Which honey?

[suefreck]

I'm just experimenting with the fruit mead recipe for the National next year, which we also craftily put in our club programme. I've got three lots going - one with borage honey and grape juice concentrate, and two identical with Asda fruit juices except that one is local borage honey and the other dorset honey. The latter is much darker but I liked its taste better. We can discuss them at the club later in the year along with other members samples and then I'll put the best in the National.

[lockwood1956]

I got really good comments regarding my Ancient orange mead at the national, regarding bouquet and taste, it just wasn't properly degassed (described by the judge as "still working") but there were two lots taken from it (judging by the rest of the class, so I think it may have been in the final reckoning). I will enter some next year and be sure to degass it thoroughly this time.

[suefreck]

[QUOTE=suefreck;12702]I'm just experimenting with the fruit mead recipe for the National next year,

(Now I've managed to overcome problems with the help of my computer whizz kid I can get back on again)

Well what have I done wrong? I've followed the recipe to the letter and left them to ferment while away at the W&W (great show!) The first has stopped fermenting, cleared brilliantly and tastes bone dry BUT is recording 1020+. The other two are just sitting there looking miserable at about 1030. I reckon the alcohol is way above the 11% the recipe suggests. Am trying to get them going again with restart yeast and nutrient. the recipe didn't include any but my books say honey needs extra. Any ideas?

[lockwood1956]

Other than making a yeast starter and adding a cup of must, and when it gets going well doubling the ammount of must added each time, i don't know what else you could do.

I have taken to adding extra nutrients to everything I make. Along with a healthier than recomended dose of pectolase, dont think it hurts


do they taste OK at this level of sweetness Sue?

[suefreck]

do they taste OK at this level of sweetness Sue?

Depends if you like sweet mead I suppose! The recipe says it should ferment out to 1005 - 1010 so I've some way to go if I want them for the National.

[StockeyDAW]

Other than making a yeast starter and adding a cup of must, and when it gets going well doubling the amount of must added each time, i don't know what else you could do.

I have taken to adding extra nutrients to everything I make. Along with a healthier than recommended dose of pectolase, dont think it hurts


do they taste OK at this level of sweetness Sue?

Depends if you like sweet mead I suppose! The recipe says it should ferment out to 1005 - 1010 so I've some way to go if I want them for the National.

I have mad some wonderful Mead in September (Strawberry Melomel) - posted previously under DAw'S Strawberry Melomel. I 100 % agree that nutrients and energizer are highly necessary in larger concentrations. I also believe in using a Yeas specially made for for that purpose - I used Wyeast Sweet Mead Liquid Yeast in the 125 ml activator pouch - have to break activator inside the pouch and mix the contents together - THIS YEAST WORKED GREAT for me. The other main thing that I use when making Mead is Tartaric Acid -- no acid blend for this recipe. The Mead that I have made4 for the 206 season was bottled in the beginning of February. It is delicious - the ladies in the family love it - I am planning blackberry for this fall season. Cheers - hope it works out for you. DAW