Any Mead brewers in the house?

[Teufel Hunden]

I've experimented a bit in the past, but this year I'm going full tilt. FexEx just brought an exciting package:




6 different honey types, each will make about a gallon of the good stuff:

Christmas Berry, Chestnut, Acacia, Palmetto, Gallberry, and Lime Blossom.

I've even got some of that raw, unfiltered honey (spreads like butter, actually) to try some of that out.

I'm going to try all of these with the same basic recipe to see what flavor variations come out of it. Then if it's worth a drink, I'll make a full 5 or 10 gallon batch, then move on to spices and berries, and aging in some oak casks.

It'll be a delicious, drunken year.

I'm also trying my hand at a stout beer. I've never bothered with beer before, but I've got a new 20 liter stock pot and several 5 gallon glass carboys, so I can have a lot of fun there.

LASTLY, I'm seeing about making a spiced rum as well. I figured with mead and chocolate stout being two of my favorite drinks, I'd add another favorite to the list as well. I've brought in some raw sugar cane to make my own caramel, and I'm trying a few varieties of molasses, from black strap to light and sweet.


Perhaps once everything has come together, I'll plan a kilt night for a solid tasting. Bring your own taxi cabs.

[MadMouser]

I've done a few batches here and there. Those look like some pretty tasty honeys. What're you going to be using as far as yeast goes?

Pat

[tulloch]

Man, I wish I were your neighbor. Looks like a good time. I have drunk mead and, lord knows, beer but never gotten around to making any.

[NewEnglander]

I've tried some meads, but have had little success. The best was a cyser (apple cider + honey) that came out as a nice apple wine. I've been focusing more on homebrewing beer lately and I made a nice roasty stout back in February. If you find a recipe that works well for a small sample batch of mead, please let me know. And if you would like any input on getting started with the beers I'd be happy to chat.
-E-

[The Thirsty Viking]

Some friends and I have a modest brewing company (read: 3 guys at somebody's house) and we do mead, and several types of beer. Mead takes a good long while, but worth the wait.

My General rule is 6lbs of honey per gallon of mead.

[Teufel Hunden]

I've done a few batches here and there. Those look like some pretty tasty honeys. What're you going to be using as far as yeast goes?

Pat

I'm still trying to narrow down a yeast I like. This first run I'm trying Lalvin D-47. Are there any you liked that I should pick up?

I just tasted all the honey and they're all pretty interesting. Acacia is still my all time favorite honey, but the Lime Blossom and the Gallberry are also very sweet with some interesting variations. The others are all a bit less sweet, with stronger flavor tones... I can't wait to see how they all brew up.

I've tried some meads, but have had little success. The best was a cyser (apple cider + honey) that came out as a nice apple wine. I've been focusing more on homebrewing beer lately and I made a nice roasty stout back in February. If you find a recipe that works well for a small sample batch of mead, please let me know. And if you would like any input on getting started with the beers I'd be happy to chat.
-E-

I'll let you know the results of this batch. It'll be a medium mead, good for a broader audience I think.

I'll shoot you a PM as my beer production gets closer. I'm wanting to make a good chocolate stout, and will probably need some insider tips and what not. Thanks for the offer.

[Burly Brute]

Delicious! Could we this recipe?

[lethearen]

The best mead I ever brewed was made with Acacia honey. Haven't tried any of the others in a brew, but not a fan of chestnut honey in general. I wish you the best of luck with it

[MadMouser]

I'm still trying to narrow down a yeast I like. This first run I'm trying Lalvin D-47. Are there any you liked that I should pick up?

I just tasted all the honey and they're all pretty interesting. Acacia is still my all time favorite honey, but the Lime Blossom and the Gallberry are also very sweet with some interesting variations. The others are all a bit less sweet, with stronger flavor tones... I can't wait to see how they all brew up.

I'll let you know the results of this batch. It'll be a medium mead, good for a broader audience I think.

I'll shoot you a PM as my beer production gets closer. I'm wanting to make a good chocolate stout, and will probably need some insider tips and what not. Thanks for the offer.

I use D-47 a lot, but have a recipe for a nice sweet dessert mead that I use Wyeast 4632 (Dry Mead) yeast with. It starts out over 1.100 and finishes at like 1.020. 18 pounds of honey, a few tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice, a couple vanilla beans, and the yeast.

PM away, any time.

My son and I just pitched the yeast for a barleywine about two hours ago.

Pat

[NewEnglander]

18 lbs! Wow. How large is the batch?