Notes on my wine/mead making (newbie)

[the_rayway]

Finished and bottled my Raspberry Mead today! Bottled in blue long neck bottles. I'll post pics when I've got them labelled. "Raving Raspberry Mead" is the name.

I learned so much from this batch and it's sister the Belligerent Blackberry Mead. Like: don't sorbate until you're ready to sweeten; and ALWAYS test acid if your wine tastes like nothing even after a year. Duh.

Here is the final recipe at bottling. Please be gentle, it was one of my early batches and I know I did things wrong...

Primary (plain mead, 5 gal recipe)
10.12.12
- 16.5 Lbs multifloral honey
- water to 25 L
- 2.5 tsp yeast nutrient, split 2/3 & 1/3
- 2.5 tsp yeast energizer, split 2/3 & 1/3
- 1 Pkg D47 yeast
OG 1.089
I fermented this to SG 1.020, then racked to two buckets, one for blackberries, one for raspberries

Additions - final product 3 gallons
I used the last gallon of plain mead to top up as I went along, until I ran out.
11.2.12
- 2 Gallons plain mead
- 5 Lbs Raspberries
- 3/4 tsp pectic enzyme
11.6.12
- 1 vanilla bean, split & scraped
11.16.12, racked
- 3/4 tsp pectic enzyme
- 3/4 tsp bentonite in 1 cup warm water
1.11.13
- 3 campden tabs, crushed
- 3/4 tsp sorbate
- 2 cups water for top up
5.8.13
- 7.5 grams medium toast french oak chips
- 1 stick light toast french oak
11.4.13
- 1/4 tsp kmeta
1.1.14
- 3 campden tabs, crushed
- 3/4 tsp sorbate
- sugar to SG 1.018
- 6 tsp acid blend

Also, my Peach Ginger is nearly ready to bottle. Still tastes like yuck to me, even after tweaking a bit with peach punch concentrate. Grrr...Might just have to bottle the thing and wait another year. Ginger is way overpowering still - maybe as a cooking/marinading wine?

 

[vernsgal]

Ginger is a little strong ,I think like cloves, but I'm sure with age it 'll mellow out some. I will always have faith til the 1 year mark! Lol

 

[the_rayway]

Hey Kim!
I used the Peach Ginger to marinate a pork roast the other day - tasted fantastic. I've nearly got the energy to bottle that gal and a half. Just need to clean a few more bottles.

Currently on the go:
In primary
1) 3 gal traditional mead

In secondary
1) 5g original Skeeter Pee
2) CC California Cabernet
3) Bellissima Coconut Frascati
4) Bellissima Tropical Riesling
5) 1-2ish gal Pumpkin Hazelnut Mead (WOTM)

Bulk ageing/clearing
1) 3x5 gal fresh juice bucket experiment (malbec, amarone, merlot)
2) 1 gal Lilac Mead
3) 1.5 gal Apricot Port (WOTM)
4) 1 gal Welches Competition Wine
5) 1 gal Peach Ginger Wine
6) .5 gal Pear Mead
7) 1 gal Apple-Habanero Wine (WOTM)

I think that's all for now! These Wine of the Month wines are really exciting to me, so much to experiment with, and great people involved who are so willing to share their experiences, wins, and failures. My notes on those wines is in each month's thread.

A few notes about the above:
The traditional mead was going to be my barrel break in ferment, but since that's off the rails I've decided to ferment it with a good amount of french med toast oak chips to get that mouthfeel and flavour. This was my first use of BA11 and it smells heavenly while fermenting! Then I will likely leave one totally plain, and amp the other up with some vanilla beans. Also, I just got my 1/2 Lb of fresh beans and am really pumped to use them!

Again, due to lack of barrel, the 3 juice buckets will instead get a layered oak treatment: I'm thinking I'll start with a bit of heavy toast hungarian on the Amarone and Malbec, then to a medium toast french or american (depending on availability). The Merlot I would like to go with a french medium, then an american medium. Keep it nice and soft and round. Taste and watch, taste and watch

I attempted to bench test the Pear Mead a couple of weeks ago, but it's going through a phase. It tasted awful all over the place. So back into the basement it goes until it decides to behave itself.

I'm basically just keeping the Lilac in the jug until I can get some bottles cleaned. I've been procrastinating with bottling in clears because the ones I have are a beast to delabel. Then, I tried the oven method: 250F for 10 min and the labels peeled off like nothing! The glue residue wiped away with a bit of mineral oil. FANTASTIC!!! I'll be getting on those right quick.

I've also been tossing the idea around of an Apple Blossom mead, and a girlfriend might be able to bring me back a few Lbs of Apple Blossom honey from her upcoming holiday. If she does I'll be hard pressed to wait until the trees bloom to make that one. The flavour profiles on the honey sound incredible - everyone talks about how 'buttery' it tastes. Oh.My.Word. Buttery. I love buttery. And apples! Lol!!

And last but not least: No, I have not labeled my Raspberry Mead yet. Printer is out of ink and I have no time to get to Staples! Soon though, my pretties, soon....

Christmas seriously depleted my stock, so I'm going to try and up the reds and mist types as that's what the extendeds all drink. I would also like to try a 3rd Riesling (likely Cheeky Monkey). Since the last two were so disappointing, this will be my final go. If it doesn't taste good - I'll not make it again! Drinking it from the LC will have to do!

2014 is looking like a great wine making year, and I'm planning (and planning, and planning) on better tasting, more patience with ageing, and more success all around as I start heading into my 3rd year of wine making!

 

[Jericurl]

I learned so much from this batch and it's sister the Belligerent Blackberry Mead. Like: don't sorbate until you're ready to sweeten;

Out of curiosity, why shouldn't you sorbate until you are ready to sweeten?

Also, I went to Sam's and got 5 lbs of honey.
Now I've just got to decide what I want to do with it.
Since it is cheapo generic nonspecific honey, I'm thinking I will either add fruit or some spices to it rather than making a plain mead that highlights the honey itself.

 

[the_rayway]

Mostly to save on sorbate: I'm finding that I was sorbating my early batches thinking it was like KMeta (because of the kits I had done, where you always added both even to a dry red). Then I wasn't actually sweetening the wine. Seems like a waste to me.

Yaay for Sam's honey! I would be doing the same - find something to be the focus and let the honey stay in the background. At least until you can get your hands on some nice varietal honey! I've been checking this site out: http://www.honey.com/honey-locator/

 

[Winorick]

Mostly to save on sorbate: I'm finding that I was sorbating my early batches thinking it was like KMeta (because of the kits I had done, where you always added both even to a dry red). Then I wasn't actually sweetening the wine. Seems like a waste to me.

Yaay for Sam's honey! I would be doing the same - find something to be the focus and let the honey stay in the background. At least until you can get your hands on some nice varietal honey! I've been checking this site out: http://www.honey.com/honey-locator/

Be real careful with the amounts of Potassium sorbate that you add. No more than 1/2 tsp per gallon. Too much can ruin the wine.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Guys, do a google on beekeeping groups in your area, they might not be on the honeylocator, but if you can get in touch with a local beekeeping group its so much better than store bought honey. What is the point of making a mead if the honey isnt at least an equal part of the final taste? You guys show why kits are sometimes not the best way to learn how to make wine, they should explain in the instructions better what each additive is for so you can learn something other than just add package A and then B. Also with your sorbate and metabisulfite they both expire, get fresh stuff every year, toss out old sorbate but you can still use the old sulfite for rinsing stuff off. Find those beekeepers in your area, get to know them and take a bottle of what you make back to them to share, you will likely get a good introduction to bees that way. WVMJ

 

[the_rayway]

Guys, do a google on beekeeping groups in your area, they might not be on the honeylocator, but if you can get in touch with a local beekeeping group its so much better than store bought honey. What is the point of making a mead if the honey isnt at least an equal part of the final taste? You guys show why kits are sometimes not the best way to learn how to make wine, they should explain in the instructions better what each additive is for so you can learn something other than just add package A and then B. Also with your sorbate and metabisulfite they both expire, get fresh stuff every year, toss out old sorbate but you can still use the old sulfite for rinsing stuff off. Find those beekeepers in your area, get to know them and take a bottle of what you make back to them to share, you will likely get a good introduction to bees that way. WVMJ

Hey Jack,
That's exactly what I do - we have an incredible beekeeping community here with fantastic honey. However, to start out, I don't see why someone shouldn't find what's readily available and do a test batch. If they decide mead is the way to go for them, then they can do the foot work and create those relationships. Goodness knows I hit up my honey lady for enough honey! Lol. She loves it when I bring the kids around

Regarding the kits and the chemicals - it's true, when I started I needed to do a whole lot of research before I started to understand what everything was for. Still need to do more to really feel comfortable with everything. However, it's a journey, and I'm enjoying the scenery along the way.

 

[Jericurl]

Jack, that's exactly what I'm doing now. I'd like to find someone who actually has local hives and come to some sort of agreement with them.

I went the cheap grocery store route just to make sure I wouldn't be wasting my time and legwork on a beverage I didn't much care for.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

You guys are fast learners, its interesting watching the progression of newbies Keep the imagination coming! WVMJ

 

[littlefootwines]

Hi Raelene. Very good read you have going here found it while looking for something else. I saw a few pages back in your canning section something called garlic scraps can you please tell me what that is. I am canning things also making jams and such and that got me wondering would that be something i would like to try? Thanks.

Shane

 

[the_rayway]

Hey there Shane!
Garlic Scapes are the green shoots that garlic puts out at the beginning of the season (I think I have a picture of them all swirled in the jar?). If you have garlic, or an easy access Farmer's Market, you will find them. I did a basic dilly bean recipe, and the garlic scapes add their own mild garlic flavour. Very crunchy!

 

[littlefootwines]

Hi thanks got it scapes figured thats what it was tryed to grow my own garlic but it was just to wet here over the last couple years rotted in the dirt. I have used the greens like green onions grow them myself. I boil can and find the dill and garlic are run over by the vinager how much do you use?.

Shane

 

[the_rayway]

So...I've decided it's time to start actually sampling a few of my bottles that have been patiently aging.

Orange Vanilla Mead (first attempt):
It's approximately a year and a half old (not looking at my book here, so could be a bit off), and was bottled back in the fall. I used a pure orange extract for most of the orange flavour, vanilla beans and a touch of extract for the vanilla.

The Mead has a definite chemical nose, which I'm contributing to the extract. Flavour was unremarkable until I added a pinch of acid blend. Then it opened up and you could taste the citrus and a mild vanilla in the background. I'm disappointed so far, but considering it was a complete experiment within my first 6 months of making wine/mead, it's not bad

At this point, I'm thinking that next time I attempt a batch (because there WILL be a next time!) I'll consider:
a) Replacing all of the water with orange juice;
b) Prepping a really solid vanilla extract several months beforehand;
c) Mildly carmelize some of the honey to get a caramel vanilla flavour;
d) Medium toast American Oak for the vanillan;
e) A 'specialty' yeast like BA11 or ICVD254 instead of good 'ol EC-1118

This way I'm hoping it will have a 'real' orange nose and flavour, acid to match, and the vanilla will be more pronounced and layered. Should give me a more complex mead.

It's amazing how much you learn in a year and a half! Much of the tweaks I'm looking at I had no idea of when I made this batch. Also, I'm more appreciative of the 1 gallon batches now for experiments: 6 bottles v.s. 18 makes a difference in space on my racks, and if it had turned out horrible - I would feel horrible dumping it!! Good thing it tastes ok Maybe next time I'll try it with a shot of OJ and a vanilla bean twist ::

 

[vernsgal]

It's amazing how much you learn in a year and a half! Much of the tweaks I'm looking at I had no idea of when I made this batch. Also, I'm more appreciative of the 1 gallon batches now for experiments: 6 bottles v.s. 18 makes a difference in space on my racks, and if it had turned out horrible - I would feel horrible dumping it!!

Great post Ray. I'm in to a lot of mine coming into the one year mark. It's funny how much you learn over the months ,with help from this site, how you would do things now than as to what you originally did. ie: different yeasts,tannins,oaks.

 

[user 31015]

I have heard that mead is only "good" after two years, great at three. Maybe save the remainder for a rainy day some time in the future.

A friend told me his father made mead that was terrible on first sample, but they found a bottle recently - now ten years old - and it was superb!

 

[the_rayway]

That's kind of what I'm hoping - I've got no problem waiting!

I can't wait to start another batch and do it up with the tweaks.

 

[the_rayway]

Just started a Cheeky Monkey Pinot Noir last night. Haven't really heard of many people doing this kit, so we're not entirely sure what we're in for. I've heard Pinot Noir can have a gamey flavour, but this kit didn't mention that in the profile - so I'm hoping it will be the non-gamey version.

I switched the EC-1118 for ICV D254, which is supposed to bring out the fruit flavours and a bit of spice. Excited for this batch!

Racked Dad's Amarone (Tosca bucket from California) off the oak and it's certainly starting to taste quite a bit better. Popped in 3 g(ish) of Tannin Riche Extra for better smoothness and mouthfeel. Waiting on results - but the test glass was quite good!

 

[the_rayway]

Schnellert Family Apple Wine
This wine was started in July of 2012 - my very first straight up 'Country Wine', made from the most sour apples I have ever come across. It was a 1 Gallon Batch, fermented in the old family farm's cider jug.

I cracked this open, nicely chilled today and was immensely surprised and impressed. It has a nice cider nose - all apple. Taste is smooth, buttery, a hint of spiced rum and vanilla. It tastes very similar to a nice off-dry white, but far nicer than most I've tried. This stuff is SMOOTH! Light-medium body, and golden colour.

This is a fantastic success for me - my first country wine that I went in nearly blind with tastes like something I would spend a good $15-$20 (Canadian) for in the store.

This firms up my belief that it did go through a spontaneous MLF like I mentioned somewhere in my first post in this thread.

Recipe - 1 Gallon
Primary:
2 Lbs, 2 oz White sugar
4 Lbs very sour apples, chopped
1/2 a rum-soaked vanilla bean
1/4 tsp Tannin
1 Tsp Yeast Nutrient
1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
1 Campden Tab
EC-1118 Yeast
Water to 1 Gal
_______________
Secondary additions:
8.6.12 1/2 Lb white sugar
2 cups apple juice from original apples
Top up with water
9.1.12 1/2 Vanilla bean, Madagascar Bourbon
10.23.12 1/4 tsp pectic enzyme
11.13.12 Campden tab
12.31.12 2 part fining agent
7.1.13 Filtered and Backsweetened with sugar to 1.012, bottled

Looking at this now, I realize I never sorbated the wine before sweetening. There is no indication of any bottle fermentation, so a year must have been enough time with finers and filtering to be 'safe'. Won't repeat that oversight again though! Also, you can tell it was during the beginning of my wine-making career as there is a lot of fussing near the beginning.

At this point, I would say that I wouldn't change a thing about it. And I hope I can hit up the folks who's apples I picked for another picking this year!

 

[Deezil]

I cracked this open, nicely chilled today and was immensely surprised and impressed. It has a nice cider nose - all apple. Taste is smooth, buttery, a hint of spiced rum and vanilla. It tastes very similar to a nice off-dry white, but far nicer than most I've tried. This stuff is SMOOTH! Light-medium body, and golden colour.

This is a fantastic success for me - my first country wine that I went in nearly blind with tastes like something I would spend a good $15-$20 (Canadian) for in the store.

This firms up my belief that it did go through a spontaneous MLF like I mentioned somewhere in my first post in this thread.

My first batch of Apple went through spontaneous MLF too; I had the same impressions as you, although the random strain of MLF I was 'blessed' with didn't produce much of the buttery sensation..... Dangerously smooth though lol


Congrats!