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I was not impressed with the nectars, and I've tasted them on three different occassions. They seemed young, over-sulfited, thin, and light on flavor.

Everyone's got different tastes though, I...

I've had a lot of commerical mead, and I've only really enjoyed two of them:

Redstone Reserve - $50 for 500 mls, by Redstone Meadery in Boulder, CO

Bunratty Mead - NOT the stuff you can buy in...

I'm in the final stages of getting a commercial license. I've spent under $10k, and that includes a small building.

5g Sweet concord grape mead - VERY nice.
5g Champagne mead
5g Strawberry melomel - awesome with a little sweetening, probably best of the bunch
5g Mead port
5g Sweet cherry melomel - a cross...

Anyone know a reference where I can find the chemical composition of 12% moisture content honey? Most of the standard publications seem to only have 15% and 18%.

Someone is claiming that they've got honey with 12% moisture content. I'm not sure I believe it, I'm guessing he's either measuring it wrong or his equipment is miscalibrated.

Does this ever...

I use 71B and D47 mainly, as I mostly make melomels. I've recently learned to appreciate RC212 as well, and I'll be playing with that more in the future. I use White Labs for all of my beer.

I...

If you know what you are doing, go for it. It is not a technique for beginners for sure.

I use D47 alot. 71B-1122 seems to preserve more of the floral aromas, D47 seems to rub out those flavors and replace them with something a bit more "winey". In a good way, of course. I've never...

Are you sure it is a bug? I frequently get bubble formations on the top of long-aging mead that look like they could be colonies of some sort. My rule of thumb is - if it smells all right, leave it...

Joel's replay of seven years for ag equipment seems long considering they are wooden.
As Joel already said, the IRS does not care. They break equipment into two categories - small cheap tools...

Sorry I'm getting in late on this one. My wife and I run a small but rapidly growing (!) goat dairy.

We use just electric to keep our goats in. Check out the portable woven electric nets sold by...

I am not a tax accountant or lawyer. I am just a guy who is brave/stupid enough to dive into the tax code, and cheap enough to refuse to hire someone. Use this information at your own risk.

If...

Heavily editing the above post, since I seem to have been stupidified at the time of posting:

Just keep feeding it until it is the sweetness you want. At this point if you try to blend, you will...

Just keep feeding it until it is the sweetness you want. At this point if you try to blend, you will have problems. Blending with a dry mead will likely restart fermentation unless you filter. ...

You say you are shooting for an 18% ABV mead.

Which is more important to you - 18% ABV or a certain amount of residual sugar?

I think roasted barley and black patent are nearly one and the same. I'd use one or the other, and 1/2 lb max.

Both of those yeasts you mention are champagne yeasts. You are guaranteed to...

I've only made one braggot, but it was the best mead I've ever made. So I feel sort of qualified to comment. smile.gif

Between the chocolate malt and black patent, I guarantee that your...

Please don't consider this a slam on your tastes, that is not my intent.

I got a very different impression from Volcano Winery mead. It was sweet, thin, and boring. I put it firmly in the 30% of...

I think vintages are totally appropriate for mead. Assuming of course that you either produce your own honey or get it from the same place every year. The feds don't agree though, you aren't...

Never tried this myself, but... I hear that most crown cappers come with reversible plates that allow you to cap european champagne bottles too. So if it doesn't fit the first time, don't keep...

Beer = 4-6% usually
Wine = 12-14% usually
Champagne = 16-20% usually

"Standard" mead recipes usually use wine yeasts and come in at 12-14%. Some people use champagne yeasts to make a stronger...

Depends on how long you want to keep it. I've used exclusively caps so far, and I've kept it 1.5 yrs without a problem. I'm told that for extended aging 2+ yrs you really do want a cork, and I...

What brand? Most commercial offerings are crap compared to what you can make at home.

Glad to have another mead convert. It's great stuff! smile.gif

You can, but you will need a counterpressure bottle filler to preserve the carbonation when you bottle. I hear they take a little getting used to.