Mead Free or Die – The Path to Here

( The precursor to Cherry/Currant mead. You'll get it farther down. )

In late 2010 I went to the Moonlight Meadery Open House at their current (new then, thus the OH) location and tasted an impressive lineup of meads. I posted the visit in a Local Sips column, and based on the positive experience and plans for new connections I described in the post (BFD, brewing, mead-making and getting to know Michael Fairbrother are my fun times!) it was clear then that my visit left an impression.

In the year and a half since that posting Moonlight Meadery has seen an explosion of growth and fans, a Moonlight Nation if you will. The Nation is really a nation too. The Moonlight team have been on the road to conferences, publicity stops and breweries/meaderies all over this country. I’ve also written about them a few times, a festival tasting, a visit and a tribute toKurt’s Apple Pie. The great lineup of quality products coupled with active participation in clubs and events at both the regional and national level has garnered Michael, Bernice and the whole crew at Moonlight very lots of well-deserved attention.

I was also inspired to make mead again from that visit. I made a blackberry spiced one in 2006 or 2007 which I vaguely recall; but nothing really stuck from the experience. I have since made eight different styles to gain more experience, including the very popular Orange/Vanilla, Cherry/Currant, Cinnamon Cyser, Blueberry Hydromel, Pecan Pie and Hopped Braggot; all of which have gone to the bottle and taste like decent first attempts. I’ve also got batches of Dandelion/Oolong/Meyer Lemon and a plain sack-strength (high ABV) mead that are still in the carboy. The experiences have been rewarding, educational  and not without aspects which make for great growth opportunities!

The Cherry/Currant mead is in the spotlight for the rest of this post. During my first visit I tasted the Moonlight Meadery Desire which is made with cherry and black currant. Just in case you missed the above paragraph, this would be where the inspiration for my own came from and if you are thinking ahead you might be wondering what is going to happen next? How about I taste them side by side? Sidenote: I do not have a preference for my own and for those who know me, you know I can be very pragmatic about my own creations so this is a fair comparison and the drink that tastes the best is going to get the nod.

Moonlight Meadery Desire

Pours reddish brown with plenty of black currant influence. The black current funkiness leads the way in the nose, but having made a blockbuster all black currant dessert wine a few years back, this is a good thing by me. Slightly viscous with intense fruit flavors, a racing stripe of acidity and a long hard-candy finish, this mead really is spectacular.

Ancient Fire Cherry/Currant

Pours cherry red. Mild nose with mostly wildflower honey notes. Light flavors with a slight hint of cherry soda before it fades. Plenty of acidity to balance the minimal residual sugar. Drinks cleanly if not at all inspired.

Moonlight wins hands down. If I were going to do a cherry/currant mead again, and I will, I would most certainly double up on the fruit and amp up the honey as well. More of everything and leave a little of the sugar to balance out the fruit. Back to the cherry soda aspect, I could use this mead in a cocktail, maybe with some Cheerwine and homemade cherry-infused vodka, which will really pump up the cherry flavor present in the mead!

This is the first part in a series on my 2012 mead-making projects and the quest to develop recipes for delicious flavored-infused fermented honey beverages. In the next part I will review how I am making a large batch of straight mead that will have a number of different herbs or spices steeped in it. I will also share the return to my Orange/Vanilla mead (the picture above) and the plan to take it up to 11.

Cheers!

Jason

Cider Free or Die

It looks like finally getting around to joining the BrewFree or Die homebrew club came at the right time. Group buying is one facet to homebrew and winemaking clubs, and when it works, it works really well.

Not long after joining the club I got a note through the club listerv about a group purchase of cider from Sunnycrest Farms in Londonderry. At the price we were quoted for the expected volume we would buy as a group, which ended up being 175 gallons, I calculated that I could buy four buckets for the price of three based on the price I paid in 2009. More liquid gold for the same money? Sign me up!

The day to pickup the cider came and club members from all over the southern tier of NH converged on Londonderry and stood around a raised tote filling buckets for several hours. There was much talk about people’s fermentation plans, what yeast, types of added sugar, do you sulfite or not, etc, etc, and there was plenty of laughter.

There was a healthy mix of experienced cider makers as well as folks trying their hand at it for the first time.With plenty of knowledge to be shared amongst those assembled, there clearly will be much anticipation built up as we all wait to share our creations with fellow club members.

The cider was pouring at about 46 degrees, which is too cold to start with so at a minimum letting it come up to room temperature before pitching any yeast would be expected. The gravity of the raw cider was 1.046 at 46 degrees and the pH was 3.5. 

I also sulfite my sweet cider before using it to ensure nothing unwanted gets a chance to grow. A little pectic enzyme will also go a long way to help foster clearing later in the process. A good stir ensured decent aeration and with that my four buckets of cider would sit for 36 hours before any more attention was required.

As many of the followers of my wine, beer and cider projects have become accustomed, the story always gets more interesting from here. Fermenting four buckets of cider as is would produce a pleasant result, but it isn’t interesting enough for me at this point. So what did I do?

I always add more sugar, acid blend and grape tannin to my ciders. The outcome is much more like an apple wine, but don’t tell my guy friends who love the stuff. They might stop drinking it!

One bucket saw an addition of a gallon of B grade maple syrup and is fermenting with Trappist Ale yeast. Sounds crazy, but in reality I stole the idea from Crispin Cider after sampling a cider of theirs made using similar ingredients.

Another bucket had eight pounds of honey and four cinnamon sticks added to it. It is being fermented with a Sweet Mead yeast. My first cyser.

The two remaining buckets had their gravity increased with white sugar and are fermenting with traditional cider yeast. One will be made still and the other will be sparkling.

Fermentation is winding down for all four batches, but there is much more waiting ahead. Clarification of cider is a notoriously lengthy process, but I still have some from 2009 to drink so I can be patient!

Reports from other club members run the gamut from similar applications of maple syrup, honey, white sugar to brown sugar, amber brewing candy and all sorts of yeast types. The party we are going to have when everyone shows up with cider is going to be epic!

Cheers!

Jason

Motherhood and Kurt’s Apple Pie

Waxing poetic about drink is not new, and I certainly don’t raise the specter of the art form in any tangible way. But just like those who came before me, when I find some juice I love, I gotta sing it loud and proud.

I’m talking about Moonlight Meadery again. Huh, them again? What gives? Are you a commercial producer wondering how you might get this much love? It’s not magic and just because I don’t sing a particular product’s praises doesn’t mean I don’t have love for it and its creator. But, if there is one what is the formula? Start by making a killer product, then be really nice, warm and welcoming to visitors and finally be an example of how important hard work is. I'll find you eventually. Trust me.

Kurt’s Apple Pie is a seasonal product from Moonlight because it is made with apple cider. Getting the cider locally means a short window each autumn when it is fresh pressed and available just a short ride from the production floor. The cider this year came from Sunnycrest Farms on High Range Road in Londonderry, NH.

The recipe for this mead comes by way of a guy named Kurt, a lifelong friend of Michael Fairborther’s (proprietor of Moonlight). Michael asked if he could have the recipe to use in his commercial venture and the rest is history. Having a hugely successful mead named in your honor by a friend is pretty freaking cool!

Vanilla is the predominant aroma, but I also found other spice, honey and wisps of apple too. The flavor is like apple crisp, with enough of a savory element akin to nuts or oats (maybe the vanilla) that is goes beyond just apples. The spices, cinnamon is included as well, are restrained and well balanced against the apples and honey. The finish is sweet with the essence of honey, somewhat like the character of an ice wine.

The flavors presented here are a confluence of tastes that exude this place and the season. I am a lifelong New Englander and apples, baking spices and this time of year are joined at the hip. This mead puts an adult spin on the mix that I am so happy to be able to enjoy. Even though it is sweet, there is an elegance to that sweetness in the form of some acidity of course, that pulls it back from anywhere near syrup. That really makes it work for me.

This product is likely to be a back to back sellout, and when it is gone, it’s gone! I’ve got a small supply to ration so I can get my apple fix until my newest ciders (including one with honey and cinnamon) are ready sometime next year.

Cheers!

Jason

Relay For Life – It’s Not About the Food

(Survivors Rule! saving lives and reducing suffering)

My wife and I captain a Relay For Life team every year. This event is unique because teams setup camp sites at our local high school track and walk all night to support the battle against cancer. This event isn’t about food, and because it is family friendly it is alcohol free. We did apply for the Foodbuzz 24x24 event to host a cookie/brownie and soda pairing at our Relay but were not accepted. A loss for Foodbuzz for sure, and here is why. Our team, named Survivors Rule!, is the most successful team in the history of the Relay For Life of Greater Derry & Londonderry, NH. Our hard working team has come in first place (for fundraising) 4 out of the last 5 years, having raised more than $10,000 each year in those same four years. Our total funds raised as a team, supporting multiple charities since 2003, is over $72,000!!!! Back to the real story though.

When you camp out at Relay you commit to no showers, minimal sleep and whatever food you can bring in or happens to be around. Some people bring grills, but our team has learned one thing with Relay, keep it simple. What you bring in on Friday night when you have lots of energy you have to bring out on Saturday at noon when you are wiped out. For us that means we bring snacks, drinks and rely on the Derry Rotary who run the snack bar for more substantial food to keep us going. The food is simple and designed to give you calories to burn off on the track. When most of the team is aiming for marathon distance of 26+ miles, it doesn’t matter what the food is, it just has to be easy and energy producing.

This year there were some culinary standouts though. Beantowne Coffee House from Hampstead, NH setup a full coffee bar at Relay for the second time this year, a much needed staple for the walkers. Beantowne served up lattes, hot and iced coffee and snacks/sandwiches to many people. We enjoyed the iced offering which Margot was told was cold pressed, and technique used to enhance the flavor of the cold coffee. I very much enjoyed this coffee, especially because I was losing steam and needed a boost. I drank it fast during a sock change and then headed back out to march that track as a soldier in the battle against cancer.

Nothing at the Derry Relay tastes as good as a McMoody egg sandwich early Saturday morning. These tasty sandwiches are the hallmark of the morning crew from the Derry Rotary and have their own special announcements when they are ready. They consist of scramlbed egg, Canadian bacon and cheese on a flat top grilled English muffin. They are so good at 6 AM when you still have six hours to go until you are done. I forgot to get a picture, but at 6 AM after being up most of the night my brain wasn't worked well. Enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee and donuts from the local Dunkin Donuts, it almost seems like there isn’t anything better!

(Jen and I showing Cancer who's boss!)

This year our team came in first again and raised over $11,500 in the fight against cancer. I met a recent cancer survivor (Jen) who has several weeks to go in her treatments and is extremely defiant in the face of her own diagnosis. At 11 AM I had one lap to go to reach my 30 mile goal and I chose to run it as a sign to anyone who was watching that cancer can come knocking, but it better not get comfortable. As I motored down the track Jen came up fast alongside me and with the comment “if you can do it, so can I” she kept running ahead of me. I still get goosebumps thinking about how awesome it was to have to chase someone with so much energy at time when her doctors think she should be suffering from low energy and be tired. We finished that lap to cheers from our teammates, something I will cherish forever. As a cancer survivor I have worked hard to give back in support everyone who must battle this disease. While this event doesn't pair well with my food-obsessed lifestyle, it does give me the ability to do something wonderful during my time on this planet.

Cheers!

Jason

Eating Where You Live and Work

(who wouldn't want to eat this? rainbow chard anyone?)

Margot and I are fortunate enough to have several farm stands of local farms (Elwood, Macks & Sunnycrest) within a few miles from home in Londonderry, NH. We patronize them weekly, sometimes daily, in the summer and fall months when their produce is available. The combination of it being grown right there with minimal transportation and the ability to inquire about what is about to ripen and when is fantastic. We have picked our own berries, apples and pumpkins almost every year we have lived in Londonderry. I have used produce from all of the farms to make wines, ciders and beers several years running.

When we can, we eat where we live. In 2009 friends of ours offered a half share in a pig, being raised by their neighbor next-door, and we have cheerfully eaten most of our score. I grow kitchen herbs, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and lavender in my own garden and freeze everything I can in the fall to use when it is no longer in season. These choices have ushered in home cooked food with fresh and clean flavors, a reduction of chemicals and processing and a lower impact on our natural world.

I recently began working in Boston again and was very excited when I first saw the Dewey Square Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bread, fruit, vegetables, cheese, roasted nuts, fresh cut flowers and sandwiches are available almost every day. The vendors vary from one day/week to the next, but their products always look and most certainly taste great! Being able to eat where I work while avoiding fast food and packaged choices is fantastic. The addition of the Clover Food Truck, which I wrote about last week, has attracted even more buzz and more patrons. If you work in Boston in the area of South Station you should follow Clover on Twitter at @cloverdwy. The daily updates on their menu are a fun way to decide where to eat when you didn’t bring from home.

Last week I interviewed a few vendors at the Dewey Square market to understand the benefits of the market to them and their patrons.

Allison Chase from Keown Orchards said that from the market “city residents have access to fresh produce and products they might not otherwise get” and “the farm gets good exposure which often results in visitors to the farm”. When asked about which products are their most popular Allison indicated that their honey is very popular and that in the fall they can bring up to 60 varieties of apples to the market. I can’t wait to try some types of apples I have never had before!

(Keown Orchards at the Dewey Square Farmers Market)

Beth Quinn co-owner of Q’s Sweet Roasted Nuts said that “patrons at the farm markets are more open to experimentation with flavors” and that they sell many more of their more exotic flavors here than at other retail locations. I have personally tried the Key Lime Ginger, Cayenne Mango and Mexican Chocolate flavors, none of which lasted long at all. Beth also feels that the farm market offers a great support network amongst the vendors and she hopes that the Dewey Square market becomes a permanent farm market in the city.

(Beth and a parton talking sweet roasted nuts!)

This year we have joined the Local Harvest CSA (community-supported agriculture project) run out of Concord, NH. We saw an article on the CSA trend in the Hippo Press and sought out what was available nearby. While we already eat healthy, we often return to the same vegetable options week over week, and we though a CSA might give us options that we would have to learn how to use and would definitely come to enjoy. Bingo! This is week two and we have already enjoyed baby pak choi for the first time. We have garlic scapes on deck from this week, something I am looking forward to working with.

The Local Harvest CSA is a cooperative of eight local organic farms with produce offerings of cantaloupe to kale greens, and all of the classics like tomatoes and lettuce as well. A bread share is also available for an additional fee. Margot and I signed up for the single share priced at $29 per week. Some back of the envelope math based on organic (for a fair comparison) produce available at our local markets suggests the price and quantities are competitive. We are sure to be challenged to come up with new recipes to use a wide range of produce we haven’t enjoyed before. We also get to support local farmers, ingest fewer chemicals and live a bit more gently. Mission accomplished.

(members, with Joan's help picking up shares)

This week we received the following items:

• Romaine lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Garlic scapes
• Chard
• Mixed field greens
• Dill
• Green onions

(is Margot really happy about green onions?)

Yesterday was a special day at the CSA pickup site, with visiting chef Mario Capozzoli (see photo below) of GreatGrandmother.org preparing recipes using ingredients’ from this week’s share. We talked with Mario a bit and found his down to earth philosophy on eating and living well to be consistent with our own, and a nice balance between not caring at all and the zealots who claim we shouldn’t eat almost everything. Mario prepared the following items using items we were taking home:

• Spinach and chickpea pesto style spread with garlic scapes on crusty bread
• Pea risotto wrapped in lettuce
• Orzo (maybe) pasta salad made with his own handmade cider vinegar

We talked to Joan O’Connor, the site manager to the Local Harvest CSA. Joan was so enthusiastic to talk with us, even turning us on the idea that earthworms were good food. She quickly explained that they can be dried and ground into a high protein flour that you wouldn’t know came from a worm. I’ll have to reserve another day to check that out and let you all know what kind of adventure that creates…

Joan is also the market manager for the Manchester Farmers Market and an earthworm vendor at the Concord Farmers Market. As a member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association she has a strong commitment to local, organic and sustainable farming and her list of involvements certainly supports those ideas. She indicated that Local Harvest has grown considerably since it began, and while it isn’t without a few glitches here and there, it runs smoothly and members are happy with the variety of items they get. So far we would have to emphatically agree.

I’m not one of the facist foodists that is going to tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat with hellfire and brimstone awaiting all your “bad” choices. What I can say is that every one of us can benefit from more local and a less packaged junk and overly processed foods. Try to eat where you live and work. Look for fresh, local produce where you live and work and replace other things in your diet with them. Look for local bakeries, livestock cooperatives and producers of food that comes from the shortest distance away. Be adventurous. Look for things you haven’t used before, find good recipes and experiment at home. You’ll never believe what you will find. When you do, all of us will eat and live better.

Cheers!

--Jason