Rhodomel

Batch size: 5 gallons

Ingredients

• 15 lbs (approx.) Glorybee Alfalfa honey
• 5 pints loosely packed pink wild rose petals (picked at the beach)
• 1.25 tsp citric acid
• 2.5 tsp tannin
• 5 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 package Red Star Pasteur champagne yeast
• filtered water

Instructions

Boil honey and 5 quarts water for 10 minutes, skimming off foam. Place petals, citric acid, and tannin in a brewing bucket and pour in the hot honey mixture. Add water to make 5.5 gallons. When the must is at room temperature, add nutrient, sprinkle the yeast on top of the must (without mixin), and fit the fermentation lock. After 7-10 days, strain out flowers and transfer the must into a carboy. Re-fit the lock and ferment until clear. Rack as necessary, bottle and age.

Brewing Stats

26 Feb 2000 -- Racked
Lots of sediment. Rather dark, but a delicate taste. Definite rose flavor, young alcohol too. Lovely color but we want more of a pink or clear. Next time use Basswood honey.

Notes

This recipe was heavily inspired by recipes I've found for Lavender Metheglin and Rose Mead.