Jamaica Blue Mead
Source: Guy McConnell
Ingredients:
- 6 lb clover honey
- 1 lb orange blossom honey
- 1.5 lb corn sugar
- 2 oz fresh, minced ginger root
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tsp yeast extract
- 1 gal fresh blueberries
- 2 lemons, halved
- Wyeast #1214 Belgian Ale Yeast
- 0.5 cup orange blossom honey (bottling)
Directions:
- Put honey, corn sugar, and yeast extract in brewpot with water.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming foam with kitchen strainer.
- Add ginger root and simmer for 10 more minutes without skimming.
- Remove from heat, squeeze in lemons, and throw into brewpot.
- Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Strain out lemon halves and ginger.
- Add blueberries, chill, pour mixture (blueberries and all) into primary fermenter, and pitch yeast.
- After 7 days, rack off of fruit into secondary and age for one to two months.
- When fermentation is complete, prepare a `tea' by simmering cinnamon and honey in water for 15 minutes in a covered pot.
- Cool, add to bottling bucket, and quietly siphon in must.
- Bottle and age for a couple of months or so.
Notes:
This makes a nice, light, sparkling beverage that is a brilliantly clear rose-purple color. The flavor is of blueberries kissed with cinnamon. A wonderful change of pace for a summer drink at about 5% alcohol by weight.