Fireweed Mead

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

Being as it's already fall up here, and the fireweeds are in bloom I find myself wanting to make a fireweed blossom metheglyn(?).
What would be the best way to extract the flavour--and colour if possible--from the flowers? I believe it would probably be the same for any mead or wine that uses flower blossoms as the flavouring.

I figure there I few ways I can think of;
1) Add directly to primary
2) make a tisane from the flowers and add to primary
3) Lightly cook the blossoms in honey to extract some of the flavours that way (I did something like this with the capsicumel I have going--they made the honey it'self chili flavoured...yum)
4) Make a tisane and store (probably frozen) until time to add to secondary
5) Dry the flowers and add to secondary--as much as I would like to add fresh ones, there won't be any around by that time
6) I might be able to preserve the blossoms by crystalizing them in honey for the secondary. I'll have to look into that.
7) Some combination of the above?


I'm also planning on using Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône) yeast (or probably Cote-du-Blanc, if I can't find the other)

So what's your collective opinions on the above theories (and what you think the results would be)?

 

[Arpolis]

I am a big fan of making a Tisane and using that as a base in the primary but then "Dry hopping" some dried flowers in the secondary. The couple times I did metheglin type meads, thats how I did it and enjoyed the results.

 

[Yooper]

I have no idea on how to go about making it- but I wanted to subscribe to the thread because it sounds so great.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Being as it's already fall up here, and the fireweeds are in bloom I find myself wanting to make a fireweed blossom metheglyn(?).
What would be the best way to extract the flavour--and colour if possible--from the flowers? I believe it would probably be the same for any mead or wine that uses flower blossoms as the flavouring.

I figure there I few ways I can think of;
1) Add directly to primary
2) make a tisane from the flowers and add to primary
3) Lightly cook the blossoms in honey to extract some of the flavours that way (I did something like this with the capsicumel I have going--they made the honey it'self chili flavoured...yum)
4) Make a tisane and store (probably frozen) until time to add to secondary
5) Dry the flowers and add to secondary--as much as I would like to add fresh ones, there won't be any around by that time
6) I might be able to preserve the blossoms by crystalizing them in honey for the secondary. I'll have to look into that.
7) Some combination of the above?


I'm also planning on using Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône) yeast (or probably Cote-du-Blanc, if I can't find the other)

So what's your collective opinions on the above theories (and what you think the results would be)?

I think any of those would be good, moreso if you combined a couple of them. If you use D-47, you might want to ferment on the cool side to avoid the fusels that D-47 is infamous for.

Just a thought here, but I think it would be really good if you could find pure fireweed honey to use in it; I think that would really put it over the top.
Regards, GF.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

I am a big fan of making a Tisane and using that as a base in the primary but then "Dry hopping" some dried flowers in the secondary. The couple times I did metheglin type meads, thats how I did it and enjoyed the results.

I will probably use both, plus the method of lightly cooking the flowers in the honey.

I think any of those would be good, moreso if you combined a couple of them. If you use D-47, you might want to ferment on the cool side to avoid the fusels that D-47 is infamous for.

Just a thought here, but I think it would be really good if you could find pure fireweed honey to use in it; I think that would really put it over the top.
Regards, GF.

I'll have to keep an eye on the temp then--how low can D-47 go? Could I stick it in a refridgerator on high so it's in the 50s?
Not sure if I'll be able to find any, at least in jars bigger than 4 oz, lol--but I can look.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I will probably use both, plus the method of lightly cooking the flowers in the honey.


I'll have to keep an eye on the temp then--how low can D-47 go? Could I stick it in a refridgerator on high so it's in the 50s?

50 is too low. I've had great results at 62*F & some really bad fusels at 70*F.
Here is the info from Lalvin (Lallemand):
http://www.lalvinyeast.com/strains.asp
Regards, GF.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

Taking the temperature in my room, it's hovering about 60 degrees right now (daytime, drizzly), that should be fine, right? I can probably swaddle it in a towel at nightime if it's getting slightly too cold, but I don't think it'll actually harm the must if it gets a little chilled, will it? Or will cold yeasties send off other bad flavours?

All my other meads I did over at someone elses house, where it's too warm for this yeast...

 

[Zabuza]

You know, I've definitely seen fireweed honey before. I know you only mentioned using fireweed blossoms for this, but it might be neat to use fireweed honey, add fireweed tisane to the primary, and then add dried/fresh fireweed blossoms in the secondary. For that full, over-the-top fireweed infusion.

If only they produced some fruit you could add...

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

It's out there--from what I can find it has a light, buttery flavour. There's also Fireweed "Honey", made with blossoms and a thick simple syrup.

Nope, no fruit--I suppose I could strain it through the cotton, though

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

So, I started this last Friday with the below recipe and procedure

Fireweed Mead
2.75 pounds honey
6 cups fireweed blossoms (lightly packed)
Water to 1 gallon
Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône)
1.5 tbsp of Vanilla black tea and 1.5 tsp Lapsang Souchong tea, steeped properly

Make tea, add half of blossoms to hot water, other half into honey heated on low and allow to steep for 10 minutes, before mixing honey and tea together, cool with cold water, filter into carboy and pitch yeast.
Target: 11% ABV, 1.010 FG

8-24-12: Started the mead—doesn’t really smell that good, we’ll see how it turns out. OG is 1.038 I believe.

Since then it's been bubbling gently at about 60 degrees and is starting to smell good. I don't believe that I added all the honey (that or made a major mistake reading the hydrometer), and will add the rest tomorrow (and take another couple of readings)

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Interesting, I'm thinking the smokiness from the lapsang souchong will be a nice touch; at the very least it should be interesting. You could call it something like "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Smoke from the smoky lapsang souchong & fire from the fireweed blossoms. Never tasted firewed blossoms before, maybe I'l have to give 'em a taste next time I'm out in the field.
Regards, GF.

 

[TheBrewingMedic]

So, I started this last Friday with the below recipe and procedure

Fireweed Mead
2.75 pounds honey
6 cups fireweed blossoms (lightly packed)
Water to 1 gallon
Lalvin ICV-D47 (Côtes-du-Rhône)
1.5 tbsp of Vanilla black tea and 1.5 tsp Lapsang Souchong tea, steeped properly

Make tea, add half of blossoms to hot water, other half into honey heated on low and allow to steep for 10 minutes, before mixing honey and tea together, cool with cold water, filter into carboy and pitch yeast.
Target: 11% ABV, 1.010 FG

8-24-12: Started the mead—doesn’t really smell that good, we’ll see how it turns out. OG is 1.038 I believe.

Since then it's been bubbling gently at about 60 degrees and is starting to smell good. I don't believe that I added all the honey (that or made a major mistake reading the hydrometer), and will add the rest tomorrow (and take another couple of readings)

Your OG of 1.038 sounds a bit off if you got all the honey in there. That OG is about the equivalent of just over one pound worth in one gallon and that would only give you an abv of around 4.5%.

If you got the whole 2.75 pounds of honey in a one gallon batch, that would put you at 1.099-1.100, with an abv potential of 13.06% which the D-47 can handle without much problem, especially if you practice even fair yeast maintainence.

Your ferment temps are pretty good to D-47 seems to thrive in the low to mid 60's and starts kicking out fusels (nasty rocket fuel tasting) alcohol over 68*-69*F

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

I suspect it was both--I'm bad and guesstimate the weight of the honey, and the measurement would have to be off, since it had been going for 5-6 days and the SG was at 1.040, lol.
I added enough honey at that time to bring the must up another 30 points. It tastes--interesting. It'll be interesting to see how the flavour ends up.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

I finally pulled this out of the fridge, where it has been languishing for the last 5 months, cold crashing--I added a bit over 3 oz more honey to backsweeten.
The flavour is light and slightly smoky, slightly sweet. It's definitely a different flavour. It's also so smooth that you can't tell it even contains alcohol...

Which brings me to the question--is it possible for the alcohol content to have evaporated during it's months in the fridge?

 

[Bluespark]

Drink a couple glasses and you should be able to tell

Was your jug capped?

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

Lol, needs to sit a little while longer.
Not sealed, no--it had an airlock on.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Which brings me to the question--is it possible for the alcohol content to have evaporated during it's months in the fridge?

No, as long as you had it locked, should be good to go. I've bulk aged mead for 4 years in a carbouy under airlock & it had plenty of alcohol. If your still wondering, take a hydrometer reading, that will tell you for certain. I always shoot for a mead/melomel that goes down so smooth that the alcohol sneaks up on you; makes me feel like I'm doing things right.
Regards, GF.

 

[Unferth]

The LHBS guy let me try his fireweed mead the other day, not with the flowers but made with fireweed honey. It had a very subtle smokiness and spiciness to it. Looked like a slightly darker mead, but not too much. It was only at 5 weeks, but tasted phenomenal.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

I hit it in that case, lol. It feels almost like drinking water--there isn't much body, it seems.

I'm hoping on the full batch (if I can) to use fireweed honey as well as the flowers.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

I finally bottled this batch tonight. I will definitely have to make a batch again this fall (with better measuring of honey).
The flavour is fairly light, nicely smoky, and there is a spiciness to it that surprised me. Colour is a nice, pale gold (i.e. in honey ranges). It seems to have a little more body than it did at the last tasting--which may have been due to serving temperature; I think last time it was still very cold when I tasted.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I suspect it was both--I'm bad and guesstimate the weight of the honey, and the measurement would have to be off, since it had been going for 5-6 days and the SG was at 1.040, lol.
I added enough honey at that time to bring the must up another 30 points. It tastes--interesting. It'll be interesting to see how the flavour ends up.

If you have a digital scale (for people). You can hop on, get your number. Then hop on again holding your honey. I've found this to be the best way for getting a close number of how much extra honey I'm using.