My First (Successful) Mead/Melomel Ferment!

[Mynock]

I say successful because the first one only got "Ok". It was drinkable but "hot" with a burning alcohol aftertaste. Kept it too warm, and the fermentation went to fast.

The second one I kept in a cooler spot in the basement, slower ferment, got slightly better flavor, but because I made the mistake of using artificial yeast nutriant it wouldn't clarify, so it tasted better but looked all cloudy.

Third time was a charm. Spring Water, Honey, about a dozen Blood Oranges (cause they sounded cooler than regular Oranges), Raisins as a natural yeast nutrient, and plain old Fleischmann's bread yest. Cold fermented for 2 months on the fruit, racked into a secondary, and in another month it was perfect. Probably needs a few more months to mellow out but I don't know if it's going to last that long.

For some reason this dumb thing is turning my pictures sideways......

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[Mynock]

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When you open the pictures, they are right side up!

[Fred588]

I presume you are aware of this forum:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/

I have zero interest in brewing beer but I am a member there because they have a sub forum on carbonated beverages. Nearly all the discussion there is about beer and related stuff.

[Mynock]

Yup, I lurk on a couple brewing forums. Beer is a little more involved and needs some more (expensive) equipment, not sure if I want to get into that. Fermenting is relatively cheap, the glass carboys are the only really expensive piece of equipment I had to buy.

[Fred588]

Mostly I just carbonate water and then use that to mix with a whole range of things. Cranberry juice, tomato juice, pineapple juice, peach syrup, pear syrup, apple juice, ice coffee, and so on. Even the juice from a jar of green olives is pretty good in the right amount. I have come pretty close to duplicating Moxie (for those few who know what that is) using Angostura Bitters and have made what I call Good and Plenty Soda using vanilla and anise extracts.