Spruce Tip Love Juice NHC06

Category 26: Other Mead

Gold Medal NHC 2006

Sponsored by: Home Brew Supply

Breck Tostevin, Anchorage, Alaska, Metheglin, Great Northern Brewers Club

"Spruce Tip Love Juice"

Still Sweet Metheglin with Spruce Tips

Ingredients for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters)

15.0     lb (6.8 kg) orange blossom honey

2.0       oz (57 g) spruce tips (boiled 60 min. in water)

1.0       tsp Wyeast yeast nutrient

2.0       tsp DAP

Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast

1.0       Tbsp Sparkalloid to clarify

Original Specific Gravity: 1.090

Final Specific Gravity: 1.025

Boiling Time: no boil

Primary Fermentation: 60 days at 60° F (16° C) in glass

Secondary Fermentation: 5 months at 60° F (16° C) in glass

Judges' Comments

"Very sweet at first, then well balanced by acid. Nice varietal honey expression. Overall balance between sugar and acid is very nice, but sweetness is on the low side for a sweet mead. Lots of alcohol but not hot. Spruce is very subtle."

"Excellent. Very good sweet/acid blend. Smooth alcohol warmth at finish. Would like to see more spruce in flavor."