Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and spice Mead recipe

[fatbloke]

I also wrap some news paper round my DJ's to exclude light so it doesn't get bleached/faded (what with the technique being "now leave it alone").

I can then check it by just lifting the paper shroud up to see what's going on (and no the fruit still hasn't dropped in my lemon/lime batches ), but both are very clear

regards

JtFB

[BennyBoy]

I need to cover mine - but first i have to prize it out of Abi's grasp shown on the last page lol

[fatbloke]

I need to cover mine - but first i have to prize it out of Abi's grasp shown on the last page lol

Well when you manage to prize it away from her - kitchen foil works well, as does a couple of layers of newspaper and selotape

regards

JtFB

[Her Lushness]

I use old pillow cases cut in half, with a hole cut in the top for the airlock etc, and coz I'm no good at sewing, I've sellotaped the seams so that I have little re-usable jackets to slip onto DJs as and when I need them.

(I'm trying to persuade the Mother in law that she ought to machine the seams for me properly, but so far she's not seeing thinsg in quite the same light as me)

[fatbloke]

I use old pillow cases cut in half, with a hole cut in the top for the airlock etc, and coz I'm no good at sewing, I've sellotaped the seams so that I have little re-usable jackets to slip onto DJs as and when I need them.

(I'm trying to persuade the Mother in law that she ought to machine the seams for me properly, but so far she's not seeing thinsg in quite the same light as me)

Problem with that, might be that most pillow cases are reasonably thin material and might only reduce the amount of light, rather than trying to cut it out completely.

But hey, if it seems to work OK then "what the hell"........

regards

JtFB

p.s. Oh and my newspaper ones are either re-usable or recyclable.

[goldseal]

I used cardboard jackets, both to exclude light and as insulation.

I'm sure there must be a market for DJ jackets, maybe made from the same stuff that coolbags are made from.

[BennyBoy's entourage]

I guess I could ask Ben, but seeing as he's not here...
Why does it get bleached/faded? What is it exactly that does this and why?

Just curious. Adding stuff to my little grey cells.

[fatbloke]

I guess I could ask Ben, but seeing as he's not here...
Why does it get bleached/faded? What is it exactly that does this and why?

Just curious. Adding stuff to my little grey cells.

As I understand it, it's about the way that light/sunlight affect the chemicals that make up the pigments that absorb and then reflect/appear to the eye as red (including the constituent colours i.e. red + yellow = orange).

There's probably some deep, meaningful organic chemistry based answer (or possibly even physics/biological based - just think on what happens to peoples skin when exposed to too much sunlight/UV) as to exactly why it might happen, but I'm a trucker, and my only real science training is/was physics based (electrics/electronics/RF energy) .........

Hence I just follow the norms of keeping anything that might be affected in such a way, either covered/in darkness/in green or brown glass - for that bloke Justin (Justin Case)

regards

JtFB

[Her Lushness]

I forgot to say that my DJs for storing live in the garage, which is mostly dimly lit anyway, but good point about pillow cases being a bit flimsy - altho the ones I used were quite thick

I might keep and eye out for some remnant material - velvet or something and look into making some DJ covers up properly - I could even sell them on Ebay!

I also have quite a few brown DJs anyway, but sometimes it's easier to store red wines in clear glass coz I find it easier to see if they've cleared or not, hence the covers.

[fatbloke]

I forgot to say that my DJs for storing live in the garage, which is mostly dimly lit anyway, but good point about pillow cases being a bit flimsy - altho the ones I used were quite thick

I might keep and eye out for some remnant material - velvet or something and look into making some DJ covers up properly - I could even sell them on Ebay!

I also have quite a few brown DJs anyway, but sometimes it's easier to store red wines in clear glass coz I find it easier to see if they've cleared or not, hence the covers.

Damn, now that's another excellent idea.

I tend to check the couple of brown glass DJ's I have with a torch. It's usually a reasonable guide.

regards

JtFB

p.s. haven't got a garage anyway, so it's either under the stairs, in the dining room or in the shed

[BennyBoy]

I have one brown DJ and its reserved for red wine lol
i would buy 5 DJ proper covers

[Her Lushness]

p.s. haven't got a garage anyway, so it's either under the stairs, in the dining room or in the shed

We don't have a "garage" any more, it's turned into a wine store, complete with 2 under the counter freezers and a HUGE beer fridge... My stepson asked when we plan to fit the bar and optics in there, which I think is a pretty good idea...

[fatbloke]

-----%<-----
i would buy 5 DJ proper covers

Never come across such a thing - In fact I don't know if they're still making brown/green glass DJ's or whether the ones we all seem to have are left over from another wine making age!

We don't have a "garage" any more, it's turned into a wine store, complete with 2 under the counter freezers and a HUGE beer fridge... My stepson asked when we plan to fit the bar and optics in there, which I think is a pretty good idea...

You KNOW you'll regret it. First the bar, then the optics, then it'd be a kharzi, then a sink, then a telephone, then a sky box and TV - you'd never get a license for it, they'd insist on fire exit, extinguishers, you wouldn't have even got round to installing a juke box

regards

JtFB

[Her Lushness]

You KNOW you'll regret it. First the bar, then the optics, then it'd be a kharzi, then a sink, then a telephone, then a sky box and TV - you'd never get a license for it, they'd insist on fire exit, extinguishers, you wouldn't have even got round to installing a juke box

regards

JtFB

Hahaha... now it's funny you should mention a telly and sky box, coz there's already some old ropey ones set up in there!!!
My OH set them up for a laugh when I had the hump with him one time and stupidly told him he could go and live in the garage... forgetting in my anger that the microwave lives there, along with all the beer/wine/cider/food etc ... I can't tell you how much I had to grovel to get him to come back into the main house for his dinner that night

[Richard S]

My first ever batch of mead made to this recipe netted a first prize at the Lincolnshire Fed Show. Well done Joe Mattioli.