The Great Garlic Mead Experiment: From Clove to Cork
When I received a jar of fermented garlic honey as a gift, I knew I had to turn it into something special. But little did I know, this experiment would lead me on a journey from a mouth-puckering mouthful of garlic to a unique culinary creation. This is the story of my garlic mead—a beverage that might not be for everyone, but is proving to be a fantastic kitchen companion.
The Brewing Process: A Recipe for Garlic Mead
Making this mead was a straightforward process, but it required patience. Here’s a breakdown of the method I used:
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs. Garlic Honey (Aged 3+ months)
- 1 package wine yeast (Lavlin EC-1118)
- 1 tsp yeast nutrient [Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)]
- Spring water [to 1/2 gal/1L fill line]
- Airlock
Total Volume: ~1 Gallon Pitched (bottling info below)
Pitch date: 2021-01-01, OG: 1.111 (Estimated)
Bottle Date: 2021-03-11, FG: 1.002 (~14%)
Method:
- Sanitized Everything: First, I made sure all my equipment, including the carboy and airlock, was perfectly clean using a PWB sanitizer.
- Mixed the Must: I combined the garlic honey and water in the carboy, shaking it until it was a uniform mixture.
- Pitched the Yeast: I rehydrated the yeast according to the package instructions and added it to the must along with some yeast nutrient (DAP) to give it a good start.
- Primary Fermentation: The mixture was left to ferment in a cool, dry place for about five weeks.
- Secondary Fermentation & Clarifying: After the initial fermentation, I transferred the mead into a secondary carboy, leaving the sediment behind. It sat there for another five weeks until it was clear enough to read a newspaper through the glass.
- Bottled for Experimentation: Once it was crystal clear, I bottled the mead into different containers for various uses:
- 375mL bottle: A traditional bottle for long-term aging.
- 750mL screw-top bottle: This one was specifically for cooking, as the screw-top makes it easy to use and store.
- 12oz bottle: An extra bottle for any future experiments I might want to try.
Tasting Notes & Final Thoughts
On March 11th, I finally tasted the finished mead. The initial impression was… intense. It tasted like a straight-up liquid mouthful of garlic bulb—not earthy, not sweet with a hint of garlic, but pure, unadulterated garlic.
While it didn’t turn out to be a sipping mead, this brew has incredible potential as a cooking wine or marinade. I believe its pungent flavor will transform roasted meats, vegetables, or sauces. Since this was a gift, most of it will be given away, so I may not have many more tasting notes to share. But I’ll be sure to update you if I uncover any amazing culinary uses for this unique garlic mead!
- All contents [carboy, airlock] sanitized with PWB sanitizer [Starsan]
- Garlic honey and water added to carboy, shaken until homogenous
- Yeast rehydrated according to back of package instructions
- Yeast added to must with DAP
- Left to sit in a cool dry place for 5 weeks until transfer into secondary carboy [off lees] and waited additional 5 weeks for “newspaper legible” clarity
- Bottled into the following containers for additional experimentation
- a) 1x375mL Traditional [for aging]
- b) 1x750mL Glass Screw-Top bottle [for cooking]
- c) 1x12oz Bottle [excess, for experimenting]
Tasting and Additional Notes:
- 21-03-11: It tastes like GARLIC! Not earthy like garlic, not sweet with a hint of garlic, like straight up liquid mouthful of garlic bulb.
- This will probably make an excellent cooking wine or marinade. This was a gift, so I may keep the 12 oz for further experimentation but the rest will be given away, so further tasting notes may not be possible. I will report back if more info becomes available.
