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Mead Lovers Digest #0748
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #748, 5 July 1999
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #748 5 July 1999
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
AHA Nationals Mead Results (Paul Gatza)
Meadery Directory (Repost) (Dan McFeeley)
Re: I need a good commerical mead (Vicky Rowe)
Mead Organization Thoughts (Paul Gatza)
re: Thoughts on a new Mead Organisation.... (Dick Dunn)
Carboy size and Irish Moss ("Stephen J. Van der Hoven")
Too Sweet Cranberry Mead ("Capri G. Foy")
New Mead Maker's organization (Ken Schramm)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #747, 29 June 1999 (CNelson763@aol.com)
Refreshing Mexican drink (Carl Hensler)
Re: MLD #747 - Mooing Dracula Mead (William Millett)
Is it a keeper? ("Jeff S.")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #747, 29 June 1999 (Kevin Mc Lean)
RE: Gulf Wars Eight Memorial Cloven Lemon Mead (m_shapiro@bigfoot.com)
Pasteurization (Warren Place)
tea, tannin, and caffeine (dworkin@village.org)
NOTE: Digest only appears when there is enough material to send one.
Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead@talisman.com.
Use mead-request@talisman.com for [un]subscribe/admin requests. When
subscribing, please include name and email address in body of message.
Digest archives and FAQ are available for anonymous ftp at ftp.stanford.edu
in pub/clubs/homebrew/mead.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: AHA Nationals Mead Results
From: Paul Gatza <paulg@aob.org>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 11:09:41 -0600
Here are the wiiners of the 1999 AHA National Homebrew Competition mead
categories:
Traditional Mead & Braggot
Gold Medal: Ben Jankowski, Oyster Bay, NY, Sparkling Traditional Mead,
"Basswood, Apple & Linden Tree Honey," a member of the Bonwit Brewery
Silver Medal: Thomas J. O'Connor III, MD, Rockport, ME, Still
Traditional Mead, orange-blossom honey, a member of the Maine Ale &
Lager Tasters (MALT)
Bronze Medal: Darryl Hickey, Miami, FL, Sparkling Traditional Mead,
orange blossom honey, a member of the Miami Area Society of Homebrewers
Fruit & Vegetable Mead
Gold Medal: Steve Schmitt, Anchorage, AK, Still Melomel, "Sweet; Oak
Aged, Rhubarb, Raspberry - Mesquite, Blueberry and Clover Honey," a
member of the Great Northern Brewers
Meadmaker of the Year
Silver Medal: Harrison Gibbs, Los Angeles, CA, Sparkling Pyment "Sweet;
Muscat, Orange Blossom and Wildflower Honey," a member of Pacific
Gravity
Bronze Medal: Susan Ruud, Ray Taylor, Bob Ruud & Maureen Taylor,
Harwood, ND, Still Melomel, "Sweet, Blackberries, Guajillo and
Wildflower Honey," a member of the Prairie Homebrewing Companions
Herb & Spice Mead
Gold Medal: Jason Claypool, Highlands Ranch, CO, Sparkling Metheglin,
Szechuan & black peppercorns; clover/starthistle honey
Silver Medal: John Carlson, Louisville, CO, Still Metheglin, "Vanilla,
Mango," a member of the Hop Barley & The Ale'rs
Bronze Medal: Tim Schulz, Jim Gebherdt, Carl Eidbe, Neil Gudmistad &
Gen Gribula, Walcott, ND, Still Metheglin, Dry: Plain Honey With
Cinnamon and cloves, a member of the Prairie Homebrewing Companions
Also, the AHA Board of Advisers has determined that mead and cider
should make up a greater percentage of the AHA's content in Zymurgy
magazine. I'll post to this digest when articles are upcoming. There
will be a sidebar in the November/December Zymurgy about "How to Judge
Mead" (in competition). If you have any topics you think are relevant
for us to cover please e-mail me your ideas.
- --
Paul Gatza
Director
American Homebrewers Association (303) 447-0816 x 122
736 Pearl Street (303) 447-2825 -- FAX
PO Box 1679 paulg@aob.org -- E-MAIL
Boulder, CO 80306-1679 info@aob.org -- AOB INFO
U.S.A. http://www.beertown.org -- WEB
------------------------------
Subject: Meadery Directory (Repost)
From: Dan McFeeley <mcfeeley@keynet.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 11:11:12 -0500
For those who have been asking about commercial meaderies, this is the
corrected and revised directory of Meaderies which I posted a few MLD's back.
The original listing was taken from the August 1996 issue of _Inside Mead_
and has been substantially updated, thanks to Jim Brangan who was kind enough
to provide the notes from his own meadery research. Also thanks to Steve
Holat, Bruce Morrison, Bruce Steven, and Sam Mize for their help. If anyone
sees any need for further revision or has other meaderies that need to be
added to the list, let me know by private e-mail and I'll make the needed
corrections/additions. As always, none of the below is intended as
an endorsement.
__________
________
Dan McFeeley
mcfeeley@keynet.net
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
MEADERY DIRECTORY
April 1, 1998
UNITED STATES
Anderson's Orchard & Winery Bell Arbre Winery
430 E. US Hwy Ken Buckner
Valpariso, IN 46383 3204 116th Ave NE
(219) 464-4936 Bellevue, WA 98004
(800) 313-2794
(206) 827-7689
White Winter Winery Linganore Winecellars
402 South George St 13601 Glissens Mill Rd
PO Box 636 Mt. Airy, MD 21771-8595
Iron River, WI 54847 (310) 831-5889
Toll Free: 800-697-2006 (410) 795-6432
(715) 372-5656 www.linganore-wine.com
email: goodmead@win.bright.net
Spurgeon Vineyards & Winery Camas Winery
Rt 1 110 S. Main St.
Box 201 Highland, WI 53543 Moscow, ID 83843
(608) 929-7692
Labeille Honey Winery Chatham Winery
638 So. Main St. Rt 28
Stowe, VT 05672 The Cornfield
(802) 253-2929 Chatham, MA 02633
email: blachere@together.net (508) 945-0300
ADK Productions, Inc. Alaskan Mead Co.
Daniel Kassa David Snow/James Jensen
5645Q General Washington Drive 5915 Lake Otis Pkwy
Alexandria, VA 22312 Anchorage, AK 99507
703-750-1056 (Did not respond to mail;
800-967-9957 not listed in phone book.)
"As You Like It" Meadery Bargetto Winery
362-370 Main St Paul Woffard, Winemaker
Fitchburg, MA 01420 3535 N. Main St.
(508) 345-6407 Soquel, CA 95073
(408) 475-2258
Berrywine Plantation Betterbee Meadery
Lucille Aellen Wayne Thygesen
13601 Glissan's Mill Rd Bob Stevens
Mt. Airy, MD 21771-8599 RR 4 Box 4070, Meader Rd
301-831-5889 Greenwich, NY 12834
1-800-MEADERY
Earle Winery Coventree Meadery
John & Esther Earle John Zeron
Rd 1, Box 246 29 Askirk Pl
Tucker Hill Rd Newark, DE 19702-6000
Locke, NY 13092 302-832-0437
607-898-3012 www.grovenet.com/coventree
email: coventree@grovenet.com
Fred's Mead Company Honeymoon Meadery
Fred Buhl Patti Williams & Thomas Swetland
3009 SW Archer Rd #E8 43 Conistown Rd #2
Gainesville, FL 32608-1875 Roslindale, MA 02131
(352) 377-3376 (617)769-7607
HoneyRun Honey Co Inn Wines
John & Amy Hasle Dick Phaneuf
Box 3172 4 Elm St
Chico, CA, 95928 Hatfield, MA 01038-9708
916-345-6405 (413) 247-5175
www.des-chico.com/~honeyrun
email: honeyrun@honeyrun.com
Lakewood Vineyards Life Force Honey & Winery
Christopher Stamp 1193 Saddle Ridge Rd
4024 SR 14 Moscow, ID 83843
Watkins Glen, NY 14891 208-882-9158
607-535-9252 800-497-8258
email: LVwinery@aol.com www.evs.com/lifeforc/lfhome.html
Little Hungary Farm Winery Mountain Meadows Mead
Frank Androczi Ron Lunder
Rt 6, POB 323 12 Third Street
Buckhannon, WV 26201 Westwood, CA 96137
304-472-6634 916-256-3233
Oliver Winery Pirtle's Weston Vineyards
Bill & Kathleen Oliver Elbert & Trisha Pirtle
8024 Hwy 37 502 Spring St, PO Box 247
Bloomington, IN Weston, MO 64098
812-876-5800 816-640-5728
email:woliver@kiva.net email: patriciapirtle@sprintmail.com
Rocky Mountain Meadery Volcano Winery
Fred & Connie Strothman PO Box 843
3701 G Rd Volcano, HI 96785
Palisade, CO 81526 808-967-7479
970-464-7899
www.wic.net/meadery
Cuthills Vineyards Bartlett Maine Estate Winery
Ed Swanson RR1, Box 598
RR2, Box 210 Gouldsboro,ME 04607
Pierce, NE 68767 (207) 546-2408
(402) 329-6774
Cask & Hive Winery La Buena Vida Vineyards
PO Box 275 416 E College Street
155 Norris Hill Rd. Grapevine, TX
Monmouth ,ME 04259 (817) 481-9463
(207) 933-WINE
Abrosia by Kristy Meadery
Spokane, Washington
(253) 307-5156
CANADA
Le Rucher Bernard Bee Bec Ferme apicole Desrochers D
& Assoc des hydromeliers du Marie-Claude Dupuis &
Que'bec Claude Desrocher
Diane Rice & Bernard Blache're 113, ran 2 Gravel
152, rue Principale Ferme Neuve, Qc
Beebe Plain, Qc CANADA J0W 1C0
CANADA J0B 1 E0 819-587-3471
819-876-2800
Intermiel London Winery
Christian & Viviane Macle 540 Wharncliffe Rd, S
10291, chemin La Fresnie're London, ON
St-Benoit (Mirabel), Qc CANADA N6J 2N5
CANADA J0N 1K0 519-686-8431
514-258-2713
Muse'e de l'Abeille & Les Vins Mustier Gerzer
Les Ruchers Promiel, Inc Ge'rald He'naul
8862, Blvd Ste-Anne 3299, route 209
Chateau-Richer, Qc St-Antoine Abbe, Qc
CANADA G0A N0 CANADA J0S 1E0
(418) 824-4411 (514) 826-4609
Les Entreprises Prince- Rucher Les Saules
Leclerc Patrick & Ste'phane Vanier
239, chemin Haut de la 27, chemin Saxby Nord
Paroisse Saxby Corner, Granby, Qc
St-Agapit, Qc CANADA J2G 8C7
CANADA G0S 1Z0 514-372-3403
418-888-3323
Rucher Tete en Fleurs
CP 222
St Anaclet, Qc
CANADA, G0K 1HO
UK IRELAND
Palace Meade Bunratty Mead
Hatfield, UK County Bunratty
SCOTLAND Ty Brethyn Meadery
Llangollen,
Highland Wineries Clwd
Moniac Castle North Wales
Inverness www.data-wales.co.uk
FRANCE COSTA RICA
JC Daval La Abejita Ltd
P Gouedard Apartado Postal 783Frederico Alvarodo
A Lozachmeur 1100 Tibas, COSTA RICA
B Lancelot
(no addresses available)
AUSTRALIA
Bartholomew's Meadery Mount Vincent Mead
RMB 1067A South Coast Hwy Jane Nevell
Denmark 6333 Common Road
WESTERN AUSTRALIA Mudgee, NSW 2850
098 40 9349 AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
Havill's Mazer Mead
Benrose Estate Wines Leon Havill
Box 9804 Plasketts Rd, Fernside
Wellington Rangiora Rd 1
NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND
Fax 64-4-5651056
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/usersdirs/smarts/public_html/valhalla/aboutbem.html
LITHUANIA
Lietuviskas Midus
Traku gatve 9
Stakliskes
Prienu raj.
Lietuva (Lithuania)
Lietuviskas midus means "Lithuanian mead", Traku gatve means "Trakai
street", Stakliskes is the town, and Prienu raj. means "Prienai Region".
------------------------------
Subject: Re: I need a good commerical mead
From: Vicky Rowe <gotmead@rcci.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 12:21:02 -0400
> Subject: I need a good commercial mead
> From: James Perry <thebard3@hotmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 20:31:16 PDT
>
> Well to make a long story short, and save space, I had a very bad batch of
> mead and need a bottle or two for my handfasting, read pagan wedding, that
> is coming up in about a month. All the commercial meads I've tried were, to
> me at least, as bad as most mass produced beer. So does anyone know of any
> sources that would stand up to the occasion.
>
> Thanks,
> James P. thebard3@hotmail.com
>
> ------------------------------
James, I can highly recommend White Winter Winery in Wisconsin. They are
at http://www.whitewinter.com. I have been drinking their wares for two years
now, and can say that all their meads are excellent!
Oh, and congratulations on your handfasting!
Blessed Be,
- --
====
Got Mead?
Vicky Rowe
Blue Moon Winery
meadwench, mommy, computer geek
=============================
http://www.mindspring.com/~rcci/vicky
=============================
ICQ: 9033759 IM: MeadWench
Current meads in process: strawberry, heather,
vanilla, peach, spiced cyser, blueberry, spice mead,
cherry, sourwood, rhubarb........
------------------------------
Subject: Mead Organization Thoughts
From: Paul Gatza <paulg@aob.org>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 10:53:54 -0600
Here is a little more background on the AMA and my thoughts on the
creation of a new mead organization. The AMA was set up as a for-profit
organization. Although it functioned more like a non-profit, once it's
intentions turned towards a for-profit direction, I feel like it could
still promote mead, but not represent the interests of meadmakers.
A high percentage of the 450 or so names from the old AMA mailing list
are probably obsolete and make the list not very valuable.
What services could a new organization provide that are not already
being served by this free, friendly digest and the Mazer Cup
competition? Not enough in my opinion to offset the costs needed to get
the organization and programs functional. I looked at the possibility
both as a participant in the attempt to resurrect the AMA and as AHA
director for a potential AHA program. I don't believe there is not
enough backing, desire or need of the mead community to pay for a new
organization. Perhaps, volunteer-only committees built here could run
programs, such as an annual meadmakers gathering. Mr. Dunn is to be
commended for his ongoing work here. His commitment is the type
necessary to build a larger mead community.
- --
Paul Gatza
Director
American Homebrewers Association (303) 447-0816 x 122
736 Pearl Street (303) 447-2825 -- FAX
PO Box 1679 paulg@aob.org -- E-MAIL
Boulder, CO 80306-1679 info@aob.org -- AOB INFO
U.S.A. http://www.beertown.org -- WEB
------------------------------
Subject: re: Thoughts on a new Mead Organisation....
From: rcd@raven.talisman.com (Dick Dunn)
Date: 29 Jun 99 11:09:15 MDT (Tue)
Yacko Warner Yacko (???) <yacko@mint.net> wrote:
...
> Also of note, doesnt the AHA have a mead section, at least for judging?
> Could we not possibly pour our efforts into that division of the AHA?
AHA does have mead categories (and even cider categories) in its homebrew
competitions. But it seems like every reason for an alliance with the AHA
on mead has two opposing, nearly-equally-strong sides. For example:
* Connecting the mead community with the AHA joins us with a much larger
and better-established group. But will we be the ugly stepchild,
merely a curiosity in that community rather than a mainstream item?
The AHA benefits from having a broader spectrum of categories, but do
mead-makers benefit from the association with the AHA?
* Homebrewing is falling on hard times as the hobby is losing some old
brewers and not doing very well at gaining new ones. Homebrew shops
are closing, and this means more than just the young ones that had
opened trying to ride the cresting wave of homebrewing a few years ago.
The AHA is going to have to "focus on its core competency" as the
saying goes. Is mead a potential help to the AHA (a way to draw more
members) or will it prove to be so far off to the side that the AHA
will do better to jettison it?
* Is there really that much synergy? Yes, beer and mead are both fer-
mented beverages, use some of the same equipment, and have some of the
same problems. But if you've followed the MLD for a while, you know
that various brewer's-only topics--HSA and light-skunking, to mention
just two--keep coming up here. If you look at the numerical criteria
associated with the AHA judging categories, you see several columns of
"n/a" in the mead categories: final gravity, IBUs, color. And I
wonder how many judges can really hope to understand both beer and mead
well enough.
Personally, I think that associating with the AHA is of marginal value at
best. I feel that the AHA has overextended itself in the competition cate-
gories. Braggot obviously fits; traditional meads are on the edge,
melomels and metheglins are a reach. (The AHA even attempts to include
cider, which isn't brewed at all and which is qualitatively different.
That's a different topic for a different digest, but I mention it to point
out the range of categories they're attempting to cover, and to illustrate
why I think they may be forced to pull back.)
- ---
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
...Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been.
------------------------------
Subject: Carboy size and Irish Moss
From: "Stephen J. Van der Hoven" <sjvander@mines.utah.edu>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 11:18:09 -0600
Ernie asked: "When you make mead using recipes for 3 or 1 gallon, is
there anything wrong with using 5 gallon plastic primary and 5 gal
carboy for secondary??" The only problem see with using a
bucket/carboy which is larger than your batch is air in the headspace.
This shouldn't be problem in the primary fermentation when lots of CO2
is being generated to replace the air that was initially in the
headspace. In the secondary or if you rack after fermentation is
finished, then most of the headspace will be air and this could lead to
oxidation of your mead and unwanted flavors. If you are going to make a
batch significantly less than 5 gallons, I recommend that you use a 2.5
gallon carboy or split the batch into as many 1 gallon jugs as necessary
for the secondary ferment and any long term aging you do.
Belinda says: "I agree with all of your comments on the recipe with the
exception of the irish moss. It does a wonderful job of clearing the
mead quickly after fermentation stops, as long as you boil it with your
water. I've made traditional meads with and without and the irish moss
does wonders." In the 10 or so meads that I have made, only one didn't
clear on it's own by the time it had stopped fermentating. So my
experience is that Irish Moss isn't necessary for a clear mead. But on
the other hand, I can't see that it'll do any harm. You'll have to
experiment with that one Ernie, and come to your own conclusion.
Steve
------------------------------
Subject: Too Sweet Cranberry Mead
From: "Capri G. Foy" <foycg@wfu.edu>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 15:30:58 -0400
Hello Everyone,
In February I made a Cranberry Mead (3 gallons) using Lalvin K1-V1116.
By late April, fermentation had really slowed down. I moved in late
May, and had to bottle it prematurely. I've sampled some and it's too
sweet, at least so far (I did use a lot of honey - about 12 pounds).
Also, it doesn't have the alcohol "kick" that some of my other meads
have had. My question: is there any way to safely ferment it out a
little more while it's still in the bottle? Any help would be
appreciated.
Capri Foy
------------------------------
Subject: New Mead Maker's organization
From: Ken Schramm <Ken.Schramm@oakland.k12.mi.us>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 16:06:05 -0400
Dick Dunn has hit the nail on the head with his post on the history of the
AMA. The distrust and acrimony that marked the ignominious departure of
that organization set back the cause of Mead afficionados on this continent
several years, if not a decade.
Pamela's and Susanne's work should not have been thus diminished
(diminished by the sad string of events which followed Susanne's death).
Susanne's efforts were on a very forward moving track. I had the privilege
to know and work with Susanne, and her dedication was working to make the
AMA more influential and effective at spreadng the word and providing
member benefits. The magazine had gone from semi-regular photocopied
documents to a regular 'zine: four color glossy cover, with meaningful
articles and contributions, and SP was not looking back. That magazine
played one irreplacable role in mead circles: it was an outlet for
advertising. Mead making supply vendors need an outlet for their
information not constrained by the (in every way appropriate) restrictions
of listservs and other non commercial sources of information. The "town
square" nature of such a publication serves a real need.
The whole of an organization is, in most cases, greater than the sum of its
parts. Leaving an important function to the uncoordinated efforts of many
disparate and disconnected individuals or groups can leave the work undone.
There are a few other possible roles for an organization that weren't
really discussed. The existence of such an organization creates a
credibility about its cause that builds pride and a sense of grounding for
its adherents. It gives the officers and members of the organization
credibility when dealing with suppliers, and provides a means of measuring
the size of the constituency represented by a given hobby or interest
group. It also weights the members' interests by showing that they are
dedicated enough about their cause to organize. It provides an
international presence to act as a magnet for information from outside the
country, and a means of disemminating that information to its members.
An organization can also help to establish the tenor and nature of the
competitive and other functions which surround mead. Dan and I have had
numerous dscussions about whether or not mead competitions are the best way
to promote mead making; I conjectured that non-competitive educational
gatherings and seminars might be a more productive means of spreading
information than the Mazer Cup (for a commensurate investment of time and
effort). The "evaluation only" entry option was an offshoot of those
discussions. There really isn't a mead division of the AHA. The BJCP has
made progress with dealing with the judging aspects of mead, but its
results were in need of more clarification in my view, and by no means
constituted representation for the entireity of the home mead making
citizenry, let alone commercial mead makers (methiers?).
I'd welcome any organization, and would be willing to dedicate time and
effort to see that it becomes a viable and fuctioning represenative
organization for mead makers across the country.
Ken Schramm
Troy, Michigan
0 miles from the best damned orchard a mead maker could imagine
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #747, 29 June 1999
From: CNelson763@aol.com
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 21:03:35 EDT
Greetings all,
I am a newbie at homebrewing and basically a lurker on mailing lists,
but I do have a question. While waiting for my mead (it's going to be a long
wait, just started three weeks ago) I picked up a bottle of Chaucer's mead
for emergencies in the meantime. I like it, but it's not always available,
you have to grab it when you can. Well, to my surprise the store had another
brand. My questions and purchases must be making an impact. This other
brand, imported from Ireland is called Bunratty Meade. It says it's "white
wine with honey and herbs added". I haven't tasted it yet, but is it really
a mead? Is it a white wine made with grapes with honey added to it, or do
they call the mead white wine? Does anybody know. I'm very curious. Thanks
in advance for any help. I am learning a lot from this list.
Charles
------------------------------
Subject: Refreshing Mexican drink
From: Carl Hensler <Carl.Hensler@eng.sun.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 18:16:40 -0700 (PDT)
I've noticed that readers of this digest are interested in other
fermented beverages besides mead. Several years ago I found a drink
called "Partially Fermented Pineapple Juice" on the menu of Gueleguetza,
a terrific Oaxcan restaurant in Los Angeles. It was tart, fizzy and
great with their food. It wasn't hard to figure out how to make it.
I'm sure you can guess what to do, but here's what works for me.
Hydrate a teaspoon or so of dry yeast.
Anything will do, including Fleischman's baking yeast.
Pour the hydrated yeast into a large glass juice bottle.
Add a large can of pineapple juice.
(I use Trader Joe's Unsweetened Hawaiian Pineapple Juice.)
Put the cap on, but don't tighten.
Put the bottle in a sink to ferment.
In a few hours it will be bubbling happily and will foam over if you
aren't watching.
Tighten the cap, wash off the foam, and put it in the refrigerator.
Loosen the cap momentarily every hour or so until it is cold.
Drink up!
------------------------------
Subject: Re: MLD #747 - Mooing Dracula Mead
From: William Millett <wmillett@fractal.com.br>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 22:23:18 -0300
Hi everybody,
>>From: dworkin@village.org
Checking on some old books on wine production I found some references on the
use of ox blood. It was (is?) used as a fining agent, thanks to the albumin
it contains. It is the same protein as in egg whites. Ox blood contains
(according to my reference) 60 to 70 grams of albumin per litre (gpl). I'll
let anybody who is interested to work that into Imperial units.
The principle in using albuminoids as a fining agent is that the protein
will interact with the tannin contained in red wines, forming an insoluble
substance that precipitates by the action of the alcohol, the acids and the
tannins themselves contained in the wine.
I thought that this fining method was not used any more, at least not
commercially. I was surprised when I read that piece of news in the paper.
In case someone wants to try it (remember that it works when tannins are
present, such as in red wine) here is the method: fresh ox's blood is used,
to the proportion of 20 - 30 cc per 100 litres of wine. Before adding it to
the wine, the blood should be beaten with twice the volume of salty water
(no indication of exactly how much salt) and then poured into the wine,
agitating it thoroughly. It is also mentioned that the fining with blood is
quick and complete and that it can be used in red wines of difficult
clarification. Dried blood albumen can also be used.
Another similar method recommends using 10 - 20 cc oc blood per 100 litres
of wine, previously mixed with five times the volume of cold water (no salt
is apparently necessary here) and than mixing it with good stirring into the
wine. It is recommended that no frothing should be made.
I don't believe it will work with meads, because of their naturally low
tannin content. I wouldn't use it even if it worked!!! Presumably one could
make a Dracula mead out of it (just make sure it has sufficient tannins in -
maybe a good pyment?)
Good luck and make sure you wear a garlic wreath when drinking it - just in
case.
------------------------------
Subject: Is it a keeper?
From: "Jeff S." <fjalar_zymu@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 07:45:25 -0700 (PDT)
Recently I made a 5 gal. batch of traditional
still mead. It used aprox. 9 lbs. of honey
(clover & wildflower). It has fermented along for
about 4 months now and the last hyrometer reading
put it a 1.002. But when I tasted it the word is
DRY!
I normally make beer and occasionally maple mead
(which is sweeter & ferments faster). I know that
traditional meads need a long time to condition
in order to come into their own. What I'm
wondering is, given the fact that I didn't use a
lot of honey in the must (rel. low gravity brew),
will this batch mellow out with time, or have I
made 5 gallons of paint thinner? I'm willing to
bottle it and let it sit for a year or more if it
has a decent chance, but I hate to tie up the
bottles and space for something that's doomed
from the start.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #747, 29 June 1999
From: k.g.mclean@cqu.edu.au (Kevin Mc Lean)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 11:21:08 +1000 (EST)
Dworkin wrote about a report of bullock's blood in wine asking:
>Now, it seems to me that blood has many properties, mostly causing
>people to be concerned about purifying it, rather than using it to
>purify. < SNIP>
However, there've been enough
>reports of the above, from (presumably) independent sources, that I
>have to believe it's being done. Can anyone explain the underlying
>logic?
Sure can.
" and that for fining down the liquor, many have recourse to that odious
article, bullock's blood, when the intention might be much better answered
by whites of eggs, or isinglass."
( Marshall, R., 1796, The Rural Economy of Gloucestershire)
Basically it was medieval practice to fine with the above articles.
Interestingly enough there were some very good products produced from such
"odious" methods eg. cock ale. It's probably originally connected with
pagan sacrifice. I presume the plasma from the blood coagulates around the
particles and drops them out (I'm not a chemist though).
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Kevin Mc Lean.
STEPS Co-ordinator/
CLC Tutor.
Mackay Campus.
07 49407416.
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Subject: RE: Gulf Wars Eight Memorial Cloven Lemon Mead
From: m_shapiro@bigfoot.com
Date: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 13:27:13 -0400 (EDT)
On 29-Jun-99 mead-request@talisman.com wrote:
> Subject: Gulf Wars Eight Memorial Cloven Lemon Mead
> From: "Thaddaeus A. Vick" <thaddaeusv@yahoo.com>
> Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 22:23:19 -0700 (PDT)
As you said, this could be a pectin haze due to simmering the must for 30
minutes with the lemons in it. Add some pectic enzyme. If it is a pectin haze
this could clear it up for you, and if it is not pectin, the enzyme can do no
harm. Pectic enzyme works BETTER if used prior to fermentation, when there is
no alcohol to inhibit it, but it WILL work even in the presence of alcohol, in
a finished wine, or mead. It just takes a little more, or a little longer. If
you are going to wait until December to bottle, anyway, you might as well add
the enzyme and increase your chances of a clear mead.
Marc Shapiro m_shapiro@bigfoot.com
Visit 'The Meadery' at:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~m_shapiro/
"If you drink melomel every day, you will live to be 150 years old,
unless your wife shoots you."
- -- Dr. Ferenc Androczi, Winemaker of the Little Hungary Farm Winery
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Subject: Pasteurization
From: Warren Place <wrp2@axe.humboldt.edu>
Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 10:24:34 -0700 (PDT)
I was on a brewery tour recently and noted that they perform
pasteurization by heating the bottled beer to 170 F for 20-50 minutes.
There are a few problems with this method, mostly exploding bottles, but
it seems this is probably the best alternative for homebrewers to
potassium sorbate and the like. I'm going to try it as soon as I find my
leather gloves and shatter-proof face shield :)
Note: I believe that most breweries now use flash pasteurization (passing
the beer through a heated coil and then a chilled coil) and artificial
carbonation.
Warren Place
wrp2@axe.humboldt.edu
www.humboldt.edu/~wrp2
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Subject: tea, tannin, and caffeine
From: dworkin@village.org
Date: Sun, 04 Jul 1999 19:07:19 -0600
Finally have caught up on the last couple of years' worth of digests.
Some topics just won't die ;-)
Anyway, there's been lots of discussion of using tea to provide some
tannins, with quantities varying from a cup to "steep a dozen bags in
the must for a couple of days". Quantity per se I'm not concerned
with, but I am concerned with infusing caffeine (well, theophylline)
into the mead. Would de-caffeinated equivalents of the standard teas
(Oolong, etc) provide the desired tannins?
Dworkin
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End of Mead Lover's Digest #748
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