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I racked the Orange Vanilla onto the vanilla and 1 orange of zest today. 2 beans were spilt and laid wide and dropped in. I also mixed in 1 pound of Lactose. For 1 pound of lactose for 5 gallons, I checked it is 10% that of milk. So no problem.
The addition of the orange must have killed the yeast. No change in the gravity reading at all. And when I racked it the must was nearly cleared and the pulp and most of the yeast lay at the bottom. Ah well. But tasted it. Very powerful on the orange. I think I added too much. The vanilla beans will mellow it out. I don' think I needed the orange zest. Tasted really good. Next step is to oak it when the vanilla is done. Due to the cold and the citrus I think that this will be a very quick to bottle mead. I have high hopes.
Ok on the the grand experiment.
Usually every year or so, I get talked into doing my cider. It is a hot good drink. Here was the recipie this year:
6 gallons of whole apple juice, the good opaque kind out of glass bottles.
12 whole cloves or so stuck into 1/4 of an apple
1 Whole Nutmet, freashly crushed
5 sticks of cinnamon that were about 2 inches long, short ones
2 pounds of Honey (aproximate)
8 oz of pomagranite juice concentrate, when hydrated it makes 1 quart I think.
1 vannila bean scrapped and put the pod in the simmer.
This was put in my brewpot and brought to a boil, very low boil, then simmiered for 4-5 hours.
The simmer took the volume down by 3 quarts.
Then it was put in glass jugs and taken to the party to be warmed up and made for much Yum.
At the party it was heated to a simmer for about 1 hr and served, refilled from jugs as neccessary.
I was left with about 2 1/4 gallons of juice. Decided to ferment it.
Process: Added 1 packed of hydrated yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of yeast energizer and 1/4 of yeast nutrient. Added 1 cup of sugar. I also put in 1 1/2 teaspoons of pectin enzyme.
This I mixed up and have in a 5 gallon carboy now. I expect it to ferment dry, then I can possible back sweeten and maybe carbonate 1/2 of it. Not going to end up with much but it should be done by the next caroling party next year. We shall see.
The addition of the orange must have killed the yeast. No change in the gravity reading at all. And when I racked it the must was nearly cleared and the pulp and most of the yeast lay at the bottom. Ah well. But tasted it. Very powerful on the orange. I think I added too much. The vanilla beans will mellow it out. I don' think I needed the orange zest. Tasted really good. Next step is to oak it when the vanilla is done. Due to the cold and the citrus I think that this will be a very quick to bottle mead. I have high hopes.
Ok on the the grand experiment.
Usually every year or so, I get talked into doing my cider. It is a hot good drink. Here was the recipie this year:
6 gallons of whole apple juice, the good opaque kind out of glass bottles.
12 whole cloves or so stuck into 1/4 of an apple
1 Whole Nutmet, freashly crushed
5 sticks of cinnamon that were about 2 inches long, short ones
2 pounds of Honey (aproximate)
8 oz of pomagranite juice concentrate, when hydrated it makes 1 quart I think.
1 vannila bean scrapped and put the pod in the simmer.
This was put in my brewpot and brought to a boil, very low boil, then simmiered for 4-5 hours.
The simmer took the volume down by 3 quarts.
Then it was put in glass jugs and taken to the party to be warmed up and made for much Yum.
At the party it was heated to a simmer for about 1 hr and served, refilled from jugs as neccessary.
I was left with about 2 1/4 gallons of juice. Decided to ferment it.
Process: Added 1 packed of hydrated yeast, 1/4 teaspoon of yeast energizer and 1/4 of yeast nutrient. Added 1 cup of sugar. I also put in 1 1/2 teaspoons of pectin enzyme.
This I mixed up and have in a 5 gallon carboy now. I expect it to ferment dry, then I can possible back sweeten and maybe carbonate 1/2 of it. Not going to end up with much but it should be done by the next caroling party next year. We shall see.