Mead Lovers Digest #1391

Published in

· 7 months ago

Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1391, 23 September 2008 
From: mead-request@talisman.com 

Mead Lover's Digest #1391                                  23 September 2008 

            Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming 
                      Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor 

Contents: 
  RE: Yeast Starter Input (Stephen Morley) 
  Help with Blackberry Mead ("Randy Wallis") 

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Subject: RE: Yeast Starter Input 
From: Stephen Morley <stephen@morley.net> 
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:15:49 -0400 

Brian, 

I've used the same starter recipe for years with great success. 
        6 cups water to the boil 
        1/3 cup honey 
        1/3 cup Light Dried Malt Extract 
        Nutrients 

Boil for 15 minutes then chill to 90F 
Proof yeast at 104F in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes 
Pitch 

Usually this is bubbling away in 12 hours or less. Makes enough starter for 
two batches if need be but usually I just use it in one batch. 

Stephen 

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Subject: Help with Blackberry Mead 
From: "Randy Wallis" <vwbettle72@earthlink.net> 
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:53:05 -0400 

Questions on Blackberry Mead 

Last fall I was in up in North Carolina for Thanksgiving and had a great 
Blackberry Mead. I decided that was going to be my next venture and was 
looking forward to trying my own hand at some.  I was  patiently waiting 
for  Blackberry season so I could go to a local U-pick it place and lay up 
enough to start a batch this fall.  Since I live in Florida summer brewing 
is out.  However, the U-pick it place closed their Blackberry fields and is 
now only doing grapes.  Since I do not know anybody who grew enough 
Blackberries to supply my needs, and I am too cheap to buy enough at the 
supermarket, and even the Farmers Market is high I decided to go the canned 
route.  I brought a 96 oz packed fruit base and 64 oz of Blackberry Puree 
(both by names home brewers would recognize) and a couple 15 oz bags of 
quick-froze whole berries.  The recipe I had planned to use called for 
fresh fruit so it is out.  I will be using Wyeast Dry Mead yeast.  I prefer 
adding fruit to the primary and have made several meads with fresh fruit 
but have never used canned fruit.  Anyone out there have pointers or a 
recipe they have used that turned out good.  Thanks. 

Randy Wallis 
vwbettle72@earthlink.ne 

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End of Mead Lover's Digest #1391 
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