Mead Diaries - Doing nothing
I haven't written another mead related entry in some time. And when I stop thinking/writing/etc... about mead it typically means one of 2 things has happened. Either I'm not currently making any, or I'm doing nothing. I occasionally crack open the room they are in and take a look, but at the moment not really anything else. For documentation purposes, I'll throw some notes in at the end of this based on those observations.
As you may have gathered by the title of the post, this time it is because I'm doing nothing. I haven't started any new batches, and I really haven't done anything with the batches I have on the go.
So why write a blog post? Because this is one of the most important and most difficult (for me) parts of making mead. Based on the flurry of posts that come out after I start a new batch you can kind of get an idea for just how tempting it can be to measure, observe and tinker with your mead.
But mead is a fickle thing. And the one thing it tends to need more of than anything else, is time. So, really, the most important step to any batch of mead is the that stage where you can sit back and forget its even there. Or if you have enough batches on the go, when you switch to being concerned about a different batch that might actually be a stage where further tinkering is less likely to cause harm.
And, now the other reason for the post. A little documentation.
Baby Mead grows clearer every day. I bottled it a bit too early as I was wanting to get a bottle to a colleague as promised. There is a very fine sediment on the bottom now, about 2 months later. Since I don't use any filtration system, this is kind of expected unless you bulk age for a very long time. I'll be cracking open the first of the bottles in likely less than 2 months. Getting a bit anxious to see how this one fares.
Frankenmead is clear as well. Carbonated too. Attempted to bulk age too soon on that one. I guess, even with the reduced sugar quantity, you can't rush it too much. I've tasted it a few times, and it was slowly getting better. But I think this one will end up tasting like some freak hybrid between a cider and an ale. There isn't enough cider flavour in my opinion and not enough residual sugar or alcohol to plant it firmly in that cyser category. What is left of the apple flavour and the random selection of honeys has left kind of a malty flavour. Which is where the beer comparison comes in.
Meadtoberfest is cloudy as all sin. I think it is the second apple cider I mixed in. It was hazier to begin with, but I added it to Frankenmead and that one cleared up just fine, so I assumed it would do the same in the other. After the last racking there isn't much sediment. So, in another week or so, I may just switch from an airlock to a cap and let it bulk age as is and hope the haze goes away. The flavour at last taste was incredible. Even if it doesn't clear, I think by next year it will be one hell of a good festive beverage.
The 4th mead I have on the go was a few weeks (3-4) after Frankenmead. It has already cleared up considerably. It is clearer than Frankenmead. It also seems to be done. But, with Frankenmead having taught me that I'm a little to quick on the draw some times I'll probably leave the airlock in place until a few weeks after I start bulk aging Meadtoberfest. This one is basically my "control" mead. I have very minimally invaded upon this one. It has only been racked once. Nothing else has been done to it. And it REALLY needed to be racked when I did it. The only odd thing about it was my failed attempt at building my own primary fermenter. But, since it only stayed in that contraption for 2 days, I think the only side effect was the extra air helping the yeast get going.
I already have plans for a 5th batch for the year. My sister in law and brother brought up some real Quebec Maple Syrup. I think I should have enough for a 1 gallon batch after keeping a can for my personal consumption. Was thinking of trying a Vanilla Maple alcohol. May also add yeast energizer to my toolkit this time around. Supposedly maple syrup is even lower on nutrients that yeast like than honey, so pairing the energizer with the nutrient should hopefully counteract that. I may grab a bottle of buckwheat honey as well in the event that I don't have enough maple syrup to get the specific gravity where I want. Right now I'll have over 1.5 litres for mixing up 1 gallon of must (little less than 4 litres).
As you may have gathered by the title of the post, this time it is because I'm doing nothing. I haven't started any new batches, and I really haven't done anything with the batches I have on the go.
So why write a blog post? Because this is one of the most important and most difficult (for me) parts of making mead. Based on the flurry of posts that come out after I start a new batch you can kind of get an idea for just how tempting it can be to measure, observe and tinker with your mead.
But mead is a fickle thing. And the one thing it tends to need more of than anything else, is time. So, really, the most important step to any batch of mead is the that stage where you can sit back and forget its even there. Or if you have enough batches on the go, when you switch to being concerned about a different batch that might actually be a stage where further tinkering is less likely to cause harm.
And, now the other reason for the post. A little documentation.
Baby Mead grows clearer every day. I bottled it a bit too early as I was wanting to get a bottle to a colleague as promised. There is a very fine sediment on the bottom now, about 2 months later. Since I don't use any filtration system, this is kind of expected unless you bulk age for a very long time. I'll be cracking open the first of the bottles in likely less than 2 months. Getting a bit anxious to see how this one fares.
Frankenmead is clear as well. Carbonated too. Attempted to bulk age too soon on that one. I guess, even with the reduced sugar quantity, you can't rush it too much. I've tasted it a few times, and it was slowly getting better. But I think this one will end up tasting like some freak hybrid between a cider and an ale. There isn't enough cider flavour in my opinion and not enough residual sugar or alcohol to plant it firmly in that cyser category. What is left of the apple flavour and the random selection of honeys has left kind of a malty flavour. Which is where the beer comparison comes in.
Meadtoberfest is cloudy as all sin. I think it is the second apple cider I mixed in. It was hazier to begin with, but I added it to Frankenmead and that one cleared up just fine, so I assumed it would do the same in the other. After the last racking there isn't much sediment. So, in another week or so, I may just switch from an airlock to a cap and let it bulk age as is and hope the haze goes away. The flavour at last taste was incredible. Even if it doesn't clear, I think by next year it will be one hell of a good festive beverage.
The 4th mead I have on the go was a few weeks (3-4) after Frankenmead. It has already cleared up considerably. It is clearer than Frankenmead. It also seems to be done. But, with Frankenmead having taught me that I'm a little to quick on the draw some times I'll probably leave the airlock in place until a few weeks after I start bulk aging Meadtoberfest. This one is basically my "control" mead. I have very minimally invaded upon this one. It has only been racked once. Nothing else has been done to it. And it REALLY needed to be racked when I did it. The only odd thing about it was my failed attempt at building my own primary fermenter. But, since it only stayed in that contraption for 2 days, I think the only side effect was the extra air helping the yeast get going.
I already have plans for a 5th batch for the year. My sister in law and brother brought up some real Quebec Maple Syrup. I think I should have enough for a 1 gallon batch after keeping a can for my personal consumption. Was thinking of trying a Vanilla Maple alcohol. May also add yeast energizer to my toolkit this time around. Supposedly maple syrup is even lower on nutrients that yeast like than honey, so pairing the energizer with the nutrient should hopefully counteract that. I may grab a bottle of buckwheat honey as well in the event that I don't have enough maple syrup to get the specific gravity where I want. Right now I'll have over 1.5 litres for mixing up 1 gallon of must (little less than 4 litres).
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