Denard Brewing

This is a mead I make for couples who are getting married. I like to give a bottle for immediate consumption and one for the 1 year wedding anniversary. 

This mead comes out very soft on the palate. In addition, the spice and sweetness completely hides how strong it is. It requires some very unusual ingredients that really come together in a wonderful final product. Enjoy!

Wedding Dwojniak BOMM - 1 gallon 
1. Make a quart of strong tea with the spices below by adding off boil water; allow to stand until cool. 
-1 Vanilla bean
-1 Clove
-1 star anise
-1 TBSP dry china Ginger
-1 TBSP dry galangal
-1/2 TBSP Marshmallow Root
2. Add 3.5 lbs of Orange Blossom honey to carboy (SG ~1.140). 
3. Add 0.4 tsp Fermaid K and 0.79 tsp Fermaid O and 1/4 tsp K2CO3. 
-Add another 0.79 tsp of Fermaid O at 1.110 & 1.070. 
4. Add strained spiced tea. 
5. Add water to 1/2 cup shy of gallon.
6. Stir vigorously to aerate/mix honey. 
7. Add an activated pack of Wyeast 1388. Activate no more than 2 hours.

Post ferment
8. After the gravity is <1.025, add the following:
-1 vanilla bean 
-1 stalk fresh Lemongrass  
9. After a week, rack off vanilla & lemongrass and add the following:
-4 cubes Med American Oak 
-17 dried Rose hips 
10. Cold crash and bottle after 2-3 weeks on oak and rose hips.