Mead, Brewing, and Drinking

That depends on what what’s in it, the yeast you’ve used, etc. I’ve made some that are clear after a first transfer and some that I’ve had to let sit for a few weeks. This is a low ABV mead that I’m going to carbonate, so I don’t care if it’s not fully clear. I’m going to transfer again in a few days, then wait another few days and see where it is. I might filter it if it’s still looking cloudy in a few days.

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Are there things you could add that would help precipitate the cloudiness out? Do those things impact flavor? i know jack about brewing so don’t mind me :smiley: just learning…

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There are things you can add. I’m not sure how much they impact the flavor.

Cold crashing is also an option, though that’s unavailable to me this time of year until I get a refrigeration set-up. Cold temperatures speed up precipitation.

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Yeah, I’m reticent to use the clay-based fining agents due to the possibility of heavy metals. Volcanic clays just aren’t a great choice for anything edible/potable.

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Irish moss? I’ve used that to clarify my Belgian beers.

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anyone use isinglass?
is that a no-no, due to being animal derived?

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It might not be an option for @womanhood_deferred, but I tend to just use time and cold-crashing, when needed.

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Time is my preferred clearing agent. But as a hobbyist, I’m under no time pressure. And for mead, specifically, aging is amazing for quality.

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I made a hopped mojito mead today. It has a sg of 1.069.

My cranberry mead has cleared a lot. I’m going transfer it again in a couple days, then slightly back sweeten, then keg it

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Yum!

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Yum!

I’ve been liking Avid Black Dragon( blackberry dragonfruit cider) and 2 Towns Dark Cherry Bad Apple cider.

The former is 8.5% and the latter is 10.5%. These are tasty ciders that will put you on your butt.

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Those sound good.

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They are. I suspect the dark cherry bad apple will be a limited run but so far the Black Dragon has been widely available. I was bummed when Avid closed their taphouse but they seem to have made up for it by keeping production more consistent.

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I stopped at a small market I don’t go to often and noticed this:

I came home with these:

Plus a can of hopped cherry mead that’s not pictured.

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i have been reluctant to post my cider making attempts on this meaderie thread, but seeing you go on about ciders - that, frankly, blow me away! - i am emboldened to maybe post my own cider-making trial and error, plus relevant questions to you all.

i just started my first single-fruit starfruit cider. going to bottle that this weekend. i did a flavorful starfruit/apple cider that was a still cider. then, a blueberry/ starfruit cider that was quIte effervescent (different priming sugar at bottling).
my question to y’all that do these tasty sounding hopped/spiced/fruity meads and ciders (dragonfruit?!, really?!) is how to spice a cider.
starfruit (carambola) is a very mild flavored fruit with a light, plum/ white grape/ apple taste. i want to add coriander and star anise spice (because i think these flavors would be complementary).
would you make spiced simple syrup with those dry herbals, or add them in a secondary, like a dry-hop homebrew beer?
i love experimenting , but reading some of your combos - mint earl grey mead, hopped peach pineapple - whatever! you gave me ideas, but i need some suggestions on how to make semi-successful, drinkable fermented beverages with a fruit that i have an abundace of.
help?

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Wow, that’s quite a selection! There was a market in Poulsbo, WA that had a shocking selection of meads. I didn’t get any because they were pricey, but I was definitely impressed.

@KeybillyJefe I’m probably the wrong person to ask. When I add spices, I add them right up front in primary. That said, mead is fundamentally different than cider, in that it typically sits in primary longer. But, I could be wrong about that. I haven’t made a proper Metheglin in a couple of years, but that’s what jumps to mind.

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Were i doing that here, (i am seriously struggling with the concept of starfruit in profusion!) I would make a little tea bag sortathing and add it at the end. Lots of those really strongly flavored spices have antimicrobial properties and can hamper fermentation, and that also allows you to contol the infusion of flavor by sampling and then pulling it when it gets where you want it. If you are going past 10% or so you don’t have to worry so much about letting O2 in during the sampling. I’m certain there are other ways to do it, but that’s just one. The joy of homebrewing is experimenting!

@DukeTrout, honestly, i also usually add spices at the beginning, but using such mild flavored fruit with such strong spices may require a more controlled balancing to keep it from just becoming anise-and-nothing-else. As i said, though, experiment is key, and i have never worked with starfruit. Way too pricey up here!

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That’s a really good point! The only two spiceas I use in fruit-based meads are cinnamon and clove, and those are with strong-flavored fruit like apple or cherry. Controlling the contribution of the spice (which must flow!) is a lot more important when the flavors of the brew are subtle.

As for the antibiotic properties, I suspect that they have a negligible effect on yeast. When I make metheglin, it is loaded with spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamon, etc. and it ferments with no problem.

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I sampled my hopped mojito mead today. It was delicious. Unfortunately, it must have stalled out sometime withing the past few days as it was still sweet and should ferment dry; I’ve been too busy to check on it. I gave the fermenter a slight shake and it’s restarted, so :crossed_fingers:. I’ll add some yeast energizer if I notice it slowing down again. I don’t think Voss Kveik likes fermenting in the mid 70’s. When I use it mid summer, it ferments out in 3 to 4 days. When fermenting at lower temperatures, it seems to take almost two weeks.

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