I’m pleased to report that unlike the utter foulness of the manuka mead, the second batch of Prison Mead has turned out quite drinkable indeed. This 3 gallon batch was made with unpasteurized wildflower honey and off-the-shelf Fleishman’s yeast. I think of it as a proof-of-concept experiment.
From ferment to glass in three months means that while it’s certainly on the “aggressive” side, it nevertheless is still quite drinkable. While the nose is a bit on the “clear your sinuses” meter, the taste is surprisingly mild and very sweet. It’s almost like a fruit wine in it’s character. There was no finishers or clarifier used so of course it’s on the hazy side, but in many ways this is speculative archeo-brewing. This mead is probably very close in colour and taste to what ancient peoples would have been preparing.
I’m considering this a success, which means that for the small-scale home experiments I’ll be on to something different next. I think next up will be some recipes I’ve been reading for Short Mead, which has an even quicker ferment-to-table time than this three-month mead.
All in all, good times.
