Mead

Classification: mead, traditional mead

Source: Brian Smithey (Brian.Smithey@Central.Sun.com), Mead Digest #39, 11/19/92

I used a good portion of that wildflower honey, and it really comes through in both the aroma and flavor of this medium strong and sweet mead.

This mead has a golden, almost orange color, whereas most of the lighter, dry meads that I've consumed have been more light and pale. There is a noticable honey aroma, distinctively wildflower. The flavor is a bit sweet, like a dessert wine, but not heavy or viscous like a liqueuer. I've only tasted a few bottles as this mead was just bottled a couple of months ago, but there are no unpleasant flavors present; I was expecting "young" flavors that would require the legendary 1 year of aging. I'll try to go easy on it so I can see how it develops!

Ingredients:

5-1/2 pounds Madhava's "Mountain Gold" Western Wildflower honey
3-1/2 pounds Madhava's "Mountain Gold" Colorado Clover honey
3-1/2 teaspoons "Yeast Food" (from Great Fermentations of Santa Rosa)
2-1/2 teaspoons wine acid blend (citric, malic, tartaric)
1/4 teaspoon grape tanning (powder)
water to 3-1/2 gallons
10 grams rehydrated Prise de Mousse (S. bayanus) dry yeast (from GFSR)

Procedure:

Simmered all ingredients (except yeast!) at approx. 170 F. for 1 hour, skimming foam. Chilled, racked to 5 gallon carboy, pitched yeast, and attached air-lock. Racked to 3 gallon carboy with air-lock after 1 month. Bottled 4 months later, mead was crystal clear and no air-lock activity for a month. This is a still mead, no priming was added at bottling time.

Specifics:

OG: 1.111
FG: 1.014