Apr 17th, 2010 Posted in Main, Mead Recipes | 1 Comment »
There’s a recipe floating around the internet on making a Pumpkin Mead by pouring a straight mead into a pumpkin and then sealing it up while it ferments. I will include it here as an example of WHAT NOT TO DO. seriously, making a mead requires fermentation. A by product of fermentation is CO2. If you were to seal a pumpkin while the mead fermented inside, it would build pressure to the point that it exploded. The end result would be a huge mess all over the floor, walls and ceiling. If you wanted to make a pumpkin mead, follow the steps needed to make a Straight mead (I use clover honey for this) but add pumpkin chunks to the primary. The when you rack to the secondary add your spices. In this case the spices added will be nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and clove. I put them in a small hops bag and drop that into the secondary and rack the pumpkin mead over it. allow it to finish fermenting. then rack again to help the mead drop clear. Once clear bottle and let it age. Of course you can always let it bulk age in a glass carboy for a few months then bottle and enjoy.
Now for the recipe of what not to do. Seriously. DO NOT MAKE MEAD THIS WAY!!!
HONEY PUMPKIN MEAD
This authentic country recipe and methodology will set some folks to howling, but others of you will have great fun with it. This mead is the color of a ripe peach and smells like autumn leaves – perfect for a Harvest party, Hallowe’en celebration, or Thanksgiving.
1 sound, hard-rind pumpkin
(approx. 2 quart capacity)
Paraffin wax
1¾ quarts of water
4 pounds honey
2 oranges and 2 lemons
1 pkt. wine yeast
1 tea bag (black tea)
Prepare yeast starter.
Sterilize honey and water by boiling for ten minutes, skimming the froth as it rises.
Remove from heat; stir in sliced citrus fruits, including skins.
Cool to room temperature; add yeast.
Allow to sit over night.
Prepare pumpkin by cutting off the top with a sharp knife. The top must “mate” with the bottom, so cut carefully. Clean out the seeds, strings, and membranes of the pumpkin. Rinse out with water.
Pour the must into the pumpkin, leaving an inch of air space between the liquid and the rim of the opening. Replace the top.
Prepare the paraffin/water bath: Fill a plastic bucket with hot water, melt the paraffin wax and float it on the water.
Dip the pumpkin, bottom first, into the warm paraffin until it is coated up to its lid. Once the paraffin begins to harden on the pumpkin skin, seal the lid by carefully pouring paraffin over the top, making sure to coat the seam.
Set the pumpkin in the middle of a shallow dishpan full of water to keep any thirsty pickle worms at bay and place it in a dark, quiet spot.
Allow to sit for two months, then siphon off and bottle
Apr 16th, 2010 Posted in Brew Sessions, Mead Recipes | 2 Comments »
A straight or traditional mead is one that is made from honey, water and yeast. In this recipe I do add a little nutrient to make sure the yeast get off to a good start and a cup of strong tea to add a little astringency. Other than that, it’s a straight mead. You can use any type of honey, I chose Wildflower for this one. I have made a straight Tupelo Mead in the past, and plan on a Orange Blossom mead this summer. A good rule of thumb for deciding if a honey is good enough for a straight mead is this. If it tastes great by itself, it’ll make a great mead. Keep in mind that a traditional mead will take longer to ferment. I have had a Tupelo Mead take 6 months to finish. It turned out to be one of my favorites. Enough rambling.. onto the recipe
Straight Mead:
Ingredients:
* 15# Wildflower Honey, raw
* 1tbsp nutrient
* 1/2 cup strong tea
* 3.5 gallons spring water
* White Labs Sweet Mead yeast
Procedure:
Bring 1.5 gallons of water to 180 degrees. Add honey and skim any scum that floats. add nutrient. Hold at 180 for 30-45 mins. add tea 5-10 mins before removing from heat. pour into primary and add 2 gallons of ICE COLD water. let cool to 75-80 degrees. aerate and pitch yeast. Rack to secondary when fermentation slows. Once fermentation has STOPPED (verify using s hydrometer) bottle and age for at least 3 months, enjoy.
Apr 16th, 2010 Posted in Brew Sessions, Mead Recipes | 1 Comment »
I like using fruits in my meads, they add another layer of flavor, and provide nutrients to the yeast which can make for a very fast and furious fermentation.
I used White Labs yeast for this batch. They make an excellent yeast in both sweet and dry. If you can find it or have it ordered for you, do it. No starter to make and it works great. Since my wife doesn’t like a dry mead I choose the sweet version. This batch fermented in 3.5 weeks. I thought the yeast went bad on me at first but the hydrometer doesn’t lie. it had a very tart taste at first but this aged out in about 3 months. I can’t wait to try it at a year, if it lasts that long. Enjoy
Specifics
Recipe type: Extract
Batch Size: 5 gallons
Starting Gravity: 1125
Finishing Gravity: 1011
Time in Boil: 0
Primary Fermentation: 1 week
Secondary Fermentation: 2.5 weeks
Ingredients:
* 18# Wildflower Honey, raw
* 7 # Fresh Cherries, pitted
* 1tbsp nutrient
* 1tbsp Irish Moss
* 1/2 cup strong tea
* pectic enzyme (per instruction on package)
* 3.5 gallons spring water
* White Labs Sweet Mead yeast
Procedure:
Bring 1.5 gallons of water to 180 degrees. Add honey and skim any scum that floats. add cherries and nutrient. Hold at 180 for 30-45 mins. add tea and Irish Moss 5-10 mins before removing from heat. pour into primary and add 2 gallons of ICE COLD water. let cool to 75-80 degrees. add pectic enzyme. aerate and pitch yeast. Rack to secondary in 1 week. was finished fermenting in 3.5 weeks total time. bottle and age for at least 3 months, enjoy.
