Posts Tagged metheglin
Orange Ginger Mead – Batch 009
So I caught the brew bug last night at about 4:30pm, right before I left the office. I had some honey and yeast already sitting at home, so tonight was a mead night. I had been looking for something interesting to make and had decided a few days ago that a ginger mead needed to be attempted. So I swung by the local Food Co-op, picked up some ginger, and headed home.
Not being a simple man, I knew I needed one more ingredient to make the mead really shine. I was searching the cupboards when I noticed the fruit basket out of the corner of my eye. A lone orange was calling to me. My quest was complete. Here, then, is the recipe:
7 ½ lbs Colorado Wildflower Honey
½ lb fresh thin-sliced Ginger
Zest of one medium-sized orange
Additives:
1 ½ tsp Yeast Nutrient
3 tsp Yeast Energizer
Lalvin K1-V1116 re-hydrated in 105º water for 15 minutes
I brought 2 gallons of water up to about 178º and then removed it from the burner (to avoid scorching the honey) and added the wildflower honey. At the same time, I added the orange peel and the sliced ginger. I let that sit at 155º for 30 minutes. Then I cooled it down to 70º and transferred it into my 3 gallon carboy, ginger and all.
The OG was 1.084.
I’ll let it go for a month, then rack it off the ginger and orange peel. It sure does smell amazing though! I can’t wait for this one to age a bit! I now have 8 gallons of mead either in the primary or secondary, plus about ten 12 oz bottles left from batch 001. I should have a decent supply now, as soon as some of those in the carboys get settled and then bottled.
Add comment March 26, 2008
Tension Tamer Metheglin – Batch 008
I finally got up the supplies and urge to do another batch of mead. I should mention that I tried a little bit of the Sweet Raspberry Mead when my brother and his wife came to town and it is so good! I cannot wait for it to age a few years, it will only get better. I will have to make another 3 gallons soon.
On to the metheglin:
I love Celestial Seasonings tea. So why not make a mead out of it? Here’s the recipe for 3 gallons of mead:
3½ lbs orange blossom honey
3 lbs wildflower honey
24 tension tamer tea bags
1 tsp yeast nutrient
½ tsp yeast energizer
Lalvin EC-1118
water to make 3 gallons
I used the heat pasteurization method. I brought 2½ gallons of water to a boil for 10 minutes. I then removed it from the heat and added the honey along with the nutrient and energizer. I then let this sit for 30 minutes to pasteurize. During this time I added the tea, 12 bags at a time, for 7 minutes each. I took a reading with the hydrometer to find the OG at 1.077.
I didn’t think ahead enough to make a starter, so I settled for re-hydrating the yeast at 100° for 15 min while I cooled the must with my wort cooler. I cooled it to 68° and pitched the yeast. That’s all there is to it! I may try bottling it in about 2-3 months instead of waiting longer. This after hearing that Redstone Meadery only ages their nectars for 3 months before bottling.
I think I may have to make another batch of mead soon, perhaps another melomel. It goes fast after I start to share it!
2 comments March 17, 2008
