The Almighty Fermentation Equation. So critcal in so many ways. I’m going to start off talking about some of the various fermented beverages that have been made throughout history with an emphasis on mead. Most everyone is familiar with beer and its primary ingredients which are water, malt, yeast, and hops. However, mead is a beverage with an even older lineage and is one of the finest beverages known to man. In its simplest form, mead is a blend of honey and water that is fermented through the addition of yeast. There is no definitive list of "approved" types of mead. These are some of the more common varieties along with a few other beverages and terms for future clarification.
ABV ~ Alcohol by Volume. A measurement of the percentage of alcohol in a beverage expressed as a percentage of the total volume. Proof on the other hand is the ABV doubled.
Applejack ~ An alcoholic beverage made by either freeze distilling Cider or by evaporative distillation methods. Calvados is one of the more recognized offerings of this apple brandy.
Braggot ~ This is a mead that is brewed with honey and malt and may have hops added to it. This makes it something of a cross between a beer and a wine. It will generally have a higher alcohol content than your typical beer. Natural carbonation can be a problem depending on the yeast being used.
Cider ~ Not the cider you buy at the farmstand or pick up at your local market. Only in the U.S. do we use the term Cider to refer to unfermented apple juice. To rest of the civilized world this means a fermented beverage made from apples. It is usually carbonated and rarely exceeds 9% ABV.
Cyser ~ In its simplest form this is apple or pear juice that has been fortified with honey and fermented. However, Cyser lends itself to much experimentation with the addition of herbs, spices, and other fruits. Alcohol content can be as high as 24% ABV.
F.G. ~ Final Gravity. The final reading of a solution, taken with a hydrometer. See O.G. below.
Hydromel ~ Translated from the Greek this means water-honey. Typically this refers to a low alcohol or a very light mead.
Hydrometer ~ This is a device that looks like a thermometer but instead measures how much sugar is suspended in a solution when it is floated in it. Pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000 at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Adding honey (sugar) to the solution makes the specific gravity (density) rise which causes the hydrometer to rise and the scale to be read at a different location. See O.G. below for more.
Hippocras ~ A Pyment to which spices have been added.
Melomel ~ A mead made from honey and the addition of any fruit or fruit juice. Certain melomels have their own name depending on the fruit that is used.
Metheglin ~ This is a mead that has been fermented with herbs or spices. The name comes from the Welsh and roughly translates as “Healing Liquor” (No argument here). Some of the more common metheglins are made with cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger.
Morat ~ A melomel that is made from mulberries.
Must ~ This is what mead is called before it becomes mead. It is the honey-infused liquid that the yeast will feed on to produce alcohol.
O.G. ~ Original gravity, also known as S.G. or Starting gravity. This is a measurement of the amount of sugar that is suspended in a solution. It is determined using a hydrometer before yeast is added. Another reading is taken after fermentation has stopped. The F.G. is subtracted from the O.G. and multiplied by 1.333 and then 100 to arrive at ABV.
The formula is: ((OG-FG) x 1.33) x 100. Very simple actually. If I have an OG of 1.130 and a FG of 1.000 then it is: ((1.130-1.000) x 1.333) x 100 = 17.329 % ABV. See hydrometer above.
Pyment ~ A mead that is made with red or white grapes.
Rhodomel ~ Rose hips or rose petals are fermented with honey and water to give rise to this ancient drink of Rome.
Sack mead ~ A fairly strong and sweet mead.
That's it for today. I’ll be posting more regarding mead, including pictures concerning its making and consumption. Skål!
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