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Mead Lovers Digest #0818
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #818, 22 August 2000
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #818 22 August 2000
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Mead newbee (Hop_Head@webtv.net)
MeadHall.com (Ken Mason)
not what I had in mind ("Matt Maples")
Annual HBA Mead Meeting (Craig Agnor)
Re: NYC area mead (Dave Polaschek)
Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches (Dave Polaschek)
Re: "How To" Sparkaloid (dworkin@village.org)
Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches ("Kenneth Irwin")
Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches (Dave Polaschek)
Cloves (Re: multiplying spices for larger batches) (Elfboy0@aol.com)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #817, 17 August 2000 (Elfboy0@aol.com)
re: Herbal/Medicinal Meads (Dick Dunn)
Searchable Archive ("Joseph Morris")
NOTE: Digest appears when there is enough material to send one.
Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead@talisman.com.
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Digest archives and FAQ are available at www.talisman.com/mead. There is
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Mead newbee
From: Hop_Head@webtv.net
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 10:27:48 -0400 (EDT)
I have yet to make a batch of mead, but I am planning one to be started
shortly. I am looking for any tips or suggestions from you experienced
mead makers. I am thinking of making a 5 gallon batch and splitting it
into two different types in 2 1/2 gallon batches, one citrus and the
other I am not sure of yet (any suggestions?).
Also if there are any mead websites or online calculators that any of
you know of, please send them to me.
Thank You
J. Johnson
Upstate NY
------------------------------
Subject: MeadHall.com
From: Ken Mason <kjmason1@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 08:09:02 -0700 (PDT)
I was bored one night and typed in www.MeadHall.com to
see the name was taken. It was. No active webpage,
just a splash page saying "MEADHALL.COM - Coming soon.
. .)
Does anyone here own it?
Just curious
------------------------------
Subject: not what I had in mind
From: "Matt Maples" <matt_lists@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 09:47:16 -0700
Jim is right not exactly what I'm shooting for. Don't get me wrong I love
Braggots and have played with crystal malts and even a little Special B in
them (with no hops) but I am looking for an all honey beverage. Crystal
malts just arnt subble enoungh for what I am tring to achive. The maltyness
that goes along with the cramelized sweetness would be too much.
Good news I am down to 3 carboys in the kitchen. My Rose Hip, Hybiscus,
Lemon Grass Meth is down to 1.000 so it can go downstairs for some aging.
And with only two left I will have to get started on something (either my
Belgian Strong mead or this carmelization mean:-) )
Matt Maples
Anagram: "Tap Me Malts!"
May mead regain its rightful place as the beverage of gods and kings
>>add the strained liquor. The flavour of the Scottish Ale he refers to comes
>>from toasting the malted grain, this is something the Scots excel at. This
>>is done dry, not in the boiling process. The boiling he refers to is to
>>reduce the volume and increase sugar concentration, and final alcohol, of a
>>"Wee heavy" ale.
>Chocolate malt, or any of the roasted malts and grains will impart a
>roasted flavor, and will darken the color (ranging from reddish amber
>with a couple of ounces to quite black with larger amounts). I don't
>think this is the desired outcome based on Matt's initial post
------------------------------
Subject: Annual HBA Mead Meeting
From: Craig Agnor <Craig.Agnor@Colorado.EDU>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 13:03:42 -0600 (MDT)
Hi all,
I hope the digest is distributed again in time for this message to be
useful.
I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone in the Boulder, Colorado
area to attend the annual mead meeting of Hop Barley and the Alers (the
homebrew club of Boulder County, Colorado).
When: 7pm Tuesday, Aug. 22
Where: The Boulder Jaycee's in the old train depot building near the
corner of 30th and Pearl (in the parking lot for the movie theater
and Barnes and Noble).
See the club's web site for other contact info
http://members.xoom.com/hbaweb
We'll have a speaker, dinner, and a variety of meads made by club members.
Come on by and join in the fun. Bring some of your own mead to share.
See you there.
Cheers
Craig Agnor
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Craig B. Agnor University of Colorado
Craig.Agnor@Colorado.edu
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Subject: Re: NYC area mead
From: Dave Polaschek <davep@davespicks.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 18:16:25 -0500
John Baxter Biggins <jbbiggin@med.cornell.edu> wrote:
>Just curious. New to the group. Anyone here from the greater NYC
>area? Also, are there any good places in the greater NYC area
>(preferably upstate/CT area) to get good honey in bulk (roadside
>stands/amateur beekeepers/etc...) Private email OK.
I know of BetterBee and Earle Estates Meadery in upstate New York.
Earle Estates Meadery is at <http://www.meadery.com/> and are located at:
Earle Estates Meadery
3586 Route 14
Himrod, NY 14842
Better Bee is at (I don't have a URL for them):
Better Bee, Inc.
8 Meader Road
Greenwich, NY 12834
Also, since you're at Cornell, you may want to check out
<http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/> which is taught by people at Cornell.
They might have additional information for you.
- -DaveP
Dave Polaschek - Polaschek Computing, Inc. - davep@best.com
PGP key and other spiffy things at <http://www.best.com/~davep/>
"The ready availability of suicide, like sex and alcohol, is one
of life's basic consolations." - Edward Abbey
------------------------------
Subject: Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches
From: Dave Polaschek <davep@davespicks.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 18:24:17 -0500
Ken Irwin <kirwin@wittenberg.edu> wrote:
>Here's my question: When multiplying spices from a one-gallon batch to 5
>or 6 gallons, what factor of multiplication do you use.
I tend to use a factor of two to three. There are a couple reasons, but
my main thinking is that one-gallon batches tend to finish so much faster
than 5 gallon batches that there's more time for the ingredients' flavor
to make it into the mead in a larger batch. Also, I need to find a larger
block of time in order to bottle a 5 gallon batch, so it tends to sit
even longer.
Note that this only applies to spices or other non-fermentable
flavorings, and only to dry. When I'm using vanilla extract in meads, I
tend to multiply that a straight factor of 5, since there's no difference
in the amount extracted.
I'm interested to see what other folks think, since my factor of 2-3 is
something I don't think too hard about, but when I look at 5 times the
ingredients of a 1 gallon batch ready to be put into a 5 gallon batch, I
tend to pause and drop about half that much in, figuring it's a lot
easier to add more spice later than it is to take it out. I almost never
end up having to add more.
>I'm absolutely certain that using 110 cloves in a 5 gallon batch would be
>a *bad* idea.
Well, it might not be completely bad, but it would definitely taste of
clove.
- -DaveP
Dave Polaschek - Polaschek Computing, Inc. - davep@best.com
PGP key and other spiffy things at <http://www.best.com/~davep/>
"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the
guise of fighting a foreign enemy." - James Madison
------------------------------
Subject: Re: "How To" Sparkaloid
From: dworkin@village.org
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:43:05 -0600
"Matt Maples" <matt_lists@hotmail.com> wrote:
: Sparkaloid itself is a very very fine power (diatomous earth I think). You
By which I infer it is similar to, if not the same as, bentonite.
: Sparkaloid as per package instructions.The package instructions are as
: follows. 1tsp/gall add to 1 cup boiling water. Boil for 15 min. For 5
: gallon use 2 cups boiling water. Add to mead hot. If the gravity is above
Here's the step I always have problems with (at least with bentonite).
I get some small percentage of the total suspended, but most of it is
tied up into big globs. Same problem you'll see with, say, adding
water to flour in imprudent amounts. Any suggestions?
Dworkin
------------------------------
Subject: Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches
From: "Kenneth Irwin" <kirwin@wittenberg.edu>
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 08:30:20 -0400
At 06:24 PM 08/17/2000 -0500, Dave Polaschek wrote:
>>Here's my question: When multiplying spices from a one-gallon batch to 5
>>or 6 gallons, what factor of multiplication do you use.
>
>I tend to use a factor of two to three.
Hm, is that "between 2 and 3 times the spice for a five-fold batch" or is
that "a ratio of 2:3 (two to three) -- two times the spice for three times
the wort"? (The former would mean 44-66 cloves in five gallons; the latter
would be 44 cloves in a 6 gallon batch. It too early in the morning to know
how many the latter would yield in a five gallon batch since that doesn't
divide easily into 3!)
Thanks for pointing out the non-fermentable/not-extract clause; I don't
think I'd thought of that. I think this is my first try at multiplying a
smaller batch. (Need more carboys...)
Joy,
Ken
------------------------------
Subject: Re: New to the list / multiplying spices for larger batches
From: Dave Polaschek <davep@davespicks.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 07:36:29 -0500
Kenneth Irwin wrote:
>Hm, is that "between 2 and 3 times the spice for a five-fold batch" or is
>that "a ratio of 2:3 (two to three) -- two times the spice for three times
>the wort"?
Umm. It means two-to-three times the amount used in a one-gallon batch,
instead of five-times, as the naive would assume.
The other way to think of it is "half of five-times the amount used for a
one-gallon batch" into a five-gallon batch.
>Thanks for pointing out the non-fermentable/not-extract clause; I don't
>think I'd thought of that. I think this is my first try at multiplying a
>smaller batch. (Need more carboys...)
The place this matters is ingredients like fruit that you're adding. I
always scale fruit up linearly.
- -DaveP
Dave Polaschek - Polaschek Computing, Inc. - davep@best.com
PGP key and other spiffy things at <http://www.best.com/~davep/>
How can I miss you if you won't go away? -- Scott "ZZ" Zimmerman
------------------------------
Subject: Cloves (Re: multiplying spices for larger batches)
From: Elfboy0@aol.com
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 09:46:12 EDT
Ken Irwin <kirwin@wittenberg.edu> writes:
> I made a 1 gallon batch of mead with 22 cloves, a .25 cup of raisins for
> tannin and 3.5# clover honey. I boiled the wort and pitched the yeast (
> Lalvin
> Montpellier wine yeast); I strained out the cloves after 2 months. After
> almost 4 years, it had turned from undrinkable kack to a wonderfully warm,
...
>I'm absolutely certain that using 110 cloves in a 5 gallon batch would be a
*bad*
> idea.
Very likely, 22 cloves in a gallon is the reason you had to wait four years.
Cloves are used in herbal medicine for toothaches - in particular, the
essential oil will numb the tooth. This effect *is* transferred to teas and
other beverages made from cloves. I've made tea before with half the amount
you used - 10 cloves (and other herbs) for a gallon, leaving the herbs in for
just an hour, and the tea was somewhat mouth numbing. With 22 for two months,
I'm surprised you could even taste the mead at all! I don't know if the
effect dissipates over time, but you can probably save yourself a lot of
waiting by cutting the amount of cloves significantly. Personally (based on
my own experience as well as the recomendations of the
aromatherapist/herbalist I've apprenticed under), I'd use 2-5 cloves per
gallon. If you're insisting on super spicy, you may be able to get away with
10 per gallon, but I wonder if the time spent waiting for the "nastiness" to
dissipate also results in waiting from the some of the clove flavor to
dissipate.
- Joshua
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #817, 17 August 2000
From: Elfboy0@aol.com
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 09:46:18 EDT
TPArmantrout@aol.com writes:
> Has anyone out there made meads using various tonic herbs or herbal extracts?
>
> I have experimented with full-spectrum chinese herbal extracts from a
> company called Mayway with good enough results to want to do more research.
>
> I have also read some info about ayurvedic medicine that mentions healing
> beverages made from fermenting herbs. I am just curious if anyone has done
> anything like that with any success. I also read somewhere about putting
> semi-precious stones (ie quartz) in during fermentation, which were
> subsequently dissolved. Interesting?! Input greatly appreciated.
I would suggest using recipes that specifically are meant for alcohol, as
opposed to taking herbal medicinal recipes or extracts and just making
methaglin from them. The latter will work, but the former will be more
effective. The alcohol disturbs the body processes (obviously :), but
affects things energetically, too. Caffeine does the same thing. Ayurvedic
recipes balance this energetic disturbance. As an example, drinking Chai tea
(not quite Ayurvedic, but using many of the same herbs) tends not leave the
drinker as "scattered" as other caffeinated beverages. I do not know if the
herbs that balance caffeine will also balance alcohol, but I'll be able to
tell you soon - both Matt "Tap Me Malt" Maples and I are making Chai mead
that is close to being done. So, I haven't really done what you're asking,
but I'm so confident in Ayurvedic recipes that I'd be surprised to find it
didn't work well.
I *have* used quartz crystal, however. I'm not sure what you mean by the
crystal being dissolved - I don't think quartz will do that, even ground up.
I've placed a crystal in with the fermentation several times. The vibrational
properties of the crystal were imparted onto the mead, providing a sort of
"clear drunk" (how's that for an oxymoron?) experience. If you are at all
consciously sensitive to energy, I'd highly recommend trying it at least
once. A couple of points of caution. The crystal will need recuperation time
afterwards, so don't drop it into another batch right after using it. Also,
some crystals do *not* like having this done. I used an amethyst crystal in
this way once, without really asking it first. Upon removing it, it was the
first time I've ever had a crystal yell at me. (Whether this is a property of
amethyst in general, or the personality of the crystal, I don't know). If you
can't talk with crystals, state your intention for the crystal with the
crystal in your left hand, and try and get a "feeling" of whether or not it's
okay.
- Joshua
------------------------------
Subject: re: Herbal/Medicinal Meads
From: rcd@raven.talisman.com (Dick Dunn)
Date: 19 Aug 00 12:04:00 MDT (Sat)
TPArmantrout@aol.com wrote:
> Has anyone out there made meads using various tonic herbs or herbal extracts?
It's hard to say where to draw the line between "tonic" herbs and
"culinary" herbs, since many traditional culinary herbs and spices either
have or are believed to have medicinal properties.
As you may have encountered already, the word we use for a mead with herbs
or spices--metheglin--is an anglicized form of the Welsh meddyglyn, which
means and is a cognate of "medicine". And there is a history of using
mead as the vehicle for medicines--both because the alcohol can extract
some useful substances from herbs and because it can mask unpleasant or
bitter tastes.
> ...I also read somewhere about putting
> semi-precious stones (ie quartz) in during fermentation, which were
> subsequently dissolved...
It is no more likely that mead would dissolve quartz than that it would
dissolve the walls of the glass carboy in which it ferments or the glass
bottles in which it is stored.
As for other semi-precious stones, for most of them it is about equally
unlikely that mead would dissolve them, but before you do this, think
carefully about what minerals might be present, that the acid of the mead
might leach out, and that might be harmful. Semi-precious stones are not
in general intended to be "food grade".
Even that begs the question of *why* you would want to put rocks in your
mead.
- ---
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
...Simpler is better.
------------------------------
Subject: Searchable Archive
From: "Joseph Morris" <lanthir@flash.net>
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2000 09:30:04 -0500
Greeting All,
I am would like to know if there is any interest in a home version
of the searchable archive. With the recent lack of the online version,
I wrote a program to maintain a complete searchable archive of the
digest. It will allow you to read, search, print, and update as new
issues come out. If there is enough interest, I will set up a website
for it. You can email me to keep from interrupting the digest.
Thanks
Joseph Morris
------------------------------
From: "Dennis L. Golden" <golden@Tusk.Edu>
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 16:00:12 -0600
I am in the process of brewing my first batch of mead and considering some
of the many possibilities of flavoring the mead. I was wondering if anyone
has considered adding flavored liquors or flavored brandies. I realize that
these would raise the alcohol content and that some of the sugars (like in
the liquors) may restart fermentation, but I suspect the flavors should
remain. Any thoughts or reports of prior experience would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dennis
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #818
*******************************
