So the front page got me and I'm doing a bochet. I decided to test it out as a straight up sweat mead, a bit dryer than a sack, but in that vein. Recipe below; I just pitched yeast, so will know more over the next couple days, but here's my starting recipe and plans for the next few days...
Target amount: 3 gallons (3.5 gallons must)
carmelized 3 quarts (roughly 8.5-8.75lbs; 3 1 quart jars) blackberry honey, 90 minutes in a pressure cooker (75 minutes at 15)
2tsp acid blend
1/2tsp tannic acid
1.5tsp pectic enzyme
1/4 (heaping) teaspoon wyeast wine nutrient blend
2 cups uncarmelized honey (bringing up SG, will carmelize more next time)
water to 3.5 gallons
Pitched VH R56 yeast (hearty to 13.5%, lower abv to end sweet)
Starting sg=1.104 (roughly, still a little honey solids in the bottom)
Future plan:
Day 3—add 1 quart carmeliized (or regular) honey, check difference in sg (to go for sweet mead), 1/4 teaspoon wyeast wine nutrient (if not moving fast enough)
Rack to carboy at around 1.03-1.02
Oaking (bulk aging, after ferment ends): 1-2 American med+ staves (want the coffee notes)
Rerack until clear, every 2 months, move staves with rack.
The honey I used is from blackberry blossoms, which begins with a darker, carmelly profile already. Tasted the carmelized honey and it seemed not that far from the original, actually (which is also why I may not bother carmelizing the day 3 add).
So that's my recipe/plan. Thoughts? I went low with all the added acids and such (2/3 of per gallon amounts, other than the nutrient) to create a yeast friendly environment without having too heavy an effect on taste. Hoping to have racked to staves by end of the month, ferment allowing. I chose the yeast based on what was available, I wanted to go with something that didn't have a high tolerance, I think this strain will be good (and offer more body than other strains) but unsure, I'm always unsure with mead yeast choices...
Target amount: 3 gallons (3.5 gallons must)
carmelized 3 quarts (roughly 8.5-8.75lbs; 3 1 quart jars) blackberry honey, 90 minutes in a pressure cooker (75 minutes at 15)
2tsp acid blend
1/2tsp tannic acid
1.5tsp pectic enzyme
1/4 (heaping) teaspoon wyeast wine nutrient blend
2 cups uncarmelized honey (bringing up SG, will carmelize more next time)
water to 3.5 gallons
Pitched VH R56 yeast (hearty to 13.5%, lower abv to end sweet)
Starting sg=1.104 (roughly, still a little honey solids in the bottom)
Future plan:
Day 3—add 1 quart carmeliized (or regular) honey, check difference in sg (to go for sweet mead), 1/4 teaspoon wyeast wine nutrient (if not moving fast enough)
Rack to carboy at around 1.03-1.02
Oaking (bulk aging, after ferment ends): 1-2 American med+ staves (want the coffee notes)
Rerack until clear, every 2 months, move staves with rack.
The honey I used is from blackberry blossoms, which begins with a darker, carmelly profile already. Tasted the carmelized honey and it seemed not that far from the original, actually (which is also why I may not bother carmelizing the day 3 add).
So that's my recipe/plan. Thoughts? I went low with all the added acids and such (2/3 of per gallon amounts, other than the nutrient) to create a yeast friendly environment without having too heavy an effect on taste. Hoping to have racked to staves by end of the month, ferment allowing. I chose the yeast based on what was available, I wanted to go with something that didn't have a high tolerance, I think this strain will be good (and offer more body than other strains) but unsure, I'm always unsure with mead yeast choices...
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