Mead thoughts
Violet syrup arrived today, based on the suggested 1-2 tsp/cup dilution suggestions I could find on the net (the bottle is in Italian and what I managed to translate via Babel seemed focused more on what you could add it to rather then how much to use) the 250 ml bottle I got should be about perfect for 2.5 to 3 gallons of mead at that dilution.
I am generally expecting to make a full 5 gallons of mead at one shot and splitting it into one violet batch and one "flavor to be determined" batch (probably a melomel). Violet is a pretty distinctive taste so I'm not too worried about it being too weak at the suggested dilution, but I am in a bit of a quandary as to how to go about it in case I find that to be too strongly flavored. I figure I will mix up the 5 gallons worth of must, split it in two carboys, and mix up the violet batch. I suppose I will have to taste it at that point and then decide whether to add more of the unflavored must or leave it be.
That leaves me to determine a second mead flavor I don't mind doing a half (or smaller) batch of that will also be easy to flavor in the carboy in case I decide the violet is good as is (I'm using pasteurized clover honey so I am not too interested in making sack mead with the other half, it will definitely require a flavor). I am quite sad to be down to my last bottle of black raspberry so I think I may well pick up something along those lines.
I also have the issue of what container to put it into for primary. I typically do all stages of fermenting in the carboy but I'm lending out my two open carboys soon (both are five gallon) so if I want to brew this within the next two months I'll have to pick up or borrow more brew containers. I am looking to pick up two 3 gallon carboys but if I end up having to extend the violet that's going to be a pain.
edit: I just noticed that the violet syrup and my purple acrylic contact juggling ball (both are sitting on my computer desk at the moment) are pretty much exactly the same lovely rose-purple colour.
edit2: or do I want to forgo the violet entirely in primary and flavor it to taste in secondary?
I am generally expecting to make a full 5 gallons of mead at one shot and splitting it into one violet batch and one "flavor to be determined" batch (probably a melomel). Violet is a pretty distinctive taste so I'm not too worried about it being too weak at the suggested dilution, but I am in a bit of a quandary as to how to go about it in case I find that to be too strongly flavored. I figure I will mix up the 5 gallons worth of must, split it in two carboys, and mix up the violet batch. I suppose I will have to taste it at that point and then decide whether to add more of the unflavored must or leave it be.
That leaves me to determine a second mead flavor I don't mind doing a half (or smaller) batch of that will also be easy to flavor in the carboy in case I decide the violet is good as is (I'm using pasteurized clover honey so I am not too interested in making sack mead with the other half, it will definitely require a flavor). I am quite sad to be down to my last bottle of black raspberry so I think I may well pick up something along those lines.
I also have the issue of what container to put it into for primary. I typically do all stages of fermenting in the carboy but I'm lending out my two open carboys soon (both are five gallon) so if I want to brew this within the next two months I'll have to pick up or borrow more brew containers. I am looking to pick up two 3 gallon carboys but if I end up having to extend the violet that's going to be a pain.
edit: I just noticed that the violet syrup and my purple acrylic contact juggling ball (both are sitting on my computer desk at the moment) are pretty much exactly the same lovely rose-purple colour.
edit2: or do I want to forgo the violet entirely in primary and flavor it to taste in secondary?