Brew #2: Black Russian Science Mead
It isn't often that a byproduct of our research can be used at home. There was a time I made camphor for a friend who was fond of the smell, but in general one doesn't take experiments off campus. However, our lab has been branching out over the last couple of years from fruit flies to other insects like flour beetles, mosquitos, and Apis mellifera--honeybees. Mmmm, honey... A graduate student in our lab (Jessica C.) has studied honeybee development pretty much since she joined us. As a byproduct of her research she collects lots of wonderful honey from her rooftop laboratory hives. There is an actual honeycomb centrifuge in the lab for this purpose!
There are plenty of uses for honey - I like to sweeten my tea with it - but we're talking pounds and pounds of honey. Two viable options seemed to be: make a ton of baklava and get fat, or make a ton of mead and get drunk! Here is how we brewed our mead:
INGREDIENTS:
16 lbs fresh honey from Black Russian honey bees
0.5 oz Brewer's Garden Bitter Orange Peel
4 tsp Acid Blend
0.5 oz Yeast Nutrient
35 ml White Labs Pitchable Sweet Mead Yeast WLP720
Last minute addition: 3 ripe peaches cut up but not skinned
and 1/2 stick of cinnamon
PROCEDURE:
1. Mix honey and water to about 2 or 3 gallons.
2. Bring to a boil and add orange peel and cinnamon.
3. Boil 15 min and skim scuzz off the top.
4. Turn off the heat and add acid blend, yeast nutrient, and cut up peaches in a mesh bag. Allow to steep for 15 min.
5. Cool, add sterile water to make 5 gallons, and pitch yeast.
6. Rack often and ferment for at least 4 months.
MUSINGS, MISHAPS:
This was brewed 7/2/06, left at home 2 weeks, and then moved to lab because the temperature there is cooler and more controlled.
Racked 9/1/06.
TASTING COMMENTS:
After the first rack I had a taste and, wow, it's going to be potent! Two sips and feeling relaaaaaxed. Could just barely taste the peaches and there was a little astringent flavor, possibly due to leaving the peach skins on. Maybe this will mellow out over the next few months.
There are plenty of uses for honey - I like to sweeten my tea with it - but we're talking pounds and pounds of honey. Two viable options seemed to be: make a ton of baklava and get fat, or make a ton of mead and get drunk! Here is how we brewed our mead:
INGREDIENTS:
16 lbs fresh honey from Black Russian honey bees
0.5 oz Brewer's Garden Bitter Orange Peel
4 tsp Acid Blend
0.5 oz Yeast Nutrient
35 ml White Labs Pitchable Sweet Mead Yeast WLP720
Last minute addition: 3 ripe peaches cut up but not skinned
and 1/2 stick of cinnamon
PROCEDURE:
1. Mix honey and water to about 2 or 3 gallons.
2. Bring to a boil and add orange peel and cinnamon.
3. Boil 15 min and skim scuzz off the top.
4. Turn off the heat and add acid blend, yeast nutrient, and cut up peaches in a mesh bag. Allow to steep for 15 min.
5. Cool, add sterile water to make 5 gallons, and pitch yeast.
6. Rack often and ferment for at least 4 months.
MUSINGS, MISHAPS:
This was brewed 7/2/06, left at home 2 weeks, and then moved to lab because the temperature there is cooler and more controlled.
Racked 9/1/06.
TASTING COMMENTS:
After the first rack I had a taste and, wow, it's going to be potent! Two sips and feeling relaaaaaxed. Could just barely taste the peaches and there was a little astringent flavor, possibly due to leaving the peach skins on. Maybe this will mellow out over the next few months.
posted by Kate @ 11:02 PM
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