Standard ingredients

[SouthernGorilla]

I know in general cooking there are ingredients that are used frequently regardless of the specific dish being made. Things like salt or vanilla get added to a broad range of foods even when you might not expect them.

So I'm curious if folks around here have standard ingredients they always add to a mead. I don't mean things like yeast nutrients or sulfites. I mean actual ingredients.

How about it? What do you always add? And why?







PS: Honey doesn't count.

 

[Bluespark]

Black tea, for tannins.

 

[SouthernGorilla]

Interesting, I've been thinking about adding tea to mine. Do you add enough to get any flavor? I'm not clear on what the tannins are for exactly.

 

[ACbrewer]

Tannins add (to water) basically a mild acid - a cup of tea is in the 4 to 5 ph range. And are the source of the bitter flavor associated with tea. In the case of mead, they provide a little something in the background which helps avoid a 'insipid' flavor. (insipid basically means boring). Think of it like vanilla being added, sure the cookies are ok without it, but they taste better with it. Same thing with mead, a little tannin from black tea or something gives it a bit of extra umph.

If you are making say a cherry(fruit) mead, the tea(tannin) isn't really needed. Same with most other flavored meads, it is really more needed in a traditional mead - ie one without anything else.

I find that about 1/2 to 1 teaspon of 'spices' per gallon, depending on the spice and desired affect. I've had good luck with cinnomon, nutmeg and all-spice (tasted like Christmas). - So a spice cabinet to answer your intial question.

 

[Bluespark]

I never add enough to be able to identify the flavor, but it does add something important, like vanilla in a chocolate chip cookie.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Once you add tea to a traditional it's not a traditional anymore. But to answer, I haven't really found anything that I add in every batch regardless. I find that most of my every batch stuff is more in process, than ingredients.

 

[SouthernGorilla]

I think I'm going to make coriander a standard ingredient. It doesn't seem to add any real flavor. But it smooths out the acidity a bit. At least it did in the experiment I just did with several herbs/spices.

 

[Bluespark]

I am skeptical about the freshness of your corriander. It's used fairly often in brewing, and it imparts a unique, slightly floral flavor.

 

[SouthernGorilla]

It may be adding it and I am just losing it in the mix. Or it may be below the threshold where I notice it. I have been accused of having the palate of a dog with the flu. So it is very possible I am missing something subtle.

 

[SouthernGorilla]

After seeing the difference in how my two current batches have fermented I think I'm going to make raisins a standard ingredient. I doubt they'll add much flavor. But they seem to make the yeast happy. The batch with the raisins was more vigorous during fermentation and is now crystal clear. The other is still murky. I'm also considering adding bananas. Again, they don't add significant flavor. But I think the nutrients in them would make for happy yeast.

It seems the consensus is that anything added to the primary will have a weaker flavor than if added to the secondary. If raisins and bananas are already weak flavors then adding them to the primary will make them practically invisible in the final product. Especially since I don't plan to add pounds of them. A small box of raisins and a single banana per gallon should give the yeast what they need. Then I'll add my flavor components to the secondary.