viking-mjod - Tumblr blog

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Surfin the beer, choosing the mead !

Its festival time – and therefore – mead time

Last week has been a quite an interesting and hectic one at work, so I figured going to such a festival will be a great ending to it. I brought my ethical and moral bodyguard with me – my wife – to keep me from delving too far into the subject matter of the festival: drinking beer and whiskey (and mead). Little did I know that these roles were to be reversed in only a few hours

Immediately; as we enter the festival, the scent of grains hits us like a wall. No doubt this is the place to be this weekend if you are a beer aficionado. However, with posters of whiskey brands and suppliers covering the walls, there is no doubt that whiskey has a rightful place here as well.

The whole point of the visit today is naturally to go test out new whiskey and beer, but incidentally, I came across the Norwegian mead making company Mjøderiet. Now, as a Mead Fanatic, I could not let this opportunity to taste their mead slip away from me. I also wanted to have a few words with the founders of the company, as I have long wanted to sit down with them and talk about their new venture.

Meeting with Mjøderiet

So I sat down with Stian Krog, The CEO of Mjøderiet, who was clearly quite busy but still took the time to be interviewed. I asked Stian to tell us a little about the adventure Mjøderiet has been on since its launching in 2016.

– Well, since our launch in December 2016, Mjøderiet has had quite a steep learning curve. We have evolved significantly in terms of production techniques from where we were in the beginning. Naturally, we have had to invest in the venture as we went along, both in terms of production equipment as well as the marketing events across the country. Through really focusing on a high presence at festivals across the country, events and a lot of good coverage from the press, both local and national, we have gotten off to a great start. All this has helped to increase the knowledge of mead in the minds of our modern Norwegian customer base. We have gone from “mead ? .. to MEAD!” when meeting new customers.

Our products have had great reception with the vast majority and gotten great feedback from both hardcore beer fans as well as beginners. It’s been a real pleasure seeing the looks on consumers’ faces as they taste mead for the first time. We have also been quite successful in distancing ourselves from the mainstream alcohol suppliers, and in that get acceptance that mead is a luxury product and that we are not actually trying to rip off our customers. It would have been such an easy stamp to get if the only information the consumer had was a bottle with a high price tag. We have raw material costs that are often 5-10 times that of a beer brewer from similar alcohol levels per unit, and we use only real ingredients such as honey (obviously) berries, fruits, spices, etc. Naturally, this accelerates costs but we do get prime products we can be proud of. Luckily, people talk about us, media talk about us and our consumers are happy to be “brand ambassadors”.

We now start to see the fruits of our labor, and we see that mead is a product worth making a business of. With this, I am happy to tell you that we are already expanding our production facilities this spring. In March/April, we are moving into new facilities, where a new production and bottling line is ready, with more fermentation capacity and a whole lot of good old-fashioned can-do-attitude!

Moving up and out – and in

This is fantastic, so: when you move into your new facilities, I assume there will be new flavors, new products and – well…new everything then?

– Yes – with new facilities comes new opportunities. We are aiming for a nice expansion in both volume, assortment, and frequency of how and when we release new meads. So expect both the good old meads and a host of new, exciting meads from us throughout the coming year… Well.. years honestly…

I remember back a year when you started, I contacted you and asked a bit about your products… You mentioned what you called “shop-mead”. I’m assuming that’s the session meads more tailored to fit Norwegian laws for alcohol sold in grocery stores. How about more aged, higher levels alcohol meads?

– The mead for sale in Norwegian stores (less than 4,7 % alcohol) has actually not been such a big thing for us yet, but in the future, we will produce more of it, indeed. Quite a lot has been mead with ABV ranging from 6-9 %, carbonated and served on tap, and often non-carbonated (stronger versions) when sold in bottles. We will naturally continue with these, but to a larger degree have mead available in bottles, given our new facilities. We will also launch new varieties of stronger meads. These will be sold in smaller bottles, due to ABV, flavor intensity, but also price levels. We are also aiming at establishing a barrel programme, which will allow us to age our strong meads in barrels previously containing spirits, wines, and beers.

Tasting time

Let’s talk more about your meads – the ones you brought to the festivals. Tell us something about the history behind them, and what made you decide to focus on these flavors.

By now Stian gets a mysterious smile on his face as he pulls up a few bottles from the small bag he has brought with him from the bar. He warns me that there might be more to these meads than I think … (Edit: I should have listened better).

The Apricot Seduction

– The first one I’d like you to taste is our more sweet type, Apricot Seduction. The basic idea was to make a strong, sweet dessert style mead with apricot and cinnamon – a combo well known from the restaurant world of desserts. I think – honestly – we found a good recipe. Stian then pops a bottle and pours a healthy serving in both me and my wife’s glass. For the sake of seriousness, I sniffed, swirled and did all the tasting procedures I remembered from my (long time ago) career as a chef and wine-tasting guy ….

The Apricot Seduction mead has a lovely crisp golden color and a clear scent of apricot that somehow overpower that scent of honey in the glass. But that is well made up for with the taste of this golden nectar. The mix between honey and apricot gives a very special flavor – it is a mix that immediately takes me back to when I was a chef, back then my specialty was dessert and I liked nothing less than a good plate of cheese with a sweet wine to go along. It strikes me that this apricot mead would be a successful match to a dish of flavorful cheese.

This is when I realize what I associate that Apricot Seduction bouquet with: the luscious combination of honey roasted walnuts to that of the dessert we called “the roasted goat cheese”. Trust me: this dessert is well worth experiencing – a nice deep-fried goat cheese served with honey roasted walnuts, and the Apricot Seduction mead. (Here is a great recipe for this, feel free to check it out.)

The sweetness of the Apricot Seduction can only be described as “spot on” – neither too sweet nor to dry. It’s hard to say exactly what specific gravity they landed on when developing this recipe but whatever they did, they nailed it. The mead has a healthy 11% alcohol without the alcohol flavor itself being a distinct flavor in and by itself. If one is looking for a balanced mead to start with, this would be a sure winner. This is the first time I tasted commercial mead here in Norway, and the quality did not disappoint. The first glass was empty after a very short time, something which prompted my better half to demand a second glass. A sure winner, no doubt. I realize that my concept of my wife being my ethical and moral bodyguard tonight, might be a mirage, as her smile seemed to go around 2 times, and she asks for more …..

The Raspberry

After a while, sipping, talking and enjoying the festival for all it is worth, we meet up with Stian again, in order to have the second sample. We agreed earlier that it would probably be a good idea not to sample neither too much and – certainly not – too fast. Now, Stian asks us to taste a different one, more traditional in style:

– This is “Raspberry”, it was one of our prototypes for how session mead with carbonation could taste, and one that has become a staple with us. We have gradually improved it, for example through filtering, to use lemon as a flavor enhancer and tartness balancing ingredient. It is now at a point where its sweet, but not extreme, and with a lot of raspberry flavor. Add to this the carbonation, which adds freshness and makes it a lot more drinkable. It’s a refreshing, straight-forward mead we get a lot of great feedback on.

Stian now reaches for the tap handle and pours the mead into another, new glass. As the minutes pass we talk about all things mead concerned. I sip, analyze, sniff and try to associate all the wonderful impressions this mead gives me …

The Raspberry mead is perhaps the least adventurous of tonight’s selection, but it is fruity, fresh, very balanced and absolutely delicious. The Raspberry flavor comes straight through, and while it has an alcohol level of 6,8 %, any alcoholic taste is nearly non-existent. I readily understand why this mead is intended to be served carbonated. With that extra dimension of freshness and drinkability, I think serving establishments will have a drink that will be a true hit among a majority of their patrons. Come summer and tourist season starts again, this mead will be the new hit.

In the local city where we live, Bergen, we have thousands of tourists during the summer season. If Mjøderiet’s Raspberry mead would be available, especially for bars and restaurants serving alcohol outside, I easily see our city being famous for more than its historical heritage and nature.

Stian has to leave us to take care of an ever increasing line at Mjøderiets booth, leaving me and my better half discussing the finer points of this mead. It strikes me that we giggle a bit more for no apparent reason…

At this point in time, we decide to take a break and go to eat. This was probably a good idea… Some 2 hours later we are back at the festival, where people are suspiciously happy. It could have something to do with an amazing range of happiness-inducing beverages….

We now grab a hold of the other half of Mjøderiet’s representatives tonight, Benjamin. I like this guy, and the reason is simple. Not only is Benjamin an absolutely fantastic guy to hang around with, but just check out that beard !!! Of course, he’s a great guy!!

The Blodøks (“Blood Axe”)

Benjamin had brought new beverages for us to test, well .. drink .. What he presents us with is their Blodøks (Norwegian for Blood Axe, which is also the name of one of Norway’s ancient viking kings). This braggot (a mix of beer and mead) is a collaboration brew with their former location host, Lysefjorden Mikrobryggeri, which Benjamin also works for. It’s quite clear that with his background as a brewer, he is also well versed in what it takes to make a successful hybrid between craft beer and mead.

The Blodøks is made on a recipe for a double red IPA, which is actually a scaled-up version of Lysefjorden’s Red IPA, a session amber IPA of 4,7 %, with copious amounts of honey. They have also added grape juice and raisins for extra complexity. When properly fermented the way Mjøderiet does it, you get this extra dimension to the IPA which really gives a

whole new meaning to braggot. The braggot develops the flavour of a perfectly crafted beer with a fantastic honey flavour on top of it, which leaves a long lasting aftertaste which a normal IPA just can’t provide. The colour is a warm amber brown, the smell is distinctively honey, grain and hops, and the brew has just a small amount of head retention. All this combined creates a brew that dances across your tastebuds and slide down your throat with ease, leaving you with a strong desire to drink more.

I have made braggots myself several times, but I have no problems realising that what Mjøderiet and Lysefjorden has done here is nothing short of perfection. Some might say this sounds biased and perhaps it is – I can only say that after having had three or four drinks off the braggot I am a True Believer; this stuff rocks! It wasn’t until after the 3rd round I was reminded that why the name of the braggot carries the very fitting name “Blood Axe”: not only because of the Viking reference and color – if you drink enough of this, its basic effect will hit you like an axe to the face!

The RhuBerry

Benjamin now taps glasses of a crisp spelling mead. Its tartness is striking, its flavor alluring. Enter – the Rabarbær (RhuBerry ) This mead is actually something of a mishap, which probably ended up better than the original was planned to be. We had been busy with festivals and other stuff for a while, so when we came back to check on the mead, it had actually continued to ferment. Originally we targeted it for 5%, and significantly sweeter,. We ended up at 8.5%, semi-dry and quite tart. The rhubarb character was dominating while the strawberry came a bit in the background. We thought it was actually quite good, so we decided to bottle is as it was – and we haven’t regretted that decision! The Rabarbær (RhuBerry) quickly rose to become something of a customer favourite on Untappd – well above Pasjonsfrukt (Passionfruit) and Bringebær (Raspberry), our former bestsellers. It will be very interesting to see if we can re-create this “ mistake” the way it happened, but nevertheless, we aim to give Rabarbær a comeback in 2018, and in a larger batch.

Both me and my wife have been holding back while Benjamin explains and strategically pass the glass of mead past our anticipating faces (and noses). I feel like a kid at first day of school as he finally hands us each a glass of the “mishap”. Honestly – I can’t for the life of me understand why this is a mishap!

Bring me some more

The RhuBerry is a really a curious little mead. It is, as Benjamin explained (delightfully) tart – the kind you definitely expect from rhubarb, but opposed to raw rhubarb this mix with strawberry and raspberry gives the mead a rhubarb-y, yet soft acidity, without leaving your face feeling like a prune as raw rhubarb does.

It is a drink that would go fantastically well on a warm summer day, especially when adding a little ice to it and perhaps a few slices of apple (that’s just personal taste though – I know many that would outright refuse to mix this beauty with anything, just as any whisky lover would refuse to mix a 24 year old single malt, single cask whisky with coca cola).

Drinking this straight is an experience in itself. If you have had sweet drinks beforehand, the RhuBerry will certainly neutralize and calm your system. That is: unless you have several servings. If you have already had a number of these, you will just simply want to continue – I guess that’s part of its magic….

I find myself thinking back to my days as a chef and wondering what wonderful dishes I could utilized this mead with. One would certainly be making a sherbet out of the mead. After a heavy meal, a sherbet with this flavour would be a hit in a fine dining restaurant.

The chef in me sees the RhuBerry as the main ingredient in a world class sherbet or as a component in any desert calling for tartness. This is a mead that certainly deserves a variety of uses – and praises – from chefs all across the world.

Full steam ahead

I decide I have to end the tasting itself here, before I forget the interview itself. I turn back to see Stian come over with his great warm smile. I ask him to sit with us as I’d like a few more questions for the interview. “Stian – this festival can only be described as the bees knees (pun intended)… I already know from eavesdropping that you have had quite a few new leads for sales, and that pretty much everyone is greatly impressed with your mead. Tell us – what does the future bring for Mjøderiet? Any hints or teasers?

– 2018 will be a very active and hectic year for Mjøderiet. Along with the guys from Monkey Brew in Trondheim we will release a super-exclusive small batch with berries. This is currently aging in barrels which has earlier held their Imperial Stout “Demon Box”, and another barrel that isn’t ready yet. This will be the first barrel aged mead in Norway, so naturally we are super-excited.

In addition we will be making other meads closer to Rhu-Berry, that is in a more tart/dry direction, with fruit and berry characteristics. These will be made with carbonation for taps in bars as well as bottled versions and/or in stronger varieties. The idea is to launch these as a local and adventurous alternative to wine, for the restaurant market.

Going abroad

We are also taking a road-trip to the good ole’ U.S.A, where we will plaster our name and Norwegian quirkiness on a full 3 fantastic collabs with some American legends of mead. We will be working with mead superstars such as B. Nektar, Superstition and Rabbit’s Foot. No surprise that we are very much looking forward to this trip. I’m sure you as a mead-freak can understand how much we are delighted to be able to learn tips and tricks from our U.S counterparts. They have been making mead for decades and are light years ahead of Europe, both in regards to the industry itself and in regards to production methods.

We will be bringing special ingredients from Norway to combine these with local (U.S) honey and local barrels for aging. The U.S market has far better access to oak barrels (previously holding liquor, wine or beer), than Norway. Even though it’s somewhat uncertain whether or not these will be accessible on the Norwegian market in any significant volume, it’s still important to have a great relationship with our international friends. We travel, we live, we learn.

Festivals, markets, events and more mead

Perhaps not so surprising, we will naturally be visiting a lot of festivals and events throughout 2018. For anyone who want to know where they can meet us: follow us on Facebook . We use Facebook as our main communication channel to our market and fans. Anything we do, goes out there. It’s not always easy to communicate in a correct fashion when we also have to consider Norwegian advertising regulations (in regards to alcohol), but we do our best. Sometimes we can inform at length about our new adventures and plans, and sometimes we have to moderate ourselves significantly to stay within the limits of the law. So we try our best to have a good balance where we keep our fanbase excited, and the lawmakers content. Stay tuned, as they say.

With this, we hear a low-muffled howl from the mead bar, clearly indicating they have a need for both Benjamin and Stian. The line is long, and the mead flows fast. It’s time for our mazers to go back to what they do best – MEAD!

The post Surfin the beer, choosing the mead ! appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/mjoderiet-at-bergen-beer-and-whisky-festival-2018/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Pyment, Reindeer, and cravings; a beautiful mix

When Santas reindeers go out to pasture…

While it is not strictly hunting season, it is always mead season, and as such, I thought to share one of my more successful reindeer pot roast recipes.

Remember – I don’t use wine, I use mead. So for today’s pot roast, I will be making a pot roast using a

Pyment, a mead made with grape juice. This idea has been brewing ( pun intended) for a while, and as i had one bottle lying around, I thought after last weeks video on how to make pyment that perhaps I should also show what else to do with it, then simply drinking it…..

Therefore – Let’s make roast!

VENISON POT ROAST RECIPE

1-3 kilo rump/leg of Reindeer/deer

a few carrots, peeled and cut into about 3 cm pieces

1-2 potatoes – mid-sized

2 large white onions

2 turnips

A good bunch self-harvested mushrooms

Olive oil

Pepper

Maldon salt / kosher salt

Herb-mix

1-2 cubes of beef or game stock, dissolved in 3dl warm water

5-6 garlic cloves

Pyment Mead – semi-sweet ( i like around 1.020-1.025 FG, higher FG can also be used )

Cornstarch

The way forward

Pot roast is the classic slow-cooker dish. Wild game, venison, is the perfect meat for cooking like this. Here in Scandinavia, we would use deer, moose, or Reindeer for this recipe. It gives this fantastic wild flavor which just cant be substituted by beef. Using the slow-cooker we secure the absolute best result; with juicy tender meat, and a stock that’s made from all the best of the ingredients we throw in.

When making this meal, roast from between 1 – 2.5 kg venison is optimal. Make sure the roast is nicely trimmed with all sinews gone. Spend a good time making it right. USe a good fillet knife, clean and trim the meat to perfection. When dimensioning for this roast – make sure you have plenty of space for the vegetables we are to put into the slow-cooker as well as the meat itself. Trying to stuff it all into the cooker simply will not do.

One of the most important things to remember when making a roast of prime meat is to get a good sear on the meat before putting it into the slow cooker. If you have a good ventilator in the kitchen, you can do this inside – but from experience – its often good to just take it outside the house. If it gets to smoky, you can have a fire-alarm ruin the moment, or even worse – some well-meaning passer-by can alert the fire-department ( on your behalf). I like to heat it up on a gas stove outside. I take my biggest frying pan, set it on the gas stove on full heat, and sear it off. USe a good amount of oil in the pan, to make sure you get as much contact with the meat as possible. Sear all sides, and don’t forget the top and bottom as well. A nice dark, nearly crispy sear is what i usually aim for. This is also the time for seasoning the meat ( don’t worry- the mead comes later…. patience my young meadist… patience ). Add good quality salt. I prefer Maldon or flaky sea-salts, fresh ground peppers and perhaps some wild-mix seasoning. use what you have ( that you know goes well with venison / wild game meat )

Then its time to add it all to the slow cooker. Place the seared meat in the cooker, add new potatoes, carrots and onions. Turnips and mushrooms if you want as well. I tend to let in the carrots first. Due to their shape, they slide in-under the roast, thus leaving plenty of space for all the other veggies to fit in elsewhere.

Then add the beef stock, and the mead. IF you have extra mead available, treat yourself to a good flavor; you’ve done well so far. To add flavor to it all, i take the garlic cloves and flat-crush them before adding it to the cooker. This adds a little extra oomph. Cover the cooker, and set it on. Now let it slow cook and do what it does best for the next 10 hours. PAtience – it will so be worth it….

Time to enjoy

After 10 hours the meal is ready. Remove the meat and vegetable, leaving the juice. Thicken this with cornstarch, just enough so you get that perfect thickness. Flavor it. IT can now be seasoned more with pepper if you wish, and perhaps some butter to add richness and saltiness.

The roast itself will literally fall apart, so either be carefully slicing it into nice 1-1.5cm thick slices or simply tear it apart with forks. I try as much as i can to use the sharpest knife i have and slice it into fine serving pieces. If served with fresh homemade sourdough bread; crispy, and tasty – then you will certainly be the hero of the day….

Oh – and be sure to double up on the recipe – there is no such thing as “i-don’t-want-leftovers-day” after this Sunday dinner ….

The post Pyment, Reindeer, and cravings; a beautiful mix appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/pyment-reindeer-and-cravings-a-beautiful-mix/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Basic Dry mead

The basic mead recipe – we all start somewhere.

It never hurts to go back to one’s roots. A basic mead well done will let you do just that. Much of this recipe is based on the basics taught in Ken Schramm’s book ” The complete meadmaker“. While the craft of mead making has evolved a bit since Ken wrote the book, the basics described within to give a great base for anyone to become a great meadmaker in their own rights.

The traditional dry recipe

Original gravity: 1.1000 Final Gravity: 1.000

Honey (local variety or storebought) 6,5 kg ( 14 lbs)

15 liter water

10 Gr D-47 yeast ( OR your own choice yeast)

Yeast nutrients

Yeast energizer

The mead-making procedure

Aim for an OG at just around 1.100

The starter: As always – sanitize EVERYTHING. Boil about 6 cups of water, and add 1/2 teaspoon of nutrient along with 1 tbs of malt extract. This being said –whichever nutrients and / energizer you use – make sure to follow the manufacturers directions !! Let this boil for 5 minutes. Add half a cup ( 1 dl ) of honey to the mix, stir and remove from the heat. Make sure the honey and nutrients are completely dissolved. Cover the mix and let cool to room temperature (20-degrees Celcius) Pour the water-mix into an Erlenmeyer flask ( 1000ml) or similar. If you don’t have an Erlenmeyer flask, just use whatever you have that works similarly. If you have an oxygenator, this is the time to turn it on … Alternately- put a stopper in the flask and shake it vigorously. Afterwards, take out the stopper and cover with tin foil. Make sure air can get in, but bugs cant… Allow the starter to work its magic for a days time .. Shake it to induce more oxygen every 2-3 hours … Increase honey saturation until its close to your intended OG in the must.

Making the must the “No boil method”

In order to preserve as much of the native characteristics of the honey I use. This will also give you that special flavor that could set your mead out from others – especially if you use local honey. The No-Boil method has been used for thousands of years and has little of few side effects. Trust me.

Firstly- prepare all your equipment. Then – add the honey to your primary fermentation bucket. Make sure you get the exact weight into the fermentation bucket. Heat water to no more than 45degrees celsius – and add this to the bucket. Personally, I would suggest heating honey in a water bath – to around 35 degrees, and adding fresh water ( heated to 35 degrees) into this mix. Mix the two till the honey is completely dissolved. In this process swirl, the must well, thus adding oxygen to it. This will help the yeast later on. Normally this would be where you add spices if you were making a Metheglin, but as this particular recipe is an original, we will not do anything but culture the lovely honey flavor.

Sweet, sweet must, how fare thee?

At this point, the must is almost ready for the yeast. IT can still be a bit too high in temperature, so at this point, we check its temperature. The optimal temperature for this must, given the Yeast strains D-47, is 20 degrees Celcius. If the must is higher than this – take a break. Have a coffee.. or tea .. or if you have a particularly successful mead from a prior project – drink that. When the must have reached 20 degrees Celsius we check the gravity. This is a measure of the sugar content in the mix. We aim for 1.100 in this brew, so if it is under – add a little honey till the gravity is just right. Then pitch it into the must. We are set for launch.! Cover the fermentation bucket, add the airlock, and leave it for tomorrow…

Breathe, baby, breathe!

The brew should also be aerated, Not only the yeast starter ( which by now you have made well, and has an SG close to the must here – around 1.100 ). The first few days it is therefore important we areate the brew This also has the (intended) effect where we force the must to release CO2. This is called degassing. Stir the must and allow Co2 to rise to the surface. This WILL cause foaming, so be careful not to agitate the must so much it foams over – its just such a waste … When the foaming stops, continue stirring. This will add oxygen to the must, and keep the yeast happy and healthy. Do this the first 3 -4 days. Alternately, after degassing you can put in an aerator stone and pump in air for 5-10 minutes. During this time you should see quite a lot of activity in the yeast. The combination of oxygen and good nutrients will cause it to spend much if the nutrients fast. If you are using Staggered Nutrition scheme, then follow directions there to make sure your yeast perform admirably.

Primary to secondary

Allow the fermentation to run its course. this can take from 2 weeks to several weeks. The best way to see when fermentation is complete by one of two methods. 1. check for bubbles – when they only “pop” 1-2 times per minute you should be good. This, however, is a fairly non-exact method. Your fermentation bucket could be leaking and fermentation still very much be active…

2. Measure SG. Afte 2-3 weeks, when you see the activity in the airlock is significantly reduced, such as with point 1 above – measure SG. This is the only way to make sure fermentation has reached the end. In this recipe, our target FG is around 1.000, so if you measure ( using a Hydrometer )FG and find it to be just around 1.000 – you’re good to go

When FG has been reached, rack the mead from your fermentation bucket and (preferably) over to a glass carboy. if you want to add clarifying agents, this is the time to do so. Put a stopper in the carboy, and an airlock in the stopper (with water and Starsan or equal). Place the carboy in a place no one ever goes, but where YOU have good access to it for later bottling. This will be a test of your ability to withstand temptation… You can visit your new baby as many times as you like, but resist removing the stopper or opening the carboy. We don’t want to introduce any oxygen at this point… Over the span of the next month, the remaining yeast will die off and should form a layer of lees on the bottom of the carboy. This will also clear up the brew. Let it bulk age. If you can leave it for 6 months – even better.

Bottling the baby

I tend to rack this again after 6 months of aging. If I’m lazy I will rack it into another glass carboy, cork it, and just leave it for a few years. If I’m out of carboys ( and that happens ) I will bottle the mead. That in itself can be a good exercise. Try to resist tapping your long-awaited mead onto 5-liter plastic containers. It’s just not doing the mead its deserved respect – and, plastic CAN – if not correct PE quality- over time let oxygen into the brew. Nothing is as sad as when you realize your long stored mead has oxidized and gone bad …

Bottle me up, cork it shut.

Just as with wine, we bottle our good meads. I will not go into the mechanics of bottling- there are many good videos on this on youtube. After bottling, I usually let the bottles stand right for a few days, till the cork has its surface dry. Then I dip it in wax or beeswax. If you’re feeling for it, you can order bottle sealing wax, and use that.

Enjoy.

Much credit to Ken Schramm and his fantastic book ” The Complete Meadmaker”

The post Basic Dry mead appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/basic-dry-mead/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Blackberry Lavender mead

This recipe was first published on meadist. All credit goes to the author website. Bill Savage, a former employee of the Wild Blossom Meadery in Chicago originally created this favorable and highly scented mead. Bill is now working at Goose Island Beer Co, and while it might not be all mead, he is absolutely a fantastic brewer. This recipe surely shows his qualifications

Now – if you, dear reader, have a great recipe to share, click yourself to the “contribute your recipe” page, and we will publish it shortly… If you try out this recipe, feel free to comment and share images of it.

Ingredients

12 lbs. of raspberry honey

2 tbs Yeast Energizer

14 g Lavender Flower Tips

Lalvin 71B-1122 Yeast

4- 4,5 kg of blackberries

Directions

Aside from the rest of this recipe – make a Yeast Starter

Use a 5-gallon/ 20-liter pot; bring 4 gallons/ 15 liters of water to boil for 5 minutes. If you have a beer-chiller, let the water cool to around 70 Degrees Celcius ( 160 F ?)

Pour in 5,5kg (raspberry) honey along with 2 tsp yeast energizer into the pot and let them dissolve. A note on the energizer; follow the directions per gallon/liter the energizer label/ Directions demands, not blindly what this recipe says…

Allow the must to cool to a comfortable 20 degrees c ( 70F )

Boil about 3 dl water, take it off the stove, and pour in the lavender tip- leave for about 10 minutes. Allow this to make a “tea”.

Transfer the must to a 20 liter /5 gl fermenting bucket. Aerate the must thoroughly

Add the lavender tea, stir thoroughly, then pitch the yeast

Put the lid on our fermenting bucket and the airlock in wherever its supposed to go. Aerate and degas the must 2-3 times per day for the first 3-4 days, then allow the must to ferment for 3-4 weeks.

Part 2: ( this has been edited with my own method, as I find it to have far less bacterial risk )

Make a juice of 4-4.5kg ( 9-10lbs) blackberries. I tend to steam these using a berry steamer. this method, rather than berries in must, greatly reduce the risk for mold and bacteria in the must.

If the brew has reached your intended FG, you can now stabilize the mead

Repeat step 5 above, and add this to the carboy.

Rack the now fermented mead into the new carboy.

Age this for 3-4 week at around 20 Degrees Celcius, then rack again.

Let age for a minimum of 5 months.

Bottle and age a few months more.

Serve at room temperature – enjoy the critique.

The post Blackberry Lavender mead appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/blackberry-lavender-mead/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Sweet, sweet addiction – Miód Pitny – The polish mead.

Let there be – Miód Pitny

“At last Gandalf pushed away his plate and jug– he had eaten two whole loaves (with masses of butter and honey and clotted cream) and drunk at least a quart of mead – and he took out his pipe”

While the naughty Norse is world famous for having raided Europe a thousand years, the polish has been busy .. brewing mead. These days eastern Europe can show over a thousand years of mead-history, where we Scandinavian “re-invented” it, or rather found back to our mead roots only decades ago. (yes yes, I know there are historical references to mead brewing…) Now .. back to polish mead – Miód Pitny….

Miód , sweet Miód

In the polish language, mead has the melodic name Miód Pitny, meaning “drinkable honey”. It is a Polish culinary traditional beverage, refreshing the throat of Poles for over a thousand years, and alluded to as the “drink of the gods”. Alcoholic aging of wort i.e. a honey and water mixture makes up this Polish “drink of the gods”. It often has a trademark fresh honey fragrance much akin ( for us meadists) a Louis Vuitton perfume. Addition of fruit juices, herbs or spices also enhances this pleasing honey smell. Fruit mead is called miód owocowy in Polish, herbal mead (miód ziołowy) and spiced mead (miód korzenny). These additives give a refreshing fruity, herbal or spiced smell to the mead and help improves not just its taste. Its market value also depends on how pleasing the smell is. The color of the mead depends mainly on the kind of honey used for production. Thus, its color ranges from bright golden to dull golden color.

Serve me – lukewarm, please

Now, contrary to much incorrectness, mead is most generally served at room temperature.Traditionally served in a stoneware container or in present day times in a glass cup. During winter, some Poles enjoy mulled mead blend with ginger, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, orange slice or dark pepper. However, on a bright sunny day when we have been sun-kissed and need to cool our throat with a premium quality brewed blend of honey and water, it might be likewise drunk chilled to around 12°C and may be served with a lemon slice or mint.

Be thou heaven sent

For many years, Miód Pitny was touted as the “drink of the gods” likely on the grounds that it was conceivably one of the first beverages made by man – and must have appeared divine when they finally figured it all out.

Let’s look back in time. It’s the dark ages, and Poland is primarily an agrarian society. Vast, lush landscapes, and forests ripe with flora and fauna. A perfect habitat for bees. The 12th-century writer, Gallus Anonymus describe Poland as a realm flowing with honey”. While the climate which was not suited for the growing of grapes, it had a plenitude of honey implying that mead was more famous than wine. The fifteenth-century Venetian ambassador to Poland, Ambrogio Contarini, also notices that in spite of the fact that having no wine, the Poles made a certain drink out of honey. This astonishing drink was incredibly sweet and intoxicates individuals much more than wine. This felt great as the Poles trust then that drinking mead was drinking with the gods and at whatever point they ate or had a feast and they drank mead, they would say with all pride and swagger that wine originates from the earth muddy and grey yet mead must be sent down straight from the heavens.

Of the gods; like the gods – everlasting

The seventeenth century brought a change as mead lost fame for the most part. Wine imported from the south, particularly from Hungary, locally made vodka led to a decline in the consumption of mead. Likewise in the nineteenth century, mead came to be associated with the bygones time of preparation Poland. Mentions in the poems of Tomasz Zan makes this evident. There are also notices in the Pan Tadeusz, a Polish national poem by Adam Mickiewicz.

Glimpse of hope for our “drink of the gods”;

In 2008, Polish mead was legally classified into four grades. The grades include czwórniak, trójniak, dwójniak, półtorak. The different classifications shows the proportion of honey and water used in production. These grades were enlisted by the European Union as a traditional speciality guaranteed creating fame for Poland. Furthermore, this advanced the production of mead which relatively multiplied in less than five years. Poland has now been acknowledged as the world’s biggest traditional producer of mead. The names of the grades are gotten from the proportion of honey and water. The total number of units is gotten with one unit being honey and the other water; for instance, czwórniak is produced using one unit honey and three units water, making a sum of four units. Trójniak is produced using one unit honey and two units water, making up a sum of three units. Dwójniak is produced using one unit honey and one unit water, making up two units. Lastly, Lółtorak is produced using one unit honey and half unit water, making up one and half units.

Only four varieties of Polish mead;

Natural flavours included or raw materials utilized helps distinguish the traditional varieties. The method of ageing employed during production also help differentiate the varieties. For example, jabłczak is an apple juice flavoured mead, jeżyniak is a blackberry juice flavoured mead, miód gronowy is a grape juice flavoured mead, agrestniak is a gooseberry juice flavoured mead, borówczak is a lingo berry juice flavoured mead, czereśniak is a sweet cherry juice flavoured mead, czerniak is a bilberry juice flavoured mead, dereniak is a Cornelian cherry juice flavoured mead, gruszeczniak is a pear juice flavoured mead, morwiak is a mulberry juice flavoured mead,porzeczniak is a currant juice flavoured mead, poziomczak is a forest strawberry juice flavoured mead, śliwniak is a plum juice flavoured mead, wiśniak is a sour cherry juice flavoured mead and so forth. Other mead flavouring ingredients include cinnamon, celery leaves, cloves, ginger, elderberries, juniper berries, vanilla etc.

The proportion of which depends on the desired grade influences the subsequent sweetness and liquor content. The total number of units is contrarily relative to the alcohol content and sweetness. Obviously, the sweeter the mead, the more costly the mead. C’mon who wouldn’t have any desire to pay more for a great revitalizing thirst quenching beverage down his/her throat.

Recipe discovery;

There have been a considerable measure of myth, stories, scrolls written and folklores told about the disclosure of Polish mead. However, the most well-known and broadly acknowledged oldest known recipe for mead can be credited to the Swedish recorder Olaus Magnus who got it from a local of the Polish city of Gniezno, recorded in 1567. According to it, ten pounds of honey were were boiled with forty pounds of water, flavoured with hops and fermented with bread starter or lager yeast. Flavouring mead with pepper, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, anise, parsley or poppy seeds didn’t begin in the jet age. It can be traced back to as early as the seventeenth century. History books containing materials describing Polish culinary customs of the seventeenth and eighteenth century contain general notices of mead, as well as references to various grades of mead. The now registered mead terms czwórniak, trójniak, dwójniak and półtorak additionally dates back to the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

Produced mead were served in a special tavern known as meaderies, called miodosytnie in Polish. This miodosytnie were marked with a trademark red cross above the door. This distinguish it from wine shops and beerhouses. Wine shops were marked with characteristic wreath over the door. A characteristic straw wisp over the door was the mark for beerhouses. Mead can only be produced in the industries; Nah, production of mead can be home-made, for example półtrzeciak (mead from one unit of honey and one and half units of water). Sześciak (mead from one unit of honey and five units of water). These are however the informal honey to water proportion. Therefore, both are not economically accessible because of some lawful confinements. Polish miód niesycony (unsaturated mead) is also made particularly in home generation. This is created by blending the honey with warm or chilly water without boiling. This helps to retain a greater amount of the honey smell. The proportion depends for the most part on the required grade. For meads with high level of alcohol e.g dwójniak (two units) and półtorak (one and half units). The concentration of the sugar would be too high for the yeast to work in the fermentation process. Therefore, the wort (honey and water mixture) is prepared with one part honey to two parts water; the rest of the honey is added in the last stage of fermentation or during ageing. For fruit meads, a level of the water around thirty percent is replaced with the desired fruit juice.

Mead production steps;

Commercial production of mead involves heating up the wort at a temperature of around 100 °C. This gives a soaked mead known as miód sycony in Polish . Inorder to counteract caramelisation of the sugars, the required mead remove is acquired in a wort pot fitted with a steam coat. The microbiological security of the boiled wort has to be ensured. Therefore, the wort is cooled around the same time to around 21 °C , the ideal temperature for yeast to spread. Pitching is the next production step. This involves addition of a yeast solution to the wort in a fermentation tank.

To ensure that the fermentation process run properly, violent fermentation takes about six to ten days with the temperature kept at a maximum level of 28 °C. This is followed by another process of fermentation known as “still fermentation” but this takes about three to six weeks. At this stage, the rest of the amount of honey can be added to achieve the desired proportion for dwójniak or półtorak. When the desired alcohol content of no less than 12 percent by volume is gotten, further fermentation is deterred. The mead then undergoes a process known as racking preceding ageing.

Leaving the pitched wort on the sediments known as lees beyond the still fermentation period would unfavourably affect the mead. Decomposition of dead yeast cells will adversely affect the taste, smell and colour properties of the mead. Unwanted processes are prevented from taking place in the lees by repeated ageing (maturing) and also decantation (siphoning). During ageing, filtration and pasteurisation may be carried out. This is basic for guaranteeing the right taste, smell and colour properties for the product.The desired flavour of the final product may be modified by adding honey to sweeten the mead. Also, addition of ethanol or preferred herbs or spices helps add a better flavour to the mead. Bottling of the mead ready for sale is in traditional carboys, oak barrels or earthenware bottles. This usually takes place at room temperature or a temperature range of 18–25 °C. Mead an everyday drink in Poland; However, dissimilar to any popular notion, mead is not the regular drink in Poland. It has always been a luxury drink chiefly reserved for feasts and special occasions such as weddings. It is mostly available only to the rich and seemed valuable enough to be deemed a suitable gift for dignitaries, monasteries and foreigners. Beer like in most countries has however filled in as the daily thirst quencher of an ordinary Polish native.

Revenue generated by mead;

Incomes created from commercial production of mead appeared to have expanded to a great extent. This has prompted an increased production of mead in Poland from around 760,000 litres in 2008 to 1.4 million litres in 2013. This earned Poland the reputation of being the world’s largest producer of mead made with traditional methods. Mead consumption in Poland has greatly declined despite having a long-standing tradition of mead consumption. This is as a result of the different types of alcoholic drinks. Mead consumption amounts to less than one percent of the total alcohol consumption in Poland. Nowadays, the Poles who drink mead did so mostly at a social or family gathering especially during a festival.Polish mead producers have focused instead on exports, mainly to the United States, Western Europe, Australia, Mexico, Japan and China. Demand for Polish mead is growing on external markets at an average rate of twenty percent per year. However, domestic demand is only less than ten percent per year. There has also being a major concern in the bee production with the bee hives collapsing. This might pose a threat in future production of mead if it is not properly solved on time.

A must-do someday; When next you need a treat of alcoholic drink. Request for a premium quality brewed Polish mead produced with mostly autumn honey and a touch of spring honey with herbs, spices and juices and experience sunshine and flowers in a glass of Polish mead. Have a drink with the gods today; make it a Polish mead.

The post Sweet, sweet addiction – Miód Pitny – The polish mead. appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/sweet-sweet-addiction-miod-pitny-the-polish-mead/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Tej – the mead from the origins of mankind

Tej – mead in the Rift Valley Basin.

Ethiopia – few countries have such a documented history as this African country on the east coast of the continent. It is said humankind has its origin in the rift valley, an area that is littered with archeological finds from as far back as the origin of man. It does feel somewhat natural then, to pose the idea that perhaps this was also where our forefathers – and mothers, first came across a bubbling substance of honey and water. Sweet as it was, and nutritious – it was drunk… and the rest is history.

Tej and Ethiopia – a history joined

When it comes to Ethiopia, we are really talking biblical history. The country finds its roots back to the age of King Solomon, the Queen of Sheeba, and the bible legends. Back then, we see a much different climate, one that very much aided in beekeeping. This gives us the idea that better climate = better nature = more bees. A good and stable environment means a better environment for bees. Now, here’s the thing; bible legends speak of Ethiopia, and – it tells us of mead! Yep, Our beloved beverage is mentioned in bible legends…

Once upon a time, the Queen of Sheeba made a visit to King Solomon. Guess what they toasted in ? .. Mead – or Tej. Makeeda, the Queen of Sheeba had brought his wonderful beverage with her. Such was the quality and flavor, that the queen herself had brewers to make the finest of mead – especially for her.

Ethiopia itself was most probably formed sometime in the early 1200’s. The kingdom of Aksum is believed to be the center of what later expanded to become today’s Ethiopia. The rulers of Aksum also knew about Tej – and enjoyed it vastly. Historic annals are good sources of information; we find in these several mentions of Tej, and how this was regarded with great reverence in the Ethiopian societies.

Mead – or Wine?

The somewhat fun part about Tej, as the mead’s name, is .. well… “wine” in Amharic / Ethiopian language. As Tej is a drink enjoyed by anyone, it was a limited drink to produce. Honey was regarded as a high-class resource, and the alcohol brew naturally became an extension of that limitation. Did this stop the villagers to brew mead if they could get away with it? Naturally not – who wouldn’t make mead – if the opportunity presented itself? Luckily – in today’s Ethiopia this limitation is lifted and we find this lovely beverage everywhere. Possibly not such a surprise today, as no other nation on the planet produce as much honey today, as Ethiopia does. Over six million wild beehives are known to exist, and in addition to this come all the apiaries across the country.

While Tej is mead, mead is not Tej

All mead is fermented honey, but not all mead is tej. The marked difference is the fermentation agent, Gesho. This is a plant, the shiny-leaf Buckthorn, which lends its bacteria to the brew.The leaves of this tree is usually pounded and added to the brew, then left to ferment. It is these bacteria that functions a the fermentation agent, the yeast if you may, and it is the Gesho that give Tej its unique bitter after flavor.

Producing Tej, the natural way

As the honey, water, and Gesho is all mixed, fermentation generally takes about two weeks. Remember – this is a process quite tailored to the environment and temperature range found in Ethiopia. Its quite likely normal yeast strains would struggle in the heat often found in this African, near-equatorial country. After two weeks of fermentation, the brew is considered near to finished. What is interesting here is the bacterias function in the process. Two, three days after the start, its expected to see fuzz and fur on the brew surface. Here, bacterial infection is the very point of the brewing process, something which the regular meadist is normally appalled by. Let’s face it – infected mead isn’t what we associate with the successful mead. But with Tej – you cant have success without the Gesho infection.

Now, this first fermentation takes a good one or two weeks, then the Gesho then should be removed. During this time the mead will develop its characteristically yellow color. A Tej of good quality should be a fine yellow color, sweet tasting, and bubbly. It will not be clear as with modern mead. This is due to the effect the bacteria and yeast have on the brew. Relax – its normal. Alcohol levels would range anywhere from under 3% to over 20%; yep – Tej can be a kicker!!

Let’s get drinking!

Today the Ethiopian mead is a staple drink found everywhere. Any cafe with respect for themselves will have a form of Tej available, served in long containers caller Berele. Well- naturally you can also have it in normal wine glasses, but originally, the Berele was the drinking vessel of choice. This was for a very real reason… culturally course, but- a long slim neck, gave less area for insects to swarm and drown in ( or so popular belief/misbelief goes ). Another popular legend is that the use of the Berele came from the idea that a thick bottom and a long neck made it more difficult to drink all at once, and therefore would keep you from getting too drunk, too fast. Whatever the real reason for the Berele as a drinking vessel, we have to say it has a certain charm – drinking mead from something looking like it came from the lab… Nerd-gasm information: with the extreme amount of hives in Ethiopia, the multitude of brewing manners and the uncountable recipes – it is said you can drink all your life – and never find one Tej identical to another. That’s a belief we would love to believe.

Tej goes global

Ethiopian honey is a global phenomenon, and naturally, Tej is now being exported across the world. Wherever you find the influx of Ethiopian immigrants you are sure to find someone bringing Tej with them. A lot of countries also import Tej for commercial distribution. A famous brand for Ethiopians is the “Nigest Honey Wine” – we wanted to find a link to it, unfortunately, that proved to be a difficult task. Safe to say Ehiopian honey wine isn’t hard to find no matter its name ….Even as far as into Russia, we find imports of this lovely beverage. Commercial wineries are also producing this, based on original recipes and Gesho. Among more famous brands we find well-known wineries such as Brotherhood Winery, who produces Sheba Tej. Even in Scandinavia we find meaderies who produce the Ethiopian mead; HoneyComb Sweden.

An Alcohol with health benefits? What will the authorities say?

Now – we have to be fair and post our disclaimer: drink responsibly. That being said, it’s quite interesting how the Ethiopians see their beloved Tej as beneficial to their health. Ask any local and you will be given plenty of reasons why the honey wine is healthy:

It cures colds and coughs ( must be the honey

)

Antibiotic effects

The Gesho aids to a healthy stomach

The bacterias in the brew help fight off any infection ( bacterial mercenaries ?)

Helps overall well being ( dude – if I drink honey every day I’d be pretty happy too

)

Want to be a fertile man ? drink tej … ( alcohol and sexual vigor? I think there might be some inconsistencies here…)

Whatever the effects of this drink is, one thing is for sure. Ethiopian honey wine, golden drink, TEJ – is awesome!

The post Tej – the mead from the origins of mankind appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/tej-from-the-origins-of-mankind/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Apothecary mead – legends of Sherwood brought back to life

As we look back through history, women have been the driving force behind the brewing industry. In fact, the very term ‘Brewster’ was used to denote a female brewer. In the annals of old, we frequently find references to brewing ale (and assumedly then, Mead) and it was very much considered a woman’s job. (Let’s face it, we men would just end up drinking the must before it ever got a chance to ferment)

This was the common standard up till monks started brewing as a source of income, and where the church held power, men soon ended up taking over what was previously a woman’s domain. For centuries, where Christianity ruled, the number of women has at large been left out of this wondrous craft, with only a few women crafting in secrecy.

But this story is focused on mead, and as mead is on the rise yet again, we are thrilled to see that women are easily regaining positions as crafters, artisans, and experts.

Today I am fortunate enough to talk with Alison Heath of Apothecary Mead, a brand new meadery located in scenic Nottinghamshire. Set in the heart of the ancient Sherwood forest, a stone’s throw from the Major Oak and Viking meeting ground, Thynghowe. The meadery is nestled in the fabled Greenwood among the stories of Robin Hood, The Knights of the old, and the very center of English legends. Hear ye, hear ye – Apothecary is poised to make their name … legendary.

Mead to make Robin Hoods merry men even merrier

With mead as an artisan drink on the rise, it has never been more important for meaderies to be unique in their own way. In this, it is natural to ask what makes Apothecary mead so special.

–We really want to take advantage of the fantastic resources we have just outside the door. Sherwood offers so much in terms of experiences, in terms of resources, and of course – in terms of history. Mead is mentioned in many historical literary texts ranging from the ancient works of Plato, Virgil, and the welsh Rig-Veda. It is mentioned in old welsh poems dating back to 550ce, called “Kanu y med” or ‘Song of Mead’. Also; we find it countless times throughout the ages with mentions in works by Chaucer, Shakespeare. In many Norse and Greek Legends, it is very much a drink of magic and atmosphere. Steeped in folklore and mystery mead is a natural choice to turn to when trying to breathe new life into traditions of old. So where better to do that than within Robin Hood’s own Sherwood?

Apothecary Mead has their Meadery on the Historic Welbeck Estate. The estate itself is even mentioned in the Domesday book from 1140a.d, and was founded as a monastery in 1153. After the dissolution of the monasteries, the Cavendish family bought the estate and it has been a family seat ever since. The commercial side of the estate has been active over the last decade, described by locals as a ‘foodie hub’. Among these, we find Welbeck Abbey craft beer, Ottar chocolatier, raw milk dairy, Stichelton creamery, Saffron spices, Karkli snacks, and a school for artisan food. With such a collection of great foodies, the Meadery is surely a great fit.

– Between myself and my partner, we have a passion for locally sourced produce. There is an ethos of environmentally focused practice being the core of everything we do. As trained beekeepers it is important to us to support British Beekeepers and bee farms; we raise awareness of issues affecting Bee colonies. We support bees by growing our own herbs and making conscious commercial choices, and by supporting local artists and businesses in setting up our company. It gives us immense satisfaction to know that what we do, our passion, is done in a locally supportive way, and with sustainable development in mind.

The Apothecary shows the way

With that in mind we get into talking about the Apothecary Mead itself, and what makes it so unique :

– We have a very close, almost intimate relationship to nature; and our mead certainly reflects upon this. Our honey is sourced very locally. We primarily use honey from hives on site within Wellbeck. If this source runs out, we carefully select from other county and regional apiaries. I would go as far as to say the quality control is literally on our tongues. We taste all honey and analyze it with the finest tools we have – our senses. Color, scent, viscosity and of course – flavor. Many people do not realize that just as with the finest wines, Mead can also be typified by varietals of honey. For example, forest honey which will feature pine or woody notes, field or blossom honey which is often lighter and floral based. Then we have fruit blossom honey, and single source honey, which is rarer. Among these, there are flavors such as lavender, eucalyptus, and orange blossom.

For the mead itself, there are Pyments, melomels, metheglyns, bochets, hydromels, and many more. Only the honey that passes our demands for perfection gets the honor of becoming mead. I believe we owe it to history, to our craft, and of course – our customers. As we produce small batches only, its extremely important that every batch has that uniqueness one expects from limited, exclusive production.

Into the heart of mead

Alison shows me the heart of the production – the fermentation room. Its filled with 5-litre demi-johns shelves – and shelves of them, reminiscent of a medieval laboratory or Apothecary room. – We have about 900 5-liter demijohns we use for our brews. I’m quite sure that to industry professionals it will seem totally insane to brew such small batches. However; it allows us detailed control of every single batch, ease of transfer of stock if I am working alone, and should something go awry then we only lose one demijohn of stock. Having this vast amount of Demijohns to brew micro batches also allow us to brew truly exclusive batches. Oh, and let’s not forget the sight and sound of the yeast as its doing its magic; is like nothing else I’ve encountered in any other brewery. We affectionately call it “bloopage“.

The newly started Meadery has already made headway on the social media scene. A healthy online presence is gathering a community of supporters, eagerly awaiting news of the release. At the time of launch, Apothecary will be offering 5 flavors, each with its own distinct character, and seasonal limited editions.

We asked Alison to give us an intro to the different flavors:

Circe

Apothecary’s basic Mead; a smooth and light Mead with a medium viscosity. This allows for a silky mouthfeel with no residue, yet with notes of light citrus and vanilla bean. The name Circe was chosen, as she -for the meadery- epitomises the Goddess of Mead. Greek mythology speaks of Circe’s knowledge of hidden and sacred arts. Arts which allowed her to procure the finest honey, and create a magical blend which was presented to menfolk as a draught. This would render them ill fit to fight and transforming them into magical beasts. With such clear links to antiquity, it seems perfect to name Apothecary’s signature brew “Circe”, from which all others will come.

Nevermore

This mead is one to talk about. It is a definite nod to the love of folk horror and poetry. The label carries the logo Raven, hailing from the poem by Edgar Allen Poe: “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

Nevermore is a spiced Metheglyn Mead made with Black Tea, Chai spices, and Maple Syrup. Aged in Bourbon Oak. It is dark, luxurious, and perfect for sampling around a fire. Do NOT miss out on this for your next camping, where horror stories are to be told around the bonfire during those dark midnight hours.

Black Phillip

This is Alison’s personal favorite and currently kicking up a storm amongst Apothecary ‘s mead-tasting panel. Black Phillip is quite simply “delicious”. From the action of uncapping the bottle, you are presented with a deeply burnt oak-colored liquid. As you take your first whiff, you get the scent of clover. The aromas of caramelized toffee and cinnamon reach the nose as you sip. The flavor is best described as “Bonfire Toffee in a glass”. Apothecary uses the finest Adriatic figs, and grade A bourbon vanilla bean in their primary. This gives a viscous yet creamy base to the burnt honey. Again, the brew finds it’s namesake in a favorite folk horror film; This is Apothecary ‘s respectful nod to a cult classic.

Morrigan

The Morrigan is a sorceress, a queen, a goddess, and a witch associated with war and battle. The Raven is an integral imagery or symbolism Apothecary use within their brand.

– It was important, Alison explains, to have a mead dedicated to The Morrigan. Mythology tells of The Morrigan being a tragic figure possessed of the ability to turn herself into a flight of Ravens/Crows. Gifted with precognition she sees the fate of her true love and tries to save him. Yet – unable to she is cursed to forever roam the earth in the guise of the raven, appearing as a portent of doom, on the eve of war. The Morrigan blend is created as a blood red fruit-based mead, spiced with star anise. The feedback from tasters and customer alike is that it is reminiscent of Cherry Ouzo. Tart red cherries, vanilla for balance and star anise to lift.

Summerisle

Finally, Apothecary Mead’s lightest blend; a Lemon, Bay, and Cardamom Mead. Tasting more buttery lemon curd than tart sour limoncello, Summerisle is an easy drinking, crisp and satisfying mead, which speaks of summer meadows, citrus blossom, and warm breezes. Honey is definitely the key flavor here with the lemon adding a lovely undertone. Bay provides a subtle cinnamon background and cardamom punches through with a deliciously floral bouquet. Summerisle again is drawn from the love of cult horror.

It is easy to see Apothecary Mead’s overall image being distinctly placed within the folk/cult genre, with references to astrology, alchemy, and mythology. Where mead is concerned, the Norse angle is most definitely covered, with some excellent representation hailing from these very shores. Alison explains she wanted something of herself in this brand:

“I love history, the hidden, the forbidden and the dark. I wanted Apothecary to be borne of this love of literature and fantasy, in a respectful way. Themed brands can all too often fall into parody or caricature, I wanted it more as a nod for those in the know.”

Scrying into the future

With that said, we go back to Alison’s background and interest in mead.

I’m passionate about this beverage, informing the public and raising the profile of this once forgotten tradition. I founded a Facebook community called Mead Maidens which celebrates women within the industry and we have some prominent and incredibly knowledgeable ladies acting as our admins. Together with two other Meaderies within the UK, it is our aim to follow in the footsteps of our European and American counterparts in being at the forefront of this revival and bringing to the public a knowledge about the traditions of the craft and definitions regarding its production.

We think Apothecary has a great future ahead of itself. With this much knowledge, enthusiasm and … 900 demijohns – we expect great things to come.

youtube

The post Apothecary mead – legends of Sherwood brought back to life appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/apothecary-mead-legends-of-sherwood/

0 notes

viking-mjod · 6 years

Text

Dandelion mead – putting those weed to good use

Dandelion – making that lawn annoyance into golden drops

Dandelion is a scourge for many lawn-lovers. Nothing messes up that perfect green carpet than this lone wolf who just pops up in the middle of it all, completely ruining this perfect green oasis of tranquility. And when they start coming .. you know the Dandelion is there to stay. So what do we do? We make dandelion mead!

Pick those dandelions.. don’t be shy…

This mead is best to prepare for in those easily summer mornings where nature is at its finest. I guess their exact blossoming depends a little on where you are in the world, but if you are unsure, just consult your local botanist or herbalist. The herbalists will also tell you fresh dandelions are great or more than just Mead. You can make tea also, and I know people who swear to them as part of their salads. For a closer look at all the goodness dandelion does to you, head over to Wellnessmama and have a look there.

Back to our summer adventure. Now the secret to this recipe is, of course, the amounts of dandelions. Not the flower but, but the petals. And I’m nearly sorry to say, but this recipe will make you work for it. For this batch ( 5 Liter) you will have to go and pick some 0.75liter dandelion flower petals. Not haphazardly left into this measurement, but semi-hard packed … I’d say it around 400 gram altogether, but honestly, I’ve stuck to the 0.75Litre, and rarely any weight measurement – Not on this one.

The mead-recipe itself

This recipe is based on a 5 Liter batch, as most of the recipes I share in Viking-mjod are.

4 liter water 1 liter honey ( i like to use a pure summer-flower honey, locally sourced of course ) 750 ml Dandelion flower petals 250ml raisins

1 pk Red star Cote des Blanc Dry Yeast 1.5 gr WYEAST Yeast nutrients 1 small lemon ( juice thereof)

Steps to success

For this recipe, I like to cook up one liter of water first. I take half a liter of it, pour it into a container where the dandelion petals are already gathered, and then let it stand (covered) in the fridge overnight.

The rest of the cooking water, I use along with the yeast nutrient. I use only HALF of the 1,5 gr in the first-day primary, as I have much success with staggered nutrition on this Dandelion beauty. The hot water is mixed with 3 more liters of water, then I mix in the honey. The amount of honey might differ a little, but if you’re into measuring your Original Gravity, we aim for around 1.109 OG. The reason for this somewhat stepping of water-honey-water, is to get the temperature of the must down to around to the Yeast’s comfort zone, which from manufacturer states 10-26 Degree Celcius. I like to keep the must around 18-20 Degree for this recipe. Remember the raisins? I always submerge them in some scolding hot water, just to make sure any wild yeast or any bacteria is killed off. I then add the raisins to the must. A starter is made on the yeast, to ensure good fermentation for the mead. Just use the normal procedures for a good yeast starter – or check out the video linked here.

Pitch it like a pro

So, then we pitch the starter right into the must. As I have gotten a BrewFerm Aerator kit, I let the mead aerate for 4-5 minutes the first day of fermentation. I like to let the fermentation start and get going for one day before I add the dandelions extract the next day. So – a day after pitch, the fermentation is well underway. This is when I take the Dandelion tea out of the fridge. Remember – we are using the extract / Tea we made from the petals, not the petals themselves. In this tea, I mix in the juice of the lemon, and the remaining yeast nutrient. This tea is then stepped into the must, 1/3 part at the time. I usually do this just before I go to work, right after I come home from work, and at the end of the day. An important part now is to also areate at the second tea-pitch. This helps the mead in its fermentation and works like staggered nutrition. So far this has worked wonders for me.

Bubble bobble – brew, my little baby

The mead is then set to ferment for 2-3 weeks. If you haven’t already put an airlock to the brew, this is the time to do so. No more oxygen for this baby. Now you can literally set the brew somewhere nice and dark, for as long as its stable temperature. I like to have it around 18-20 degrees – preferably closer to 18. Leave the must till fermentation is significantly reduced.

After 2-3 weeks, it should be ready to rack to secondary. A note on the potential use of Bentonite. It’s fully possible to use Bentonite as a clarifying agent in this brew. If you want to use Bentonite, I suggest you actually use it in primary fermentation.

For secondary, rack the now nearly finished brew into a 5-liter glass carboy, re-set the airlock, and let sit for another 4-6 weeks. We aim for a Final Gravity of around 1.020, which should give us a comfortable 12% ABV. If the brew gets too dry, we can back sweeten it, but I suggest cold crashing immediately after, to avoid secondary fermentation. After the secondary, you can either rack to tertiary, or directly to bottle. I like to run this through a filter, to make sure any and all bentonite is out, and I get more out of the brew. I suggest aging your now ready mead at least 6 months, preferably 12 months. This golden, lovely drink is well worth the wait. Dandelion mead – yummy…

The post Dandelion mead – putting those weed to good use appeared first on Vikingmjød.

from Vikingmjød http://viking-mjod.no/dandelion-mead-for-good-use/

0 notes