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Mead Lovers Digest #1235
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1235, 15 December 2005
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1235 15 December 2005
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: Controlling Alcohol in MEADS (Phil)
Re: Controlling Alcohol in MEADS (Dick Adams)
2005 Glows Competiton ("Jeff Carlson")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1233, 6 December 2005 (Eric Drake)
Professional meadmakers (Robert Keith Moore)
Meadllennium 2006 ("Meadllennium Team")
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Subject: Re: Controlling Alcohol in MEADS
From: Phil <dogglebe@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005 13:51:06 -0800 (PST)
> If I wanted to adjust this recipe to produce a mead that is more on the
> sweet side with an alcohol content in the range of 12-14%, what should
> I do.
You can always stop fermentation with some potassium
sorbate. Toward the end of the fermentation, you take
gravity readings. When it's where you want it,
sulphite it.
Right now, you can sorbate your dry batch and sweeten
it with honey.
Phil
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Controlling Alcohol in MEADS
From: rdadams@smart.net (Dick Adams)
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005 22:42:29 -0500 (EST)
> From: Kenny Jacobs <meadmaster71@yahoo.com>
> I'm new to meadmaking, 2 years or so with 6 or so meads made. I'm
> trying to figure out how to control my alcohol content. I recently
> made a mead/cyser that consisted of 12lbs. (1 gallon) of honey, and
> 4 gallons of Apple Cider (Amish Wedding Cider, not sure of the apple
> types). I expected that due to all of the sugars present (cider
> instead of water) that the mead would turn out a little on the sweet
> side. I used Lalvin D47 yeast. The mead bottomed out near .998 and
> is very dry, with an alcohol content near 16%. If I wanted to adjust
> this recipe to produce a mead that is more on the sweet side with an
> alcohol content in the range of 12-14%, what should I do. I would
> also take any recommendations as far as book that covers this topic
> well.
You and I should be neighbors as my meads have never made it below
1.01. If I am correct, D47 has an alcohol tolerance of 14% and your
result of 16% is really maxing out on both the yeasts and the
fermentables.
Consider adding non-fermentable sugars/sweetmers.
Dick Adams
Ellicott City, MD 21042
------------------------------
Subject: 2005 Glows Competiton
From: "Jeff Carlson" <carlsonj@gvsu.edu>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 08:47:50 -0500
For Immediate ReleaseA GLOWing CompetitionGrand Rapids Competition Drew
Entries from Coast to Coast56 Medals AwardedContact: Rex Halfpenny,
Michigan Beer Guide, 248-628-6584 or mibeerguyd@aol.com The 1st Great
Lakes Olde World Syder Competition completed with an award ceremony at the
DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Thursday, December 8, 2005
as part of the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Expo. The unique
competition funded by the Michigan Apple Committee and cosponsored by the
Primetime Brewers, Founders Brewing Company, Siciliano's Market, Cascade
Winery and Michigan Beer Guide was open to all producers of fermented
beverages made with the addition of apples or pears. A total of 113
ciders, meads and fruit beers were entered by producers from coast to
coast in two divisions, commercial and noncommercial. The
entries were judged in their respective division by blind tasting panels
composed of industry members, certified beer judges, and press members in
14 style categories. A total of 56 of the potential 84 medals were
awarded.Michigan has already established itself as a producer of wine,
microbrewing, and most recently, distillation. "Fermented apples are the
natural progression of this trend," said Rex Halfpenny, Competition
Organizer. "The competition serves many purposes. It pulls a young
industry together while recognizing quality and providing feedback. It
brings media attention to the industry, exposes our apple farmers to a
potentially new product and introduces them to variations they may never
have considered."Entries ranged in color from clear to mahogany with
alcohol running from the average 4-5 percent up to a fortifying 20
percent. There were still ciders, sparkling ciders, sweet ciders,
semisweet ciders, and dry ciders. There were products made with honey,
barley, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, figs, raspberries, maple syrup,
pears, plums, grapes, watermelon, pineapple, Marion berries, and brown
sugar. Some of the most amazing examples were aged in bourbon barrels.
In the 1st Division, Commercial Products, there were 45 entries in
8 of the 14 style categories. The largest category entered was Common
Cider, with 13 entries. A total of 23 medals were awarded, 10 went to
Michigan producers. Of the 10, three went to Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay
who swept the Specialty Cider/Perry (made with pears) category. The most
decorated producer was Uncle Johns Fruit House Winery, St. Johns, who took
6 medals as well as Best of Show in the Commercial division with Uncle
John's Farm House Perry.In the 2nd Division, Noncommercial, there were 68
entries in 13 of the 14 style categories with 33 medals awarded. The
largest category entered here was Cyser with 13 entries. A total of 33
medals were awarded, 23 went to Michigan home producers. Yet the most
decorated home producer was Gary Awdey of Eden, New York, who took 6
medals including the Division Best Of Show with his Common cider made with
mostly Golden Russet Apples. Plans are already underway for the second
competition in fall of 2006.For more information and a complete list of
winners visit the Michigan Hard Cider website at www.michiganhardcider.org
or the Michigan Beer Guide website at www.michiganbeerguide.com. Photos
and logos available on request.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1233, 6 December 2005
From: Eric Drake <drake.49@osu.edu>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 09:29:19 -0500
>Subject: Topping Up - What to Use
>From: Eric Wescott <eric.wescott@gmail.com>
>Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 09:27:37 -0500
>
>What do you guys use to top-up with sweet meads? I'm looking for some
>tricks and tips here to help keep headspace down and total volume to
>make it to bottle up.
I personally worry little about it. So long as some fermentation is
going on, there is CO2 pushing out, and I try not to disturb that
layer much. However, I have heard of people concerned about this
issue putting glass marbles into the bottom of the fermenter to raise
the fluid level to the neck. Marbles are cheap, easy to clean and
sanitize, and do the job well. If taking such an approach, I would
want to be concerned about the rate at which they fall to the bottom
as I'd be afraid that a marble might crack the carboy, although I
have not heard of that actually having happened.
Eric
------------------------------
Subject: Professional meadmakers
From: Robert Keith Moore <Rob@ineedachef.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 22:34:50 -0800
Hey,
Are any of you guys pro mead makers. I have some questions about
making large quantities.
Robert
------------------------------
Subject: Meadllennium 2006
From: "Meadllennium Team" <HCurran@cfl.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2005 20:07:38 -0500
Meadllennium2006 is now accepting entries.
For more details and entry forms, go to: http://cfhb.org/ and click the
Meadllennium link on the sidebar.
Last year we were the largest mead-only competition in North America, and
anticipate another great year in 2006. We will be judging all of the BJCP
mead categories (24 A, B & C; 25 A, B & C; 26 A, B & C).
The BJCP guidelines are at: http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/
Last year we even expanded the categories and awarded medals for Dry,
Semi-sweet and Sweet meads in the "Other Fruit Melomel" category (26C). When
was the last time you heard of a competition giving MORE medals? We even
pulled some Braggots out of 26C (Open Category Mead) to judge all Braggots
together - rather than collapse them into another category.
Once again, we have a panel of experienced mead judges, including the
president of the BJCP and a wine sommelier, waiting to sample the best meads
in the world. As usual, we will be using special wine tasting glasses to
evaluate the meads.
We will award medals to all first, second, and third place winners, plus an
etched goblet for category winners and the BOS winner. Also, the club with
the most points will receive a special award (the host club, the CFHB is
excluded from this award). The last two years this has been the Great
Northern Brewers Club from Anchorage, Alaska.
Is there a club out there that can wrest the award from them?
We look forward to tasting the best meads you have to offer.
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1235
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