How do you know fermentation didn't start? Did you take a gravity reading? A lot of folks assume that you'll see airlock bubbling, but sometimes, the airlock doesn't bubble for reason other that that it's not fermenting. When people say "I don't have fermentation" I always ask, what are you using to gauge this fact? And if it's anything other than a couple gravity readings then I say you don't really know.
With burnt mead, do you basically stick to the same ratio of honey to water that you would with a normal mead, or do you need to measure based on the cooked weight of the honey?
Am I the only one who's stirring hand was stained yellow after making a Bochet ?
I've washed my hands at least 30 times in the last couple days but my right hand still looks like I've got Jaundice or I'm a serious chain smoker.
With burnt mead, do you basically stick to the same ratio of honey to water that you would with a normal mead, or do you need to measure based on the cooked weight of the honey?
Before you re-pitch the yeast. I might suggest to drop a campden tablet in there then wait for 24-48 hours to kill off anything else in the must. Then drop in the yeast. just a thought.
With burnt mead, do you basically stick to the same ratio of honey to water that you would with a normal mead, or do you need to measure based on the cooked weight of the honey?
Just honey, apple juice, water, nutrient, and energizer. It's simple enough, so I can only guess the yeast was bad....?
I imagine it will taste just like a Belgian Dark Strong Ale in many ways, except without any bitterness or malt flavour, and a boost of caramel flavour.
How funny never thought of it like that but that is how mine tastes. Good luck with yours.
To future brewers of bochet I would recommend letting the honey go quite black before adding the water. I was afraid it would burn so I took it off when it was a very dark red. The final product is only really medium red though, and I think it would be drinkable much sooner if I had the residual sweetness from extra caramelisation. Alternatively, I'd use a yeast with lower attenuation.
Can you explain what you did with the pressure canner, please?
WVMJ said:Its hard for some people to go outside their box and change the flavor of the honey so dramtically. We bottle our first batch made in a pressure canner Saturday morning, its got a deep mahogony color, tastes like caremal and almost tastes like a good burbon and very smooth. Putting some up in splits so we dont have to share an entire bottle everytime someone stops by WVMJ
Speaking of bourbon, I let me bochet cyser age on some bourbon soaked oak chips. This will be a year in September. Can't wait to bottle and drink some of this in the fall. I have a feeling this may be a regular recipe for me.
We put the honey in quart jars, sealed them with canning lids and added water and when it presurized cooked it for I think 90 minutes, let it cool on its own and pulled the cans out. I used some for the Bochet, saved a jar in reserve to backsweeten it when it was done. We just drank a little tonight, its very smooth, I am also planning on doing a big batch in a pot over a gas fire to see how that compares.
WVMJ
WVMJ said:I just got a cider press this year, our bees have really done a good job on our apple trees so we should get enough apples to experiment with. A Bochet csyer is on our list. Do you still get the apple taste with the Bochet and even with the burbon chips? I keep thinking caramel apple mead with this, but the burbon oak chips sounds like it would put it in another category of good. WVMJ
So did the canning effectively caramelize the honey?We put the honey in quart jars, sealed them with canning lids and added water and when it presurized cooked it for I think 90 minutes, let it cool on its own and pulled the cans out. I used some for the Bochet, saved a jar in reserve to backsweeten it when it was done. We just drank a little tonight, its very smooth, I am also planning on doing a big batch in a pot over a gas fire to see how that compares.
WVMJ
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