Last month, I met my friends Aaron and Mike over at the Green Dragon Pub, and I tried a "Dubble Hefeweizen." I can't remember which brewery it came from (there are like a million of them here in Portland), but I remember it was delicious. Dark, rich, high-gravity...
So I thought, hmm, I should make some of that.
And then the wheels started turning in my head a bit, and I started thinking about wheat beer and all of the things that taste good with it. Honey is one of my favorite flavors in fermented beverages, for example, and it goes great with wheat. So after tweaking things around a bit, I ended up with this.
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Double Honey Wheat
(Double Hefeweizen)
Water:
5 gallons
Malt:
1.50 lbs. Dark Wheat Malt
2.50 lbs. White Wheat Malt
0.25 lbs. Flaked Wheat
5.50 lbs. Pale Malt (Brewer's 2-row)
1.00 lbs. Munich Malt
0.50 lbs. Crystal Malt 40
0.50 lbs. Rice solids
Sugars:
1.50 lbs. Mesquite honey
Hops:
1.00 oz. Hallertauer Gold (@60 min.)
1.00 oz. Tettnanger (@30 min.)
Yeast:
Wyeast American Wheat 1010
Statistics:
OG : 1.064
FG : 1.015
IBU: 36.225
SRM: 13.32
ABV: 6.3%
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The hard part will be finding some mesquite honey; it's out of season right now, and even when it is in season it is rare. If I can't find it, I will just have to go with pure wildflower honey. Which will work, but the beer won't taste as honey-y.
With a little luck, I'll start this batch up this weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out.
EDIT: I had to dial this recipe back quite a bit. The previous version (if you saw it) had a finishing ABV of 9.9%, which I think would be too high to bottle. (If I had a keg and CO2 system, it would be a different story...but with that much alcohol, I doubt I would have enough healthy yeast to give it adequate carbonation. I'd have to use wine yeast.)
This version is a straight-up "double" brew, which uses twice the ingredients for a single batch of regular hefeweizen. I'm not sure I can call it an "imperial" now.
Showing posts with label mead and wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mead and wine. Show all posts
Monday, April 12, 2010
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Making Metheglin
Metheglin is the root (Welsh) word for "medicine," and refers to a special alcoholic beverage made from honey and water fermented with herbs and spices.
I don't know how "medecinal" this particular recipe is, but it sure tastes good. The next time I make this recipe, I'll multiply it...because dude, this is a lot of work for a six-pack. Once I get some five-gallon glass jugs, I'll make a couple of cases of it.
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TRAV'S CINNAMON METHEGLIN
Ingredients:
1 pkt. Red Star Premier Couvee wine yeast
1 oz. barley malt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 t. yeast nutrient
1/2 t. yeast energizer
3 lbs. orange blossom honey
Filtered water
1/4 C crushed cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
1 T. sparkoloid
1 Campden tablet
Directions
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a mixture of bleach water (1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Rinse well before using.
In the large stock pot, bring 3 quarts of filtered water to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Cover and set aside to cool.
In a sterile quart jar, smack the yeast with barley malt in 2 C lukewarm water. Set aside.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle, and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (to desired strength). Pour the "tea" through a strainer into the must, discarding the cinnamon and cloves.
When the must has cooled to 70 degrees F, add more honey or water to reach the desired specific gravity. Pour the must into a sterile carboy, leaving 2" of head space at the top of the jug. Pitch the yeast, cap the jug, and shake well for 5 minutes. Finally, remove the cap and attach the fermentation lock. Set the jug in a cool, dark place to ferment undisturbed for 2-4 weeks.
Rack, stabilize, clarify, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of a warm-tasting, medium-sweet mead.
I don't know how "medecinal" this particular recipe is, but it sure tastes good. The next time I make this recipe, I'll multiply it...because dude, this is a lot of work for a six-pack. Once I get some five-gallon glass jugs, I'll make a couple of cases of it.
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TRAV'S CINNAMON METHEGLIN
Ingredients:
1 pkt. Red Star Premier Couvee wine yeast
1 oz. barley malt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 t. yeast nutrient
1/2 t. yeast energizer
3 lbs. orange blossom honey
Filtered water
1/4 C crushed cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
1 T. sparkoloid
1 Campden tablet
Directions
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a mixture of bleach water (1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Rinse well before using.
In the large stock pot, bring 3 quarts of filtered water to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Cover and set aside to cool.
In a sterile quart jar, smack the yeast with barley malt in 2 C lukewarm water. Set aside.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle, and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (to desired strength). Pour the "tea" through a strainer into the must, discarding the cinnamon and cloves.
When the must has cooled to 70 degrees F, add more honey or water to reach the desired specific gravity. Pour the must into a sterile carboy, leaving 2" of head space at the top of the jug. Pitch the yeast, cap the jug, and shake well for 5 minutes. Finally, remove the cap and attach the fermentation lock. Set the jug in a cool, dark place to ferment undisturbed for 2-4 weeks.
Rack, stabilize, clarify, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of a warm-tasting, medium-sweet mead.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
My Next Batch
Last week, I got to sample some of Woodchuck's Pear Hard Cider. It was fragrant and refreshing...quite delicious. And it gave me a great idea for a mead.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
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Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
-----
Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
Sunday, November 07, 2004
My latest batch
This weekend, I started another batch of mead. This one is based on several different mead recipes I found on the internet, from the medieval Scandanavian people. It is not a "period" recipe (as you might have noticed from some of the additives I am using), but the ingredients and the process are fairly close. It is fermenting happily in Anthony's basement at the moment; when it is finished I will let you know how it turned out.
VIKING MEAD
Ingredients
1 quart (3 pounds) unfiltered wildflower honey
2 quarts fresh water
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
12 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon yeast energizer
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 packet dry wine yeast
1 can (12 oz) organic frozen apple juice concentrate
1 Campden tablet
2 teaspoons sparkoloid powder
(glossary)
Directions
In a large pot or kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Slowly add 1 quart of honey, stirring constantly to prevent the honey from burning. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the white foam off of the top of the honey-water, cover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a separate saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a full boil. Add the chammomile and cloves, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the flowers and cloves, and add the tea to the must.
Once the must has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a sterile, 1-gallon glass jug. Add 1/2 teaspoon of yeast energizer, one teaspoon of yeast nutrient, and enough cold water to almost make one full gallon (leave about 3 inches of room at the top of the jug for froth). Shake until well-mixed. Add the dry yeast, and shake again until well mixed. Attach a sterile fermentation lock to the jug, and set in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once fermentation stops (2 or 3 weeks), remove the fermentation lock and taste the mead. Stir in the apple juice concentrate, a couple of ounces at a time, until the mead is as sweet as you like it. Replace the fermentation lock, and allow to ferment to completion once again. Repeat this process until the mead is both sweet and stable.
Rack, clarify, stabilize, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of "cyser" (apple mead).
VIKING MEAD
Ingredients
1 quart (3 pounds) unfiltered wildflower honey
2 quarts fresh water
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
12 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon yeast energizer
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 packet dry wine yeast
1 can (12 oz) organic frozen apple juice concentrate
1 Campden tablet
2 teaspoons sparkoloid powder
(glossary)
Directions
In a large pot or kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Slowly add 1 quart of honey, stirring constantly to prevent the honey from burning. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the white foam off of the top of the honey-water, cover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a separate saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a full boil. Add the chammomile and cloves, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the flowers and cloves, and add the tea to the must.
Once the must has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a sterile, 1-gallon glass jug. Add 1/2 teaspoon of yeast energizer, one teaspoon of yeast nutrient, and enough cold water to almost make one full gallon (leave about 3 inches of room at the top of the jug for froth). Shake until well-mixed. Add the dry yeast, and shake again until well mixed. Attach a sterile fermentation lock to the jug, and set in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once fermentation stops (2 or 3 weeks), remove the fermentation lock and taste the mead. Stir in the apple juice concentrate, a couple of ounces at a time, until the mead is as sweet as you like it. Replace the fermentation lock, and allow to ferment to completion once again. Repeat this process until the mead is both sweet and stable.
Rack, clarify, stabilize, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of "cyser" (apple mead).
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