Maple Mead (Maple-Honey Wine) (About five gallons) 2000 Batch
10 #
Clover Honey
96 Fluid Oz.
Maple Syrup Dark Amber
1 Tab
Acid Blend
10 Tea
Nutrient
3 Tab
Tannin
5
Cinnamon Sticks
2
Whole Nutmeg
2
Dried Apricot
5 Tab
Vannila Extract
5 Tab
Dark Rum
1 Package
Red Star Flor Sherry Yeast
4 Gallons
Distilled Water
Steps required for this batch
Add honey/maple/apricot ingriedients to 1.5 Gal. Water. Bring to full boil and let cook at boil for 10-15 mintues. Skim foam/scum as required.
Add 1/2 remaining water/rum/vanilla to carboy. Add all spices. Remove apricot and then add boiled mixture to carboy. Fill carboy with remaining water.
Make a gallon jar of mixture for addition to carboy after first racking.
When the temperature is in the yeast range add all yeast. Put an airlock on the carboy and let it be. Give a quick stir for the first few days.
Log Notes
3/09/00 - Prepared as per above.
3/10/00 - Cooled. S.G. 1094. Pitched Yeast
3/11/00 - Strong Ferment.
3/19/00 - S.G 1074. Gentle ferment.
3/28/00 - S.G 1058. Good ferment. Gave a stir to rouse the ferment.
4/09/00 - S.G 1040. Good ferment. Gave a stir to rouse the ferment.
4/24/00 - S.G 1024. Good ferment, Smells great. I have continued to stir this regularly over the past few weeks, this seems to be helping the ferment.
5/24/00 - S.G 1010. Racked removed whole spices. Ferment is still going well. Continue to stir when ferment slows. This one has some potential.
12/24/00 - S.G. 1008. Racked to clean carboy. No real ferment is visible although there is evidence of continued carbonation. Despite the remaining sugar content this one is relatively dry. The color of this wine is similar to ice tea. The flavor is very complex. The added spices have injected well into this wine it has an almost scotch-like in taste. It is very interesting. After racking, topped the carboy with apple juice. This brought S.G. up to 1010. I will move up into house to see if ferment picks up. I am also going to add nutrient to help it get moving again. The wine is fairly clear but yeast remains visible. I really like how this one is shaping up. It shows real promise.