Pure Mead - The original with a hint of maple syrup (real, pure from VT)

Brewed 2/24/06 9:00 PM

Planned 5 gallon batch

13.2 lbs Ambrosia Honey Co Raw 7 unfiltered CO honey (Parachute, CO)

2 lbs Vermont Grade A medium amber organic maple syrup (Montgomery, VT)

1 tablespoons Acid Blend

1.5 tsp Yeast energizer

2 tsp Yeast nutrient

1 TBS Gypsum

1 packet Dry wine yeast - package of # 1118

First 'uncooked' mead tried. Used 8 campden tabs (metabisulfate) for 6 gallons of liquid. Heated honey slightly (85 or 90°F) to pour into warm water (also about 80°F). Added acid blend & gypsum. Aerated the must & put an airlock on it to let the sulfides to their work for 24 hrs. Next day combined the yeast energizers & nutrients in 4 oz of boiled water (cooled) and added to carboy. rehydrated yeast in boiled water & added to carboy. No SG readings.

Transferred to 2ndary 03/25/06 - SG at 0.998 - Not bad tasting at all.

4/5/06 - added sparkalloid (4 teaspoons to 2/4 cup of H2O, boiled for 10 min added hot) to help clear - rack in 1-2 weeks per instructions

04/21/06 - Bottled FG at 0.995 - taste turned into the standard mead strange yeasty, slightly acidic taste. - next time try without sparalloid (PolyClar, shellfish stuff, etc)