Today we used up Patrick's current mead solera in several batches split between the two of us. For this last batch, I added several spices I love: cardamom, lemongrass, and nutmeg. I almost sort of promise that this is the last batch I'm naming after phrases from Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, but...

Ingredients in this batch

  • 1 gallon solera mead
  • 1 tsp Penzey's ground cardamom
  • 1.5 tsp Penzey's dried lemongrass
  • several large dashes of Penzey's ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Penzey's whole allspice, freshly ground

Process

Drew off a gallon of mead into a green carboy and added a first dose of spices (1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/2 lemongrass, 1/8 nutmeg). When I tasted it on 3/31, the flavor was promising but too subtle, so I tossed in another healthy dose of each spice. I repeated this process on 5/5, but instead of nutmeg, I added allspice this time, since I'd finally picked up a new spice grinder, and seemed like a good idea.

I bottled this batch on August 8. It clarified nicely, and I'm really loving the spice. This will make a beautiful fireside mead once it gets cold again in, oh, a couple months.