Meads
I noticed I haven't posted in a little while, so thought I'd put something out there. I submitted my article on cordials for the Known World Handbook by September 1st as was the deadline. I then learned after the deadline that they had extended it to December 1. Ugh. Had I known that there would be an extension I would have worked on it a little better. Sigh. I'm not unhappy with it, I just felt rushed (and therefore stressed). I am hoping to hear back at some point one way or another if it will be accepted. It would be exceptionally cool to be in the book. I'll probably tweek it up and submit it for the TI at some point though. There it can be longer and so I'm not so stressed about a deadline.
I thought I'd talk about meads, since I haven't done so. More history of meads at a future date. For now, a brief explanation of the varieties and my basic recipe.
Meads, as a whole, are called different things according to their ingredients. Below is a small list of what the different honey based alcoholic beverages are. This is a list of the more common ones that you will see at SCA events. You can still call them "Meads", but if you want to get technical, here ya go: (meads are a honey based alcoholic beverage made with yeast and water and does not need to be repeated that it has honey in it)
Braggot: mead that has been made with hops (although later in time it was brewed with malt and hops was an option)
Cyser: a mead that has been made with apple cider or juice
Hydromel: (Greek for water-honey) a mead that is very light in honey flavour and alcohol
Melomel: a mead that has been made with any fruit
Metheglin: a mead that has had herbs/spices added
Pyment: a mead with grapes or grape juice added
Sack Mead: a mead made with high levels of honey. This is a very sweet mead
Meads have historically been around longer then wines. The Cretes were known to have mead as far back as 8,000 years ago and is well known throughout Europe.
My basic recipe is an addapted modern one(as it includes yeast nutrient, acid blend and potassium sorbate), but still follows traditional recipes. I use two and a half gallon glass carboys and the recipe is for that size:
8 pounds honey
1 pack champagne yeast (I like the little champagne bubbles)
2 tsp Yeast nutrient
2tsp acid bend (or 1/2 lemon)
1 tsp potassium sorbate (yeast inhibitor, added AFTER fermentation)
Directions:
Make starter. In a 8oz glass put yeast, yeast nutrient, acid blend, 1 tbs honey in luke warm water. Set aside.
Warm honey to a more liquid state (this makes it easier to get into a carboy and creates less wasted honey) and pour into carboy. Add water to fill and add starter. (I will also give it a good mix at this point)
Place airlock on carboy and store in a dry area. In about 24-48 hours airlock should start to bubble (fermentation has begun!!!)
When fermentation has completely stopped (at least one month) rack liquid into a second carboy, making sure that you don't transfer the sediment from the bottom of your primary carboy. It is fine to let mead sit in primary for several months. It is also fine to sit in secondary (my meads usually sit in the primary for at least 3 months and sit in the secondary for at least as long).
Once mead is racked into secondary carboy add the potassium sorbate. This will stop the fermentation process. It is not necessary to add, but I have found it to be better safe then sorry. I have seen bottles explode because the yeast has reactivated, and it's really not pretty!!
Bottle.
If you want to make other varieties of meads, you add your 'extras' in the primary stage of fermentation. When making a melomel, I will add at least 2 pounds of fruit to the carboy. This will mean less water, but as the fruit breaks down, you can add more if desired. I have used both fresh and frozen fruit.
Don't be afraid to experiment with flavours. Anything that matches well with honey will work in a mead. Some fruits that are higher in natural sugars will need less honey. Also take into thought how strong a flavour you want. More fruit will give you a stronger flavour. There are also many different flavours of honey out there, so take that into consideration when picking your flavours.
I thought I'd talk about meads, since I haven't done so. More history of meads at a future date. For now, a brief explanation of the varieties and my basic recipe.
Meads, as a whole, are called different things according to their ingredients. Below is a small list of what the different honey based alcoholic beverages are. This is a list of the more common ones that you will see at SCA events. You can still call them "Meads", but if you want to get technical, here ya go: (meads are a honey based alcoholic beverage made with yeast and water and does not need to be repeated that it has honey in it)
Braggot: mead that has been made with hops (although later in time it was brewed with malt and hops was an option)
Cyser: a mead that has been made with apple cider or juice
Hydromel: (Greek for water-honey) a mead that is very light in honey flavour and alcohol
Melomel: a mead that has been made with any fruit
Metheglin: a mead that has had herbs/spices added
Pyment: a mead with grapes or grape juice added
Sack Mead: a mead made with high levels of honey. This is a very sweet mead
Meads have historically been around longer then wines. The Cretes were known to have mead as far back as 8,000 years ago and is well known throughout Europe.
My basic recipe is an addapted modern one(as it includes yeast nutrient, acid blend and potassium sorbate), but still follows traditional recipes. I use two and a half gallon glass carboys and the recipe is for that size:
8 pounds honey
1 pack champagne yeast (I like the little champagne bubbles)
2 tsp Yeast nutrient
2tsp acid bend (or 1/2 lemon)
1 tsp potassium sorbate (yeast inhibitor, added AFTER fermentation)
Directions:
Make starter. In a 8oz glass put yeast, yeast nutrient, acid blend, 1 tbs honey in luke warm water. Set aside.
Warm honey to a more liquid state (this makes it easier to get into a carboy and creates less wasted honey) and pour into carboy. Add water to fill and add starter. (I will also give it a good mix at this point)
Place airlock on carboy and store in a dry area. In about 24-48 hours airlock should start to bubble (fermentation has begun!!!)
When fermentation has completely stopped (at least one month) rack liquid into a second carboy, making sure that you don't transfer the sediment from the bottom of your primary carboy. It is fine to let mead sit in primary for several months. It is also fine to sit in secondary (my meads usually sit in the primary for at least 3 months and sit in the secondary for at least as long).
Once mead is racked into secondary carboy add the potassium sorbate. This will stop the fermentation process. It is not necessary to add, but I have found it to be better safe then sorry. I have seen bottles explode because the yeast has reactivated, and it's really not pretty!!
Bottle.
If you want to make other varieties of meads, you add your 'extras' in the primary stage of fermentation. When making a melomel, I will add at least 2 pounds of fruit to the carboy. This will mean less water, but as the fruit breaks down, you can add more if desired. I have used both fresh and frozen fruit.
Don't be afraid to experiment with flavours. Anything that matches well with honey will work in a mead. Some fruits that are higher in natural sugars will need less honey. Also take into thought how strong a flavour you want. More fruit will give you a stronger flavour. There are also many different flavours of honey out there, so take that into consideration when picking your flavours.