Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

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Distillusioned
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Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

I've been tinkering with this for a while now. It's not bad, but I'd welcome any input that might make it better, while still using easily obtainable ingredients. Edit to add: I use a pot still.
  1. Begin by making Viking Blood Mead (makes ~3 gallons):
    • 5 pounds honey, Amazon brand Happy Belly wildflower honey
    • 8 (1 qt 14 oz) bottles Indian Summer Montmorency Fresh Pressed Tart Cherry Juice
    • 2 T Red Star DADY
    • Ferment to dryness. If you like tart cherry, you can stop here, and it's a pretty good drink. It takes a while to clear, but it's a lovely ruby red.
  2. Strip the wash until the total collected output is around 33%.
  3. Age the low wines on uncharred/untoasted cherry for a few months. Optionally, during the last few days, add some dehydrated raspberries (around 7 grams per 4 liters).
  4. Do spirit run with fairly tight cuts, keeping in mind that there are some decent flavors in the late heads.
  5. Dilute to around 60% and age on uncharred/untoasted ash for a few months.
  6. Add between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract per 1 liter. 1/4 t is a bit too little. 1/2 t is perhaps too much.
  7. Make simple syrup at between 3:1 and 2:1 by weight and use that to dilute to around 30%. 3:1 is pretty syrupy. 2:1 seems like it's not quite sweet enough, but it's not bad.
  8. Let it sit and mingle for a week or more before drinking.
Corn Cracker
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Corn Cracker »

I have bookmarked this for future use, it sounds like it would be delicious
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subbrew
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by subbrew »

That sounds good. The only thing that jumped out to me is what will the untoasted cherry wood bring? Does it have tannins or acids that will come over as bitter in the spirit run? Or will whatever it does add be totally stripped in the spirit run?

Another thought, save a cup of the mead and after the spirit run, add the cup of mead back as part of the dilution.

Damn you, I have not even gotten my keg still build done and now I am thinking perhaps I also need a small stove top unit for experiments.
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by still_stirrin »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 amDamn you, I have not even gotten my keg still build done and now I am thinking perhaps I also need a small stove top unit for experiments.
Check out my stock pot ginstill build hotlinked in my signature. Also, have a look at my hotplate modification build linked there too. A nce complement to a bigger keg sized boiler.
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My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by TDick »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 am That sounds good. The only thing that jumped out to me is what will the untoasted cherry wood bring? Does it have tannins or acids that will come over as bitter in the spirit run? Or will whatever it does add be totally stripped in the spirit run?
I just updated my thread Nuclear Rum - Mad Science

I have rum that's been on cherry wood chips for almost two months. Not something I'll do again. :thumbdown:
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Distillusioned
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 am That sounds good. The only thing that jumped out to me is what will the untoasted cherry wood bring? Does it have tannins or acids that will come over as bitter in the spirit run? Or will whatever it does add be totally stripped in the spirit run?

Another thought, save a cup of the mead and after the spirit run, add the cup of mead back as part of the dilution.

Damn you, I have not even gotten my keg still build done and now I am thinking perhaps I also need a small stove top unit for experiments.
Well, the reason I tried adding the cherry in was because I read somewhere that "they" sometimes toss in some of the branches/leaves during the ferment. At the point I read it, I already had some nearly finished, so I figured I'd try it in the low wines instead. I thought maybe the low wines would get cleaned up a bit by being on wood before the spirit run, and that it would pick up a bit more cherry flavor. I enjoy it, so I kept doing it that way.
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

TDick wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:51 pm
subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 am That sounds good. The only thing that jumped out to me is what will the untoasted cherry wood bring? Does it have tannins or acids that will come over as bitter in the spirit run? Or will whatever it does add be totally stripped in the spirit run?
I just updated my thread Nuclear Rum - Mad Science

I have rum that's been on cherry wood chips for almost two months. Not something I'll do again. :thumbdown:
But this was the final spirit, right? I'll read in the morning...getting sleepy on rum....
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Distillusioned
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

still_stirrin wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:51 am
subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 amDamn you, I have not even gotten my keg still build done and now I am thinking perhaps I also need a small stove top unit for experiments.
Check out my stock pot ginstill build hotlinked in my signature. Also, have a look at my hotplate modification build linked there too. A nce complement to a bigger keg sized boiler.
ss
I use a little air still for micro experiments. Sometimes, I wish my big still were as hassle-free.
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Distillusioned
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 am Another thought, save a cup of the mead and after the spirit run, add the cup of mead back as part of the dilution.
Y'know, I think I'm going to have to try that. I have some ready for a spirit run, and I have some that's almost done fermenting, so great timing! Thanks!
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

subbrew wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:47 am tannins or acids that will come over as bitter
Good point. There's so much sweetness from the simple syrup, that I cannot say. When I run this next spirt run, I think I'll proof a bit down to 40% and try it as a spirit instead of a liqueur. I'll report back when I do.
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

I proofed some down to 42%. IIRC, it's a batch that had the raspberries added to the low wines, but not the cherry wood. It has been on a couple sticks of ash for around 5 months at about 57%. I did not add any sugar or almond extract; it's just the spirt run diluted. I wish I was able to recognize and describe tasting notes, but I've never been able to develop that skill. I like it. FWIW, a lady friend of mine told me I tasted good after I had some and gave her a kiss (she doesn't drink, so I can't get her opinion on an actual taste of it). I like it better with the sugar and almond extract, but now that I've tasted it stronger, I might go for higher than 30% next time...maybe 35%.
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Corn Cracker »

😆, i reckon if if it's good 2nd hand it must be delicious out of the bottle 😆 🤣

I'm looking forward to making some
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Re: Viking Blood Mead (Mock) Maraschino - VBMM

Post by Distillusioned »

Ran a spirit run with 3 batches of low wines last weekend. 2 were on cherry for a number of months. 1 was infused with freeze-dried raspberries. The spirit run is sitting on ash. I re-ran the feints and just proofed some to 40% with water and some to 30% with simple syrup and almond extract. I don't care what anyone says; this is some darned tasty stuff. :)
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