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Mead Lovers Digest #1158
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1158, 7 February 2005
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1158 7 February 2005
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: bread yeast (Dick Dunn)
Re: Orange Juice Mead Lover's Digest #1157, 3 February 2005 (Ken Vale)
re. boysenberry melomel ("John D. Misrahi")
filtering ("josephcotton")
RE: muscadine input wanted (David Chubb)
Orange juice mead? ("Lane Gray, Czar Castic")
Re: Bread yeast (myniyer)
Maple Wine v. Maple Mead (MeadGuild@aol.com)
without sulphites or boiling (Chris Telkamp)
Meadllennium 2005 results ("Meadllennium Team")
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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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: bread yeast
From: rcd@talisman.com (Dick Dunn)
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 22:20:41 -0700 (MST)
(re using bread yeast in an Ambrosia Adeventure Best of Show)
"Lane O. Locke" <shaggyman@kc.rr.com> wrote:
> You forgot to mention she also used canned peach pie filling for that
> BOS....
> Sacrilege!
No.
It was a traditional mead using catclaw honey.
I think you got snagged by a bit of urban legend.
I can't find any reports of anyone using peach pie filling in a mead...
competition winner or otherwise.
- ---
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Orange Juice Mead Lover's Digest #1157, 3 February 2005
From: Ken Vale <kenvale@rogers.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 07:40:38 -0500
>From: "Robert Keith Moore" <Rob@ineedachef.com>
>Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 15:04:52 -0800
>
>Hey,
>Trust me on this one! Orange juice with honey fermented will NOT work very
>well. There is to much acid in the orange juice. I did it. It came out
>UN-DRINKABLE!
>Please do not waste your time.
>
>
This is what Acidex (or other acid reducing additives) is for.
Ken
------------------------------
Subject: re. boysenberry melomel
From: "John D. Misrahi" <lmoukhin@sprint.ca>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 09:18:34 -0800
That sounds great..I think I'll definetely try that...The only wine
yeasts I have are the K1-V1116, and EC-1118 which I know is champagne
and goes *very* dry. Are either of those a good choice? I have many
different kinds of ale and lager yeasts (liquid and dry form) but no
other wine yeast on hand.
john
"Recipe? What's that? If you've got a 3-gallon fermenter, use the can of
puree and use maybe 6-7 lb of honey and a good strong wine yeast. Let it
ferment out to get a dry mead and prime it at bottling for a light level of
carbonation.
- - ---
Dick Dunn "
------------------------------
Subject: filtering
From: "josephcotton" <jlc477@comcast.net>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 08:32:23 -0600
is it ok to filter mead
------------------------------
Subject: RE: muscadine input wanted
From: David Chubb <dchubb@virpack.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 10:36:25 -0500
> Subject: muscadine input wanted
> From: Michael Kiley <michael@beeherenow.com>
> Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 11:06:34 -0500
>
> While I'm here in meadland I'll report on some of my recent projects.
>
> A local beekeeper made me a gift of twenty pounds of an
> heirloom muscadine from his family's home place. Called
> locally 'strawberry grapes' they are smaller, redder and
> perhaps a little sweeter than many modern muscadines or,
> indeed, the more typical ones also found on that old home
> place. They have rugged skins or 'hulls' as they're known
> hereabouts. His uncle was said to have made communion wine
> from them and he was curious to see what kind of mead they would make.
>
Those are also known as "Beach grapes", "Quahogs" (though being from
main you know what a real Quahog is), "Muscatel grapes", etc. (just about
everyone has a common vernacular for them).
They make a really nice dessert wine on their own. Since I have
gotten into mead making I haven't had access to many beach grapes (keep
missing the season when I go visit my father on the Eastern Shore).
For making wine we use to de'hull the grapes since the skins are
very bitter, mash the centers and add to "jelly bag" and work it till we
have all the juice and all that is left in the bag are the seeds (fairly
large for grapes). Sometimes we would have to add sugar, though not very
often as they are very sweet. Some batches fermented clear and other were a
bit hazy, but all of them tasted superb.
I wish I could find some locally up here in the mountains, but I
don't think they are cold hardy enough to survive up here. (Hmm and
interesting thought, cross breeding them with a cold hardy white grape
variety.)
--David
------------------------------
Subject: Orange juice mead?
From: "Lane Gray, Czar Castic" <CGray2@kc.rr.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 10:43:11 -0600
On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 22:16:25 -0700 (MST), <mead-request@talisman.com>
wrote:
> Hey,
> Trust me on this one! Orange juice with honey fermented will NOT work very
> well. There is to much acid in the orange juice. I did it. It came out
> UN-DRINKABLE!
> Please do not waste your time.
Hey there, that sounds like a challenge to me. Nothing's ever as hopeless
as it seems. Might need some alkaline substance to cut it with, but I've
no doubt whatever that you could, somehow, make it work.
Between the current high cost of honey and some ugly personal politics
within Dagorhir in this region, I've not done anything with my carboys for
a few months now, but I think I'll work on that.
What'shisname, the patron saint of lost causes (Jude?) may look over my
shoulder as I fire up the kitchen again. Oh, and are you certain the
problem came from the pH of the OJ and not preservatives? It wouldn't
surprise me if they had a bunch of benzoate or other yeastkillers in there.
- --
Lane Gray
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen
2:25
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Bread yeast
From: myniyer <myn@iyerfamily.net>
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 12:35:37 -0700
>unless you live so far out in
>the boonies that it's hard to get to a brew shop, it isn't worth taking the
>chance on bread yeast.
Goodness, even if I lived in Podunk, IA, I'd still turn to mail order
and/or the Internet before I resorted to bread yeast! I brewed a
small batch (12 bottles) of ginger ale once with it, just out of
curiosity, and may I just say *YUK*.
Melinda
------------------------------
Subject: Maple Wine v. Maple Mead
From: MeadGuild@aol.com
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 14:30:18 EST
I started brewing Maple Wine with the intention of adding honey to it.
Much to my surprise the Maple Wine is fermenting out extremely quickly.
4 gallons of cold water
1 gallon of light amber maple syrup (from NorthEastMaple.com)
1 packet of Lalvin K1-1116
1 tsp of Fermax nutrient
OG = 1.090; 7 days later SG = 1.015
This stuff is so delicious it is disappearing before I add the honey.
My plan is to heat a mixture of 1 to 2 gallons of must with 4 gallons
of honey and to mix back into the carboy as soon as it has cooled
down. Any comments will be appreciated.
Dick
------------------------------
Subject: without sulphites or boiling
From: Chris Telkamp <cheekenlady@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 15:04:00 -0800 (PST)
> RE: I've had no
> infections without sulphites or boiling. The blackberry version was the best
> mead I've made to date. Good work Ken!
> Cheers,
> Michael Kiley
- - --
> Gourmet honey direct from the beekeeper....<http://www.beeherenow.com>
My comment would be this: How many people know that honey, in its natural
state, unheated and unfiltered, has anti-bacterial properties naturally?
It has small amounts of hydrogen peroxide in it. Ever put a spoonful of
honey in some hot tea and see it bubble up? That's the peroxide in it.
And because it is a super concentrated sugar solution, bacteria hasn't got
a chance to live in it. It does not suprise this beekeeper that you had no
infections without sulphites or boiling. However, I would certainly use
clean containers, disinfected to be sure, because after adding the water,
the honey is diluted and would then make for a happy medium for bacteria
and molds. My two cents worth.
------------------------------
Subject: Meadllennium 2005 results
From: "Meadllennium Team" <hcurran@cfl.rr.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 07:59:13 -0500
Meadllennium 2005 was a great success. We had a record number of entries,
from a record number of states, and a record number of meadmakers. Entries
came from as far away as Alaska and Canada and Maine.
The new BJCP/AHA guidelines were used and we awarded more medals than ever
before. We only had to collapse the Braggot and Metheglin categories
(because of there were so few entries in those categories). BUT, we were
able to award medals for all three of the traditional sub-categories (dry,
medium and sweet). AND, because of the large number of entries in the "Other
Fruit Melomel" category, we were able to expand the category and award
medals in dry, medium and sweet melomels.
The meads that were entered this year were exceptional! 92% scored 30 or
better. First place winners received a gold medal and a beautiful etched
mug. Second and third place winners received handsome medals. Personalized
"Gold Certificates", suitable for framing, were awarded to everyone that
scored 40 points or better, and personalized "Silver Certificates" were
awarded to all that scored 35 -39 points. For those that could not attend
the awards ceremony last evening, award and score sheets will be in the mail
within the next two weeks.
Thanks to all that entered. Your meads were excellent and are a testimony to
your skills.
Thanks, too, to all that helped with judging, stewarding, registering,
tabulating and paperwork.
Thanks to all that got the awards (medals, mugs and certificates) to us in
time.
And, a huge thanks for the use of the Hoover estate for the judging.
AND, THE WINNERS ARE:
24A. Traditional Dry Mead
1. Rockey Measom, Winter Park, FL - "Dry Rock"
2. Randall deBeauclair, Pinckney MI
3. KK Koenig, Dunedin FL - "New Baby Boy"
24B. Traditional Semi-Sweet Mead
1. David McAlister, Orange CA - "Sage Mead"
2. Neil McCormick, Deltona, FL - "Wildflower Sweet"
3. Kevin Martin, Charlotte NC - "Raspberry Whisper"
24C. Traditional Sweet Mead
1. Neil McCormick, Deltona, FL - "Orange Blossom Sweet"
2. Charles Hughes - Melbourne FL - "Charlie's Palmetto Mead"
3. Charles Hughes - Melbourne FL - "Charlie's Palmetto Mead"
25A. Melomel - Cyser
1. Steve Schmitt, Anchorage AK - "Cyser"
2. Pete Devaris - Anchorage AK - "Rockey Horror Cyser Show"
3. Steven Pursley - Norman OK
25B. Melomel - Pyment
1. Stephen Pursley, Norman OK - "Liebfrauenmilch Pyment"
2. Jeff Parry, Shapleigh ME - "Grameade"
3. Vern Wolff, New Market AL - "Pyment Caliente"
25C. Other Fruit Melomel (Split into three categories due to number of
entries)
Dry
1. Ed Balme, San Ramon CA - "Ed"
2. Steven Loignon, Shapleigh ME - "Pomegranate Melomel"
3. Mike/Kelly Eger and Madison, Orlando, FL - "BM Mead"
Semi-Sweet
1. Glenn Exline/Dani Exline, Rockledge FL - "GGM II"
2. Pete Devaris, Anchorage AK - "Purple Nipple Pinching Ponies"
3. Kelly Legge, Vancouver, BC, Canada, - "Quince"
Sweet
1. Glenn Exline/Dani Exline, Rockledge FL - "Passion's Nectar"
2. Boyd Solange, Calimesa CA - "Solange's Mead"
3. Julia Herz, Lyons CO - "Julia & Greggs Mead"
26A. Metheglin & 26B. Braggot Combined (Due to number of entries)
1. 26A Charles Hughes, Melbourne FL - "Charlie's Basil"
2. 26B Howard Curran/Preston Hoover, Oviedo FL - "Bagpipe Braggot"
3. 26A Darryl Hickey, Miami FL - "Lemongrass Mead"
26C. Open Mead Category
1. Steve Schmitt, Anchorage AK - "Morning Wood"
2. Pete Devaris, Anchorage AK - "Should have been a Cowgirl"
3. Howard Curran/Preston Hoover, Oviedo FL - "Hazelnut Mead"
Best of Show
Steve Schmitt, Anchorage AK - "Morning Wood"
1st Runner Up
Glenn & Dani Exline, Rockledge FL - "Passion's Nectar"
2nd Runner Up
Neil McCormick, Deltona FL - "Orange Blossom Sweet"
Mead Club of the Year
Great Northern Brewers Club - Anchorage, Alaska
2nd Place Mead Club
SAAZ - Melbourne, Florida
3rd Place Mead Club
Southern Maine Home Brewers - Shapleigh, Maine
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1158
*******************************
