Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1457, 4 February 2010 Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 21:36:18 -0700 (MST) From: mead-request@talisman.com Mead Lover's Digest #1457 4 February 2010 Mead Discussion Forum Contents: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1456, 24 January 2010 (Bruce Casner) Larger batch of Joe's Ancient Orange (Bruce Casner) Re: possibility of using molasses in mead ("Kurt Sonen") Re: Molasses in Mead and other brews (JazzboBob@aol.com) As to molasses.. a side note about Maple Syrup ("Michael Zahl") Honey Prices Level Off In 2009 (Erroll Ozgencil) Re: Caramelizing Honey (Matt Maples) NOTE: Digest appears whenever there is enough material to send one. Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead@talisman.com. Use mead-request@talisman.com for [un]subscribe and admin requests. Digest archives and FAQ are available at www.talisman.com/mead#Archives A searchable archive is at http://www.gotmead.com/mldarchives.html Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1456, 24 January 2010 From: Bruce Casner Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:50:59 -0600 I tried adding some molasses to a batch of cider for additional sweetening. It was not a good idea, and I hadn't added all that much. I think it may be the iron in molasses that causes some of the problem, as I have heard of iron problems in other fermenting contexts. After several months, it may be fit for cooking and marinating. Bruce Casner ------------------------------ Subject: Larger batch of Joe's Ancient Orange From: Bruce Casner Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:05:04 -0600 My one gallon batch of Joe's only lasted a month or so after bottling. So I have started a three gallon batch for family fans of the recipe. Following advice on this list and other forums, I decided to increase the water and honey and raisins (nutrition) proportionally, but the oranges and spices by half. Some people mentioned the spices becoming overwhelming in larger batches if increased proportionally. It started bubbling well within 4 hours and is at a nice steady pace. We'll see if this batch lasts a few months! Bruce Casner ------------------------------ Subject: Re: possibility of using molasses in mead From: "Kurt Sonen" Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:07:37 -0500 > -----Original Message----- > Subject: Re: possibility of using molasses in mead > From: Dick Dunn > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:08:47 -0700 > > Now, on to molasses. The simplest advice is "Don't even > bother trying." It's not that the experiment wouldn't be > worthwhile...but rather that it's already been tried, and the > result found to be quite unpleasant. I tried molasses in a cyser. Pulling up my notes: 6 oz of light molasses & 4 oz of honey in a gallon. It was nice, I'd use more molasses next time. (!) Note it was light molasses (Grandma's brand) not blackstrap. And I haven't repeated it cause there were cysers that I liked better (lemon spice, raspberry, cherry, and cinnamon to name a few). Kurt ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Molasses in Mead and other brews From: JazzboBob@aol.com Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:09:33 EST I too will add a recommendation against using molasses in mead. Many years ago I made a recipe from the AMA called Leather Nun Mead Stout. (That's the American Mead Association - not the doctors association) For one gallon, it used 3.5 pounds dark honey and 1/4 cup black strap molasses. I scaled it up to a five gallon batch. I remember the mead being too dry and bitter while lacking a good body. I didn't particularly like it and found it couldn't compare in quality to my other meads. A little bit of molasses might be OK if you are brewing a braggot and it certainly is appropriate in porter and historic stouts. I use it as the base when making non alcoholic root beer. Keep in mind that there are several grades of molasses and treacle. I think the dark blackstrap is too strong for brewing and find light molasses is less overbearing in brewing beer. I'm able to purchase an organic, dark and flavorful molasses at Whole Foods. It's made in Paraguay. Molasses is full of byproducts from refining sugar and is very high in iron and potassium. Perhaps the iron contributes to the strange fermented taste. I like molasses with my baked beans and a hot toddy made with a tablespoon or two in warm milk with some ginger. Bob Grossman _Jazzbobob@aol.com_ (mailto:Jazzbobob@aol.com) ------------------------------ Subject: As to molasses.. a side note about Maple Syrup From: "Michael Zahl" Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:00:57 -0800 The comments about the burnt and unpleasant tastes associated with Molasses prompted me to add a comment about using Maple Syrup as a fermentable... My highest award winning Mead (2nd place Open Mead in the 2009 Mazer's Cup--87 overall points) was a Maple Syrup and honey mead. My warning goes to making sure it's sweet enough! Maple syrup has that very woody taste, but its sweetness balances it nicely when you pour it on your pancakes. But when you ferment out the sugar in it, you're left with a very harsh woody liquid. When my friend sampled some of the young batch, she referred to it as "drinking tree bark." It was very unpleasant to say the least! But when I expanded the batch from 3 to 5 gallons by adding a gallon of honey and a gallon of water, the finished product at 1.039 was as smooth as silk! I auctioned off two bottles of my Maple Mead to help a friend who needed surgery and raises over $300! Back sweetening has now become one of my standard practices, even though I prefer slightly drier meads. Most of my pagan friends who beg me for mead have sweeter palates, so I brew toward that. Moral of the story, be careful with your Maple, and kick it back up a few notches on the sweetness ladder if you brew with it! Happy Mead making! Michael Zahl Las Vegas, NV ------------------------------ Subject: Honey Prices Level Off In 2009 From: Erroll Ozgencil Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:07:54 -0800 As of January 2009, honey prices looked to continue their 2008 advance. By December, however, honey was still selling at January prices - zero change for all seven prices that I track. More here: http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2010/01/25/honey-prices-unexpectedly-fla t-in-2009/ There are rumblings that production fell enough to cause shortages - and price increases - this winter. I don't know if there's anything to this (and I haven't seen movement in the prices I track yet), but the USDA honey report will be out soon, and hopefully it will shed some light. - -- Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/ ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Caramelizing Honey From: Matt Maples Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:13:41 -0800 The purpose I am shooting for with the caramelization process is to make caramelans. I do not know if these are considered dextrins but they do look like it to me. * Caramelans (C_24 H_36 O_18 ) * Caramelens (C_36 H_50 O_25 ) * Caramelins (C_125 H_188 O_80 ) (www.food-info.net) I assume these high molecular weight compounds will not be fermentable. These should increase the body of the mead and also change the flavor and I hope sweetness. I was hoping to get some feedback from people who have tried it. I do NOT want burnt sugars as that would IMHO have a negative impact on flavor. I plan to take it to a medium caramel stage but it is hard to know what temp that will be due to the mixed sugars in the honey. There are plenty of amino acids in honey. From what I have read you can get melanoidins from the lysine in honey I thought caramelens would be a better place to start. Matt > Subject: Re: Caramelizing Honey > From: "David Houseman" > Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:36:14 -0500 > > ............... > Unless the caramelization increases the unfermentable dextrins (complex > carbohydrates) that cannot be fermented, then this won't affect the body. > Does caramelizing sucrose (table sugar) create dextrins? I may be wrong > but I don't believe so. So why would caramelizing honey? Does this > create melanoidins or burnt sugar? > > David Houseman ------------------------------ End of Mead Lover's Digest #1457 *******************************