Lapsang Mead

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Hello, I have a mead that I think is very close to finishing.

I took an SG reading 3 days ago and it was 1.015, today it was also 1.015.

Is this a normal stopping point for a mead? Or does it need further encouragement?

It tastes like mildly sweet smokey alcohol lol. It’s quite wierd.

 

[An Ankoù]

Sounds a bit high to me. What was you recipe?
It shouldn't taste smokey or weird, but why is this thread called "Lapsong mead"? You didn't put Lapsong Souchong leaves in there, by any chance, did you?

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Yes it’s flavoured with lapsang Souchong tea. An insane experiment I found online lol.

 

[terrym]

You didn't put Lapsong Souchong leaves in there, by any chance, did you?

Horrible stuff. Only one step from drinking creosote.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Lol I was assured it would taste like a cross between smokey whiskey and banana bread

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

So the recipe is basically 3 jars of honey and like 15g of lapsang, then nutrient and yeast.

when I racked it I topped up with about 150g honey per pint of water with some random tea bag in there. I think I may have racked it too late or something?

I chucked in half a tsp of nutrient 2 days ago to try and kick it in the ass but it doesn’t seem to have done anything.

when you say a bit high, what would you normally expect it to be?

 

[An Ankoù]

Horrible stuff. Only one step from drinking creosote.

Steady on. Nothing wrong with creosote.
And I love lapsang souchong tea. Can't find it anywhere, now.

 

[An Ankoù]

So the recipe is basically 3 jars of honey and like 15g of lapsang, then nutrient and yeast.

when I racked it I topped up with about 150g honey per pint of water with some random tea bag in there. I think I may have racked it too late or something?

I chucked in half a tsp of nutrient 2 days ago to try and kick it in the ass but it doesn’t seem to have done anything.

when you say a bit high, what would you normally expect it to be?

In truth, I don't know because when I make mead I just keep adding more honey until it stops fermenting and then consider it done. I leave it for three months and then bottle it. Suggest you do the same and I think the L S will mellow down and give you a lovely mead. By the way. Once I've bottled it, it stays at least a year in the bottle.
Mead isn't for the impatient.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Excellent, thanks man.

Yeah I was planning on waiting til Christmas til I crack a bottle open.

 

[terrym]

Steady on. Nothing wrong with creosote.
And I love lapsang souchong tea. Can't find it anywhere, now.

You could have had some of ours only I binned it long ago.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Lol I know it has quite a bonfirey sort of smell and taste but I find it quite an intriguing flavour. It’s way different to a lot of other teas.

I don’t think it’s one I could drink daily as a morning tea, but every now and then it does make an interesting alternative to the norm.

 

[An Ankoù]

Lol I know it has quite a bonfirey sort of smell and taste but I find it quite an intriguing flavour. It’s way different to a lot of other teas.

I don’t think it’s one I could drink daily as a morning tea, but every now and then it does make an interesting alternative to the norm.

I love it and used to drink nothing else, but everyone around me hated the smell so I stopped and forgot about it. I'm going to get some more from Amazon. thanks for reminding me.

 

[MrRook]

I used lapsang in a smoked porter several years ago. It came out okay, but I probably won't be doing it again.