Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and spice Mead recipe

[rjb222]

I used D-47 And made two gallons things are stating to look clearer than when things were started I am patiently waiting to test the result. Over time I will learn the nuances of the different types of mead I will try some with some light liquid malt extract in it next also I am considering leaving a little residual CO2 with that batch.Thanks for the encouragement John.

[fatbloke]

I used D-47 And made two gallons things are stating to look clearer than when things were started I am patiently waiting to test the result. Over time I will learn the nuances of the different types of mead I will try some with some light liquid malt extract in it next also I am considering leaving a little residual CO2 with that batch.Thanks for the encouragement John.

Da nada.

Though I'd look up "braggot" recipes if you're thinking of using malt - lots of those seem to be made more like beer. So if you were thinking of a "normal-ish" mead, you might want to consider a sweet mead recipe - otherwise there's potential for it to have a bitter-ish taste, which wouldn't be what you'd look for in a mead, but you might in a braggot/honey beer.

regards

JtFB

[sb44]

JtFB, from your experience, what else have you used instead of orange with this mead and had a good result from?

As I said, I have a few spare dj's to fill and want to start some more meads off.

Ta.

Sharon

[rjb222]

Right I definetly research this more before proceeding then. I just remember reading some where about using liquid malt extract and brewing up a carbonated drink. I can not for the life of me remember the name of that recipe nor where I read it (signs of my ill spent youth I guess) anyway I will keep looking thanks again John.

[sb44]

Oops!

I forgot to take a SG rating when I started my mead.

What is the average strength of this please?

I was telling my neighbour about it and he is thinking of having a go at making some.

He remembers when his wife used to make wine and stuff years ago, says she made something called Cumberland Brandy which wasn't really a brandy but remembers it was deadly.

[rjb222]

This will depend on the specific honey used and the year All honeys are different in sugar content. I would take one now and start from there depending on how long you have had this on the go you could add a few points and come up with a fairly close guess.Also If you look into some of Johns posts (Fatbloke) he talks about the sg of quite a few of his meads this again should give you a close guess but at this point the guess is going to half to be good enough.

[fatbloke]

Right I definetly research this more before proceeding then. I just remember reading some where about using liquid malt extract and brewing up a carbonated drink. I can not for the life of me remember the name of that recipe nor where I read it (signs of my ill spent youth I guess) anyway I will keep looking thanks again John.

There's usually a carbonated malt drink in the local supermarket, I think it's called "SuperMalt" - it appears to be Danish in origin, it's not alcoholic but is (as usual) boasting about it's apparent vitamin content. Either way, I enjoy a can or two of it occassionally.

Oops!

I forgot to take a SG rating when I started my mead.

What is the average strength of this please?

I was telling my neighbour about it and he is thinking of having a go at making some.

He remembers when his wife used to make wine and stuff years ago, says she made something called Cumberland Brandy which wasn't really a brandy but remembers it was deadly.

You'll only get a basic guide gravity reading, because of the fruit content i.e. most of the reading will probably be from the honey - the fruit will, as I understand it, hold on to it's sugar for a while. Some of my posts do allude to gravity readings but that'll be mostly for "straight" mead i.e. you'd need to see how much honey I used to relate it to any SG/OG readings I've quoted (none for Joe's recipe as far as I remember).

Oh, and actually taste-wise, I've only tried orange, but at the moment, I'm just waiting for the fruit to drop in a gallon with orange, a gallon with lemon and a gallon with lime.

Actually fermenting, I've got 2 gallons with lemon and lime, but ones been made with bread yeast and the other with Lalvins 71B.

If you look at gotmead, there's a mega thread that tells you what others have tried/tasted/like etc it makes interesting (if exhaustive) reading.

This will depend on the specific honey used and the year All honeys are different in sugar content. I would take one now and start from there depending on how long you have had this on the go you could add a few points and come up with a fairly close guess.Also If you look into some of Johns posts (Fatbloke) he talks about the sg of quite a few of his meads this again should give you a close guess but at this point the guess is going to half to be good enough.

As Bob and others have mentioned, you still won't get the accurate reading you might be looking for, because of the fruit content i.e. the fruits integral sugar levels - which I'd also think, might vary wildly.


regards

JtFB

[sb44]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I think I will leave this one and remember to take a reading when I do the next batch.

I started it on the 29th April so it has been on the go for a month.

I have been to the gotmead site, will have to pay them a visit again as there is quite a lot to read.

[sb44]

Just been to check on it and one raisin and the clove have dropped!

The yeasties are still doing their chomping by the look of the air bubbles rising to the surface.

I think I shall buy a couple of small limes to try in the next one.

[happymondays]

Thanks to John's post about trying a JAO with Lemons and Limes individually I made a gallon of both together and tried it last night its been 10 weeks fruit is still floating but it definitely has a lime and lemon twang to it still a bit sharp drinkable though, but it might be better racked and left for a while longer if I can force myself.
Next one is going to be a Mandarin and Lychee,

Regards Scott......

p.s. I only used half a lemon and half a lime maybe more lime next time.

[sb44]

A couple of questions about this mead.

What is the average time before you rack off?

When you put in the tube to syphon off, assuming the fruit is still at the top, does it all start dropping to the bottom disturbing the lees?

Mine has been clear as a bell for more than a week and I started it 6 weeks ago. There are no more bubbles appearing in the airlock just a tiny amount rising from the lees.

I know it says to leave for two months and wait for the fruit to drop but Isee some of you don't do that.

[sb44]

I started it on the 29th April, here are a couple of pics that I took a few mins ago.

[rjb222]

So mine has hope. Mine is still bubbling away and cloudy I see from your pics the future good work.

[jcnoren]

I have never had my oranges fall on their own. The only way I got then to drop was after I degassed, which of course stirred up the sediment, which had to clear again. I once degassed and appearently left it a day too long and the oranges once again floated to the top...so I degassed again.

This time I have been trying to wait for the oranges to drop on their own. Well I started this batch Jan24/08 .....they are still up there...looking pretty much like SB44's. I too am still getting tiny bubbles arizing from the sediment.

Like SB44 I am debating what to do. 1)try syphoning it now, I am pretty sure that those oranges will drop some sediment. 2)degas wait until it clears then bottle, 3) Wait yet another month to see if the oranges will ever drop on their own.

Has anyone actually had the oranges drop on their own???????

JC

[Her Lushness]

I have never had my oranges fall on their own. The only way I got then to drop was after I degassed, which of course stirred up the sediment, which had to clear again.

Has anyone actually had the oranges drop on their own???????

JC

YES! I have, and the oranges have dropped in the orange one, but in the lemon and lime one the fruit is still at the top of the DJ. The oranges have also dropped before it's cleared! I started it on the 16th May.
I'm not sure what's going on, but everything looks okay apart from the dropped fruit
Here's a picture anyway