[gordonstrong]

I think it has more to do with using half the honey, fruit, etc.  Try to make a commercial mead like you make a mead at home and it winds up costing as much as Ken Schramm's mead.  It's not hard to drop $150 on ingredients for a 5 gallon melomel.

But yeah, overdoing the acid will hose you too.

[beerrat]

Figured I show the results - at least from a visual perspective.


I'll get feedback in about a month from an upcoming contest.

<< fixed image>>

[beerrat]

This mead ended up getting 3rd at the 2010 Malt madness (a score of 38.5).  It did not do so well at first round of the 2011 NHC - only a 27.5 - was dinged as I declare the varietals.  Lesson learned - you do not have to list the type of honey, and should not if you can not make out the distinction of the varietal.

Now the hard part for me in the state of PA is getting good commercial calibration meads - those listed in the BJCP guide are not available to me in this archaic state controlled wine and spirit system.  Looks like road trips to neighboring states.

[woadwarrior]

Beerat, if you live on the eastern end of the state, there is a meadery near Binghamton, NY called Magpie Farms Winery ( http://www.magpiemead.com/ ). I have had the pleasure of tasting some of his meads before he went commercial and they were very good. (even the dry ones which really aren't to my sweet tooth palate)

[beerrat]

Beerat, if you live on the eastern end of the state, there is a meadery near Binghamton, NY called Magpie Farms Winery ( http://www.magpiemead.com/ ). I have had the pleasure of tasting some of his meads before he went commercial and they were very good. (even the dry ones which really aren't to my sweet tooth palate)

Excellent - only an hour away!

[woadwarrior]

An hour huh? That'd put you in the Scranton area. I plan on being in Wilkes-Barre Labor Day weekend.