Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:28 pm
by bazookazilla
I had some mead for the first time the other night and am thinking about trying to make some. I understand that agave nectar is not honey, BUT is very similar. I know a lot of mead flavor profile comes from the variety that is used. Have any of youz guyz ever tried making mead with agave nectar instead of honey? Or maybe substituting some of the honey with agave instead of replacing all of it?
Re: Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 12:58 pm
by BDawg
I've heard of meads with it as an adjunct, but never anything where the primary fermentable is agave nectar.
I'd test it with a small batch before making 5 gallons of it.
Re: Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 9:19 pm
by JDWebb
I use agave in baking and cooking, but I don't replace sugar with it too much. It has a strange flavor to it, its not like honey or simple syrup. I would think it may be a rather weird tasting mead with pure agave as the main ingredient. Perhaps as a back-sweetner maybe where a lot wasn't required. Dunno...but then I'm new here, so do like I do and experiment!
Re: Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:55 am
by zachdotcom
I have a five gallon batch of all agave mead going right now. It's fermenting at an "I think I can I think I can" sort of pace. I did an orange blossom mead the same day and used the same yeast (D47) and nutrient in both and after about 8 months the agave is only about half way through the ferment.
Re: Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:59 am
by bazookazilla
zachdotcom wrote:I have a five gallon batch of all agave mead going right now. It's fermenting at an "I think I can I think I can" sort of pace. I did an orange blossom mead the same day and used the same yeast (D47) and nutrient in both and after about 8 months the agave is only about half way through the ferment.
I may not be patient enough for that. How long do you guys usually age meads after fermenting them?
Re: Agave nectar mead??
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:37 pm
by chris102984
I did something with amber agave as the only fermentable sometime around October 2013. I kept the gravity fairly low (1060 or so), added some nutrients, and pitched with 001. The thing came out cloyingly sweet in the end along with a mild beer/bread flavor. I ended up calling it a wash and tossed some bugs in there for shits & giggles not expecting much. Last I tasted it was early last summer and it had developed quite the corn character with a hint of lacto. I'll probably go taste it again tonight to see how it has developed.