U2M - Zingiberaceous Applebark

Based on Barkshack Ginger Mead in the New Joy of Homebrew by Charlie Papazian. When you are just starting out, you might want to start with meads that don't take so long to age. This sparkling cyser with ginger keeps improving with age.

Ingredients:

13 pounds raw honey from Whiteside Honey in Loveland, CO.
peeled and grated ginger root (4.25 oz. before peeling)
1 pound corn sugar
1 1/2 t gypsum
1 t acid blend
1/4 t Irish moss
1 T yeast nutrient
3 qt. medium sweet apple juice (fresh, raw juice frozen summer of 1992)
tap water - enough for 5 gallons
5 gm Lalvin Dry Champagne Yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (?)

Heat honey with water to almost boiling. Add gypsum, acid blend, Irish Moss, yeast nutrient, and 1 lb. corn sugar. Skim scum. Added ginger and juice and kept hot for about 15 minutes to pasturize. Mix yeast with water to rehydrate. Cool must, pour into carboy and add water to make 5 gallons. Pitch rehydrated yeast. Stir. SG 1.115 @ 76 F. Store with blow-off tube.

Brewed September 17, 1994

October 10, 1994 - Racked and stored with bubble lock.

January 19, 1995 - Racked and stored with bubble lock.

March 5, 1995 - Did we add corn sugar boiled for 10 minutes with 1 cup tap water before bottling? I think so, but it wasn't written down. Specific Gravity at bottling time was .998 at 65 F.

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