Apple Blossom Metheglin

I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago--probably after making my Fireweed blossom mead.  Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get to make it last year--I missed when the crab-apple in the yard bloomed. 

I am aiming at a floral mead, off dry--I may actually be able to lightly carbonate this one, which would work well with the style.

Apple Blossom Metheglin

5.1oz fresh apple blossoms (2 - 3 quarts)

3 lb honey

water to 1 gallon

½ tsp nutrients.  ½ tsp to be added later

Cote des blanc

Gently stew the honey with the flowers for at least 15 minutes—just looking for it to be fluid, no bubbles.  Add about ½ gallon of water, Strain the flowers out, and top off the fermentation vessel.

I may add some vanilla tea and a few cloves in secondary.  

Those who know me, know that cote des blanc is my standby yeast--it tends to produce the results I am after.  That being said, if I had had an ale yeast on hand with the appropriate esters/phenols--probably a mild Belgian--on hand, I probably would have used that; if the ambient temperature was lower, I would have gone with D-47.


5-28-15; OG 1.110, right on target.  The predominant flavour at this point is honey, of course, but you can still taste the floral apple blossom.  

10-5-15; SG is 1.050.  Bugger.  Didn’t bother to taste.  I am probably going to have to make a honey starter, and pitch some more yeast, with nutrients.  I don't know why the lees were so dark, either.

 

 

3/4 gallon (or so) of freshly picked apple blossoms.  I have to say, harvesting the flowers in the bright sun, bees working around me, was extremely peaceful.

 

Mixing the flowers into the lightly heated honey.

 The flowers reduced (of course) and being stewed over low heat to infuse the honey with their fragrance.

© John Frey, 2015. The Author of this work retains full copyright for this material.  The recipes, photographs and other contents therein may not be used for any commercial purposes.