For caramelized honey in all its forms. Even if other adjuncts are present and strong, anything with the iconic toffee, marshmallow, or bitter chocolate notes belongs here.
(by /u/stormbeforedawn)
Total Volume: 5 gallons
Style: Still mead with caramelized honey.
Carbonation: Still
Target Original Gravity: 1.129
Target Final Gravity: 1.000 - 1.012
Target ABV: 16.5%
Target YAN: 305 effective PPM
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 18 lbs | Wildflower |
| Oak | 2 Spirals | Med toast American oak. May use cube or chips at preference. |
| Fermaid O | 8.5 g | |
| Fermaid K | 9.5 g | |
| DAP | 16.5 g | |
| Lavin 1118 | 10 g (dry yeast package) | Rehydrate in Go Ferm using 200 ml water at 110 F |
| Goferm PE | 12.5g |
Method:
Rehydrate the yeast using the GoFerm PE.
In a pot or brew kettle at least three times the volume of honey boil honey for 1-2 hours, until desired caramelize is achieved. See notes.
Allow to cool to under 200F or 90C before adding 1 gallon of hot water. Stir till homogeneous, reheating may help, and briefly boiling honey water mixture is acceptable.
Follow SNA.
Ferment at 62-65° F.
Stabilize and backsweeten as desired, or leave fermented to FG.
Rack off lees after 1 month and add oak spirals, aging on oak as desired.
Bulk age or bottle and store for 12 months.
Additional Notes:
See /u/Jewish_Monk 's image for bochet color. "70-80" is a good place to start, but do not be afraid to go darker. https://i.imgur.com/mxK85Tf.jpg
Cook time depends on many factors. Shoot for a specific color. The darker you go the longer you must age.
Ice bath may help cool times on honey. Mixing boiling honey and water will risk hospitalization. You have been warned.
Banana French Toast Bochet
(by /u/Jewish_Monk)
Total Volume: 5.25 gallons (19.8L)
Style: Melomel, Metheglin, Bochet
Carbonation: Flat
Starting Gravity: 1.080
Final Gravity: 1.000
Target ABV: 10.5% ABV
Target YAN: 139 effective PPM
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 12lb (5.4kg) | Cheap honey is fine |
| Banana | 14lb (6.4kg) | Do not peel |
| Yeast | Safale US-05 | |
| FermO | 16.54g | Doses of 4.13g |
| Cinnamon | 3 sticks | |
| Vanilla | 3 beans | Split and scraped |
| Allspice | 3 berries, dried | |
| Cloves | 1 | |
| Med Toast French Oak | 1.76oz (50g) | Soaked in bourbon for a month |
As always with bochets, wear long sleeves and eye protection while boiling honey.
Rehydrate yeast in GoFerm ahead of time (optional).
Boil honey in a large pot until brick red (Approx. 1 hour at a low boil). Stir frequently to avoid scorching.
When honey is almost turning red, remove from heat.
Dilute caramelized honey with a few cups of water. This step can be dangerous without taking proper precautions. Allow the honey to cool for a below 212^o F and slowly add water to reduce sputtering. Allow diluted honey to cool.
Once cooled, add water to 5.25 gallons. Add raw honey or water to adjust gravity to 1.08.
Pitch yeast and cover. Follow SNA, degas every morning and evening.
Wash bananas, slice into coins, and freeze until needed.
When you're ready for secondary, thaw and mash bananas and slowly boil in slow cooker until bananas are reduced to soup. Cool and add 2tsp of pectic enzyme. Let sit for 2 hours.
Add spices and fruit to secondary. Put the fruit in a bag to reduce sediment and consider splitting the batch into two buckets if the fruit would make it overflow.
Rack off fruit after a week or two and allow the fruit bag to gently drain. I don't think there's much tannin in bananas, but I would still avoid squeezing the bag.
In tertiary, add oak and allow to clear.
Tasting Notes: Dry, fruity, and smokey. Reeks of banana. Low alcohol burn if fermented cool. Tastes primarily of banana and caramel with spices sitting in the background.
(by /u/stormbeforedawn)
Total Volume: 5 gallons
Style: Still mead with caramelized honey.
Carbonation: Still
Target Original Gravity: 1.150
Target Final Gravity: 1.008 - 1.020
Target ABV: 18%
Target YAN: 291 effective PPM
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 20 lbs | Wildflower |
| Pomegranate | 12 lbs | shelled from its husk and juiced |
| Oak | 2 Spirals | Med toast American oak. May use cube or chips at preference. |
| Vanillia Bean | 2 beans | split and scraped |
| Almond Extract | to taste | |
| Fermaid O | 8.5 g | |
| Fermaid K | 9.5 g | |
| DAP | 15.2 g | |
| Lavin 1118 | 10 g (dry yeast package) | Rehydrate in Go Ferm using 200 ml water at 110 F |
| Goferm PE | 12.5g |
Method:
Rehydrate the yeast using the GoFerm PE.
In a pot or brew kettle at least three times the volume of honey boil honey for 1-2 hours, until desired caramelize is achieved. See notes.
Allow to cool to under 200F or 90C before adding 1 gallon of hot water. Stir till homogeneous, reheating may help, and briefly boiling honey water mixture is acceptable.
Follow SNA, see above nutrients, split into thirds or fourths and added by the 1/3rd break.
Ferment at 62-65° F.
In secondary add pomegranate juice and vanilla bean.
Stabilize and backsweeten as desired, or leave fermented to FG.
30 days after FG, add almond extract to taste.
Rack off lees after 1 month and add oak spirals, aging on oak as desired.
Bulk age or bottle and store for 12 months.
Additional Notes:
See /u/Jewish_Monk 's image for bochet color. "70-80" is a good place to start, but do not be afraid to go darker. https://i.imgur.com/mxK85Tf.jpg
Cook time depends on many factors. Shoot for a specific color. The darker you go the longer you must age.
Ice bath may help cool times on honey. Mixing boiling honey and water will risk hospitalization. You have been warned.
(by /u/stormbeforedawn)
Total Volume: 5 gallons
Style: Still mead with caramelized honey.
Carbonation: Still
Target Original Gravity: 1.150
Target Final Gravity: 1.008 - 1.020
Target ABV: 18%
Target YAN: 324 effective PPM
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 20 lbs | Wildflower |
| Oak | 2 Spirals | Med toast American oak. May use cube or chips at preference. |
| Jamician Red Hot Peppers | 2 dried peppers | Simmilar in heat to habanero |
| Boysenberry "Artisan Flavor" | Amoretti 8 oz extract | |
| Vanillia Extract | to taste | |
| Rum Extract | to taste | |
| Almond Extract | to taste | |
| Fermaid O | 8.5 g | |
| Fermaid K | 9.5 g | |
| DAP | 18.2 g | |
| Lavin 1118 | 10 g (dry yeast package) | Rehydrate in Go Ferm using 200 ml water at 110 F |
| Goferm PE | 12.5g |
Method:
Rehydrate the yeast using the GoFerm PE.
In a pot or brew kettle at least three times the volume of honey boil honey for 1-2 hours, until desired caramelize is achieved. See notes.
Allow to cool to under 200F or 90C before adding 1 gallon of hot water. Stir till homogeneous, reheating may help, and briefly boiling honey water mixture is acceptable.
Follow SNA, see above nutrients, split into thirds or fourths and added by the 1/3rd break.
Ferment at 62-65° F.
Stabilize and backsweeten as desired, or leave fermented to FG.
30 days after FG, rack off lees and add all "boysenberry" and extracts to taste. Tweak acid/sugar/tannin balance here if need. Oak is heavily recomended.
Bulk age or bottle and store for 12 months.
Additional Notes:
See /u/Jewish_Monk 's image for bochet color. "70-80" is a good place to start, but do not be afraid to go darker. https://i.imgur.com/mxK85Tf.jpg
Cook time depends on many factors. Shoot for a specific color. The darker you go the longer you must age.
Ice bath may help cool times on honey. Mixing boiling honey and water will risk hospitalization. You have been warned.
