Grapefruit Mead

Classification: mead, melomel, grapefruit mead

Source: John Wyllie COYOTE (SLK6P@cc.usu.edu), Mead Digest #214, 9/24/93

This was a Grapefruit Melomel Mead brewed in Feb, '92. I didn't take gravity readings, but it was a pretty light mead. It was bottled maybe 2 or 3 months later.
After a month or two in the bottle it had carbonated, but smelled like vomit. Had a sour citrusy aftertaste.

I put it away for a LONG time, and a year later it was clear, sparkling, and smelled nicely citrus. The puky smell had cleared. It did taste like grapefruit, but gently so. It may have been a bit too acid. A nice champagne like presentation. You could even make raisin submarines in it. (if you've never tried this, drop a wrinkly raisin in a glass of clear sparkly mead, and be amazed!!! Fun for the whole family!)

Ingredients:

7 lb Clover Honey
6 (medium) grapefruit. Grated peel, juiced. Add juice after boil. ...add peel into boil. Add juice when heat goes off.
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
Dash of acid blend
Added 1/2 oz cascade hops used as finishing hops in a light ale
Pectic Enzyme (tbsp) and sparkalloid added to secondary
yeast