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Mead Lovers Digest #1289
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1289, 16 November 2006
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1289 16 November 2006
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006 ("Chris Yate")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006 (Lazurus106@aol.com)
re: Racking rule of Thumb ("Rick")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006 [Braggot nutrient ques ("l...)
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Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006
From: "Chris Yate" <chrisyate@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 09:28:47 +0000
I would recommend against actually boiling the crushed grains. Those
grains should be steeped in hot water, at grain mashing temperatures
(something like 55-65 Celsius) for around 1/2 hour to an hour. You're
mainly looking to extract the colour and malt flavours.
Any higher and you'll probably be extracting lots of tannins and
probably burning the grains on the bottom of the pan. Of course, you
do still want to boil the strained liquid and malt extract.
At least that's the method for making a simple beer with extracts
which I've used quite a few times, although now I tend to go for
all-grain recipes.
On the other hand, if it worked out OK then I suppose it's not "wrong"!
cheers
Chris
> Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1287, 5 November 2006
> From: Arthur Torrey <arthur_torrey@comcast.net>
> Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 18:33:14 -0500
<SNIP>
> This is a fairly standard style of beer-making that doesn't use all the
> sparging and other fun gear that the "all grain" beer people need.
>
> The basic process is to boil the crushed grains for a while, then remove the
> grains, add the malt syrup then boil some more. At various points along the
> way you add the hops and other ingredients. The smell isn't to bad, but
<SNIP>.....
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Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006
From: Lazurus106@aol.com
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 10:34:59 EST
Greeting Kinsman,
Hi I think you may be mistaken, at least on my early meads particularly
mythoglyn's in those days. I moved them religiously every month off the dregs.
I had a buddy who thought it was required. The tennis shoe part (in this case
a musty taste a lot like old unwashed tennis shoes smell not rubbery) was
much stronger and took at least a year to age out to something pleasant. these
days I don't move them after the first time (the first move off the trub when
its 3-4 months old ) till they drop clear 4-8 months usually except for some
that drop clear in the first carboy.
I don't think I have ever run into the rubber flavor? Including the 15
gallon demijohn that sat for 3 years with an inch of trub in the bottom.
Could this be from my choice of yeasts? I rarely use anything other than
Lalvin d 47 or K1V -1116.
Cheers,
Dutch Carpender
Madison, WI
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Subject: re: Racking rule of Thumb
From: "Rick" <beekeepers@insightbb.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 14:41:50 -0600
I would like to find out if their is a mead tasting near Nashville, TN
or anywhere in western Kentucky near Bowling Green, KY. I need to find
out if this stuff that I have made is what mead is supposed to taste
like.
Eric Norse
Maybe I'm a little more relaxed about the whole thing, but my meads don't
usually follow a set schedule. I usually rack from primary a few weeks
after pitching. I wait until both the airlock bubbles and my life in
general have slowed down enough for an afternoon of mead work. This is
usually 2-3 weeks, but has been 2-3 months every now and then. Similarly
with each successive racking, if I don't have time, I don't sweat it. For
this reason, I really hate (*hate*) to have to make a batch to some schedule
(holidays and the like).
It's not unusual to have a batch sitting around for a few extra months
waiting for me to get around to it. I haven't noticed any bad taste from
sitting on the lees for extended periods of time. Despite being an engineer
by trade, I don't dwell on the science aspect of mead making. Then again, I
know some people focus on the technical side almost exclusively and make
really great meads.
- - -Daryl
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Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1288, 10 November 2006 [Braggot nutrient ques
From: "lameuse@netzero.net" <lameuse@netzero.net>
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:14:09 GMT
The last MLD had a lovely amount of banter on the topic of braggot
production to which I'd only like to add a point or two having made a
fair few myself.
Recipes: any extract (or all grain) beer recipe can be "braggotized"
depending on the final alcohol content desired and relative amout of
honey character you'd like it to finish with. I've done them anywhere
from 3lbs malt and 3-5 lbs honey all the way up to "braggot wine" at 7
lbs dme+flavor grains+hops, and after boil added 2 lbs honey and fed
another 7 lbs honey over the next week (YUM!)
Nutrients: DME and syrups both have far more nutrient value than you'll
get by adding energizers/yeast extract. Just don't unless you wanna
mess. My braggots typically are at *least* as active fermentations as
beers, meaning they go like racecars. Even faster than fruit in primary
ferments.
Aging: Braggots tend to age/develop far faster than typical meads, but
slightly slower than most beers in my experience. Lighter gravity
braggots benefit from 2 weeks in bottles/keg under carbonation, and
higher gravity produce typically longer. Your recipe may vary a little,
but most braggots are eminently quaffable right off the bat.
Hops: It depends, I've done many with or without I personally prefer
the vinous quality that comes out in a drier braggot without hops, and
maltier/sweeter finishing braggots like hops for balance. This one is
some about personal taste, but balancing final sweetness is where it
shines. I nice dry hop addition to a sweet mead or braggot is wonderful
for balance as well as flavor. =
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End of Mead Lover's Digest #1289
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