Mead Lover's Digest #1136 30 October 2004
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
RE: Mead Lover's Digest #1135, 25 October 2004 ("Holly Stockley")
RE:Another newbie question - this time about Chocolate Mead ("Houseman, D...)
Re: Another newbie question - this time about Chocolate Mead (Randy Goldbe...)
RE: this time about Chocolate Mead / RE: salvaging a very heavily spic ("...)
saving an overly spiced mead. (bobbylew@ix.netcom.com)
ethanol and carbohydrates (Jim Johnston)
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Subject: RE: Mead Lover's Digest #1135, 25 October 2004
From: "Holly Stockley" <hollyvandenberg@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:55:03 +0000
>Subject: Another newbie question - this time about Chocolate Mead
>From: "Agatha" <kalliope10@swbell.net>
>Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 15:24:21 -0500
>
>I broke down and finally made some Chocolate Mead. The first
>batch I used Nestle's cocoa. I had to shift it (you are suppose
>to do this when you bake anyway, so no big deal) and threw out
>the harder lumps. I've since racked into a secondary (8/24) and
>now there seems to be a "wax plug" type thing, like when you use
>paraffin when you can your own fruit and stuff. What is this??
>Is this crap that was in the cocoa??? The directions say not to
>rack after the secondary and let it sit for 1 year. It's definitely
>not mold, it looks like wax. If you've ever made chocolate's for
>Christmas, you'll know what I mean - it's like when you add the
>paraffin.
Having just bottled a chocolate mead that I started over a year ago... That
plug is pretty normal. It's cocoa butter (and other fillers, depending on
the quality of the cocoa). Remember that cocoa powder is about 25% fat.
When you manage to dissolve it (especially if you heat the honey), the fat
will rise to the top. This is part of the reason for the long secondary.
>
>My second batch I ordered the double dutch chocolate from
>http://penzeys.com
>I was very disappointed with the Nestle's and wanted a better grade of
>chocolate. This batch I did differently - I had a batch of wildflower that
>was aging from last year. I was disappointed with the taste - found it was
>actually a blend of molasses and other stuff after I had already used it.
>So I decided to make a Chocolate with it, added the shifted cocoa again.
>It has a very very slight waxy looking substance on top. Also, when I
>mean on top, it's at the top of the neck of the carboy.
>
>Has anyone else who's made a chocolate had this happen? Should I be
>concerned?
>
This may increase with time, or be a function of the type of cocoa used.
The quality of the end mead is definitely affected by the quality of the
cocoa used. The one I just bottled used Scharfenberger.
>
>Agatha
>
Subject: RE:Another newbie question - this time about Chocolate Mead
From: "Houseman, David L" <David.Houseman@unisys.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 07:59:52 -0400
I did make a chocolate mead, as an experiment. The taste was excellent;
it's certainly worth doing. I used Giradaldi (sp?) chocolate (it's
excellent BTW) in a powdered baking cocoa powder form. I heated some
with just enough water to melt it and then poured this into an already
finished mead in a 4 liter bottle. There certainly was a lot of
material which never sank and I got additional fluffy sediment on the
bottom. I bottled this after a couple months. The bottles did form the
same crusty deposit at the top of the liquid line. I presume this is
cocoa fat. Chocolate has a lot of fat in it, even the cocoa powder. So
while it doesn't look good, it tastes great. I'll continue to
experiment. It may be better to find an artificial chocolate
flavoring.....
Dave Houseman
Subject: Re: Another newbie question - this time about Chocolate Mead
From: Randy Goldberg MD <randy@randygoldberg.net>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 08:19:32 -0400
> I broke down and finally made some Chocolate Mead. The first batch I used
> Nestle's cocoa. I had to shift it (you are suppose to do this when you
> bake anyway, so no big deal) and threw out the harder lumps. I've since
> racked into a secondary (8/24) and now there seems to be a "wax plug"
> type thing, like when you use paraffin when you can your own fruit and
> stuff. What is this?? Is this crap that was in the cocoa??? The
> directions say not to=3D20 rack after the secondary and let it sit for 1
> year. It's definitely not mold, it looks like wax. If you've ever made
> chocolate's for=3D20 Christmas, you'll know what I mean - it's like when
> you add the=3D20 paraffin.
I suspect you're seeing cocoa butter - the process which makes cocoa powder
does not remove 100% of the fat from the chocolate.
****************
Randy Goldberg MD
Random Tag: Sometimes I think I must have a Guardian Idiot - A little
invisible spirit just behind my shoulder, looking out for me... only he's
an IMBECILE. =96 [Jake
Stonebender]
Subject: RE: this time about Chocolate Mead / RE: salvaging a very heavily spic
From: "Aaron Ardle" <aardle@columbus.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 09:58:02 -0400
Agatha,
i wouldn't worry about it. i've made meads with cocoa and what you're
describing sounds familiar. looking at my tin of Ah!Laska (that's how
they spell it) cocoa, the nutritional info says there's 1g of fat per
tbsp. now if you used a half cup or a cup of cocoa that's quite a lot
of fat. in a Papazian recipe for a chocolate beer that uses bakers
chocolate he describes "globs of ugly cocoa butter(Papazian. The
Homebrewers Companion p. 298)." i think what you're describing is
totally common for chocolate brews.
i just opened a bottle of a chocolate braggot that i bottled in 2002,
it's starting to taste really good. it has the aroma of a strong dark
chocolate and the flavor of tootsie roll.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: salvaging a very heavily spiced mead?
Melinda,
"I also would love to salvage the mead. Dumping it seems the only
viable solution at this point but I am hesitant to do this."
well good! you shouldn't dump it. if you want your carboy back, why
don't you just bottle it? i don't understand why it's been in the
carboy for three years to begin with. the mead isn't spoiled, it's just
too spicy. put it in bottles and forget about it. who knows? maybe in
ten years it will be great!
Subject: saving an overly spiced mead.
From: bobbylew@ix.netcom.com
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 22:18:10 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
Subject: salvaging a very heavily spiced mead?
From: myniyer <myn@iyerfamily.net>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 15:47:45 -0700
I attempted a cardamom-ginger mead three years ago and used
waaaaaaaaay too much cardamom. The final result tasted like cough
syrup. Yuck. I left it in secondary, hoping the strength of the
cardamom would age out.
I tasted it this week and it has mellowed some, but it is still
pretty cough-syrupy. Did I mention it's been three years? I really
want that carboy back in rotation.
I also would love to salvage the mead. Dumping it seems the only
viable solution at this point but I am hestitant to do this. Well, I
could brew another batch and mix the two, but I am hesitant to do
this also, lest I spoil the second batch as well.
Any suggestions?
Melinda,
Bottle it. Get that carboy back in circulation. I would cook with some of it.
sounds like it would make a dynamite compliment to chicken, or spashed on
soup.
You could experiment adding it a bit at a time to one of your bland batches.
(keep accurate proportional measurements tho.) It might make a boring
mead sing. (but don't simply mix it with a second carboy, only experiment
with small amounts.)
Tho this is taking the low road, you could try sweatening it. I salvaged a
mead with waaaayyy to much orange, by adding a lot of honey to it.
Lastly, unless space is a problem. Save it. Bottle and cork it. In 5
years it might be better. In 10 it might be gold. In my experience corked
bottles age the best.
Subject: ethanol and carbohydrates
From: Jim Johnston <jim@tervolk.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 00:05:40 -0500
I've studied a fair amount of biology, my MD wife has done the same.
We both believe that from everything we learned, ethanol is not run
through the Kreb's cycle like a carbohydrate. The enzymes of the
Kreb's cycle are very specific, as are the other digestive enzymes we
use before that point. There are reasons why we cannot live on grass
and wood pulp, and why we cannot live on alcohol alone <G>.
I went on a mead-making rampage over the weekend, brewing a sweet
raspberry-blossom, a sweet cyser (with a touch of cinnamon) and a sweet
wildflower-mesquite (very dark amber colored, I expect at least 3 years
to finish). I want to start at least 2 more this week, probably a
light-colored but strong braggot and a dry raspberry-blossom. Give a
man a few days of vacation time, and he ferments everything in sight!
Jim
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1136
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