Denard Brewing

Note: This is a hybrid recipe for those who cannot obtain the nutrients needed for a true BOMM or want a faster 1 month JAOM. 

Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (JAOM) is the mead most mazers start out with. Ingredients are at the grocery stock and it's fix and forget. The only downside is that it really needs 6+ months to be drinkable, but man is it good. In my typical fashion, I decided to make it in one month!

JOA BOMM: 1 gallon

1. Allow Wyeast 1388 yeast packet to come to room temperature before popping the inner packet. 

2. Start with 1 gallon Ozarka spring water and remove 1.5 cup (355 ml) water; draw a line at this water level. 

3. Remove another 4.66 cups (1100 ml) of water.

4. Add honey back to previous line (3.5 lbs). 

-Any honey is fine except for the bear honey (it’s fake honey). Local is always nice!

5. Add zest and fruit of one organic Valencia orange, no pith. If you like pith bitterness, add 1/4 of the orange pith. 

6. Add the following:

-1 ounce box of raisins

-1/2 cup (80 grams) of dried currants 

-1/2 small clove

-1/2 cinnamon stick

-1/8 whole nutmeg and 1 allspice berry

-1 vanilla bean

7. Mix well until honey is dissolved. 

8. Add a smack pack of Wyeast 1388 activated for 15 minutes. 

9. Add the highly technical pin pricked balloon airlock for JAOM authenticity!

10. Ferment for 2-4 weeks. After it is finished, I put it in the refrigerator and drink straight out of the jug! If you wish, you can sanitize bottles and bottle it for storage. 

Optional Addition: If you find the mead to be a bit sweet, you can add 1/4 cup (40 grams) of dried lingonberries for 2 week. The sour lingonberries balances the sweetness and is a nice addition to the perfumed aroma.

This mead may or may not be clear in a month, but is perfectly drinkable in a month. Age doesn't hurt it though!

Specs

SG: 1.140

FG: 1.020

15.7% ABV