My first batch of mead is a off tasting because I tried
a more natural approach of using tea. I think I over did
it by using one cup of strong steeped tea in one gallon.
I think I can actually taste the tea which I don't consider
nice with the mead. I'm ready to give up my natural kick
and switch to grape tannin.

Anyone know about the proper amount of grape tannin in
a gallon of mead and whether you really need the tannin
to offset the honey? I'm fermenting dry btw.

Don

When Ever I make Mead I don't use any tanin at all.

On 7 Feb 2004 17:48:32 -0800, (Don S) wrote:

>My first batch of mead is a off tasting because I tried
>a more natural approach of using tea. I think I over did
>it by using one cup of strong steeped tea in one gallon.
>I think I can actually taste the tea which I don't consider
>nice with the mead. I'm ready to give up my natural kick
>and switch to grape tannin.
>
>Anyone know about the proper amount of grape tannin in
>a gallon of mead and whether you really need the tannin
>to offset the honey? I'm fermenting dry btw.
>
>Don

Please Take a moment to visit www.brucellar.co.uk
Now Open brucellar home brew forums

On 2/7/04 7:48 PM, in article
, "Don S"
> wrote:

> My first batch of mead is a off tasting because I tried
> a more natural approach of using tea. I think I over did
> it by using one cup of strong steeped tea in one gallon.
> I think I can actually taste the tea which I don't consider
> nice with the mead. I'm ready to give up my natural kick
> and switch to grape tannin.
>
> Anyone know about the proper amount of grape tannin in
> a gallon of mead and whether you really need the tannin
> to offset the honey? I'm fermenting dry btw.
>
> Don

Well, generally about 1/4 tsp per gallon is typically called for in most
wine recipes that specify tannin be added. Sometimes less.

--
Greg Cook
http://homepage.mac.com/gregcook/Wine

(remove spamblocker from my email)

>
> Well, generally about 1/4 tsp per gallon is typically called for in most
> wine recipes that specify tannin be added. Sometimes less.


Greg,
You seem to do some/alot of mead, what are your favourites?
I tried my first about a year ago. It has too much tea flavour
and is also a bit weak. I'm thinking about using fruit in
place of water in order to strengthen it up so I was going
to consider adding some fruit juice such as mango or peach.

Do you add 1/4 tsp per gallon of grape tannin to nearly all
of your meads? How do you decide if to add?

Don

On 2/9/04 6:29 AM, in article
, "Don S"
> wrote:

>>
>> Well, generally about 1/4 tsp per gallon is typically called for in most
>> wine recipes that specify tannin be added. Sometimes less.
>
>
> Greg,
> You seem to do some/alot of mead, what are your favourites?
> I tried my first about a year ago. It has too much tea flavour
> and is also a bit weak. I'm thinking about using fruit in
> place of water in order to strengthen it up so I was going
> to consider adding some fruit juice such as mango or peach.
>
> Do you add 1/4 tsp per gallon of grape tannin to nearly all
> of your meads? How do you decide if to add?
>
> Don

I will generally add 1/4 tsp per gallon of tannin to anything I make that
doesn't have much tannin naturally in the fruit. At this level, you can't
really taste the astringency but I think it does add something to the mouth
feel. I do like meads. I made a couple early on that were really nice - one
with fresh mango fruit and one with blueberries. I like my cranberry melomel
very much. All of those had a bit of residual sweetness added back, so they
were off dry. I have an orange melomel going now that is dry and really
tastes good. Can't wait for this one! I think it will be one of my better
honey wines. By the way, I made it using frozen orange concentrate. It
fermented well and cleared beautifully by itself. I really need to get my
recent wine logs put on-line. One of these days real soon.


--
Greg Cook
http://homepage.mac.com/gregcook/Wine

(remove spamblocker from my email)

Greg,
Since I don't want to fool around with sorbate at this
point I'd like to stick with fermenting dry. What was
your favourite dry melomel other than the orange which
isn't finished? Do you have the recipes online as well?

Don

> I will generally add 1/4 tsp per gallon of tannin to anything I make that
> doesn't have much tannin naturally in the fruit. At this level, you can't
> really taste the astringency but I think it does add something to the mouth
> feel. I do like meads. I made a couple early on that were really nice - one
> with fresh mango fruit and one with blueberries. I like my cranberry melomel
> very much. All of those had a bit of residual sweetness added back, so they
> were off dry. I have an orange melomel going now that is dry and really
> tastes good. Can't wait for this one! I think it will be one of my better
> honey wines. By the way, I made it using frozen orange concentrate. It
> fermented well and cleared beautifully by itself. I really need to get my
> recent wine logs put on-line. One of these days real soon.

Greg,
Along the same lines another question came to me on the way
home. What about acid blend or lemon juice? How do you choose
when you might add one of them to a mead?

Don

On 2/10/04 11:30 AM, in article
, "Don S"
> wrote:

> Greg,
> Since I don't want to fool around with sorbate at this
> point I'd like to stick with fermenting dry. What was
> your favourite dry melomel other than the orange which
> isn't finished? Do you have the recipes online as well?
>
> Don
>
>> I will generally add 1/4 tsp per gallon of tannin to anything I make that
>> doesn't have much tannin naturally in the fruit. At this level, you can't
>> really taste the astringency but I think it does add something to the mouth
>> feel. I do like meads. I made a couple early on that were really nice - one
>> with fresh mango fruit and one with blueberries. I like my cranberry melomel
>> very much. All of those had a bit of residual sweetness added back, so they
>> were off dry. I have an orange melomel going now that is dry and really
>> tastes good. Can't wait for this one! I think it will be one of my better
>> honey wines. By the way, I made it using frozen orange concentrate. It
>> fermented well and cleared beautifully by itself. I really need to get my
>> recent wine logs put on-line. One of these days real soon.

To be honest, I haven't made that many dry melomels. The one apricot melomel
was pretty good, but I used sulfured dried apricots, and it had a lingering
sulfur taste that spoiled it. One of the best dry honey wines I have tasted
was made by a winery in North Dakota (Pointe of View Winery). They added
dried elderflowers (just a bit) and aged it in oak barrels. It has to be the
nicest dry mead ever.

My older logs/recipes are on-line, but I don't have the 2003 and 2004
bottlings put up yet.

--
Greg Cook
http://homepage.mac.com/gregcook/Wine

(remove spamblocker from my email)