Conference turris::cooks

4054.0. "Mead recipe (cross posted from SCA)" by FIEVEL::FILGATE (Bruce Filgate SHR3-2/W4 237-6452) Sat Oct 07 1995 11:43

                <<< PUB$DISK:[NOTES$LIBRARY]SCA.SHADOW_NOTE;1 >>>
                               -< * SCA Notes * >-
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Note 121.0                     Need help with MEAD                    19 replies
                                                      0 lines   8-DEC-1988 12:18
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Note 121.9                     Need help with MEAD                       9 of 19
YODA::BARANSKI "don't fake reality"                 239 lines  13-DEC-1988 10:42
                            -< mead recipe in text >-
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                                        MEAD

          1  Notes
          This recipe is a composite of two recipes from the 16th century
          cookbook, "The Closet of Sir Kenelme Digbie, Opened". One recipe
          calls for oranges and orange peel; the other calls for lemons
          and rosemary. My particular variation uses the lemons and rose-
          mary, but this is mostly a matter or personal preference. Other
          variations use star anise or raisins instead of citrus fruit.

          You can get the ale yeast at New England Winemaking Supply
          in Framingham (on Route 9); they will do mail order if your
          purchase exceeds $25, but the yeast costs less than $1 a packet.
          As with baking yeast, don't try to stockpile the stuff. Keep it
          in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

          The winemaking store also carries spare bottle caps and bottle
          cappers. The best capper to get is the one that looks like a
          corkscrew; it costs about $9, but is MUCH easier to use than the
          cheaper kinds.
          Make sure your champagne bottles are AMERICAN bottles; European
          ones don't fit the bottle caps. Nearly every novice brewer finds
          this out that hard way. If you don't have 24 champagne bottles,
          Grolsch beer bottles (the ones with the ceramic tops) work just
          fine. You don't have to cap them, either.

          If you intend to transport your mead, make sure you keep it cold
          at all times. The stuff has a nasty habit of exploding if it
          gets too warm.


          2  Equipment Needed

          o  5-gallon enamelware canning kettle with lid (DO *NOT* USE
             METAL)
          o  measuring cup (preferably Pyrex)

          o  funnel (plastic or glass; NOT METAL)

          o  12" square of loosely woven muslin

          o  3 small plates
          o  24 American champagne bottles

          o  dishwasher detergent
          o  paper towels

          o  potato peeler or sharp knife

          3  Ingredients

          o  9 pounds of honey (generic is okay)

          o  5 gallons of water (use bottled water if your tap water
             doesn't taste good)
          o  2 oranges or lemons (or 3)

          o  2 cinnamon sticks
          o  1 T whole allspice

          o  1 T whole cloves
          o  1 T ginger root, peeled and sliced (or 3)

          o  1 T rosemary (optional)
          o  1 packet of top fermenting beer or ale yeast


          4  Step One - Brewing

          1. Set the kettle on top of the stove and put four gallons of
             water in it. Turn the stove on high; it will take a while to
             come to a boil. Put in the honey, then add more water until
             the level is about an inch from the rim of the kettle. Let
             boil.

          2. Once you have the liquid started, peel and slice the ginger.
             Wash the oranges or lemons and remove any blemishes from the
             skins. Use the potato peeler or knife to peel the fruit; get
             all the coloured part of the peel and none of the white part.
             Save the peel.

          3. Once you have removed all the coloured part of the peel,
             section the fruit and remove the seeds and membranes and save
             the fruit pulp in a bowl.
          4. As the water boils, a light brown foam will rise to the top.
             This is beeswax that was dissolved in the honey. Skim it off
             periodically. When the foam becomes thick and dark brown,
             skim it one last time and add the ginger root. Cook for 15
             minutes.

          5. Next, add the allspice, cloves, cinnamon and peel. Cook for
             10 more minutes.
          6. Turn off the heat. Add the fruit pulp (and rosemary, if
             you're using it), then cover the kettle.


          5  Step Two - Primary Fermentation

          1. Let the honey-water mixture (called the MUST) cool to about
             85 degrees F (usually overnight).
          2. In the morning, open the package of yeast and sprinkle it on
             top of the must. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

          3. Sterilize the slotted spoon by pouring boiling water over it.
             Use the spoon to stir the yeast into the must.
          4. Put the cover back on the kettle and wait about three days.
             The must will be ready for bottling when it begins to smell
             like alcohol. This usually takes three days at 70-80 degrees
             F; it might take a little longer at lower temperatures (maybe
             about a week).


          6  Step Three - Preparing the Bottles

          The bottles should be as close to sterile as possible when you
          use them; therefore, don't perform this step until you're ready
          to bottle the must. You might want to wear rubber globes for
          this step; the soap solution can be fairly caustic. Try not to
          splash yourself with it as you work.
          1. Fill your bathtub with the hottest water possible. Add 1 cup
             of dishwasher detergent, then add the 24 champagne bottles.
             Let them soak 1-2 hours.

          2. Remove the bottles from the bathtub. Place them all in the
             dishwasher. DO NOT ADD SOAP TO THE WASHER. Run the bottles
             through a complete wash cycle.
          3. If you do not have a dishwasher, rinse each bottle out three
             times with very hot tap water and use as soon as possible.

          4. Inspect each bottle before using to make sure that it is ab-
             solutely clean. The bottling process will use 16-20 bottles;
             it's always useful to have extras just in case.

          7  Step Four - Filling the Bottles

          Give yourself a lot of room and about two hours for your first
          bottling operation. It's generally a good idea for you to cover
          your work area with a large Turkish towel or a few layers of
          paper towels.
          1. Pour boiling water over the following; the slotted spoon,
             the measuring cup, the funnel, the muslin, the plates, the
             capper, and the bottle caps.

          2. Wash your hands in the hottest water you can stand.
          3. Place the muslin square in the funnel, and place the funnel
             in the measuring cup. These go on one of the plates. Place
             the plate near you on the work surface.

          4. Place the bottle capper and the strainer with the bottle caps
             on another plate.

          5. Use the slotted spoon to skim all the fruit pulp and spices
             off the top of the must.

          6. Take your first bottle and inspect it for dirt. Place it next
             to the kettle in the bottling area.
          7. Poke the muslin with your finger so the cloth forms a hollow
             inside the funnel. Place the funnel inside the bottle.

          8. Use the measuring cup to dip into the must, then pour the
             must into the funnel. Let the liquid filter through. Keep
             adding must to the funnel until the liquid level in the
             bottle is about an inch from the top.
          9. Remove the funnel and place it back onto the plate inside
             the measuring cup. Wipe the mouth of the bottle with a clean
             paper towel.

          10.Handle the bottle caps by their edges only. Place one on top
             of the bottle, then clamp it down with the bottle capper.
             Turn the bottle about 90 degrees and clamp again.
          11.Move the bottle to a clean, dry place out of the line of
             traffic.

          12.Repeat this procedure until all of the bottles are filled.

          8  Step Five - Secondary Fermentation

          1. Allow the bottles to ferment another three days. When the
             yeast cap inside each bottle starts to break up and sink, the
             fermentation is complete.

          2. Put the bottles into the refrigerator and age at least a week
             (preferably two).
          3. Open the bottles VERY SLOWLY.



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Note 121.11                    Need help with MEAD                      11 of 19
CIMNET::PIERSON "Milwaukee Road Track Inspector"     19 lines  13-DEC-1988 12:39
                     -< Bottle Washing, another approach >-
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    An aternate bottle washing procedure:
    
    	First time thru:
    		Wash, rinse with clorox, rinse out clorox, fill with
    		water, place in kettle, and bring to a good boil for
    		5-10 minutes.
    
    		When washing, a good bottle brush (got mine from
    		the place on rt 9) is helpful...

    	Between batches, i settle for visual inspection, and hand wash
    	with dish detergent and water.  I do small batches, so the bottles
   	sit long.  Be aware that fermentation is _real_ sensitive to
    	room temperature, and can stop below 55-60F...
    
    thanks
    dwp
    (root beer brewer, many years...)
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Note 121.19                    Need help with MEAD                      19 of 19
AKOV06::SOLOSRC "Capri (71-77) restoration & parts specialist"  19 lines  31-JUL-1989 08:51
                                -< Mead hints? >-
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    Well, my first batch has been bottled and here are a few hints
    for what its worth....
    
    	o keep LOTS off hot water around to wash the "floaties" ( :-) )
    	  out of your musslin.
    	o use bottles with PAPER! labels (Molson,etc) don't go near the
    	  ones with any amount of foil anywhere on them (Labatts). There
    	  a b**ch to clean.
    	o a pair to tongs is helpfull when sterilizing the musslin.
    	o a collander helps when sterilizing the bottle caps.
    
    	o four gallons of water + the honey was all that would fit in my
    	  five gallon pot!  There was no room for the extra water in my
    	  case -- your mileage may differ.
    
    My yeild from the recepie listed a few notes back was 36 bottles 
    (~12 ounce bottles) & it smells *>>WONDERFULL<<*.  Now to sit back
    & wait for it to age a bit..........