My Official (unofficial) Viking Blod Mead Clone Recipe

Mead
1

Hello Everyone,

I’m pretty excited over this. I finally have the details down and everything has been ordered. Brewing will start probably on 5/12 just because of the yeast delivery. Let me know what you think!

2 Gallon Batch:

  • 6lbs Wildflower Honey
  • 1lb Clove Honey
  • 1/4lb white raisins
  • 3/4oz hibiscus
  • .5oz US Golding Hops
  • .5oz UK Kent Goldings Hops
  • Yeast Energizer
  • WLP-099 yeast

Directions:

Boil 1.5 gallons of water and add in Golding Hops at start of boil. Boil for one hour.

While water is boiling, add a small amount of water to a pan and cook all raisins until they’re plump and give off an aroma.

30 minutes into boil, add raisins.

45 minutes into boil, add Kent Golding Hops

At 60 minutes, remove kettle from burner and add in 5lbs of Wildflower Honey, stir until dissolved. Add in 1/2oz of dried hibiscus flowers.

Once must is cool, pitch yeast. Add 1/3 of yeast nutrients. The bubble activity will determine when I add in the next 1/3 of nutrients and also 0.5lb of Wildflower Honey. Repeat for final 1/3 of nutrients.

Once Activity has slowed down again, rack to secondary, add 1/2 amount of Yeast energizer and 0.5lb of Clove honey. Repeat once activity has slowed.

After 30 days, rack to secondary to remove sediment. Repeat once more and add in remaining hibiscus flowers.

1 week before bottling, add in Potassium Metabisulfite. Bottle for 6 months.

There doesn’t seem to be too many proven approaches for this mead so I figured I’d share with you guys and get some input. What do you think?

2

Why not just use a wine yeast that you know will tolerate the high abv?

3

Looks good - be careful with the white raisins, though. Many of them are sulfited, which will do bad things to your yeast. Also, if you want to avoid one of the rackings and the losses associated with it, give it a good 4-6 weeks in secondary and hit it with super-kleer KC. The stuff is incredible at removing any particles and clearing a wine or mead.

4

@dannyboy58 The reason for this is because I’m aiming to go as high as possible with my ABV. From what I’ve gathered (with porkchop’s help) that yeast strain can handle 25%. It was REALLY expensive though for the shipping. If you’d like to point me in the direction of another strain you have in mind I’d be happy to look into it.

@porkchop with the raisins, do you think soaking them in Vodka would do any justice? I believe I ordered organic raisins so hopefully I’ll be in the clear. Also love the idea of the super-kleer KC. I’ll definitely give it a shot once the time comes. Also a REALLY super noob question but with the nutrients/energizer/super-kleer is this something I should mix in or just sprinkle on top as with the yeast?

Also, what’s your take on aerating the must?

5

I’ve never fermented mead. Never drunk one I liked. So you’re better off trusting @porkchop’s advice. With regard to mead at least…:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

6

He really gives solid advice… I’m heavily into mixed fermentation, which provides great margins for error in brewing technique.

I regularly go with these guys’ recommendations for lagers and clean ales. They know their stuff. And I mean that, they really do.

I’m glad to help with odd fermentations, because that’s my comfort zone. Want to ferment 100% flour with wild microbes? That’s my jam. But it’s really important to know ones limits, and my fellow brewers on this site are great resources.

1 Like
7

Should be ok. Organic limits the sulfite, so it’s probably ok. I wouldn’t add them at once, though, if you aren’t sure. Add them in batches, as the yeast can handle small amounts just fine.

Aerating is a good idea for the first several days of fermentation. At least when you’re going for a 20%ABV fermentation.

8

Geesh… :blush: thanks @porkchop.

OP here is a good read for Mead:
http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wmead.pdf

For some reason on mobile I can’t figure out to post links.

9

Hello Everyone,

I just got back into town from work so I haven’t been able to get back to this, but @loopie_beer that .PDF was extremely comprehensive and thorough! So, here is my updated process with everything taken into consideration. Its a bit more detailed as well.

2 Gallon Batch:

  • 6lbs Wildflower Honey
  • 1lb Clove Honey
  • 1/4lb white raisins
  • 3/4oz hibiscus
  • .5oz US Golding Hops
  • .5oz UK Kent Goldings Hops
  • Yeast Energizer
  • WLP-099 yeast

Setup:
Dice all Hibiscus flowers and measure out 1/4 ounce from full amount. Soak in vodka to sterilize.

Steps:

Boil 1.5 gallons of water. Once boiling, add in .5oz Golding Hops at start. Boil for one hour.

While the water is boiling, add raisins to a pan and use a small amount of water. Cook raisins over low heat until plump and giving off an aroma. Mash raisins into a paste.

At 30 minutes into boil, add raisins.

At 45 minutes into boil, add Kent Golding Hops.

At 60 minutes, remove kettle from burner and add in 5lbs of Wildflower Honey. Stir until dissolved.

Add in 1/4oz of dried hibiscus flowers including vodka.

Place kettle with must in an ice bath to cool rapidly.

Once must is cool, transfer to the primary fermenter and add as much water as necessary to bring volume to 2 gallons. Aerate extensively.Take OG reading and record results.

Once must is cooled, pitch the yeast, cover fermenter and add airlock.

At first signs of fermentation, dissolve .5 tsp of Nutrients in sanitized water. Add to fermenter and stir thoroughly. Aerate must as well.

Uncover and aerate must daily for 1-2 weeks. Take brix reading each time.

At every 4-6° drops in brix, add another tsp of yeast nutrients and stir until dissolved and add in ~1/2 of remaining Wildflower Honey for the first and second nutrient addition.

Once you’ve reached the 3rd nutrient addition, Add in ~0.50lbs of Clover Honey. Stir until dissolved. Repeat for 4th nutrient addition.

After fermentation has slowed down, rack to secondary and add in remaining dried hibiscus flowers. Leave in secondary for 30 days.

1 week into secondary, add in all Super-Kleer K.C.
1 week prior to end of fermenation, dissolve and mix in 1 tsp of Potassium Sorbate.

Bottle and store for 6 months.