In Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and magic for seeing and influencing the future. Freyja rides a chariot pulled by two cats, is accompanied by the boar Hildisvíni, and possesses a cloak of falcon feathers. We think Freyja is a fitting title for this delightful lemon and ginger sparkling mead that will weave some magic on your taste buds and help you see and influence your future in a most delightful way.
Freyja Lemon and Ginger Sparkling | Mead Recipe
Recipe by Jimmy from BeerCo.com.au
BeerSmith | Freyja | Lemon Ginger Sparkling Mead Recipe
Vital Stats:
- Batch Sizes: 6 Litres (Small) OR 19 Litres (Standard)
- OG: 1.043
- FG: 1:000
- ABV: 6%
Recipe Kit Contents:
Small Batch | 6 Litres:
- 1 Kg Achibald’s Honey | Orange Blossom
- 1 x Mangrove Jack’s | M05 Mead Yeast 10g Sachet
- 1 x Mangrove Jack’s | Mead Yeast Nutrient 12g Sachet
- 100g Kibbled Ginger
- 100g Lemon Peel
Standard Batch | 19 Litres / US 5 Gallon:
- 3 Kg Achibald’s Honey | Orange Blossom
- 1 x Mangrove Jack’s | M05 Mead Yeast
- 1 x Mangrove Jack’s | Mead Yeast Nutrient
- 200g Kibbled Ginger
- 100g Lemon Peel
Additional Ingredients and Equipment Required:
- 15 L Plastic Fermenter and Natural Tap [Small Batch]
- 30 L Plastic Fermenter and Natural Tap [Standard Batch]
- S-Type Airlock Bubbler and Grommet for Airlock
- Hydrometer
- Digital Pocket Thermometer
- 250ml Glass Measuring Cylinder
- Easy Siphon
- 10mm Hose Tubing (Approx. 3m)
- Blue Bottler with Spring
- Dextrose or Sugar or Mangrove Jack’s | Carbonation Drops for bottling
- 1 Spoon for Stirring
- 500mL Glass Swing Top Bottles or Kegging equipment
METHOD:
SMALL BATCH (6 Liters)
- Grab a pot and fill with 1.5 L of water and bring to a boil. Allow the water to cool to 66°C before adding in 75g of Kibbled Ginger. Hold the temp and allow it to steep for 5 minutes.
- Fill your fermenter/ brew bucket with approx. 4.65 L of water before pouring in your ginger infused water. Tip the entire contents of the pot into the fermenter - do not strain and remove the ginger. Add in 1kg honey and stir until combined.
- Pitch ⅓ a packet of Mangrove Jack’s M05 Mead Yeast. Ferment between 15°C - 30°C.
- 24 hours after pitching the yeast open your fermenter and degas (gently stir) the mead. Now open the Mangrove Jack’s Mead Yeast Nutrient and distribute approx. ⅓ of the contents into the mead. Aerate for 1 - 2 mins.
- Degas and aerate your mead 12 hours after adding the yeast nutrients. Do not open the fermenter (unless taking gravity readings) after this point as you risk oxidization.
- Once you have confirmed your mead has finished fermentation via a gravity reading of ≤ 1.000 or 3 weeks have passed since pitching the yeast, weigh out 18g Lemon Peel and disperse onto the mead.
- Leave the mead to infuse with the Lemon Peel for 7 days before moving onto bulk priming and bottling your mead.* Feel free to draw samples and taste, if required add more lemon peel.
- Start by measuring out your preferred priming sugar. Aiming for a carbonation level of 2.5 volumes of CO2, that would work out to approx. 36g White Sugar OR 40g Dextrose.
- Add your priming sugar to small amount of boiling water (no more than 150ml) – Continuously stirring for at least 5 mins.
- Allow the priming mixture to cool below 30°C before pouring into a sanitized fermenter / bottling bucket. Rack (syphon) your mead on top of it and give it a gentle stir. Immediately proceed to bottle your mead.
- Bottle condition (age) at room temperature for at least 3 weeks before cracking one open to check for carbonation. If you find the mead does not have the desired sparkling effect wait an additional week before checking again. When carbonation has been met, make some room in the fridge and enjoy with friends.
*Alternatively, you could skip bulk priming and use Mangrove Jack’s Carbonation Drops while bottling your mead to achieve carbonation instead.
STANDARD BATCH (19 Liters)
- Grab a pot and fill with 3 L of water and bring to a boil. Allow the water to cool to 66°C before adding in 200g of Kibbled Ginger. Hold the temp and allow it to steep for 5 minutes.
- Fill your fermenter/ brew bucket with approx. 15.4 L of water before pouring in your ginger infused water. Tip the entire contents of the pot into the fermenter - do not strain and remove the ginger. Add in 3kg honey and stir until combined.
- Aerate the must and pitch a packet of Mangrove Jack’s M05 Mead Yeast. Ferment between 15°C - 30°C.
- 24 hours after pitching the yeast open your fermenter and degas (gently stir) the mead. Now open the Mangrove Jack’s Mead Yeast Nutrient and distribute the entire contents into the mead. Aerate for 1 - 2 mins.
- Degas and aerate your mead 12 hours after adding the yeast nutrients. Do not open the fermenter (unless taking gravity readings) after this point as you risk oxidization.
- Once you have confirmed your mead has finished fermentation via a gravity reading of ≤ 1.000 or 3 weeks have passed since pitching the yeast, weigh out 55g Lemon Peel and disperse onto the mead.
- Leave the mead to infuse with the Lemon Peel for 7 days before moving onto bulk priming and bottling or kegging your mead.* Aim for a carbonation level of 2.5 - 2.8 volumes of CO2. Feel free to draw samples and taste, if required add more lemon peel.
*Alternatively, you could skip bulk priming and use Mangrove Jack’s Carbonation Drops while bottling your mead to achieve carbonation instead.
NOTE:
- Everything that touches the honey and eventually mead at all stages throughout the process must be clean, rinsed and sanitized to avoid infection.
- The calculations given for priming are calculated at 20°C.