People have been drinking fermented beverages since the dawn of civilization. At first, the production of alcohol may have been accidental. Over time, it became an art.
Mead is a beverage made from fermented honey. This very drink was the founding father of wine and beer. A purist might just stick to just the simplest recipe of honey, water, and yeast, but some people, like myself, add a few additional ingredients to compliment the main ingredient.
My first introduction to mead was on my birthday. I prepared a medieval feast, each ingredient carefully chosen to be historically accurate or at least as accurate as it could be. A friend of mine brought along mead made by a brewery also known for brewing Tej, an Ethiopian honey wine. It was a welcome accompaniment to the sweet and savory flavors of the various medieval dishes.
I acquired a taste for mead while in Denmark. I was attending a folk school, and two of our favored activities were singing and drinking. A local liquor store carried mead in a ceramic bottle. The label depicted two Vikings, who seemed rather happy enjoying their brew out of horns. My friends and I started having little parties we appropriately dubbed "Viking Giggle Fest."
After school ended, I returned home. I yearned to make mead. I had been brewing for years, but most of these experiments ended in failure. This time around I was determined to make something drinkable. My first batch was rather scaled down. I boiled honey in water, let it cool to room temperature, added yeast, and set it aside to ferment for two weeks. I wanted to try it, so after the two weeks were up, I decided to try it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't wonderful either. It showed signs of carbonation, its bubbles gently tickled my palate. The taste was a little watered down, but I was working off of a theory and not off of a recipe.
The next time I brewed I was prepared. I went out and got a basic brewing kit. I used more honey this time and also decided to use a few additives and clarifying agents such as gelatin, hops, lavender, and rose hip. I used champagne yeast instead of bread yeast for better flavor. This brew fermented for two weeks, I then aged it for two more, bottled it, and left it to age on a rack for about two more months. The end result was something wonderful, and I gave my grandfather a taste. He had been an avid amateur vintner, so he knew a thing or two about how wine should taste. A tear came to his eye, and I could tell he was proud that I had been successful.
For more information, visit these sites:
http://www.gotmead.com/making-mead/
http://www.gotmead.com/making-mead/
http://www.gotmead.com/making-mead/
Paul Rinehart is the founder of http://www.gotmead.com/making-mead/.
elite cleaning services Mundelein ..The recent health claims that wines have antioxidants... Read More
Buy a BreathalyzerA Breathalyzer is a portable hand-held device in... Read More
If you like the taste of a good brew, then... Read More
During the 1990s, a physician voiced on a national TV... Read More
Cooking wine is sort of a holdover from prohibition. People... Read More
I must admit, that for many of us, walking into... Read More
Whisky syndicates are groups of private owners and many have... Read More
So, you find yourself having been invited to a dinner... Read More
Ordering wine in a restaurant is not much different than... Read More
The mere mention of etiquette brings to mind various images,... Read More
Mirror tinted contact lenses have become a topic of interest... Read More
Here is a quick summary of the different French wine... Read More
The Jacobs Creek Brand of wines have taken the world... Read More
Chablis is thought to have originated in northern Spain and... Read More
The future of the Australian wine industry will be shaped... Read More
It was once a ritual usually performed by a man.... Read More
Like many mixed drinks, the Old Fashioned has a number... Read More
Burgundy red wines are produced in an area of France... Read More
When it comes to making alcoholic beverages at home, wine... Read More
The most famous cool climates for Riesling wine are in... Read More
Wine is a social drink which should be enjoyed in... Read More
What in the world is up!Was there a full moon... Read More
Most branded products and agricultural products are not commodities. However... Read More
Barbera is a wine grape variety from Monferrato in Piemonte,... Read More
Alcoholism can be given a lot of definitions and all... Read More
Airbnb cleaning service Mundelein ..The majority of private owners of whisky casks are looking... Read More
Mirror tinted contact lenses have become a topic of interest... Read More
Wine tasting is properly known as 'Wine Degustation'. It is... Read More
Bordeaux is a region in France that produces some of... Read More
Red wine spills can be a disaster whether they occur... Read More
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the relationship between the amount... Read More
One of the great joys of wine is to be... Read More
Cooking wine is sort of a holdover from prohibition. People... Read More
Pairing beer with the fine cuisine has recently come to... Read More
Wine Tasting Component I: LookThe first step you have to... Read More
Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape responsible for the wines of... Read More
It was once a ritual usually performed by a man.... Read More
So, you find yourself having been invited to a dinner... Read More
Red Wine, Heart Disease, Hungry Sharks and Knights in Shining... Read More
Decanting is a strange word to many people. Some do... Read More
Australia's wine industry has boomed in the past ten years.... Read More
As your love and knowledge of wine grows, it is... Read More
Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the... Read More
The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely... Read More
Wine is a social drink which should be enjoyed in... Read More
Although details are understandably sketchy, it is believed that, around... Read More
Good news! A recent study suggested that resveratrol, a red... Read More
The future of the Australian wine industry will be shaped... Read More
First off let me say that I am in no... Read More
Like many mixed drinks, the Old Fashioned has a number... Read More
Wine & Spirits |