Mead - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jplinville · #1 02-07-2012, 03:49 AM

If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! - Pete Seeger

I've brewed my own beers, off and on, for the last 20 years with some rather good results...Two of my favorites have been Jalapeno Pepper beer and a Strawberry Wheat, that my wife is rather fond of.

She's now thinking that she'd like for me to try my hand at making Mead.

Does anyone here have experience with this? If so, which yeasts have you used and what kind of success did you have? Also, what precautions should I take?

Can't Know · #2 02-07-2012, 04:07 AM

I've never tried making it, but it is the most sickeningly-sweet alcoholic beverage I've ever tasted. It's sweeter than honey. I bought a small bottle when I was in Ireland and it lasted like three months.

jplinville · #3 02-07-2012, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Can't Know

I've never tried making it, but it is the most sickeningly-sweet alcoholic beverage I've ever tasted. It's sweeter than honey. I bought a small bottle when I was in Ireland and it lasted like three months.

We were given a bottle a few years ago that wasn't as sweet as others we've tried. Some are super sweet, while some are much more manageable...it depends on the recipe. I've found that those with more citrus peel are better.

Skippy · #4 02-07-2012, 04:47 AM

Once in a while in college I'd buy some at Green's in Atlanta. The only problem I found with it is that it has a lot more alcohol than beer, but goes down just as easy. Consequently, I found it easy to drink more than my limit without realizing it.

jplinville · #5 02-07-2012, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

Once in a while in college I'd buy some at Green's in Atlanta. The only problem I found with it is that it has a lot more alcohol than beer, but goes down just as easy. Consequently, I found it easy to drink more than my limit without realizing it.

Yeah...it can do that. LOL

I've read that some people will lower the amount by volume by adding fruit juices that enhance the flavors that the Mead was made with, about a day or two before serving.

We're planning a Ren Faire style party for some time in the spring, and she'd like to be able to show up with something special, other than the been we usually take to functions like this.

elchivito · #6 02-07-2012, 09:09 AM

There is a small batch brewery near me that produces a Prickly Pear Cactus fruit mead. It's quite dry as mead goes. An interesting novelty but I'm not sure what i'd pair it with or how I'd serve it. The woman who does the brewing told me at a tasting that she uses a champagne yeast to get the drier results.

cmbdiesel · #7 02-11-2012, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

There is a small batch brewery near me that produces a Prickly Pear Cactus fruit mead. It's quite dry as mead goes. An interesting novelty but I'm not sure what i'd pair it with or how I'd serve it. The woman who does the brewing told me at a tasting that she uses a champagne yeast to get the drier results.

If you want a nice dry mead I like to start with safale-05 or 04, then finish with a champagne yeast like Lalvin-EC1118. The beer yeast handles the high gravity better and the champagne yeast will attenuate out more completely.

For a sweeter mead Lalvin-K1V is pretty good.

You can also end up with a nice crisp mead using the Lalvin mead yeast and wildflower honey, as the honey itself is not as sweet.

TwitchKitty · #8 02-13-2012, 01:33 PM

We made beer and wine years ago. Probably will again but alcohol consumption and marketing is just pissing me off these days.

I really like the idea of mead but mead was not my favorite drink. We didn't keep trying and I am guessing that with persistence I could find a recipe that could be tweaked into something very enjoyable.

My big take away was that the sugar makes or breaks the quality of the wine. You can think you have it all right but if you use crap sugar you get crap wine. The best would be as little added sugar as possible but to boost alcohol you add sugar late in the fermentation.

Cleanliness is huge but you don't want cleaners in the wine. Must monitor pH, temps and specific gravity.

Based on an earlier thread: If your triglyceride levels read high, lay off the alcohol.

cmbdiesel · #9 02-13-2012, 01:44 PM

Star san for keeping the germs away. Stuff is awesome.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/image0031.jpg

toomany MBZ · #10 02-14-2012, 05:01 AM

I use stuff similar to this:
Cleaners and Sanitizers
have for years, no issues.

cmbdiesel · #11 02-14-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

I use stuff similar to this:
Cleaners and Sanitizers
have for years, no issues.

yep, Star-san there too. Great stuff. I first ran into it when working at a brewery (cellar Master) and the stuff was immediately incorporated into my homebrewing.