August Wildflower Mead - A Success and Recipe of sorts

In August 2012, I took it upon myself to wander around the yard and gather some lovely flowers

Queen Anne's Lace
by Modern Scribe Photography

together to make a gallon of wildflower mead - affectionately referred to around my home as "yard-clippin booze."

Into a pot went just about 3/4 gallon of filtered water, and as it came up to boiling, I added in:

One handful each of Primrose flowers, Queen Anne's Lace flowers, Chicory flowers, Red Clover
Four dried Hibiscus flowers
1 small dried slice of Lime
Roughly 1/8 cup dried elder flowers
1 fingertip sized nubbin of ginger

Once boiling, I turned off the stove and to the hot water, I added 3 lbs of local honey (just about 4 cups).  I stirred it until mixed, and strained and poured the wort into a waiting sanitized gallon jug.  I added cold water to fill to the neck of the jug, and once it was cool enough, I added one packet of bread yeast and a fermentation cap.

It bubbled happily for a while, and then ceased.  I allowed to sit on a dark spot in my kitchen until early March.

I used a straw to taste the mead.  It was good, but I know that most people prefer a sweet mead, and the yeast had eaten all the sugars away, making it a nice dry mead with a hint of flowers and honey flavor.

I bottled just one swing-top wine bottle of the dry mead, as it will one day pair nicely with a fish dinner. YUM.

To the remainder, I added a simple sugar syrup.  I re-sanitized the fermenation cap and let it sit until this weekend, when I was sure that there was no more fermentation.  I bottled up the rest, and I must say, it is one of my most favorite meads so far!

My camera is broken, so no pics I'm afraid, but take my word for it when I tell you that it is the clearest, cleanest, most well-rounded mead I've made yet!

Next on the list?  A five gallon batch!