Dry Meadowfoam/Carrotblossom Traditional

[seth8530]

So, the cranberry mead started dropping pretty heavy sediment in the bottles after over a year and a half bulk aging. And the dry mead started dropping some of the tannin I added a few weeks prior to fermentation. I ended up sticking them in the chiller at 28 degrees for a couple weeks and then decanted and re bottled them after filtering with a polish filter. Over all, they look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I hope this will be the end of the fluffy sediment.

Next time I make a mead I will be sure to cold stabilize for a few weeks prior to bottling since it seems stuff you would not really expect enjoys to start dropping out when it starts getting a bit cold.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Seth, proteins in the honey, sparkaloid takes it out pretty good. How did the meadowfoam and carrot mead turn out with almost 2 years aging? WVMJ

 

[seth8530]

Yeah, I figured the fluffy stuff was protein. I think I used superklear on it at one point actually. So I am a bit mystified about why that stuff developed in the cranberry mead.

It has turned out pretty good to be honest. Good aroma, great color. After the tannins dropped out the harshness went down a bit. However, I think it still needs more time to mellow out the alcohol. If I pop one open soon, I will give some more detailed notes though. I will enter it into the mazers cup international this spring and see what they thinkg too.

 

[Tenbears]

Strictly out of curiosity, by what means are you determining the honey you are using is meadowfoam , and carrot. Both are extremely limited and often counterfeited. For example Carrot honey which comes from nectar of the carrot blossom is somewhat rare. The problem with acquisition is that the carrot takes two seasons to produce flowers, The Tap root (carrot) is produced the first season and harvested as a vegetable, leaving nothing to produce flowers. Only seed producing farmers grow carrots long enough to blossom. 85% of all carrot seeds are grown in Jefferson county and portions of adjacent counties in Oregon. In which the record planting was recorded in 2011 or just over 4200 acres. A fair % of which is the warm Springs Indian reservation which as far as I last knew would not allow non tribal individuals to place hives on the reservation. The period in which the carrot is in blossom is short lived making this honey a rare fine for most individuals. Add that to the fact that the USDA, nor the FDA has mandates on the labeling of plant specific honey, allows anyone to label any honey as carrot, wildflower, or anything they choose. The only way to know is with a microscope and a pollen chart. Toss into the mix the fact that the flavor of meadowfoam can be simulated by adding vanilla to honey and it makes a whole new ballgame.

 

[seth8530]

The only form of validation I am using is trust in my supplier ( http://www.flyingbeeranch.net/, mom and pop joint in Salem Oregon) and the fact that it taste like what is supposed to according to the descriptions I have read of the honey. Other than that I guess all I have is trust. Either way, the honey taste top notch so it is kind of hard to bash it.

 

[Tenbears]

That would be a great place to get it from as both Honeys are regional verities from the pacific north west. Mom And Pop Type operations are always the best to secure honey and honey products IMHO. With the Chinese constantly developing new and better ways to filter, flavor, and infuse honeys It is a roll of the dice when purchasing any honey from a box store. I also discourage purchasing any honey that has a country origin other than Canada or The USA. the latter being my personal preference. But I may be a bit bias. China uses Argentina, Brazil, and Peru, to illegally import un-tariffed government subsidized Chinese Honey into the US. Recent studies have now discovered that their filtration techniques are being used to import into the U.S. honey that is banned because of chemical contaminants, and antibiotic use.

Understand I am in no way condemning any north American honey producer, Nor Argentinian or Brazilian for that matter, I just would like everyone to understand the facts in regard to safety and fair market practices sidestepped by The Chinese government.

 

[seth8530]

Sure thing, and also just because a honey is a certain varietal does not make it equal to all others. Quality counts and so does the care in processing.

 

[seth8530]

Speaking of the such. I just tried the dry mead, it is right around 2 years old and I think it has just now came around. Nothing really seems out of place. Good aroma, brilliantly clear, tannins from the oak and additives are right in place. It has a pretty nice sense of balance between aroma, oak and alcohol if not a little un traditional perhaps. I have a hard time finding anything wrong with it. That being said, I look forward to seeing what the MCI will say in spring since their is always more to the story than nothing being out of place.

 

[seth8530]

Annd the MCI has spoken, the dry mead took 2nd. So, both meads that were born from this batch of honey took 2nd, at different years. The traditional dry mead and the cranberry mead.

Woot!