My next batch is gonna be made with............

[fatbloke]

this! (see below).

I couldn't get "Scottish" heather locally, so "English" will have to do, but it will be my first attempt at a batch of mead made with "varietal" honey.

regards

JtFB

[happymondays]

Sounds good John and I bet it will be just as good as our neighbours, whats it taste like?
Regards Scott....

[fatbloke]

Sounds good John and I bet it will be just as good as our neighbours, whats it taste like?
Regards Scott....

Dunno to be honest Scott. Paynes is like a little shack at the edge of someones garden. They mainly do bee keeping stuff, but also supply a range of honeys.

I just couldn't make my mind up, and happened to recall the thread where DAW was saying about the hassle he's had getting Scottish heather honey so I just figured that the English version shouldn't be much different (probably completely different knowing my luck).

I reckon I could do a gallon of a different one each month, as they do seem to have plenty of different ones to choose from - well enough to keep me happy for a good while.

Plus, only getting enough for a gallon at a time, it gives me a chance to have a go at making it by starting at 1090 and then adding more honey incrementally as the ferment proceeds. I got 5 lb of it in this instance, but the bloke said about letting them know in advance and I could get it in 7 lb buckets - then I'd have some to eat as well

regards

JtFB

[Rich]

My next batch is gonna be made with............

My first thought was 'love and care...'



English heather is just as good though!

Rich.

[fatbloke]

-----%<-----

English heather is just as good though!

Rich.

Yeah, if I don't manage to "F" it up completely

regards
JtFB

[happymondays]

Dunno to be honest Scott. Paynes is like a little shack at the edge of someones garden. They mainly do bee keeping stuff, but also supply a range of honeys.

I reckon I could do a gallon of a different one each month, as they do seem to have plenty of different ones to choose from - well enough to keep me happy for a good while.

but the bloke said about letting them know in advance and I could get it in 7 lb buckets - then I'd have some to eat as well

regards

JtFB

Sounds good I suppose you cant get any better than buying honey from someone that actually harvest it, looks like your on a winner there and you certainly have the storage to do all the varieties they have,
I had a taste of the Heather honey were I get my honey from and it tasted very strong and a price to match too, but bet its still worth a go just to see how it turns out, good luck be nice to know how it goes.
I know its off topic but found 500g packs of frozen Blueberries in a Booths in the lakes today only £2 which I thought wasn't too bad seeing you pay that for a little tub of them.

Regards Scott.....

[fatbloke]

Sounds good I suppose you cant get any better than buying honey from someone that actually harvest it, looks like your on a winner there and you certainly have the storage to do all the varieties they have,
I had a taste of the Heather honey were I get my honey from and it tasted very strong and a price to match too, but bet its still worth a go just to see how it turns out, good luck be nice to know how it goes.

Well the original amateur winemaker "Making Mead" book does say that they don't recommend heather honey because it tends to be quite strong flavoured and needs a hell of lot of ageing for it to become good mead - I'm not worried about getting it made and then having to chuck it under the stairs for a couple of years though.

I've yet to find out if Buckwheat honey has the same characteristics - it's also said to be very strong flavoured/vv dark coloured. Though I recall reading somewhere that it makes excellent mead. If I can get 4 or 5 lb of it I'll find out

I know its off topic but found 500g packs of frozen Blueberries in a Booths in the lakes today only £2 which I thought wasn't too bad seeing you pay that for a little tub of them.

Regards Scott.....

Damn! No Booths that I know of, within at least 50 miles of here, probably further. Cos that'd be an excellent price to have a go. How much do you need ? Something between 3 and 5 lb per gallon rings a bell, so between £6 and a tenner isn't bad.

Ah well. TVM for the tip anyway. Keep 'em comin'

regards

JtFB

[happymondays]

Yep I used 4 bags so see how it turns out, forgot to say the Heather honey I tasted said it was "Set" even though it was a slightly runny consistency but had the odd bits in it,
cheers Scott......

[fatbloke]

Yep I used 4 bags so see how it turns out, forgot to say the Heather honey I tasted said it was "Set" even though it was a slightly runny consistency but had the odd bits in it,
cheers Scott......

Excellent I look forward to hearing how it's turned out Scott.

Now, the bits in honey thing - as I understand it (and this is mostly via my Dad - who does keep bees).

The main difference between set and runny is to do with how it's been processed - I think it's connected with aeration for the set one - the runny is obvious.

The bits, well bits in honey that's either been on the supermarket shelf too long or in the cupboard are natural sugar crystals - some honeys will crystalise a lot quicker than others. One of the worst offenders for this it honey that the bees have produced from Oil Seed Rape. That does, apparently start dropping crystals quite quickly.

If the bits are because the honey is unprocessed/filtered, then some if it may be "bee detritus", and then it might be prudent to warm/heat it and skim the scum/bits - whether it's possible to so this at a pasturisation temperature, or whether it's got to be hotter, I don't know.

I'm a believer in the "no heat" (other than to warm it enough to get it out the jar easily) method. So it's quite convenient to get my honey from a "proper" supplier, though I would like to get some raw to try eventually.

Oh and as for the crystals, if you find them in any honey it's not a problem, as soon as you warm it to get it out the jar, they just melt back into solution - and yes, my jars of heather honey have some crystals in them as well.

regards

JtFB

[fatbloke]

Erm, I lied - well only a bit

What with all the wine/mead related meddling/researching I've been at over the week, I thought I'd pop round to the local "Scummerfield" for enough cheapo honey for a gallon of the "Joe Mattioli Ancient Orange" recipe.

But when I got there, they had own brand honey at 2lb for £2.50 so I got enough for 2 gallons - along with 2 lemons.

So I'm gonna make a gallon with orange and a gallon with lemon this evening.

I'm gonna follow the recipe and use bread yeast, as we've got a tin of Allinsons that's in date.

Excellent

regards

JtFB

[compleat meadmaker]

Envy

For as much as all you Brits commiserate about the cost of your honey, we Yanks would kill for a chance to make a heather honey mead without re-mortgaging our homes. Twice.

I wouldn't care a wit about the bee bits, as I'm quite sure two rackings will leave them all behind in the lees.

Ken

[happymondays]

Now, the bits in honey thing - as I understand it (and this is mostly via my Dad - who does keep bees).

The main difference between set and runny is to do with how it's been processed - I think it's connected with aeration for the set one - the runny is obvious.


If the bits are because the honey is unprocessed/filtered, then some if it may be "bee detritus", and then it might be prudent to warm/heat it and skim the scum/bits - whether it's possible to so this at a pasturisation temperature, or whether it's got to be hotter, I don't know.

Cheers John the bits seemed to be and I am guessing as I have polished the jar off now maybe more like pollen at a guess.

What with all the wine/mead related meddling/researching I've been at over the week, I thought I'd pop round to the local "Scummerfield" for enough cheapo honey for a gallon of the "Joe Mattioli Ancient Orange" recipe.

But when I got there, they had own brand honey at 2lb for £2.50 so I got enough for 2 gallons - along with 2 lemons.

So I'm gonna make a gallon with orange and a gallon with lemon this evening.

I'm gonna follow the recipe and use bread yeast, as we've got a tin of Allinsons that's in date.

Excellent

regards

JtFB

Now that sounds good especially the lime one, I liked the taste of the first batch of JAO and its still going I started another but let me know how the lime one tastes "early" might just try this one,

Regards Scott.....

[fatbloke]

-----%<-----
Now that sounds good especially the lime one, I liked the taste of the first batch of JAO and its still going I started another but let me know how the lime one tastes "early" might just try this one,

Regards Scott.....

Well I went back in there tonight for milk and too see if they had more of the cheap honey.

Swines have withdrawn the offer so I had to get 3 jars at £1.75 a go, plus a couple of limes ready to make that batch to match the other two that're already bubbling away like good'uns.

Of course I'll let you know how it turns out - as I'm using bread yeast this time, I'm hoping that it'll be drinkable reasonably quickly.

regards

JtFB

[fatbloke]

For as much as all you Brits commiserate about the cost of your honey, we Yanks would kill for a chance to make a heather honey mead without re-mortgaging our homes. Twice.
-----%<-----
Ken

Well even by UK standards it wasn't cheap Ken i.e. about £4.25 or £4.50 a pound (roughly 8.50 $US).

The only ones the shop has that are more expensive are the NZ Manuka honeys, the ones with a high "manuka" value i.e. 20+ etc.

Ha! Just had a quick look, the shop does a 3.17 kg bucket of Manuka 20+ and it's a bargain at £210.00 - what's that? Not far short of 450 $US for about 7 lb's.

Now that's what I call expensive

regards

JtFB

[compleat meadmaker]

Even at $8.50 US/lb, that comes out to less than $10 a 75 cl bottle in honey cost, and you can't touch a decent Bordeaux for $10 a bottle here nowadays.

It's a bit stiff, but I'd spring for it if I had the option. Now the Manuka, on the other hand? I'm gonna have to pass on that.

KDS