Skip to main content

Experiments & Adventures in Mead Making

My first encounter with 'Mead' was quite some years ago - a well known & commercial brew from the Northumbria region. It was a pleasant encounter but certainly not one which I exulted about from the highest tree tops. Since then, my mead drinking has been relatively limited. Then, in November of 2014, while 'foraging, feasting, playing' in Scotland, I was introduced to 'homebrewed' meads, lovingly and artistically created by my now friend and fellow forager, Andrew McFarlane, aka 'McMead'. Andrew, who 'husbands' bees at his home in South East England, creates his delightful beverages with the raw, unpasteurised honey produced by his bees. At the same time Andrew utilises his extensive knowledge of herbs and natural medicines, adding various wild herbal and edible ingredients into them. The first mead of Andrews I sampled was a Mugwort & Yarrow version and I was instantly hooked! The bold, gutsy, yet simple complexity had me reeling with utter joy and elation and at that moment my curiosity to experiment with homebrewing meads was born.

I currently have three herbal mead experiments on the go (picture right). My knowledge and experience of homebrewing wine, coupled with hints and tips borrowed from Andrew, leave me in no doubt as to the success of these experiments - I'm also an optimist when not being a pessimist! Should, the unthinkable happen and they don't quite turn out as I expect (which they wont!) then I will turn the brews at the very least into vinegar - no need to pour down the sink in dismay, there are always productive alternatives.

From left to right: Actually classed as a 'Melomel' as opposed to a Mead due to it's 'fruit' content -
1. Elderflower/Pine Syrup/Vodka Soaked Damsons.
2. Elderflower/Yarrow/Mugwort /*Magic Wand.
3. Elderflower/Chaga/Hogweed Seed/Magic Wand*

To make: I use mineral water, raw unpasteurised honey, magic wands and then unspecified quantities of each of the ingredients in the individual brews - I often go on gut instinct but bear in mind any personal experience/knowledge & also any hints/tips/info relayed to me by whoever/whatever source. A vigorous, cyclonic stir is required daily and keeping the brews at a fairly consistent warm temperature is required - don't place in direct sunlight or on top of radiators though. Patience is a key watch-word too, it may take some time, depending on conditions, for fermentation to start. Once fermenting, leave to open ferment for several days (and to allow any wild yeasts to add to the magic - keeping covered with muslin to prevent the incursion of flies), after this time frame, seal the jars but ensure to 'burp' daily (open the lid to allow gases to escape thus preventing 'exploding' jars. You should if making large quantities ferment through using Demi-Johns and air locks. I'm hoping that mine will be ready to bottle in 8wks time.


The 'Magic Wands' - asterixed - are Heather Sticks. Heather sticks while having colonies of wild yeasts present in their natural wild state, gather and accumulate yeasts (wild or commercial) that are present in each brew - incorporating and storing them in their woody flesh. They are added to each new brew to aid as a kick-start/leg-up and are removed end of brewing and dried ready for using in future brews.




  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Japanese Quince Jelly, Syrup and Sweets

Japanese Quince is one of my autumn favourites and one I make a beeline for every year. You can read more about these delightfully scented,  mouth-puckering and fabulously versatile little fruits here:  https://edible-leeds.blogspot.com/2017/11/quince-quince-glorious-quince.html   Japanese Quince Jelly   This beautifully sharp, sweet and dreamily aromatic jelly is one of the creations that go into my JQ Knickerbocker Glory, it also works well spread on to warm toast or served alongside game meats, particularly wildfowl and is great added to sauces to provide an edge of acidity, sweetness and aromatic attitude. There are many other applications for this jelly, so get busy gathering, creating and playing... 1kg Japanese Quince 750g Golden Granulated Sugar Water Wash the fruits to remove any dirt and then place them whole in a large pan. Add water to cover, (approximately 800ml) and bring to the boil, once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until all the fruits split. Po...

Chicken of the Woods

Wild mushrooms have a special place in my heart. My wild food and foraging journey stemmed from an interest in them before branching out into plants and seaweeds. The 'silent hunt', as Antonio Carluccio so beautifully and aptly put it, is one of my favourite things. To find yourself at ease, wandering and treading gently, on the fringes of or deep within and beneath, the multi-layered, multi-coloured patchwork of woodland canopies, or in ancient meadows, in anticipation of the sometimes elusive, yet always magical and mysterious organisms that comprise the 5th kingdom is a pure delight. Fungi are truly fascinating, yet the great majority of the uk population have yet to discover just how awesome, intriguing, fascinating and tasty they can be. Most people think the best time of year for finding wild mushrooms is in the 'autumn' and, although there is some truth in this, it's not the whole truth. Spring, summer and winter can prove very fruitful (fung-ful) when it ...

Japanese Knotweed: The Terribly Terrific Tasty Terrestrial Triffid

It really is one of those 'love, hate' relationships, depending on which side of the proverbial fence you find yourself. Personally, I love Japanese Knotweed. I love it's potential as a diverse food & drink resource, I'll delve deeper into that arena later. I also find it to be a striking and handsome plant. I've read some very interesting academic, scientific and medicinal literature, both mainstream and non, which raised many a question regarding Japanese Knotweed; how it's perceived professionally, and thus culturally, and how this determines and affects it's subsequent treatment by humans. I heartily recommend the book 'The New Wild' by Fred Pearce - a book all nature lovers, conservationists and environmentalists should consider reading. Like so many, I too was led to believe that Japanese Knotweed aka Fallopia japonica was a botanical nightmare, especially with regards to its reportedly negative impacts on our beautiful countrys...