Darker Flavor For Spiced Winter Mead?

[csded26]

Hi All,

I'm making a spiced winter mead (recipe below, it's in the primary at the moment) and I'm looking for something to add during back-sweetening that will give it a 'darker' flavor. Something malty or caramelly perhaps.

I've narrowed the list down to either 1) 2 tsp molasses + wildflower honey to taste or 2) back-sweetening entirely with buckwheat honey.

Which of these do you think would work better?

Here's the recipe:

In the Primary:
- 3.5 lbs wildflower honey
- Lavlin EC-1118
- Nutrients of course

In the secondary, rack onto:
- 0.75 tsp allspice
- 0.25 tsp ground ginger
- 1-2 Vanilla beans

In the Tertiary:
- Stop fermentation with potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite
- Once stopped, back-sweeten with __________ <== This is the part I need help with

 

[Shine0n]

I used a caramel malt, it seems a little dark and very malty.
I did However make a cyser and I believe that 3lb of malt was a bit too much for a 5 gal batch.
Depending on your level of dark compared to mine may vary so imo it does create a darkness to the mead, good but it also may need time to mellow.

 

[csded26]

Interesting! Thanks for the tip

 

[loveofrose]

Boil some barley (8 oz in 2 quarts), then add to taste. That would make it dark and malty all in one go.

 

[Thaddeus108]

Have you thought about adding burnt honey? Kind of a backwards bochet? It should give a light toffee flavoring, without being as strong as an actual bochet.

 

[csded26]

Thanks for suggestions, folks! Seems like I have a bunch of options.