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**Arne** · 02-10-2011, 11:46 AM

Made a batch of JOAM early last fall. Was simple to make, but after it finished fermenting, had to taste it. Was not my favorite, but others said it was really good. Tasted it last nite and it is coming around. Think a lot of the taste was the pith on the orange rind, but it is blending in or leaving. Anyway, it has fallen clear and think it will soon go into bottles to sit for a year or two. Bet it will turn really good before it is done. Google Joes ancient orange mead for the recipe. I followed it using the whole orange slices and bread yeast like it said. It's gonna be some pretty good wine. Arne.

desertwind56 · 02-10-2011, 06:43 PM

I made some last August, but I used wine yeast (forgot to write down what kind). Just bottled it a couple of weeks ago. It tastes good except for the bitter aftertaste from the pith. We broke down and opened a bottle last night, and I think this may taste pretty good over time.

I'm currently fermenting a batch of mead with just orange juice and leaving out the whole orange. Going to add orange zest and the spices when done fermenting. I'm hoping for something that tastes like JAO without the pith taste.

**fatbloke** · 02-10-2011, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertwind56

I made some last August, but I used wine yeast (forgot to write down what kind). Just bottled it a couple of weeks ago. It tastes good except for the bitter aftertaste from the pith. We broke down and opened a bottle last night, and I think this may taste pretty good over time.

I'm currently fermenting a batch of mead with just orange juice and leaving out the whole orange. Going to add orange zest and the spices when done fermenting. I'm hoping for something that tastes like JAO without the pith taste.

Sorry, tried a number of variations and they just don't come out "good" (which is relative).

Dry, it's just not nice and can take a long time to come good as the lack of sweetness tends to highlight any pithy taste.

Besides, it just takes a bit of thought and analysis. Yes, he uses bread yeast. Fine. Yes, he also uses the whole orange, fine. Yes that is quite a lot of honey for what would have been written as a 1 US gallon recipe (I make mine as 1 imp gallon and it still comes out good).

So, the nutrient seems to come from the raisins.

Because of the honey in the recipe, and the fact that bread yeast won't ferment it dry, it needs something to help reduce the potentially cloying sweetness, the orange helps and the pith gives a little bitterness, so I'm presuming that when the recipe was developed, it was intended to have a hint of orange marmalade, as there's no tannin in the recipe other than what might come from raisins.

Not forgetting that it's a recipe designed specifically with the new mead maker in mind so they can get a batch on the go, pretty much from what's in the kitchen stock cupboards etc........

**Arne** · 02-11-2011, 12:07 PM

Fatbloke, I think maybe it is the sweetness I didn't really care for,but as time is passing it is really getting better. Havn't decided whether to make any more or not tho. Gave my wife a taste and she said it was really good so will probably have to make another batch. Arne.

**fatbloke** · 02-11-2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arne

Fatbloke, I think maybe it is the sweetness I didn't really care for,but as time is passing it is really getting better. Havn't decided whether to make any more or not tho. Gave my wife a taste and she said it was really good so will probably have to make another batch. Arne.

Ah, well if its the sweetness that's too much then don't bother trying any commercial means that're described as "dessert" means then as you'll probably hate them........vvv sweet!

I like mine at about 1.010, maybe up to 1.015 so I usually ferment dry and then backsweeten to that level....

regards

fatbloke

**xanxer82** · 02-11-2011, 11:09 PM

Meade is unique. I have a btach and it's a bit hazy.. not in bottles yet... thinking about sticking it outside for a couple of hours to get cold and letting it warm up.. maybe that will help.

**fatbloke** · 02-12-2011, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xanxer82

Meade is unique. I have a btach and it's a bit hazy.. not in bottles yet... thinking about sticking it outside for a couple of hours to get cold and letting it warm up.. maybe that will help.

Well, it depends on a few things, like what the haze is i.e. yeast and brewing sediment or if you back sweetened with honey, a protein haze.......

If you have got the lees racked out, then time is usually best, but if you can't wait, then cold crashing often helps, as does bentonite, then maybe sparkoloid, then chemical fining.

Filtering is worthy of consideration but can be costly on filter pads/elements...
and should really only be used to give a final polish.

Either way, if you have and can spare the container, I'd say its best to bulk age the mead as its less likely to vary from temperature difference issues while ageing...

regards

fatbloke

**mmadmikes1** · 02-12-2011, 10:49 AM

Most of the meads I have made are being dranks in 4 mouths by the crazies around here. They keep asking me to make more and have taken to bringing me honey. I dont backsweetin.

**fatbloke** · 02-12-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmadmikes1

Most of the meads I have made are being drunk in 4 mouths by the crazies around here. They keep asking me to make more and have taken to bringing me honey. I don't back sweeten.

Well, as ever that's your choice as you're the maker.......

I've yet to find a dry mead that I've enjoyed, but also, I don't like the cloyingly sweet dessert meads - so I try and back sweeten with honey of the same type as originally used in the must to retain the flavouring character.....

Plus, I try to consistent in my process methods so the only variables are the honey and alcohol level

regards

fatbloke

**xanxer82** · 02-12-2011, 06:12 PM

It's been racked off the gross and fine less since christmas. used ec 1118 on it instead of bread yeast. Didn't need any back sweetening. The Starting SG was suffiecint to burn out the yeast and leave a nice amount of residual sugars. Taste is pretty good. Just that haze. I don't think I'm going to bother running it through my filter. Enough time will take care of that. I do think the cold stabilization may help though. Since it's just a one gallon US batch, it's not worth the chemistry.. perhaps a little bentonite if anything at all.
Thanks for the input bloke.

The next batch will probably be 3 or 5 gallons.