Mead Lover's Digest #1120 8 August 2004
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
sweet show mead
Re: Iced Mead (Avraham haRofeh)
Queen of Beer competition (meads included) (mellymel_hsv)
Freeze distillation ("Stevenson, Randall")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1119, 3 August 2004 ("Farquhar T. Morgan")
Re: Iced mead (Adam Funk)
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From: Jim Blakeney
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 06:50:32 -0700 (PDT)
Hello all,
I have been a lurking for approximately 5 years. I am
a bee keeper and was always planning on making mead.
So last weekend I finally got started. I am trying to
make a "sweet show mead". I used Wyeast sweet mead
yeast; I made a starter and used Wyeast nutrient.
Since this first batch is for she who must be obeyed,
and I am making it to her taste I used 1gal and 1 qt
of clover honey (from a supplier in Sperryville VA,
not Suebee). My honey is dark and is what I have heard
you all call tulip poplar. I pitched the starter; put
the primary in the closet of my basement office, and
it is bubbling away. After approximately 24 hours I am
getting a bubble every 3-6 seconds. Here is my
problem.. I was in a hurry and I realized that I used
too much water (I noticed the gradient scale on the
primary after I sealed it, it is probably 6 gals). My
OG was 1.09, and I need 1.12 to 1.15 for a sweet mead,
so how do I add more honey when I rack to the
secondary and how much? I know it should be a Honey
water mixture, what ratio? How do I mix it? I know
everyone worries about getting oxygen into the must
when racking..
Thanks
=====
J.M. Blakeney
You are,
What you do,
When it counts.
Subject: Re: Iced Mead
From: Avraham haRofeh
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 10:08:50 -0400
>> 2) How would one
>> go about determining the alcohol content of this? (seeing as removing
>> the water would increase both specific gravity and alcohol % per
>> volume). Thanks in advance - - Doug -
Actually, the specific gravity will DECREASE - ethanol has a lower SG than
water (about 0.8, from the references I found on the web). If you've got a
densitometer that will go low enough, the standard formula will apply (use
the ORIGINAL starting gravity, when it was all honey and no alcohol):
approximate ABV =3D (FG - SG) * 130.9265
> I'm no lawyer, but I think this resides well into the gray areas - don't
> let the BATF find out, if you are doing it.
You are correct. This *IS* considered distilling, and it *IS* illegal in the
United States without special (complicated and expensive) permits.
****************
Reb Avraham haRofeh
(mka Randy Goldberg MD)
Quarterly azure and argent, four mascles counterchanged
Random Tag: Abort, Retry, Ignore, plan a Funeral Service?
Subject: Queen of Beer competition (meads included)
From: mellymel_hsv
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 07:29:57 -0700 (PDT)
The Hangtown Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts
(H. A. Z. E.), Placerville, California, is pleased to
announce the seventh year of "Queen of Beer", Women's
Homebrew competition. This event is sanctioned by the
Beer Judge Certificate Program (B.J.C.P).
The Queen of Beer Women's Homebrew Competition
is open to all non-commercial, home brewed beer and
meads produced by persons of female gender. Beer
produced by or with the assistance of persons of the
male gender is not eligible.
All 28 of the new 2004 BJCP Style categories
(http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.html) are open
for entry. Depending on the amount of entries, some
categories may be combined for Judging. Cost for
entering the competition is $6.00 for each entry.
All beer entries will be accepted October 1st 2004
through October 16th at the Wine Smith in
Placerville. Entries will also be accepted at
Northern California Homebrewers Festival (NCHF) held
October 1st & 2nd 2004. Starting September 24th the
QOB Registration Wizard will be available to help you
enter your beers into the competition and create
bottle labels based on your registration information.
Judging will be held on Saturday, October 23th,
2004. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second and
third place in each category (if point requirements
are met). First place winners in each category will
have her beer included in the Best of Show, Queen of
Beer
judging round. Judging is by invitation and any
remaining judge slots will be advertised on JudgeNet
in October.
Please visit the QOB web site
(http://www.hazeclub.org/QOB/QOB.html) for detailed
information not listed here. To contact the QOB
coordinator (Steve Seeley) send mail to QOB@HAZEclub.org
Subject: Freeze distillation
From: "Stevenson, Randall"
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 10:06:17 -0500
This is a perrienial topic. I am not a lawyer, but from what I read the
US law allows homebrewers to removal of a very small portion of a
fermentation product (namely impurities) through freezing. (It has been
awhile, but I think it is 1%.) I think the reason for this allowance is
obvious to anyone who has made sparkling wine through the traditional,
second-fermentation method. The filled and corked, narrow-necked
champagne bottles are inverted so the yeast settles at the bottom of the
neck. The bottles are then put in a freezer until the fluid in the neck
freezes. The cork is removed and the yeast is scooped out. A mushroom
cork is then inserted and wired down to the mouth of the bottle. The
bottle is then allowed to warm. The result is a sparking wine/meade that
has less lees in it.
Hope that helps.
Your mileage may vary.
Randall
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1119, 3 August 2004
From: "Farquhar T. Morgan"
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 14:26:03 -0400
Re: Iced Meads ( Doug )
I have used this technique a couple of times with great success. However I
use a slightly different method. I freeze the mead ( Melomel ) in plastic 1
liter ( quart ) containers with a large mouth ( Gator-Aid bottles are
perfect ). After freezing for 24 hours at least, I remove the frozen bottle
and unend it on a large glass and allow the mix to start to thaw ( Takes
15 - 20 minutes ). The alcohol is the first to precipitate out. After the
ice in the bottle has lost about 40 to 50% of it's volume I remove it from
the glass and save it. You should be able to tell when it's time for most of
the color fom the ice will be gone ( same idea as eating a popsicle, and all
the color/flavour has left the 'sicle ).
The leftover "watered down "mead is saved separately. After doing several
bottles, I combine the resultant liquid. I then refreeze the "good stuff"
and do the procedure again.
This time you know it's working, as some of the liquid starts preciptating
out immediately ( that's the alcohol )The leftover mead/ice mix is added
togeather and kept.
I started with a 15% alcohol mead and ended up with 2 - the "good" stuff was
now at 22% and is comparable to a sherry, while the "leftover" is at about 5
to 6%. However a lot of the flavour has gone from the "leftover" so more
sugar or honey is aded to taste, and it makes a nice before dinner aperatif.
Give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.
Farquhar.
Subject: Re: Iced mead
From: Adam Funk
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 20:36:58 +0100
> In regards to how much alcoholic strength of the
> finished product, if you freeze a mead in half, you're
> doubling the alcohol in it as you're not taking any
> alcohol out of it.
You probably shouldn't tell people you've done this. I believe it's
illegal everywhere that private distillation is illegal, although it
might be harder to catch since it doesn't require a still. (As far as I
know New Zealand is the only enlightened country with regard to private
distillation.)
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1120
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