Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs. Clover Honey (Gordon Food Services brand)
  • 1 package wine yeast (Lavlin K1-V1116)
  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient [Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)]
  • Spring water [to one gallon fill line]
  • Airlock

Total Volume: ~1 Gallon Pitched (bottling info below)
Pitch date: 2020-09-17, OG: 1.111
Bottle Date: 2020-10-31, FG: 1.002 (~14%)

Method:

  1. All contents [carboy, airlock] sanitized with PWB sanitizer [Starsan]
  2. Honey and water added to carboy, shaken until homogenous
  3. Yeast rehydrated according to back of package instructions
  4. Yeast added to must with DAP
  5. Left to sit in a cool dry place for 4 weeks until transfer into secondary carboy [off lees] and waited additional 3 weeks for “newspaper legible” clarity
  6. Bottled into the following containers for additional experimentation
  • a) 1x375mL Traditional [for aging]
  • b) 1x375mL Basic Melomel
    • (added 5 drops blueberry, 5 drops raspberry super-concentrate [LorAnn])
  • c) 1x375mL Blueberry Melomel
    • (5 drops blueberry super-concentrate [LorAnn])
  • d) 1x375mL Basic Metheglin
    • (2 drops imitation vanilla, 1/8 tsp cinnamon)
    • Note: this bubbled over as soon as the cinnamon was added. Recommend be on look out for bottle bombs should this be repeated
  • e) 1x750mL Traditional in swing-top
    • [bottled for further aging experimenting]
  • f) 1x750mL Berry Capsicumel
    • 4 oz Green Chilis added to swing-top. Recommend transfer to 2x375mL bottles, 1x375mL to be flavored with raspberry super-concentrate [LorAnn]
  • g) 1x375mL Coffee Mead
    • 50mL Ethiopian Coffee (Cold-brewed 24 hrs prior)

Tasting and Additional Notes:

  • 9/07: Taste at bottling is good, peach forward with a mango finish. A bit dry for me, but perfect for the Mrs. as intended
  • 11/08: first bottle opened. Very dry (to me), enjoyed by wife. Still a bit strong alcohol burn upfront, fruits follow and are more prominent if left to breathe. Wife mentions yeasty taste, I couldn’t find it.