Such interesting times! It’s in the news that Big Beer are losing more and more market share to craft brews. Seems these days as if even the most local of dive hangouts has at least one Sam selection on draft, and also probably a Blue Moon as well. People seem to be finding a more sophisticated palate, and people are finding a way to make money on it. I’m all for that.
I notice also lately that there are a number of alternatives finding their way to the draft towers. Ciders, cysers and fruit beers were popular last fall. This year everyone who has a label seems to be putting out a pumpkin variety. (All well and good, even if it’s not my style.) I am most please to see mead, that heady honey grog swilled by Norse heroes, seems to be getting popular these days too. I got hooked on the stuff years ago while I was still hanging around with the Ren Faire crowd. Back then it was almost unheard of, produced in small quantities by a few niche artisans and home brewers, and slyly shared with among people with distinctive taste. It was an “in club” thing, and I consider myself lucky to have been included. My first hit was a killer strawberry mead, and I was instantly hooked. The ginger mead made my eyes water, but wow was it good!
I noticed meaderies started cropping up at the bigger beer festivals a couple of years ago. So exciting that someone was trying to bring the product to market! I chatted up a few of the brewers and scored invitations for future correspondence. While nobody wanted to share recipes, I was invited to ask questions and, if I was ever in the area, to stop on by and hang out. Awesome. I always buy their stuff when I see it out now, and I always bring it to parties. It’s my new table white.
Lately I’ve been fortunate enough for my local hangout to start serving mead on draft. The manager felt it was a bit of a risk, and indeed some have been hits while others have been misses. Nevertheless, it seems to sell well, and he seems interested in keeping it in the rotation. Can’t complain about that.
Naturally I’m interested in taking trying out a recipe of my own. A friend of mine has recently gotten hooked and is very excited about this prospect. He wants to commission a batch. Rather than accept that commission (and all we homebrewers know why…), I’ve offered to help him make his own. Which means I should do at least one for myself. For science. Y’know, in case he has questions.
I think the quintessential mead is orange cinnamon. I looked around the Internet trying to get an idea of what a good recipe looks like. After some research, I’ve decided to start off with a 3 gallon test batch:
- 10 to 12 lb honey
- Zest of 1 to 2 lg oranges
- 3 to 4 cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch allspice
- 1/3 cup Raisins
I’m on the fence about the raising. Don’t much care for them myself, but I hear they impart a nice sweetness to the recipe. I’m dithering on the target alcohol content, and the residual sweetness. I prefer stronger, semi-sweet meads. I think I’m going to try working with the yeast’s attenuation and alcohol tolerance to start at a high gravity and let the yeast finish out to tolerance, leaving 1 to 2% residual sugar. If I miss, it’ll be pancake syrup.
Check back later in the fall to see where I’ve gone with this.