.046 range.
8. Uncap, pitch the yeast, and place a stopper or grommeted lid and airlock on the jug.
9. Ferment between 66°F and 76°F for 5 to 14 days.
10. Taste after a week. If it’s at your desired sweetness, package using the directions on pages 26 to 31. If it’s too sweet, continue to taste every day or every other day until the mead is where you want. Higher fermentation temperatures will increase speed of fermentation. If you are taking gravity readings, I usually find 1.004 to 1.008 to be the ideal range. If you’re using fruit or other flavorings that float, I recommend cold-crashing your short mead overnight before bottling. The flavorings will fall to the bottom, and the short mead will be easier to bottle. If you don’t cold-crash, I recommend using a filter or strainer to bottle.
Variations
Blueberry-Nutmeg Short Mead - Use a 1- to 1.2-ounce package of freeze-dried blueberries and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg in place of the strawberries and peppercorns. Pulverize your blueberries and follow the directions above.
Spiced Cranberry Short Mead - Use a 1- to 1.2-ounce bag of freeze-dried cranberries and 1/2 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 star anise, and a strip of orange zest in place of the strawberries and peppercorns. You do not need to crush the spices; just use them whole. This is a wonderful beverage to serve in late fall and during the winter holidays. It is especially nice with Thanksgiving dinner and may be served warm as well, like a mulled wine.
Mango Chili Short Mead - Use a 1-ounce package of freeze-dried mango and 3 dried pequin chili peppers in place of the strawberries and peppercorns for a spicy, fruity mead. Crush the mango and chilies and use more or less chilies depending on your heat preference.
Peach Thyme Short Mead - Use a 1-ounce package of freeze-dried peaches and 1/8 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or a heaping 1⁄8 teaspoon dried thyme in place of the strawberries and peppercorns.
Original Gravity: 1.105
DIRECTIONS
Add chile extract to taste after fermentation and fining. Extract was made by immersing eight dried chiles d’Arbol in 4 ounces vodka for 24 hours.
Primary fermentation for 28 days at “ambient” temperature in glass.
Traditional Hydromel
Any kind of fruit you can imagine may be substituted for the triple berries in the above recipe. Use the exact same procedure, just use different fruit in the bag. I personally have made blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and a delightful tropical blend using pineapple/mango/peach/strawberry. Other wine makers have had success with a quad-berry blend (blueberry/blackberry/raspberry/strawberry), a tropical blend using pineapple juice instead of lemon, and even cherry-lime (with lime juice). Fruit purees and fruit wine bases abound on the market. Try oak and/or raisins in the primary or secondary. The list of possibilities is endless. Use your imagination. Pick your favorite fruit, and make a Dragon Blood version of your own. Try raisins, spices, oak, or extracts. Give it a catchy name, and make this recipe yours!
Elvish White Mead Recipe
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon water
- 3.5 lb. honey
- 1 egg white
- 3 Tbs. each lemon balm, hyssop
- 2 Tbs. clover flowers, linden, dried rosehips, marjoram
- 1 Tbs. thyme, whole hops
- 1 heaping cup dried elderflowers
- 1/2 cup chopped white raisins
- ale yeast
Simmer herbs in 2/3 gallon of the sweetened water for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for another 15. Strain out the herbs, and allow the liquid to cool somewhat. Pour into a carboy, and pitch yeast when it’s cool enough.
When the mead is done fermenting, bottle and age. Mine was good even before bottling, but after a month the flavors really settled in. I’m looking forward to testing it after a year!
Fall Spice Metheglin
Makes one gallon of mead.
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 g) ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 g) ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 g) ground allspice
- 1 large orange, juiced
- 2 lbs. (900 g) clover honey
- 1 tsp. (5 g) pectic enzyme
- 1 tsp. (5 g) acid blend
- 1 package Montrachet yeast (5 to 7 g)
- 1-1/2 cups (360 mL) orange juice
- 1 tsp. (5 g) yeast nutrient
- 1/4 tsp. (1 g) grape tannin
- 1 campden tablet
Put the spices and juice of the orange into a two-gallon plastic container. Boil the honey in water (1 part honey to 2 parts water) in a large non-reactive pot for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming off the foam. Pour the honey-water mixture over the spices and juice. Cool. Add the acid, the pectic enzyme and water to make a gallon. Add the campden tablet and let the mixture sit, well-covered, for 24 hours.
Make a yeast starter culture by combining the yeast and yeast nutrient with the tepid orange juice. Cover, shake vigorously and let stand until bubbly (1 to 3 hours), then add to the must. Allow the mixture to ferment. Rack after the most vigorous fermentation and siphon the wine into a one-gallon, airlocked fermenter. Rack into another airlocked fermenter in 3 months and again in 6 months. Rack again right before bottling, one year after fermentation started. Bottle and cork the finished metheglin. Store for 6 months.
Hillbilly Hard Apple Cider
(Makes 6 gallons)
Ingredients:
- 6 gal. apple cider
- 2 lbs light brown sugar
- 4 lbs. white granulated sugar
- 1 package Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast
- potassium metabisulfite or campden tablets
Process:
- Remove 1/2 c of cider from carboy
- Add the potassium metabisulfate
- Siphon 1 c of cider to add with the sugar
- Add the sugar mix back into the carboy and stir well
- Take a hydrometer reading and shoot for about a 25 Brix reading or 15% ABV. If under, add more white sugar
- Make a yeast starter and after 15 minutes pitch into the carboy
- Add an airlock with water
- Let sit for 2 weeks
- Rack to a secondary, keeping it as full as possible to keep air out
- Add an airlock, but with vodka this time
- Let age for 2-4 months
- Siphon into a bottling bucket
- Bottle
From a recipe from Unemployed Hillbilly Redneck on YouTube.
For smaller batches, use 1 lb of light brown sugar for a 3 gal batch; 1/3 lb for 1 gal.
Use 2 lbs of white granulated sugar per 3 gal.; 3/4 lb per 1 gal.
Joe's Ancient Orange
(1 gallon)- 3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
- 1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
- 1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
- optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
- 1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
- Balance water to one gallon
- Use a clean 1 gallon carboy
- Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy
- Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)
- Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)
- Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.
- When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)
- Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch
After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.
Joe's Ancient Orange Mead - Modified
Ingredients per Gallon;
3-1/2 lbs Any Pure Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar
Note: The 1/4 cup Sugar is optional
1/2 can (6 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
(or 2 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice - or more (up to 12 oz) Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3 Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon - Recommended - Lalvin ICV-D47 14% Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%
Or Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14%
Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
For Spiced Mead add the following in the Secondary;
1/2 stick of Cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1 whole Clove
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/2 teaspoon 100% Pure Vanilla Extract or 1/2 Vanilla Bean - split
Melon Melomel
Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Canary, Casaba, Watermelon, or any other Ingredients per Gallon;
4 lbs fresh sweet Melon flesh
1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
Enough spring water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 Honey, Sugar, and Yeast per Chart;
Honey
Yeast: 1 whole packet for 1 gallon Tol lbs cups Target OG ABV
Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Canary, Casaba, Watermelon, or any other Ingredients per Gallon;
4 lbs fresh sweet Melon flesh
1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
Enough spring water to make up 1 gallon
1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
1 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 Honey, Sugar, and Yeast per Chart;
Honey
Yeast: 1 whole packet for 1 gallon Tol lbs cups Target OG ABV
Red Star Montrachet |
15%
|
3 1/2
|
4 2/3
|
1.115 - 1.120
|
16.5%
|
Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122
|
14%
|
3
|
4
|
1.115 - 1.120
|
15.5%
|
Lalvin ICV-D47
|
14%
|
3
|
4
|
1.115 - 1.120
|
15.5%
|
Red Star Cotes des Blancs
|
14%
|
3
|
4
|
1.115 - 1.120
|
15.5%
|
Nottingham Ale
|
9%
|
2 3/4
|
3 2/3
|
1.107 - 1.111
|
14.5%
|
Safale S-04 English Ale
|
10%
|
2 1/2
|
3 1/3
|
1.080 - 1.084
|
11.5%
|
Muntons Premium Gold Ale
|
10%
|
2 1/2
|
3 1/3
|
1.080 - 1.084
|
11.5%
|
Muntons Standard Dry Ale
|
8%
|
2
|
2 2/3
|
1.066 - 1.070
|
9.5%
|
Then add 1/4 cup of sugar in addition to the honey to help jump start the ferment and leave residual sweetness from the honey.
Primary Fermenting Time: 4 to 5 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 12 Months or more
Options; For stronger melon taste and aroma; add 1 lb to 2 lbs of additional melon per gallon of must in the secondary ferment.
Note: All melon juice goes bad literally overnight. It doesn't mater if it's watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, casaba, etc. There is something inherent about melon juice that causes this. The traditional way to deal with this is to use a fast startup fermenting yeast like Red Star Montrachet Yeast, use double the regular amount of yeast, do a yeast starter, and hope for the best. One whole packet is actually 4 times the regular amount.
There is another method I think is better, make your must must using all of the other ingredients, then let it ferment for about 7 to 10 days then add in the melon juice. After 7 days there will be enough alcohol content that it will preserve the melon juice. That takes care of the juice issue, but the mead will still have a washed out color and possibly not much taste. One thing you can do is buy some pre-made syrup like Torani Melon Syrup. Monin also makes syrups that are good for wine and mead including a Cantaloupe flavor. Adding a half cup or more into the must at the second ferment after racking can do a world of good for the color, taste, and aroma of your finished mead. You will still have to age the must at least a year. The Torani syrup has preservatives and may stop the ferment, so you have to add it after the ferment has finished.
Mixed Berry Mead
Based on Ken Schramm’s Mambo in your Mouth melomel.
Ingredients:
- 9.5 pounds of orange blossom honey
- 2.5 gallons of water
- 2.4 pounds or 38 ounces of strawberries
- 2.8 pounds or 45 ounces of blackberries
- 1.2 pounds or 19 ounces of raspberries
- 1.6 pounds or 26 onces of blueberries
- 2 pounds of cherries
- 2 tsp pectic enzyme
- 2 packets of Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast
Instructions:
First, add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient once all the above ingredients are combined.
And then –
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient 24 hours after fermentation begins
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient 48 hours after fermentation begins
Add .25 teaspoon yeast energizer and .5 teaspoon of the yeast nutrient after 30% of the sugar has been depleted
I bought some large nylon mesh bags to put all the berries in when they are in the fermentor. I use a bucket for primary and I am hoping the mesh bag makes it easy to remove the seeds from the finished mead.
With the raspberry mead that I made, I had to rack it 5 or 6 times to clarify it. With the bag, maybe I will only have to rack it 2 or 3 times.
I use frozen fruit for my meads but if you can get your hands on some fresh fruit, go for it.
The mead will ferment for a few weeks but will condition for a good 2 months before it’s ready to drink. This mead will probably be very “hot” tasting right after the primary fermentation but it will mellow out over time. The more time you let it condition, the better off you will be.
Target original gravity should be 1.092.
Mulled Mead
Mulled mead or cider with a splash of brandy is a real festive treat, a warming alternative to mulled wine with cinnamon, ginger and citrus notes.Ingredients:
- 750ml mead (or cider)
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 250ml apple juice
- 1 strip of lemon peel
- 3 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
Method
Pour the mead (or cider) into a saucepan and add the brandy, apple juice, lemon peel, cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger. Gently warm through until simmering then remove the spices and lemon zest with tongs or strain through a sieve before serving.
Pour the mead (or cider) into a saucepan and add the brandy, apple juice, lemon peel, cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger. Gently warm through until simmering then remove the spices and lemon zest with tongs or strain through a sieve before serving.
Orange Blossom Session Mead (Hydromel)
Ingredients- 6 lbs orange blossom honey
- 4 gallons water
- Lalvin 71B-1122 Narbonne yeast
- yeast nutrient
Process
Blend honey and water. Add nutrients. Rehydrate yeast in Go-Ferm, then pitch. The 71B will take this to dry.
Rack to secondary. Add potassium sorbate (follow instructions on label). Sorbate will prevent re-fermentation.
After a day, add 3 lbs of the same honey to get the gravity up to ~1.024. Fine with Super Kleer, rack to keg and force carbonate.
Blend honey and water. Add nutrients. Rehydrate yeast in Go-Ferm, then pitch. The 71B will take this to dry.
Rack to secondary. Add potassium sorbate (follow instructions on label). Sorbate will prevent re-fermentation.
After a day, add 3 lbs of the same honey to get the gravity up to ~1.024. Fine with Super Kleer, rack to keg and force carbonate.
Orange Creamsicle Melomel
Ingredients- 3 lbs Honey + 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 cans (12 oz) frozen 100% Orange Juice Concentrate - No preservatives
- 2 Large fresh ripe Oranges - cut into 8 slices each - in secondary
- 1 tbsp 100% Pure Vanilla Extract
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/4 tsp Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 tsp Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
- Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120 (ABV: 15% to 15.5%)
- Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon (D47, 71B-1122, Red Star Cotes de Blanc, or Nottingham Ale Yeast)
Start your must with the honey, sugar, orange juice.
Fill to about 3/4 of a gallon with water, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient.
Then after 7 to 10 days, add the fruit, top off with water.
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting/Aging/Clearing Time: 4 to 6 Months
Peach Wine
- 5 lbs frozen or fresh Peaches (or 2 lbs of peaches and 96 oz 100% Peach Juice or Nectar - No preservatives)
- 1/4 can (3 oz) frozen 100% White Grape Juice Concentrate (or 1 oz Golden, White, or regular Raisins - chopped)
- 4-3/4 cups Sugar
- Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Juice of 1 Orange or 2 oz Orange Juice
- Enough Filtered, Spring, or Rain Water to make up 1 gallon
- 1/4 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Yeast Nutrient - staggered 1/4 tsp on days 1 and 3
Target Original Specific Gravity 1.115 to 1.120
(15% to 15.5% Potential Alcohol)
Yeast; 1/4 packet for 1 gallon Recommended – Red Star Cotes des Blancs 14% (Or Lalvin Narbonne 71B-1122 14%, Lalvin ICV-D47 14%, Or Nottingham Ale Yeast
Primary Fermenting Time: 3 to 4 Weeks
Secondary Fermenting Time: 4 to 6 Weeks
Options:
For stronger fruit taste and aroma, add 1-1/4 to 2- lbs of additional fruit per gallon of must in the secondary ferment.
Substitute half of the sugar for brown sugar.
Add 1 lb of peeled bananas to add body.
For Peach Raspberry; Add 2-1/2 lbs frozen or fresh Raspberries
For Peach Melba Wine; Add 2-1/2 lbs frozen or fresh Raspberries and 1 Vanilla Bean split or 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
For Peach Raspberry Rancher; add 10+ pieces of Original Jolly Rancher Blue Raspberry hard candies, boil a pint of water in a sauce pan and add the candies, stir until melted, then add to your must.
Substitute half of the sugar for brown sugar.
Add 1 lb of peeled bananas to add body.
For Peach Raspberry; Add 2-1/2 lbs frozen or fresh Raspberries
For Peach Melba Wine; Add 2-1/2 lbs frozen or fresh Raspberries and 1 Vanilla Bean split or 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
For Peach Raspberry Rancher; add 10+ pieces of Original Jolly Rancher Blue Raspberry hard candies, boil a pint of water in a sauce pan and add the candies, stir until melted, then add to your must.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mead
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves}
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger} (alt. 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg}
- 3 lbs. Clover Honey
- 1 oz. raisins
- Water to a gallon
- Premier Cuvee wine yeast
Strawberry Currant Hydromel
- 1 Gallon
- 1.25 pounds Orange Blossom Honey
- 20 ounces of Red Currant Jam
- Yeast : Red Star Pasteur Red
- Starting Gravity: 1.056
- Secondary: 1.5 Pounds Strawberry Puree
This is just the tip of the iceberg in sessionable mead making. Try adding exotic fruits or steeping specialty grains. Make a dry batch, and back sweeten it with different varietal honeys to get a feel for them. Whether it’s for experimentation or pure enjoyment to be repeated again and again, hydromels make an excellent tool in your arsenal.
Strawberry-Peppercorn Short Mead
This recipe was one of the first short meads I brewed. I served it at an outdoors art and music benefit bash in Brooklyn, where it was about 100°F outdoors. The strawberry peppercorn short mead was a huge hit, and the keg kicked in an hour, beating out a slew of beer and cocktails. The spiciness of the peppercorns is a wonderful complement to the sweetness and delicate floral nature of the strawberry. Carbonated lower-alcohol beverages are delightfully refreshing on a hot summer day, but the strawberry aroma will bring you back to warmer times on even the coldest of winter days.
Yield - 1 gallon
- - 1 package (1–1.2 ounce) freeze-dried strawberries
- - 1/2 tbsp. mixed peppercorns
- - 1.25 pound honey
- - 1 gal. spring water
- - 1/16 teaspoon yeast nutrient
- - 1/4 package dry champagne yeast
1. Place your yeast packet, stopper or lid, airlock, and scissors (to open the yeast packet) into a sanitizing solution. Clean and sanitize a glass jug or jar.
2. Pulverize the freeze-dried strawberries. A small food processor works best, but I’ve used a mortar and pestle, too. You can also transfer the berries to a zippered plastic bag, squeeze the air out, seal, and hand-crush or use a rolling pin on the berries. Crack the pepper slightly—a mortar and pestle works best for this. Place the crushed berries and peppercorns into a heatproof glass measuring pitcher.
3. Heat 2 cups of water to a boil. A teapot is perfect for this purpose. Pour the off-boil water over your berries and peppercorns, add yeast nutrient, stir, and steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, place your tea in an ice bath to cool to below 75°F.
4. Place the sanitized jug or jar on the scale. Zero the scale and add 1.25 pounds of honey.
5. Remove the jug from the scale, add filtered water leaving enough room for the tea, cap or cover the opening securely, and shake until the honey is combined. Take a look at the bottom of your jug; if honey is still clinging on, keep shaking.
6. Uncap the jug and add the cooled strawberry-peppercorn tea. Do not strain the tea.
7. Top off with water to bring up to 1 gallon, recap or cover, and shake gently to combine. You may take a gravity reading using your hydrometer or refractometer at this point if you like. Your OG will be in the 1.042 to 1.046 range.
8. Uncap, pitch the yeast, and place a stopper or grommeted lid and airlock on the jug.
9. Ferment between 66°F and 76°F for 5 to 14 days.
10. Taste after a week. If it’s at your desired sweetness, package using the directions on pages 26 to 31. If it’s too sweet, continue to taste every day or every other day until the mead is where you want. Higher fermentation temperatures will increase speed of fermentation. If you are taking gravity readings, I usually find 1.004 to 1.008 to be the ideal range. If you’re using fruit or other flavorings that float, I recommend cold-crashing your short mead overnight before bottling. The flavorings will fall to the bottom, and the short mead will be easier to bottle. If you don’t cold-crash, I recommend using a filter or strainer to bottle.
Variations
Blueberry-Nutmeg Short Mead - Use a 1- to 1.2-ounce package of freeze-dried blueberries and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg in place of the strawberries and peppercorns. Pulverize your blueberries and follow the directions above.
Spiced Cranberry Short Mead - Use a 1- to 1.2-ounce bag of freeze-dried cranberries and 1/2 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 star anise, and a strip of orange zest in place of the strawberries and peppercorns. You do not need to crush the spices; just use them whole. This is a wonderful beverage to serve in late fall and during the winter holidays. It is especially nice with Thanksgiving dinner and may be served warm as well, like a mulled wine.
Mango Chili Short Mead - Use a 1-ounce package of freeze-dried mango and 3 dried pequin chili peppers in place of the strawberries and peppercorns for a spicy, fruity mead. Crush the mango and chilies and use more or less chilies depending on your heat preference.
Peach Thyme Short Mead - Use a 1-ounce package of freeze-dried peaches and 1/8 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or a heaping 1⁄8 teaspoon dried thyme in place of the strawberries and peppercorns.
Super Berry Melomel
Makes: 5 gallons (19 L)
This recipe comes from 2005 AHA Mead Maker of the Year, Curt Stock. Curt discussed the process of making this mead in Northern Brewer’s Brewing TV Episode 21.
Ingredients:
- 21 lbs (9.5 kg) | Wildflower Honey
- 12 lbs (5.4 kg) | Triple Berry Mix (Blackberries/Raspberries/Blueberries)
- 6 lbs (2.7) | Strawberries
- 96 oz (2.72 kg) | Black Currant Juice (free of preservatives)
- 2.3 gal (8.7 L) | Water
- 3 tsp (1.5 oz) | Yeast Energizer/Nutrient Blend (Fermaid-K and DAP)
- 10 g (0.35 oz) | Lalvin Narbonne Yeast (71B-1122
Specifications:
- Original Gravity: 1.151
- Final Gravity: 1.030 – 1.040
- ABV: 15.8% (Estimated)
- IBU: n/a
- SRM: n/a
- Boil Time: n/a
- Efficiency: n/a
- Pre-boil Volume: n/a
- Pre-boil Gravity: n/a
Directions:
Submerse the honey containers in hot water to loosen the honey, which will make it easier to dissolve. Partially or totally thaw the fruit. Sanitize all equipment used for making your mead. Mash the bagged fruit with your hands. If you prefer, put all the fruit into the pail and mash with a potato masher or similar tool.
Use enough honey and water to get a total volume of 4.5 to 5 gallons (excluding fruit). Honey weighs approximately 12 pounds per gallon. Put all the fruit into your fermenting pail. You will want the temperature of the mead must to be 65 to 70 °F. If the fruit is still very cold you should heat the water enough to bring the temperature of the must into that range. Add the honey and water to the pail. Use a mixing spoon or wine degasser to mix the must and completely dissolve the honey. After the honey is dissolved, stir vigorously for a few minutes to aerate the must. The must does not need heat to pasteurize the honey or fruit.
Prepare your yeast by re-hydrating, following the instructions on the packets. The use of a re-hydration nutrient such as Go-Ferm is highly recommended. This will prepare the yeast for the strenuous journey ahead of them. Pitch the yeast, add the first SNA and mix well.
Fermentation should begin in about 12 to 24 hours. When signs of fermentation are noticed, start managing the fruit cap and begin the SNA schedule. With some luck, fermentation will be complete in two to four weeks. Once half of the sugar is depleted, continue to punch the cap at least twice a day but refrain from introducing oxygen into the must. Allow the mead to stay in primary for 4 weeks. At that point, transfer to the secondary carboy for clarifying. Taste the mead for sweetness level. If you desire more sweetness, now is the time to adjust it.
To sweeten mead, start with a cup of the mead and add honey to a level sweeter than you want.
Then blend the dryer mead with the sweetened sample to get three samples that vary by 10 gravity points ranging from too sweet to not sweet enough. Taste and blend the samples until you get the sweetness level you want. Get some help with this as your palate may get fatigued.
Take a gravity reading of the sample you chose. Determine the specific gravity difference between the mead and the sample. Now you can figure out how much honey you will need to sweeten the entire batch to the desired level. One pound of honey will raise one gallon of mead approximately 34 gravity points. If you have 5 gallons of mead, each pound of honey will raise the batch about 6 to 7 points.
Once you determine how much honey you need to add to the batch, use 1 cup of boiled water per pound of honey to dilute the honey. Pour the mixture into the carboy and mix until evenly dispersed. Take a sample and see if further adjustment is needed. Take caution to keep from over-sweetening the batch. It’s much harder to make it drier!
After a month or two if the mead is not clear, transfer again and use a two-stage clarifier such as Super-Kleer. You can also use relatively inexpensive plastic filters with filter pads, pumping the mead from one keg, through the filer to a second keg. You will be amazed by the amount of fruit debris and insect parts on the filter pads, but your mead should be sparkling clear. One word of caution when filtering, pectin will clog a filter very quickly. You can use pectic enzyme to help remove the pectin. Two stage clarifiers do not remove pectin. Once you are completely sure there is no fermentation and the mead is clear, you can bottle. For sparkling mead, I suggest kegging and force carbonating. Bottle-conditioning sweet mead can be difficult, as well as creating exploding bottles.
Staggered Nutrient Addition (SNA)
- Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix immediately after pitching yeast.
- Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 24 hours after fermentation begins.
- Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 48 hours after fermentation begins.
- Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix after 30% of the sugar has been depleted.
SNA serves many purposes for yeast health. Abundant CO2 is toxic to yeast, so mixing while adding the nutrients will release the gas. Vigorous mixing introduces oxygen needed by growing yeast. The mixing also disturbs the fruit cap (or floating fruit). Punching down the cap should be done at least three times a day during the period of vigorous fermentation.
Cap management is important for releasing toxic CO2 and preventing temperature buildup below the cap. For every 1 degree reduction of brix in the must, there is approximately a 2°F increase in temperature. Unmanaged, the temperature can increase to the point of killing your yeast in the heat zone below the cap, potentially driving off the floral fruity character of your fruit. This is less of a concern in the five gallon homebrew scenario but could still be a potential problem. If the cap is not pressed down into the must it can dry out. Then, if oxygen is introduced, spoilage organisms grow and produce off flavors.
Traditional Option
Making a melomel with nearly 20 pounds of fruit can get pricy! As a cheaper alternative, forgo the fruit and juice to create a traditional mead consisting purely of honey, water and yeast. Yeast nutrients and the SNA schedule should still be followed for optimum fermentation. Take into consideration that forgoing the fruit and juice will alter specifications listed above.
Sweetness of the Holy Fire (Capiscumel)
Ingredients (for 5 Gallons (19 L)- 18.0 lb (8.16 kg) clover honey
- 5.0 gallons (19 L) water
- 5.25 oz (0.155 L) fresh squeezed lime juice
- 2.5 oz (71 g) tartaric acid
- 2.0 oz (57 g) Beverage People yeast energizer
- 0.5 oz (14.8 g) pectic enzyme
- 3 cc Boyajian lime oil
- 2.0 tsp nutrient
- 220 mL chiles d’Arbol extract
- Sparkalloid to clarify (6 g)
- Beverage People Prise de Mousse wine yeast (10 g)
Original Gravity: 1.105
DIRECTIONS
Add chile extract to taste after fermentation and fining. Extract was made by immersing eight dried chiles d’Arbol in 4 ounces vodka for 24 hours.
Primary fermentation for 28 days at “ambient” temperature in glass.
Traditional Hydromel
Ingredients:
Watermelon Rancher
- 1-2 lbs. of honey
- 1 gal. spring water
- 1/2 tsp Bentonite
- 1 tsp. yeast nutrient (DAP)
- 1/2 tsp.yeast energizer
- 1 tsp. wine tannin
- acid blend (depending upon pH level, add 1/2 tsp at a time)
Watermelon Rancher
using Tropicana Watermelon juice or Arizona 100% Watermelon juice
Basically we made a huge 1-1/2 gallon yeast Starter:
2 cans frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
1 gallon Spring Water
6+ teaspoons Lemon Juice
20 oz Orange Juice
4 lbs Sugar
1/2 teaspoons Yeast Nutrient - Fermaid-O
1 packet EC-1118 yeast
Started 11/16 OG 1.140 (Yikes! that's high) - keep fingers crossed
After 1 week add:
8 (59 oz) bottles Tropicana Watermelon - warmed to room temp
12-1/2 cups Sugar
2 more teaspoons Yeast Nutrient
After 4 weeks and after racking add:
50+ Jolly Rancher Watermelon candies melted in a pint of water
Basically we made a huge 1-1/2 gallon yeast Starter:
2 cans frozen 100% White Grape Juice concentrate
1 gallon Spring Water
6+ teaspoons Lemon Juice
20 oz Orange Juice
4 lbs Sugar
1/2 teaspoons Yeast Nutrient - Fermaid-O
1 packet EC-1118 yeast
Started 11/16 OG 1.140 (Yikes! that's high) - keep fingers crossed
After 1 week add:
8 (59 oz) bottles Tropicana Watermelon - warmed to room temp
12-1/2 cups Sugar
2 more teaspoons Yeast Nutrient
After 4 weeks and after racking add:
50+ Jolly Rancher Watermelon candies melted in a pint of water
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