# does anyone here make mead.



## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

*Mead???​*

*Detailed Description​**The honey for this specialty dessert-style wine is produced in hives throughout Northern California and is composed of a blend of three types; orange, alfalfa and sage. Each of these components brings a unique quality to the blend and contributes to the overall complexity of the wine. Orange adds a pungent orange blossom flavor and has light color. Alfalfa is neutral in flavor but yields a dark, amber color. Sage, on the other hand, has a mild taste and a light color. This wine is produced utilizing fresh honey without the addition of artificial flavorings, concentrates or artificial colorings. Even though greater production difficulties ensue because pure, raw honey is used for fermentation, the intensity of flavor generated through this technique is worth the effort. Although, this wine exhibits a richness similar to a fine liqueur, this dessert-style beverage is not fortified and contains only 10.5% alcohol. Hence, this wine should be consumed shortly after purchase to enjoy its natural and rich honey flavor. The Mead can be enjoyed in one of two ways, either chilled or heated with spices to create a delicious wintery drink. *


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

*Mead, in a word - YES*

There's an entire section on this wonderful bee keeping site dedicated to mead. It hasn't seen a lot of activity lately, but I bet after harvest is over and fall work is completed, there will be a few corks pulled or a lot of batches started. There's 19 gallons fermenting in various stages in our home as I write this with another batch planned to start up tomorrow. We have mead from: honey only, grapes, grapes & wheat (i'm from Kansas an' we've got lots of the stuff), lilacs, dandelions all going at one stage or another. Once the apples, pears, and blackberries mature, we'll have some of those fermenting.


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Does anyone here make mead [chuckle]! Glad to say YES Beesource has an involved, varied and enthusiastic mead following. I'm trying to carve out a bottling day for a braggot and a pyment that are ready. A couple bottles will have to go to my new outyard hosts, but the rest is mine, all mine .


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

I have eight 5 gallon carboys going at this time.... 

When bee fever sets in about January, I'll be in a stupor, rubbing it into the noses of fools who followed Obama. And that goes for whether he wins or not.


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## GB (Mar 5, 2005)

J-Bees said:


> *Mead???​*
> 
> *Detailed Description​**The honey for this specialty dessert-style wine is produced in hives throughout Northern California and is composed of a blend of three types; orange, alfalfa and sage. *


I wonder if he's inferring that you dont make real mead.? Seems to have found a description of mead somewhere written my the monks themselves! Strange thing is we dont grow those crops in England.. perhaps proper mead only comes from California (Northern).


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

swobee I talked to the John Brewer owner of wyldwood cellars in mulvane at the fair. They are working to get started on making mead. He is figuring on using about 60 drums of honey a year making it. His major stumbling blocks are 1 the kansas state law says, if I under stood right is that 60 percent of the produce to make wines or meads must come from the state. Another is meads vary in taste from batch to batch he hopes to keep this to a minimum by offering flavored meads. John and I along with Kansas House Representive Ed Trimmer had a nice discussion on winery laws and the casino issue at the fair. It just happens wyldwood cellers owns a good portion of the land one of the casinos are wanting to build on. The mead produced by SLough creek in kansas will be no more they have went under. a distrubuter has bought out there remaining stock. when it is gone it is done.


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

BjornBee said:


> I have eight 5 gallon carboys going at this time....
> 
> When bee fever sets in about January, I'll be in a stupor, rubbing it into the noses of fools who followed Obama. And that goes for whether he wins or not.


you will have company in january on this one. I got 2 5 gallon boys going right know starting a 3rd shortly.  The things we can do to stir the osama the bomba pot in gator during a spell of January bee fever will be endless


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

Rat-

I guess that mans my meaderie won't be the first one in Kansas! Oh, well no biggie. 

The Ks. Farm winery laws call for 65% of the products to be or Kansas origination. One can bypass that at first, but a written plan to get to 65% ASAP must be approved by Ks. Dept. of Commerce. With all us fine Kansas honey producers, I see no reason Wyldwood would have a problem finding native honey. Maybe they just don't want to pay anything for it and that would pose a problem. Besides, if they own the land that casino is being built on, their winery will become a hobby as they could be swimming in $$. We have a local guy who planted 6,000 or maybe 60,000 grapes last year depending on who you talk to, the story varies. I think we'll eventually see our state as a quality wine producer. The governor blasted the Ks. wine industry recently for not producing many award winners. That was probably meant to be a challange, but was taken as a jab in the eye by the wine industry instead. She needs to stick to more important things like where the heck our electricity is going to come from in the next few years and let common sense prevail. 

Slough Creek is still for sale - just under $700K. A few good rolls at that new casino in your neighborhood and it could be all yours.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I keep three must buckets and four to six carboys going most of the time. Nuthin' fancy, mostly straight mead, flavored if it doesn't turn out the way I like it.


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## Romahawk (Jul 11, 2005)

BULLSEYE BILL said:


> I keep three must buckets and four to six carboys going most of the time. Nuthin' fancy, mostly straight mead, flavored if it doesn't turn out the way I like it.


I have 6 carboys percolating away most of the time. Usually three with traditional mead and three made with Wally World cranberry juice. 

What do you use to flavor your traditional batches if they are a little rough? Can you use essential oils or do you use liqueur type flavorings?


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I add concentrated fruit juice just before bottling, it only takes about an ounce per five gallon carboy. Cherry and pomegranate are my best flavors.


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## Romahawk (Jul 11, 2005)

Thanks for the tip, I'll be trying one carboy with cherry flavor sometime this month.

Does the one ounce of concentrate give just a hint of cherry flavor or is it quite noticeable? If I wanted a nice full body flavor would I need more than just an ounce?


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## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

Well long time no see Tom,

send me an email or PM I lost your's Ok 

JB:}


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Romahawk said:


> Does the one ounce of concentrate give just a hint of cherry flavor or is it quite noticeable? If I wanted a nice full body flavor would I need more than just an ounce?


I look for a slight blush and a lite cherry taste. Take a gallon from the carboy and add small amounts of concentrate until you get the result you are looking for. Then multiply that amount by the gallons you have left to make the carboy match.


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