So many choices...first I thought to just pm Ali my inquiry...cos it is really mostly a question for her, though if others have the answers, please know I welcome your information too!

Then I thought to put it in the drugs and alcohol forum, but this is not about drugs and alcohol as a political topic.

So here I am in the off topic, and thought to make it public so that if Ali has some recipes and can also direct me where I could perhaps purchase the stuff already made, then others could maybe give it a try too.

Ali, what with Lammas and all, I was wondering if you have ever made mead, if so what kinds, would you share your favorite recipe, and have you ever got the stuff ready made and if so where? Is it obtainable at just regular liquor stores and bars or not?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Love,
OD

Actually, I've never tried to make mead. But here's the funny thing...

Until we discovered I was preganant, hubby and I were actually thinking about attempting to make some honey mead ourselves. Mainly inspired because of the movie '13th Warrior' cause every time they mentioned it, it sounded good. It sounded worth trying (hubby and I aren't big beer drinkers) and I'd been researching for some simple recipes.

Here's one of the recipes we found and discussed about making...

Making Wine With Honey (Mead)

For 5 Gallons Of Mead:

* 13 Pounds of Honey
* 2 Tablespoons Yeast Energizer
* 6 Tablespoons Acid Blend
* 1 Teaspoon Wine Tannin
* 5 Campden Tablets
* Water To Total 5 Gallons
* 1 Pkg. Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast

* NOTE: If unprocessed honey is being used, it would be best to
first cut the honey with water then heat it on the stove to about
180 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 5 minutes. This is to
allow the pollen, wax and bits of bee to float to the top so that
you can skim them off before using the honey in a recipe.


- Basic Process

1. Mix together all the ingredients listed above, EXCEPT for the
yeast, in an open container (primary fermenter). Be sure to crush
and dissolve the Campden Tablets. Cover with a light towel and
let sit for 24 hour.

2. After 24 hours, add one package of Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast and
allow to ferment 4 to 5 days or until your hydrometer reads
around 1.030 to 1.040 on the Specific Gravity scale.

3. After 4 or 5 days, carefully siphon the Mead into a Secondary
Fermenter so as to leave most of the sediment behind. This is
called "Racking". The Secondary Fermenter should be some type of
food-grade container that allows you to attach an Air-Lock to it.

4. Allow the Mead to ferment another 2 to 3 weeks under air-lock,
or until the hydrometer reads .998 or less on the Specific
Gravity scale. Now the Mead needs to clear. This usually takes at
least and additional 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes as long as 2 months.

5. Once the Mead has completely cleared, siphon it into a clean
container and add a second dose of Campden Tablets at the rate of
1 tablet per gallon. It is then ready to be bottled and aged.

The link also had other versions of mead that sounded pretty interesting to say the least.

Cyser:
* 9 Pounds of Honey
* 2-1/2 Gallons of Apple Juice
* 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer
* 4-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend
* 3/4 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin
* 5 Campden Tablets
* Water To Total Batch to 5 Gallons
* 1 Pkg. Lalvin EC-1118 Yeast

Blackberry Melomel:
* 11 Pounds of Honey
* 4 Pounds of Chopped Blackberries
* 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer
* 4-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend
* 1/2 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin
* 5 Campden Tablets
* Water to Total Batch to 5 Gallons
* 1 Pkg. Lalvin K1V-1116

Metheglyn:
* 15 Pounds of Honey
* 15 Cloves
* 2-1/2 Ounces of Grated Ginger Root
* 5 Ounces of Elderflower
* 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer
* 5-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend
* 1/4 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin
* 5 Campden Tablets
* Water To Total Batch to 5 Gallons
* 1 Pkg. Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast


- If You Like Your Mead Sweet . . .

You can sweeten your Mead by adding more honey, or sugar. But,
three things have to happen first:

* 1. The fermentation needs to be completely finished and the
Mead needs to have been given a couple of weeks to clear. The
Mead should also be check with a hydrometer to verify that it is
done. It should read between .995 and .998 on the Specific
Gravity scale.

* 2. You also need to carefully siphon the wine off any sediment
into a clean container. Otherwise, this sediment will be stirred
up again when you mix in your honey for sweetening.

* 3. Potassium Sorbate needs to be added to the Mead as a
stabilizer. Otherwise, the fermentation will eventually start up
again when the additional honey is added.

It is important that all three of the above happens before adding
a sweetener of any kind, otherwise you may get sediment occurring
in the bottom of you wine bottles, or worse yet, re-fermentation
may start up in the bottles.

Thank you Ali. I was even considering trying some ready made first and then make some. Now I want to watch that movie too!

And maybe Mark and I could even tour a meadery.

How are you and the baby, Ali? Wishing you so much positive energy.

Hugs,
OD

It's actually cute about the mentioning of honey wine/mead in the movie. Banderas' character keeps refusing the beer that the vikings keep offering him, on the grounds that as an Islamist so by his faith, he can't drink alcohol. Well after a particular nasty battle, one of the vikings again tries to offer him some mead...Banderas' character says 'sorry, I'm forbidden to partake of any alcohol made from grapes or grain'...The viking looks at him laughing, he asks what's so funny, and the fella tells him 'It's honey! It's made from honey'...Of which Bandaras' character nearly yanks the cup from the other guy's hand and just starts gulping it down.

And every time we watch that particular movie and that scene pops on, hubby and I tell one another that one day we're going to have to make some and try it out. ROTFLMAOL!!!

The bp is still higher then the doctor and we'd like, but the babies seem to be doing well despite that. Even starting to feel them moving. ROTFLMAOL!!!

I have an appointment next week with the OB/GYN and will get to find out then how the test results turned out from the blood work. Not overly worried though as I have faith there's nothing wrong with them.

Ali,

I am so excited for you to be experiencing the wonders of pregnancy and that for twins! Double the blessing! Blessed be...

Keep us all posted as you are very loved and appreciated here at the DtT.

OD

By the way OD, there's some other traditions of Lammas you might be interested in knowing and incorporating into your own plans...

Lammas bread-Figure shaped loaves of bread
For pagan practices, it's shaped into two figures male and female, then named after the God and Goddess of Fall Harvest. But in early Christian practices, it was shaped into a sole form, designated as a male figure and named after Christ.

The Christian useage of the Lammas loaf is to bless the figure by saying the Lord's prayer, emphasizing the part-This day, give me my daily bread. The ritual itself is done as a group participation...Tearing off pieces of bread from the figure, feeding it to one another while saying words similar to:"May you never go hungry," "May you always be nourished," "Eat of the bread of life" or "May you live forever." Offer each other drinks of water or wine with similar words.

The colors for Lammas are:Gray, Yellow, Gold, Green

Metals:Silver-arrange harvested vegetables and fruits, place on silver platers to use as centerpieces of the festival table as well as on alters

Herbs for Lammas are:cornstalks, heather, frankincense, wheat, acacia flowers, corn ears, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves

Feast foods are:Grain, corn, barley, fruits and vegetables that are harvested in the fall, honey, popcorn, gingerbread people

Activities for Lammas:canning/perserving, candle making, making corn dollies, pie making, bonfires, races, games of skill, dancing, music

What Lammas is symbolically about:

Regrets:Thinking of things you ment to do this past year or summer that weren't fulfilled. Project your regrets onto objects (such as pinecones or branches) and throw into a fire to release your regrets. Or write those regrets down on corn husks/paper and burn them.

Farewells: What is passing/over in your life? Say good bye to them in the same manner as with your regrets. Also, you may project your farewells onto plant bulbs and 'bury' those farewells so that they can transform into new life the next spring.

Harvest:What seeds have you planted and that are sprouting? Create a decoration for your house, that shows your personal growth/harvest, such as wreaths, made from natural plants.

Preserves/Canning:While making perserves or canning, think about the fruits of your labor this past year. Think of the harvest you have brought in during this year, and hold onto the sweet memories of your successes.

I wanted to add for those reading my response to OD...There's alot of similarity of the Pagan celebration to that of Thanksgiving.

thanks ali!!! i pm'ed ya!
Love,
OD

Yep, and I just pm-ed you back with a response. ROTFLMAOL!!!

I just wanted to get a post in on this forum...Zoophilia, pedophilia, and homosexuality!!!!!!ROTFLMAO.......

Just kidding.....Anyway, what I really wanted to say was that I read your "What's for Supper" thread one day....Impressive....As the cook of my family I look up to your skills in the kitchen. We just moved into a new home with a chef's kitchen and I've looked to you thread for ideas more than once. You go witchobadsef.

I hope we can form a friendship in the other threads even if we still butt heads in others.

I extend my hand in internet friendship.


Damn thats a big old hand...You get the point though.