Col. RN Harrison (Mead)

Col. RN Harrison

Original Name: Chateau Lion Rouge Mead (20 ltrs)

(Metheglyn)

Sorry for the delay in posting this but I’ve had to wade through a considerable amount of handwritten notes and bits and pieces. I’ve also ploughed the net looking for bits and pieces and had conversations with my father and uncle about remembered techniques etc. If anyone makes this, please raise a glass to Col. RN Harrison:

‘As an affectionate memorial to Col. RN Harrison, a Lundyite of great worth and dignity, lovingly known to his associates as “Uncle Tubby”, who died suddenly at his Bristol home, away from his cherished Lundy, on the 13th day of February 1952. I humbly dedicate this wine as “Chateau Lion Rouge”, it may serve to remind those of us fortunate to continue our enjoyment of the island of the Colonel’s endearing “I go now to the Red Lion” as he left the tavern each night for rest in his little red house, now alas without his shadow.’
Stanley Carrington Smith, 17 February 1952.

Note: Lundyite – Someone who loved Lundy Island. My grandfather owned the only pub on the island: The Marisco Tavern.

I’m using the cheapest honey I could find in this for two reasons, the first being it’s cheap and secondly I want to try this out before taking a mortgage out for the finer stuff. My grandfather used both wildflower honey and eucalyptus honey, I don’t know which went in this one I’m afraid, he also added considerably more honey in some recipes. In researching maturing times, I’ve seen suggestions from anywhere between 4 weeks and one hundred years. As I intend to be able to drink some of this myself, the hundred years is out (although never say die – literally), and as this is carbonated in bottle-conditioning, I will be ‘sampling’ after 4 weeks and will report back! I’ve dropped the glucose/dextrose down from 1.5kg to 450g as I’ve never used it before in this manner, little wary; this has had quite an effect on the gravities listed below.

6.5kg Honey
450g dextrose/glucose (grape sugar)
20g Cascade Hops (in muslin hop-bag)
3 pinches each of Nutmeg
1 stick of Cinnamon
125g Raisins (I got some rather nice mixed ones)
25g Fresh Ginger
3 Oranges
1 teaspoon Irish Moss
1 cup strong black tea (for a little tannin)
Oleo Saccharum (see below)
Yeast Nutrient
White wine yeast
70g brewer’s sugar for conditioning

Treat the water with campden tab.

Bring 9 ltrs water to the boil
Add another 7 ltrs and continue to heat as you add the honey (the only reason I can figure for this is that he used this technique to gauge the correct temp for adding the honey)
Simmer for 10 minutes skimming the **** from the surface (this will continue to form but less so).
Chop and add raisins
Simmer gently for another 45 minutes (do not boil).
Add hops in hop-bag
Add skin of Oranges (not pith), and squeeze in the juice 30 mins from the end
Add tea
Add Irish moss 20 minutes from the end
Add grated ginger, spices and hops 15 mins from end

Add Oleo Saccharum
Add dextrose/glucose
Turn off heat immediately


Strain into primary. Top up with boiled and treated water to 20 ltrs.
Cool to fermentation temperature and add yeast nutrient and yeast.

Rack 2 – 3 times in primary (every 2 to 3 weeks as necessary, top up with boiled and treated water to 20 ltrs if necessary. Plan to rack for the first time after initial fermentation is over)
Estimated time in primary – 7 to 8 weeks

Bottle, ready to drink in 3 to 4 weeks, better after 12.

Note: How to make Oleo Saccharum:

I tablespoon castor sugar
Zest of 1 lemon

Use a pestle & mortar to grind the sugar into the lemon zest, leave for 2 minutes minimum for the sugar to absorb the oils. Add whole mixture to mead.

My OG estimate: 1103 (My grandfather’s measurement: 1120)
My FG estimate: 1024 (My grandfather’s measurement: 1027)
ABV estimate: 10.5

If looking for additions to this, there were plans to add strawberries but I don’t know if that ever happened.

If you happen to make this and it goes ****-up, don’t blame me, it’s a first attempt! I haven't pitched the yeast yet (after brewing this last night) as the temp was still just over 26C when I left this morning, I'll pitch when I get home later). If you've made mead in the past and can spot any errors, let me know!

Great stuff, very interested to hear how this turns out.

Some wonderfully aromatic elements in that brew, would be worth making just for the smell that permeates the house during the initial brew. :thumb:

Nice work Tony, that's a great post :clap:
I think I might be tempted to give that a try.

Will be interested to see how this turns out Tony.

Looked a good brewday :thumb:

Can`t believe i missed this post first time round - how has it turned out ?

with any luck, I'll be racking again this afternoon and if all is well I may bottle in 3 - 4 weeks. I'm hoping that I'll be able to sample a bottle 'properly' around christmas!

I'll keep you posted!

hey tony :thumb:

i`ve got all the bits to get this on today - the only thing i`m unsure of is the glucose? Should i use a powdered glucose or grape concentrate or would normal sugar do :wha:

I have enough honey to brew 2gallons and will probably leave it as a still mead

Hi Rick
that's a good question. The only reason I only used it as the original recipe called for 'grape sugar' which is the same thing.

Do you have any powdered glucose? If you do, use that. If not, try some normal sugar.

I did rack this and it is looking gorgeous. I moved it from storage to the dining room table and let it resettle for 3 days before racking. I came into the room one afternoon and the sun hit the DJ - it lit the entire room up pure golden colour. I've been quizzing the family and they all say that my grandfather didn't carbonate... so I will probably leave as is, as you've suggested.

Good luck with it Rick, hope you have a great day .. and quick to make too. I may try the exact same recipe again and use a better quality honey next time - just to see the difference.
:

Cheers Tony :thumb:

I`ve got a bag of glucose powder so i`ll use that - one more question did you stop the ferment with pottasium sorbate at the required FG or did it just stop fermenting? My recipe is more or less exactly the same as your original and would it be OK if I called it Col.RN Harrison`s Mead?

Will post some brewday pics later, it`s chucking it down here so a beer brew was out of the question and we`re off to cornwall for five days on monday so hopefully it`ll stop raining!!!

:drink:

I'd be honored if you have it that name Rick, as would my grandfather if he was still around! My uncle, who was closer to my grandfather than my dad, is dying to get his hands on the brew, I've told him he has to wait until christmas!

I didn't stop the ferment, just thought I'd let it go wherever it wanted - especially as the honey that my grandfather used was far superior to the stuff I used. After writing this morning, I checked the mead again. I do need to check the gravity as its impossible to tell if it has 100% stopped. Every time I rack it, it has another few days activity. One thing I will say though - last rack revealed it to be a sweet mead.

Good luck with it - and have a great few days in cornwall ... don't forget to go nuts on the Proper Job ... down as many as the missus will let you get away with!

:

Thanks Tony Hope i`ve done the recipe some justice :thumb: It smelt and tasted amazing when I put it in the DJs - yeast just pitched :thumb:

Think i`ll drink one of my last two bottles of Proper Job clone tonight as a warm up for the week :lol:

Tony my mead has been merrily fementing away for almost two weeks and is still fairly active - i took a gravity reading and its down to 1.000 already Tastes great though did you take a final gravity reading? I`m worried if mine continues at this rate it will finish dry or do you think it will still taste sweet from the honey flavour?

help!!!!!

great post, i think i will give this one a try when back from my jollies..... :

are these quantities for 5 gallons?

jonboymentalhealth said:

are these quantities for 5 gallons?

Click to expand...

Hi jonboy
I made 20 ltrs so its slightly under. Just up the honey by 10% and you'll get 5 gal from it.

Rick, I think mine has stopped now - so I'll take a gravity reading later and probably bottle it. Be interesting to see if it has dropped below the 10 I doubt it will be too dry though. I've never brewed anything with such an amazing colour!

Bottled this yesterday. Rather sweet and I'd say its going to need a good time in the bottle - I'm thinking probably more than a year, it tastes very 'young'.

Has all the signs of being a rather lovely sipping drink though ... and rather strong! (Forgot to take a reading!)

Looks nice too!

Looking good tony - mine is still going, very slow so getting there! I took a reading last week which was around 1004 and it tasted sweet also :thumb: I may store my 2 gallons in the DJs for a year once racked and finished then bottle for next xmas

Hi all
quick update: Bottled this three weeks ago and opened a bottle on Friday for my parents. The taste has improved so much in those three weeks and it is now approaching the drink that my grandfather used to make. Really pleased with this!
I've labeled a few bottles up and my dad says seeing this would have brought a tear to my grandfather's eye. That makes me happy! Sending them home to my uncle.
Here's the label and a pic of the bottles. You'll see that I've put the blurb on a rear label which I haven't included as I did it on publisher.

If you make this.... enjoy! I plan to leave the remaining bottles until Christmas - and pref, next Christmas!

well done tony mine has just about finished fermenting and will be getting racked this week sometime :thumb: Colour loos amazing already as it starts to clear - a real deep golden shine

Racked it today whilst brewing

So its finished at 0990 giving me 18%, needs to fully clear but is already a golden warm colour that is quite dazzling. A quick taste (well actually a wine glass :lol: ) amazing, real honey taste and great flavours from the additions - a bit of age to smooth the alcohol prickle and this is going to be out standing. Cheers for the recipe Tony - i`ll make some more of this and i`m glad i did two gallons :thumb:



Tony i`ll send you a bottle when i bottle up :