"When in doubt....wait."

I'll explain.

I made 2 batches of mead (pure buckwheat honey and nothing else) about 6
months ago. I added yeast nutrient to both batches.

I learned later that yeast nutrient is not necessary nor recommended for
buckwheat mead, but I didn't know that then.

I used 2 different strains of yeast (EC-1118 and 71B) and was planning on
doing a side-by-side comparison (more on that in a bit).

About 2 months ago, I decided to have a barrel tasting with one of my
friends. Both meads tasted like Elmer's glue, were cloudy as h*** and, were
only worthy of the kitchen drain.

My friend advised me to dump both batches, as we surmised they may have been
spoiled one way or another.

Well, I decided, that since I didn't need the carboys just yet, might as
well wait a while.

2 months later (today) I tried both meads. To my surprise, they are both
brilliantly clear, they both have a great honey nose, and taste wonderful.
Needless to say, they are both a bit hot still from their young age.

So, there's my advice: *BE PATIENT*. I am glad I waited, otherwise I would
have dumped $60 down the drain. Instead, I have 70 bottles of buckwheat
mead to look forward too!

Now, for today's comparison tasting.

The EC-1118 is clean, crisp, and very, very clear. It is a bit hot on the
pallette, but I know that will mellow with age. It would be a very good
alternative wine with fatty foods.

The 71B is clean, crisp, fruity, and very round. Researching Lalvin's site,
71B is supposed to ferment up to 25% of malolactic acid, which it apparently
has done. It is quite a bit less hot that the other, but very tasty. it's
off dry, but still has the flavor of a dessert wine.

Other things in the works:

I just bottled 2 1/2 cases of mead made from Guajillo honey and a strong
brew of green tea. The tannins in the tea really cleared this wine quickly,
and I was not forced to use finings.

I have 5 gal of my "tree hugger mead" in the final. I am going to force
carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2 and bottle in champagne glass. Made a strong
brew of ginger root, coriander, cardamon, and sasafrass (hence the name).
Tastes like hard root beer, which will be nice with the effervescence.

I am starting a raspberry-zinfandel wine this weekend. Right now, just
assembling the requisite chemicals.

Next week, I am starting a blackberry-zinfandel with local wild-grown
blackberries. Should be fun with all the mosquitos.

Toodles.
Brian

In rec.crafts.meadmaking Brian > wrote:

> I have 5 gal of my "tree hugger mead" in the final. I am going to force
> carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2 and bottle in champagne glass. Made a strong
> brew of ginger root, coriander, cardamon, and sasafrass (hence the name).
> Tastes like hard root beer, which will be nice with the effervescence.

Care to share your recipe? I've got a friend who's been itching to make
something with sasafrass, but we'd like to do something tried and true
for our first round with it.

Thanks!
WB

WB

My mistake...That should be "Sarsasparilla" not sassafrass.

Anyways, the recipe is:

Buy enough Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup from Sam's club (I forget how
much, exactly...don't have my notes in front of me)
Make a strong tea (Aprox 2 quarts and let steep for 1 hour) from:
4 oz Ginger root (fresh or dried)
4 oz Sarsasparilla root
2 oz cardamon
2 oz coriander
2 Tbsp Pure vanilla extract
Nutrients

Aerate for 30 minutes, and pitch a 1000mL starter (I use EC-1118)

Add a 2-cup concoction of hot-mix sparkalloid and bentonite (2 Tbsp each)
when fermentation ceases.
Rack after 2 weeks.
Rack into soda keg, and carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2.
Chill bottles and keg to around 36 degrees...carefully fill champagne
bottles, fit stopper, and afix wire hood.

It holds carbonation in an open glass for about 15 minutes, and it tastes
awesome!

SG should be around 1.130 or so. Make sure you aerate!

Brian


> wrote in message
...
> In rec.crafts.meadmaking Brian > wrote:
>
> > I have 5 gal of my "tree hugger mead" in the final. I am going to force
> > carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2 and bottle in champagne glass. Made a
strong
> > brew of ginger root, coriander, cardamon, and sasafrass (hence the
name).
> > Tastes like hard root beer, which will be nice with the effervescence.
>
> Care to share your recipe? I've got a friend who's been itching to make
> something with sasafrass, but we'd like to do something tried and true
> for our first round with it.
>
> Thanks!
> WB
>
>

I answered you over in rec.crafts.winemaking....

Brian

Wassail!

> wrote in message
...
> In rec.crafts.meadmaking Brian > wrote:
>
> > I have 5 gal of my "tree hugger mead" in the final. I am going to force
> > carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2 and bottle in champagne glass. Made a
strong
> > brew of ginger root, coriander, cardamon, and sasafrass (hence the
name).
> > Tastes like hard root beer, which will be nice with the effervescence.
>
> Care to share your recipe? I've got a friend who's been itching to make
> something with sasafrass, but we'd like to do something tried and true
> for our first round with it.
>
> Thanks!
> WB
>
>

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 17:42:20 -0400, Brian wrote:

> "When in doubt....wait."

You know, I've been learning patience with this as well.

I mistakenly added extra nutrient to my first mead (berry melomel) and now
it's coming along. The cyser took a month and two rackings to stock
primary (I really thought it was done before...). They both tasted crappy
earlier, and while not guest-ready they're making progress. Thank
goodness for random straws around the house that let me keep the faith.

Phil

Brian > wrote:
> WB

> My mistake...That should be "Sarsasparilla" not sassafrass.

> Anyways, the recipe is:

> Buy enough Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup from Sam's club (I forget how
> much, exactly...don't have my notes in front of me)
> Make a strong tea (Aprox 2 quarts and let steep for 1 hour) from:
> 4 oz Ginger root (fresh or dried)
> 4 oz Sarsasparilla root
> 2 oz cardamon
> 2 oz coriander
> 2 Tbsp Pure vanilla extract
> Nutrients

> Aerate for 30 minutes, and pitch a 1000mL starter (I use EC-1118)

> Add a 2-cup concoction of hot-mix sparkalloid and bentonite (2 Tbsp each)
> when fermentation ceases.
> Rack after 2 weeks.
> Rack into soda keg, and carbonate to 4 volumes of CO2.
> Chill bottles and keg to around 36 degrees...carefully fill champagne
> bottles, fit stopper, and afix wire hood.

> It holds carbonation in an open glass for about 15 minutes, and it tastes
> awesome!

> SG should be around 1.130 or so. Make sure you aerate!

Sweet! Thanks! I had a maple syrup mead going but the carboy broke, so now
I've got two excuses to start a batch of this!