Mead Journal: Pineapple Lime Mint

Ok I got the Pinapple Lime Mint bottled.  I think it is too powerful on the mint, hint of lime and almost no pineapple flavor.  Well it is freashly bottled and if memory serves the lime flavor comes out again.  It was supposed to be a hint of mint.  Pineapple is a subtle flavor.  It is sweet enough to drink now.  I think that aging will do wonderful things to it.  I think that the mint will back down a bit.  I only used 1/4 teaspoon in a 5 gal batch.   I should have used more pineapple.  I think that the 2-3 cups of lime juice was spot on for the flavor that I wanted.  Tune in 6 months later to see the aged flavor. 

Oh, Another thing.  I ran out of caps while bottling it.  I really need to check the caps prior to starting bottling.  I needed 8 more caps.  I ended up with 3 bottles over 2 cases on this one.  I am getting a bit better at judging it.  But due to lack of caps I cannot bottle the Orangecream yet.  I hoped for great things on this one.  We shall see how that one ages.  Moral of the story, Check your caps before you wash bottles.

I only have 8 cases of lableled bottles left to do.  I discovered that I have nearly 1 case of bottles that I can't de-lable.  The lable is aparently a part of the bottle, kinda etched on.  Don't know what I am going to do with those.  I may get ornery and sand blast them and keep the bottles for sample bottles for the little extra that sometimes comes out of a batch that isn't quite a bottle's worth.  Almost always happens.  I like to bottle that and use it to test when the batch is done aging.  One I knew was done aging was the Pear Nutmeg.  So I used the sampler to marinate some pork chops.  Those turned out delish.  After I marinated to loosen them up I seared in butter and then finished up in the oven with bbq and terriaki (2 batches) and they went over well.  Not tough but nice and dense but loose grained.

So unlabled, I have 4 cases.  Lableded 8 cases.  It takes 2 cases for a batch.  So that is 6 batchs.

1. Orangecream
2. peach spearmint
3. raspberry thyme
4. Blueberry Lemon
5. Lemon/Lime Basil?
6. Toasted Almond Pumpkin Spice.

I have the Orange Cream ready to bottle once I get caps.  The Peach and the Raspberry is in the Primary Fermentation yet.  Bluebery Lemon and Lemon/lime Basi have next to be created.  In October I will put together the toasted almond pumpkin spice.  Need to wait for pumpkin pie pumpkins to be ripe and in the stores.  I will eventually need the thyme and basil which are going to be fresh out of ziz's garden.  Don't want much of a taste but enough to be present or effecting the flavor a little so that will only need 2 good sized leaves to bruise up before the secondary.  I also need to get the spearmint.  No idea where to get fresh spearmint leaves.

So that's the story so far.  Hopefully this winter I may put together another batch for a chocolate or something.  Was going to go mango but don't have the resources.    I have enough honey to do the 4 batches that are not already in the fermenter.  That's Blueberry lemon, Lemon/lime basil, toasted almond pumpkin spice and one other.  And once I am through that, It will be time to get more honey, perhapse next spring/summer.  I don't think until late summer will be when I will be ready to start more from the new honeybuy for next year.  Also, according to my calculations, I will need 2 more cases of bottles to bottle the chocolate and any new. 

Sigh, I need to organize the mead in the storage area.

I also need to make lables, Pineapple Lime Mint, Orangecream, Peach Spearmint, and Raspberry Thyme, Rockbiter oaked (modified from my rockbitter lable).  Need to get time to do the image search for it.

That's it for now.