So this weekend I'll be starting my first professional batch of mead. The formula approval has been filed, the label for the label approval is in the works, 60# of honey delivered, equipment ready.
I'm going to make a tart cherry semi sweet mead on my first go. The target final gravity is 1.030, the honey is wildflower, and I'll be brewing 16 gallons of it. I'll be using 71b-1122 yeast, though I prefer D47, because I'm not going to have as much control over the temperature as I usually do, and 71b has a tolerance up to 86def F.
I've been a home brewer for nine years and have made a variety of recipes. Tart Cherry has been the favorite of friends, so it's where I start. If it turns out well I'll start digging into my other recipes and file more formula approvals etc... If it doesn't go well, I'm only out a few hundred bucks.
It's when I start the licensing process for my own meadery (target 2 years) that it starts to get expensive. But I'll worry about that later.
In the meantime, I'll be posting pictures and stories along the way, recipes, and some help in getting anyone else started.
Man, you get into all of the science and details, and I just throw rough amounts of certain ingredients in the bottle, add some bread yeast, and give it a shake.
I know I have a lot to learn from you though and look forward to your future posts! Are you able to share your recipe even a little? For example, I've made ancient orange mead and an attempt to duplicate Dansk Viking Blod.
The one was just some spices and orange slices. The second was green apples slices, spices, and hibiscus flowers.
What types of cherries do you use? What spices? If those are trade secrets, I'll completely understand. Thanks again!
Ha, it's all good. When I started brewing 9 years ago I did the same, and some of my experimentals are fairly whimsical, though I do jot it all down.
Even in home brewing, but certainly professional brewing, knowing the ABV is pretty important. In pro, there's a magic tax line at 14% and anything above that is taxed at about 4x the rate.
Sheesh... that tax difference is ridiculous. Ugh.
I'm hoping for high teens, but I won't know for sure until the first batches I have settle a bit more. They could be opened now, but I'm waiting another month.
I should have added, use ec-1118 if you want high abv. That's a champagne yeast with an 18% alcohol tolerance, a nice flavor, and a decent temperature range.
I have been testing K1-V1116 also, and I'm not sure if it is a good idea. I know the EC-1118 and regular bread yeast taste good. Any experience with the K1?
Oh and on cherries, this is just Meteor cherries, tart and fairly common.
I will definitely have to do a cherry brew soon. There are soooo many possibilities!
My next two experimentals will be orange cream (cream soda style, so you use vanilla and cream of tartar), and an almond joy (chocolate, coconut, and almond). Soooo many possibilities.
When I saw how red the hibiscus flowers made my latest batch, I was a little nervous. I was afraid the flowers would make it so the yeast wouldn't work. Man, was I wrong! That 6 gallon bottle had a storm brewing inside it within a day. The craziest thing about this is how easy it is. I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner.
It still gets exciting to me when activity is strong, and making new recipes is still fun. I finally started what will be my almond joy recipe (chocolate, almond, and coconut... and I need a better name for it). That airlock is bubbling furiously.
I have ceramic bottles from Dansk branded mead. Any recommendations on how best to prepare them for bottling of my first batch? I was thinking of just sterilizing them in a dish washing machine. Thoughts please?
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STOPSo it took much longer than I thought. The label was denied a couple of times (turns out in Texas wines can have a vintage but meads can't, even though legally they're both wine and there's no mead license). The batch took longer to age and I didn't use any oak in it because there were plenty of tannins.
That said, the label is approved, design is done, and I just have to send them to print now.
Unfortunately, Griffin Meadery, whose license I was brewing under, lost its head mazer and is considering closing down.... damn the timing. I'm waiting to talk to the remaining owner about steps forward. Worst case is I'll have 15 gallons of tart cherry mead at home. Best case is he decides to continue, maybe even with my help. We'll see.