Flower-Flavoured Meads
These meads flavored with flowers are something quite special. The flavor of the flowers in these is not so marked as when more flowers are used to make flower wines. The amounts of flowers given in these recipes give a delightful background flavor while allowing the flavor of the honey to remain unmasked. These ‘meads’ are not, strictly speaking, meads, but I call them meads because the basic material is honey. All flower mead recipes make for medium sweet wines. Those who know in advance that they must have all wines dry should use not more than three-and-a-half pounds of honey instead of the four pounds given in the recipes. Those who must have all wines on the sweet side should use not less than four-and-a-half pounds and not more than five pounds instead of the four pounds given in the recipes.
Clover Mead
Use purple (sometimes called mauve) clover.
- 4 lb. honey
- ¼ oz. citric acid
- ¼ pint strong freshly-made tea
- 2-3 pints clover head
- yeast – nutrient
The clover heads should be loosely packed in the measure and not pressed down hard.
Mix honey with about half a gallon of hot water, bring slowly to boil and boil for two minutes.
Turn into polythene pail containing the clover heads. Add citric acid and tea and make up to one gallon with boiling water. Add extra quart of boiling water to make up for the space occupied by the flower heads – regardless of the number of pints used. Allow to cool to approximately 65ºF, and add yeast and nutrient. Cover as directed for beers and ferment in warm place for five-six days.
Strain out flower heads and return strained liquor to fermenting vessel. Cover again as before and continue to ferment thus for a further five-six days. Then siphon into gallon jar, leaving as much deposit behind as you can. Fit fermentation lock and leave until all fermentation has ceased. Fermentation may go on for as long as several months. When finished and the wine is clear it should be siphoned into another jar and bunged down for one year, after which it may be bottled.
