Making Apple Whiskey Hydromel Mead

After writing a few articles for homebrewtalk.com, I managed to gain a few more fans. One of them is a bee keeper and sent me some of his honey to use in a mead. Last Christmas I got a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey. I’ve been nursing it very well, and have plenty left.

The Apple Whiskey hydromel I will aim to make using the great home harvested floral honey, and the bright vanilla notes from the whiskey be the stars.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel: Apple Whiskey Hydromel

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Process

I added the honey to a sanitized pot and ran water (through a purifier) on top of it as I whisked it in. It’s a great way to aerate while you mix your must. I also added 1/2 a tsp of yeast nutrient. Yeast was pitched on 3/21/15

1 Day

The yeast started up and is off. I’ll check the gravity again later on.

30 Days

The gravity is down to 1.010. Will be done fermenting very soon. Once terminal gravity is reached, I’ll stabilize, add the soaked oak, and back sweeten.

8 Months

The gravity is down to 1.000. It has dropped clear, been racked, stabilized, and back sweetened with apple cider. It has a mild apple flavor with just a few notes of the whiskey in the back. I’ll check again in a few days on the flavors. I may add some more apple to this.

11.5 Months

This is ready to bottle, I just need to find the time. It has a mild apple and whiskey flavor. Once I bottle it, I’ll probably save it for the early Fall. Nothing beats a nicely aged apple mead after a day of apple picking.

12 Months

I bottled the apple whiskey hydromel. It’s beautifully clear and well balanced. It has a light apple nose, some apple acidity and sweetness, and a touch of whiskey to finish it off. I’m very happy with how this one has turned out, and all of the flavors have played well together.