2023 Metheglin (Mead)
August 2023
Months ago I purchased 5 lbs of honey from Costco, intending to make a coffee mead. While it sounded good at the time, I have 12 bottles of Coffee Port remaining, and a bottle of coffee liqueur. I don’t need more “coffee” anything.
So I shifted gears. Liking a mead from Starrlight Meadery, I decided to emulate it.
This wine is another metheglin … cinnamon, allspice, and cloves … but I will backsweeten with apple juice concentrate, to make an apple pie in a glass.
We’ll see how this works.
Note: After the initial batch went into secondary storage to finish fermentation, I decided to make a second batch to test the TR-313 starter. Then I decided that it made more sense to make a double batch so I can fill a 23 liter carboy. In the notes “Batch #1” is the original batch and “Batch #2” is the follow-on.
Ingredients
| Batch #1 | |
| Fruit | 5 lbs Kirkland wildflower honey |
| Nutrient | 3-1/2 tsp Fermax (total) |
| Acid | 1 tsp acid blend |
| Yeast | 5 g Lalvin QA23 |
| Tannin | 1/2 tsp powdered tannin |
| Spices | 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground cloves |
| Batch #2 | |
| Fruit | 10 lbs Kirkland wildflower honey |
| Nutrient | 3-1/2 tsp Fermax (total) |
| Acid | 3 tsp acid blend |
| Yeast | 5 g Renaissance TR-313 |
| Tannin | 1 tsp powdered tannin |
| Spices | 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg |
| Batch #3 | |
| Fruit | 3 lbs Aldi’s raw honey |
| Nutrient | 1-1/2 tsp Fermax (total) |
| Acid | 1 tsp acid blend |
| Yeast | 2.4 g Renaissance TR-313 |
| Tannin | 1/4 tsp powdered tannin |
| Post-Blending | |
| Sulfite | 1/2 tsp K-meta |
| Sorbate | 2 tsp potassium sorbate |
| Fining Agent | 2-1/2 tsp bentonite |
| Backsweetening | 7x 12 oz cans frozen apple juice concentrate |
| Glycerin | 7 oz glycerin |
Method
| Batch #1: Made a yeast starter with 3.2 g Renaissance TR-313, 1/2 tsp Fermax, and 1 Tbsp sugar in 1 cup 95 F water. After 4 hours there was no activity, but I left it overnight in hopes that it might take off. | 08/24/2023 SG — |
| Batch #1: The yeast starter did not work. I suspected I put cold yeast into warm water, which killed the yeast. Tossed that starter.
I put more yeast into a bowl and let set on the counter for 30 minutes, then made another starter. After 30 minutes there was no activity. So I added a 5 g packet of Lalvin QA23, which took off within 2 minutes. Looks like my TR-313 is dead. Dissolved honey in hot tap water in a primary fermenter, stirring well. Added cool tap water until SG dropped to 1.100. Added 1 tsp Fermax, 1 tsp acid blend, and 1/2 tsp tannin. Sprinkled spices on top of must. Added starter and covered with a towel. Initial volume is almost 2 US gallons. |
08/25/2023 SG 1.100 |
| Batch #1: Stirred twice. I intended to add an additional 1 tsp Fermax, but managed to forget. Did not check SG. | 08/26/2023 SG — |
| Batch #1: Added 1 tsp Fermax at the first stirring. I am not checking SG today as it’s not worth the effort. | 08/27/2023 SG — |
| Batch #1: Added 1 tsp Fermax at the first stirring.
Checked SG at the afternoon stirring |
08/28/2023 SG 1.040 |
| Batch #1: SG reached 1.020, so racked into two 4 liter jugs, one mostly full, the other about 80%. | 08/29/2023 SG 1.020 |
| Batch #2: I was going to make a second batch of the same size, but decided to go with a double batch in the hopes of filling a 23 liter carboy.
Made a yeast starter with 5.1 g Renaissance TR-313, 1/2 tsp Fermax, and 1 Tbsp sugar in 1 cup 95 F water. It doesn’t foam a lot, but there is clear evidence of activity. Dissolved honey in hot tap water in a primary fermenter, stirring well. Added cool tap water until SG dropped to 1.090. I’m going with a lower ABV for this part. Added 3 tsp Fermax, 3 tsp acid blend, and 1 tsp tannin. Sprinkled spices on top of must. Added starter and covered with a towel. Initial volume is just over 4 US gallons. |
09/01/2023 SG 1.090 |
| Batch #2: Stirred the must, adding 4 tsp Fermax. There is little evidence of activity, but the SG dropped 20 points in just over 24 hours, so it’s working. | 09/02/2023 SG 1.070 |
| Batch #2: SG dropped to 1.015, so I racked it into a 23 liter carboy, then poured Batch #1 into it.
I’m lacking about 3 liters from having a full carboy, so the plan is to purchased 3 lbs of honey from Aldi’s and make Batch #3, which will fill the carboy and provide topup after clearing. |
09/05/2023 SG 1.015 |
| Batch #3: I purchased 3 lbs of raw honey from Aldi’s, which I diluted to just over 1 gallon, with an SG of 1.090. To this I added 1 tsp Fermax, 1 tsp acid blend, 1/4 tsp grape tannin. I did not add any seasoning.
For the starter I used 1 tsp TR-313 (2.4 g), 1/2 tsp Fermax, and 1 Tbsp sugar in 1 cup 92 F water. I let this perk for 5 hours before inoculating. |
09/05/2023 SG 1.090 |
| Batch #3: Stirred the must this morning — it had an inch of foam on top and perking along. I did not bother checking SG. | 09/06/2023 SG — |
| Batch #3: Added 1 tsp Fermax and stirred. | 09/07/2023 SG — |
| Batch #3: SG dropped to 1.015, so racked the wine into a 4 liter jug, leaving headspace. Poured the little remaining into the 23 liter carboy.
Batch #1/#2: Added 1/4 tsp K-meta. Did not check SG. The wine is clearing from the top, so fermentation is complete. |
09/09/2023 SG 1.015 |
| Racked batches #1/#2 and #3 into a primary fermenter to homogenize. Added 1/2 tsp K-meta, 2 tsp sorbate, and 2-1/2 tsp bentonite dissolved in 2 cups hot water.
Note: The average OG is 1.092. |
09/30/2023 SG 1.000 |
| Added 3x 12 oz cans frozen apple juice concentrate, defrosted. Stirred between additions. This did not produce as much apple flavor as I expected. I plan to bulk age 3 months, then consider adding 1 to 2 more cans. | 09/30/2023 SG 1.009 |
| Withdrew a large sample of wine, added 4 tsp pectic enzyme, stirred, then restored the sample. | 10/01/2023 SG 1.009 |
| Racked off the sediment and added four additional 12 oz cans frozen apple juice concentrate. This produced an apple flavor I wanted, and muted the spice flavor, which was previously too much.
Added 1/4 tsp K-meta. |
10/16/2023 SG 1.018 |
| Added 1/4 tsp K-meta. | 01/12/2024 SG 1.018 |
| Added 1/4 tsp K-meta. | 04/11/2024 SG 1.018 |
| Racked, added 7 oz glycerin, 3/8 tsp K-meta, and bottled. | 07/20/2024 SG 1.018 |
Notes
| Yield | 35 bottles |
| Alcohol | 12.2% ABV |
| Residual Sugar | 4.8% |
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