Hoppy mead

[BernardSmith]

Just started a hoppy mead last night. The recipe:
1 oz Centennial hops
1 oz Citra hops
1.5 lbs (about half a kilo) of clover honey
Water to make about 1 US gallon (SG of about 1.058).
1 oz of ginger
zest and juice of lemon
1/4 t of nutrient
1/4 t of tannin
Yeast: EC 1118

Boiled the water and added hops - allowed to boil 10 minutes. Removed hops mixed honey and all other ingredients (except for nutrient and yeast)
allowed to cool overnight. Rehydrated yeast and pitched (added yeast to must). Added nutrients when yeast began to show activity.
Will leave in fermenter one week. Measure gravity: if around 1.010 (about 6 % ABV) will bottle and refrigerate. To be drunk over the next few weeks.

[Brewtrog]

To be drunk over the next few weeks.

Both the mead and the drinker?

[BernardSmith]

noh... It's only a gallon - Even at one bottle a day that is just a week and a day and not "the next FEW weeks"... so hopefully, the mead -yes, but not the drinker... but yer never know...

[Brewtrog]

How did the hopped mead turn out?

[BernardSmith]

Good question. I am going to give it a taste this evening before bottling.. Will report back as soon as I can..

[BernardSmith]

OK, so I was able to bottle this mead last night - filled 9 beer bottles worth. Not particularly "bitter" (I had deliberately boiled the hops for only 10 minutes to avoid extracting acids). The hop flavors are good and quite pronounced. I had used Citra and Centennial and I am getting bright fruity flavors. I like it - a lot - but I can imagine that for many the hop flavors may be too pronounced. Next time I try this I may reduce the amount of hops from 2 oz (56 g) to 1 oz (28 g) - compare CJJ Berry's 3 oz (85 g). I might also try Nelson Sauvin hops (although the citrusy Citra and Centennial are fine). ABV is about 7% (SG was 1.052) and while this finished nominally brut dry there is a good deal of perceived "sweetness" in this mead (I had used local clover honey.
Note: never cold crashed or added finings and so I bottled this mead while it is still "cloudy". I also did not prime this so it will be still. Not , I think a prize winning entry for the Mazer Cup but a very drinkable fall (autumnal) drink.