Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and spice Mead recipe

[Richard S]

Blimey, I bet you are the only brit on here posting at the moment, I would think most are watching the Man U v Chelsea match.

I'm not watching the game cos:

1. I'm not interested

2. I'm at work

[Zebedee]

Lol even on a wine forum,I cant get away from football.
I could never see the point of it myself.
Still,I mustn't grumble..The mentally disabled have to watch something.

[Richard S]

Well, the melomel is fermenting away, it smells fabulous!

[sb44]

Blimey! Just did a taste test

I started my mead on the 29th April.

It is as clear as a bell but there are still quite a few bubbles coming up to the surface.

Anyway, I was a bit impatient and decided to do a taste test (I haven't tried it yet so wasn't sure what to expect).

So, I sterilized my turkey baster and pushed it through the fruit which is still floating on the surface.

OMG!

It tastes just like a liquer.

I know it has some time to go yet but after reading other comments on this and other sites I was expecting it to be a bit bitter and have an overpowering taste of orange.

Wrong.

It was really smooth, warm and although you could taste the orange and clove they weren't overpowering.

I am going to buy some more honey and start a new batch tomorrow.

It isn't clear anymore because I prodded the fruit some of the sediment that was on the fruit has dropped to the bottom of the dj.

Also, I have bubbles in the airlock at about 1 per 12 seconds so I assume it is still fermenting.

I assume this is only going to improve over the next month or so so I can't wait.

To be honest I may be making more mead than wine if this is anything to go by.

I used the Tesco value honey which was only 61p a jar as I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.

I am pleasantly surprised if not amazed as to how nice this tastes.

If anyone has any doubts about making a batch of this I would def give it a try.

Cheers!

[rjb222]

I started my mead on the 29th April.


OMG!

It tastes just like a liquer.

I know it has some time to go yet but after reading other comments on this and other sites I was expecting it to be a bit bitter and have an overpowering taste of orange.

Wrong.

It was really smooth, warm and although you could taste the orange and clove they weren't overpowering.

I am pleasantly surprised if not amazed as to how nice this tastes.



Cheers!

Now I have to impatiently wait for mine I am definetly looking forward to a try. Good for you. Go girl.

[sb44]

Now I have to impatiently wait for mine I am definetly looking forward to a try. Good for you. Go girl.

I don't know where you are keeping yours but I put mine in the spare bedroom. It's not used as a bedroom though, it's a proverbial junk room so I seldom go in there which is good as I could just forget about it (that's the mead and the junk!).



Well, I have 12 empty demijohns at the minute, two number ones are going to be started tomorrow so I may make another one like this tomorrow and also one with lime wedges instead of orange.

Good luck with yours although if I can do this as a complete novice I am sure you won't have any problems.



Sharon

[rjb222]

Good luck with yours although if I can do this as a complete novice I am sure you won't have any problems.



Sharon[/QUOTE]
Mead is a new thing for me I have found so many things of interest since widening my brewing from strictly beer. It is like waking up and having a new interest every day. I have a brew room that SWRH. allows me to use. It is a small bed room that is no longer used. The temp is easy to maintain and I never open the curtains so light is limited.Once SWRH and the dog give me permission I will build a bench that will have different levels for racking etc. Right now SWRH thinks the bench will be an eye sore but no one is allowed in the room so I don't see the issue I think the dogs permission is the hold up.

[sb44]

Get one of those pine shelving units that you use in sheds, some net curtain wire and eyelets etc and attach them to the front and sides of the shelves and get your other half to buy some netting, voile material to put around your shelves.

That will hide your dj's and shelves etc.

[rjb222]

Get one of those pine shelving units that you use in sheds, some net curtain wire and eyelets etc and attach them to the front and sides of the shelves and get your other half to buy some netting, voile material to put around your shelves.

That will hide your dj's and shelves etc.

No thanks Sharon wood working is one of my hobbies I build nice furniture as a matter of fact I built most of the book cases and tables in use around the house.I am sure it's the dog that is the hold out.

[sb44]

No thanks Sharon wood working is one of my hobbies I build nice furniture as a matter of fact I built most of the book cases and tables in use around the house.I am sure it's the dog that is the hold out.

I wish my husband could do something like that, he admits to not being practical, I would be more likely to make somthing than he would!

[sb44]

No thanks Sharon wood working is one of my hobbies I build nice furniture as a matter of fact I built most of the book cases and tables in use around the house.I am sure it's the dog that is the hold out.

I wish my husband could do something like that, he admits to not being practical, I would be more likely to make something than he would!



If you get cracking now with your mead you will have some wonderful bottles at Christmas if you can wait that long.

[rjb222]

I wish my husband could do something like that, he admits to not being practical, I would be more likely to make something than he would!



If you get cracking now with your mead you will have some wonderful bottles at Christmas if you can wait that long.

My mead has been on the go for over a week now still bubbling away. I can hardly wait for it to be ready. I have never tasted mead before and I do look forward to doing so.

[Her Lushness]

I am sure it's the dog that is the hold out.

I'm sure your dog must be open to bribes - I know my two are...
Have you thought about offering a long walk in some woods, a nice new toy, a visit to a favourite friend, or a nice drive in the car, or a favourite meal... (or maybe a combination of the above)? Maybe then you will get the permission you need, and lets face it, your other half won't stand a chance if the dog says it's okay to do something...

(and lets face it, dogs and women rule most roosts...)
(Her Lushness ducks in anticipation of flying objects from the male members on this board)

[rjb222]

I'm sure your dog must be open to bribes - I know my two are...
Have you thought about offering a long walk in some woods, a nice new toy, a visit to a favourite friend, or a nice drive in the car, or a favourite meal... (or maybe a combination of the above)? Maybe then you will get the permission you need, and lets face it, your other half won't stand a chance if the dog says it's okay to do something...

(and lets face it, dogs and women rule most roosts...)
(Her Lushness ducks in anticipation of flying objects from the male members on this board)

ROFLAO We all have our pecking order and place in life mine goes kind of like this Wife #1 Dog #2 Any one who is in need of help #3 myself#4 But that dog another female by the way she is stubborn and not an easy bribe maybe some jewelry.mmmm I wonder lol

[fatbloke]

My mead has been on the go for over a week now still bubbling away. I can hardly wait for it to be ready. I have never tasted mead before and I do look forward to doing so.

You should remember that this isn't strictly mead, it's either melomel - because of the fruit content, or metheglin - because of the spices.

Not that the naming convention really counts much - it's laughingly easy, compared to the quality of the result.

So if Joes recipe if followed "to a T", then the result is brilliant.

You can either vary the fruit or the yeast i.e. try it with wine yeast instead of bread yeast - the fruit/honey content is fine for general purpose yeast or something like D47 or 71B etc, if you tried EC-1118 or similar, you might find that it gets the curse of mead i.e. it is dry but also (to quote Ken Schramms book) tastes like Listerine.

The medicinal taste isn't a problem though, just that it would definitely need ageing to remove it.

Though that's why I mentioned something like D47 and 71B, because either one should still produce a drink that is sweet enough to be enjoyable. Pretty much straight away.

So if you made enough (with wine yeast), given about 14 or so % ABV, it'd be enough to give "half the street" a hangover

For info, basic meads aren't really much more difficult and IMO are worth the effort and try!

regards

JtFB

p.s. That reminds me, I've got to see how my batches are getting on.