Let's Make Acai Mead - This One was a Little Sketchy!
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- How to make an Acai Mead. While a pretty simple recipe, the ingredients weren't that easy to get. Acai berries come from a type of palm tree... I did not know that. This mead had some.... sketch, along the way. How did it end up?
Ingredients:
28 oz (800 grams) Acai Berry Smoothie Pack (We used Pitaya Foods Smoothie Packs)
1/4 teaspoon Wine Tannin: amzn.to/42L9fYC
1/2 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme: amzn.to/3BqCap6
1 package Red Star Premier Classique: amzn.to/3BmD2eM
3 lbs (1.36 kg) Wild Flower Honey: amzn.to/3I6o67Y
2.5 grams Fermaid O: amzn.to/44Z5Yqv
96 oz (2.839 Liters) Water
Additions:
Back sweeten with Honey (We went to 1.030)
How does it taste after one year of aging?: • Is Acai Mead any Good ...
Racking: • Racking Homemade Mead,...
Pasteurization: • Easiest Way to Pasteur...
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I was looking at Achacha - A highly prized fruit from the Amazon basin. Reputed to have a unique taste that has a balance of sweetness and acidity.
Sounds like a possible nice wine.
If we can find it :)
I said it once, and I'll say it a thousand times more. I absolutely love your guys' vibes. Every video you two put out, makes me smile, and I've been needing it a LOT lately. So thank you for being as awesome as you are!
Thank YOU for watching.
You could make the removal of the purée easier by leaving it frozen and putting it into a pitcher, then letting it melt. Of course, that would require an extra few hours.
Unrelated to this video but I thought you might be interested; I just finished up a 3 gallon brew using your Sangria recipe. I didn't think I was going to like it at first but after it settled it became really good. I modified it slightly by adding about 3/4 of a cup of dried apricots I had left over from another project but other than that it was your recipe. I think I will be doing that one again. Thanks Derica and Brian for all I've learned from y'all.
My brazilian heart is very happy seeing you guys using açaí
I think one of the great things about your guys' videos are that you can watch them intently or have them playing in the background and be just as interested.
100% agree on sweetness levels. I can't count the number of times I've been told this or that is way too sweet but then I try it and it needs more sweetness. It's all going to depend on the person.
This mead goes on the to make list for sure as soon as the juice is on sale!
Thats exactly the way I grew up hearing my dad say scissors I love it.
I made a Dragon fruit mead the same was tastes great. Put it in my Dragons blood on place of raspberry
When cooking food with a high oil/fat content i generally put it in the refrigerator overnight to congeal them into a more solid form so it is easier to skim off the fats. You might try it for this issue. I believe it should not affect the brew adversely
It would be like cold crashing.
They can't fit some of these fermenters in the fridge, though...
@@not-on-pizza where there's a will there's a way. However I understand that many may not be able to fit the larger fermenters in a fridge. But a chest freezer could be used as a refrigerator as well for larger fermenters. Just don't set it as cold.
I'm just finishing up a peach mead. It's been 2 months since I started it. There is about 8 minutes between bubbles. Should bottle it in about a month.
Wow that’s awesome! A new 10 for the list
I had a Blackberry melomel that was very heavy pulp and the top layer filled all of the head space in the fermenter...I was really surprised. Had to rack it after 11days.
Hey, we have a lot of açaí in north Brazilian. :)
Açaí is really a fruit with a lot of oil...
When I have crystalized honey, I place the jar in a pan of simmering water that goes up at least halfway on the jar. After a while, the honey has been reliquified and useable, but it will recrystallize fairly quickly.
If you ever have trouble getting out the oils just by racking, you can sanitize a paper towel and dab the top. It’s how my mom used to get excess oil out of the pan when cooking.
I did some checking and açai berries are actually used to make açai oil (well, the seeds) and it’s possible enough of those seeds were in the pulp to create that oil slick. The oil is said to be green. I found sources for cosmetics and for consumption.
Despite the adventure this one was, it seems to me this mead really was a succes! Wow! A 9.5 and a 10! It’s a pity I haven’t seen açai berry pulp sold where I live. I found some mixed in with other fruit but not on their own.
Question: I’ve made your spiced metheglin three times now (because it’s wonderful!). I re-watched your videos on it and yours is always clear. Each time I used a different honey and each time mine remained very hazy. When making another mead with the same honeys, those came out clear. I’ve used whole spices and last time I even rinsed them to be certain nothing would be sticking to them. It’s the weirdest thing. Any ideas on what might be going on?
My current batch has finished fermentation in January. It’s still hazy as heck.
As for clearing…. I couldn’t say! Might be the specific spices either of us used?
@@CitySteadingBrews - I followed your recipe to a tee. That’s what’s so strange. All of the other recipes that came from your channel and that I’ve made so far cleared in the same manner and to the same level yours dis. This one stumps me.
It still tastes wonderful so I’ll keep making it!
I mean brand of spices. Maybe they are processed differently? Best guess.
@@CitySteadingBrews - That makes sense. It’s the only variable that does. That would mean it’s probably the allspice berries. I’ve used the other spices in other brews with no clarity issues. Whoda thunk!
You can take back sweetness if you make it to sweet. It is with tas and other things that can be added after it is finished. I had a basic mead that was over the top sweet and that is saying something for me. I Had a heap of organic camomile teabags that I added to it that brought the sweetness right down and has made it really palletable now. Other things that can be used is nettles as they are a bitter herb and will work and, not that i have added it yet but will do for a flavor profile, is rosehip. I'm lucky in the fact that rosehip grows wild in abundance just up the road so am going to get some to add. :)
I will probably have to do something similar when I do the first racking of the corn mead I made a week ago. Was going for a poppycock snake inspired mead using mostly wildflower honey and some almond honey. Made a.stock from five corn cobs with the juice of one lemon and a few Myrtle sweet leaves. The wort roasted the corn kernels in the oven, popped a cup worth of popping corn, and used magnum hops at the end of boil. Just made a acerglyn version of your lapsang souchhong tea mead yesterday. The fermation started up pretty active for the maple mead and I had to change the airlock with a blow off tube with a plastic bottle with water with some Starsand in it. The first gravity reading was 1.120 and more confident in this mead than my first one.
That has to be one of the most interesting experiments you've done. It looked bonkers in the initial vessel! And then to watch you both just emptying your glass. What a delight! This recipe is one that's entirely possible, if not a bit scary, because of the oil slick. A bit more of a challenge than I'm looking for but fun to watch!
Yes indeed - I'm two days into this and it's clear acai berry puree does contain some sort of oil. Its formed around the Kreusen ring area and its beginning to pool. According to Google, this berry's oil happens to be very healthy and is used in cosmetic applications. Im thinking of using a floating sanitized circle ( or two ) of cheesecloth to pick them up, pre racking.
28:52 You call that 'swamp water'??? You haven't seen swamp water until you've seen my Ratatoskr Chestnut Mead 🌰🐿. It started out like a bucket of mud and was bottled with the colour and clarity of chocolate milk.
I'm glad you made this. I've been debating trying ghe same thing in a mead. I'm glad to know about things like the oil I'd be up against.
Jabuticaba fruit is one I’d like to try making a mead/wine from. Açaí reminds me of cranberries so I would imaging this one to be really good. Another great video guys! Happy Mother’s Day! I’m a dog person myself but in your case I’ll accept cats as kids. This time…
I recently put some whole garlic cloves, sliced jalapeños, and fresh rosemary from my yard in some olive oil in a jar. When I checked it out to smell it yesterday it popped when I loosened the cap and I saw a lot of bubbles rising through the stuff in the oil. I didn’t know fermentation could start in oil. But at this point it smells really good.
I've experienced a "wheat-i-ness" on a traditional semi sweet before. I really liked the "wheat"
How did you know I was about to make an acai mead? Great video! Thanks
We use those packets for smoothies. There is definitely an oil in the product. Ends up on the walls of our blender. Not sure if it was added and not listed or a natural part of the berries themselves.
more then likely that brew will turn out to be outstanding
the honey police......sorry made me remember the SNL skit Belushi did years ago, love you guys🤣
I was the one who recommended this amd i am REALLY glad yours came out great! I used Sambazon Acai juice but ill definitely try the smoothie mix next time! I also had weird results and TONS of sediment too
Not sure I would use the puree again, lol.
I have had similar experiences trying to get the solids out of squeeze packets. Cut the top and use a spoon to scoop out the solids, DON'T fold in half and toothpaste squeeze it.
Acai juice is a drink that gives you energy all day almost like coffee in the morning, I like it. I was thinking of making wine from it. I hope you let it age for a year and see how it comes out. If I over sweeten I add distilled water to taste and let it ferment for a week or so more.
I've seen acai in the store. This was a cool experiment.
I love the taste of Acai berry juice. Definitely want to try this
wow that's high scores from both of you! Can't wait to see what age will do to it.
"There's dinosaurs in that!"
Perfect description from Derica......LOL
I know a possible way to remove the oil from inside the primary fermentator.
When I learnt french style cookery, we were taught to remove difficult to remove oil from the surface of soup stock with long strips of paper.
The oil clings the to surface of the paper all along its length. You then throw it away, and use a fresh strip.
At home I normally use paper towels to do this.
Of course, the paper would need to be sanitised somehow...
I love your' show and am on regularly. I used to make homebrew back in the 70 s and made a VVVery simple brew with just a 5 gal crock, 4 lb bag of sugar 1 can of blueribbon syrup and 1 pk of Fleishmans yeast .Moms newighbor told me how to do . Out on the garage floor with a cloth over it tied with a string and it came out quite nice. SO, did I just get lucky or what. felix Hoy
You two keeo getting better. Great video, great advice. Thanks.
When I hear you say it, I think Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series
Thank you so much, I am making a mulberry acai wine and I got the green tint with oil slicks and was really worried, I feel better now!
Glad I could help!
"The air is sweet, and fragrant."
could you try a butter scotch mead brew?
Maybe!
We have the same açaí packets. Walmart sells them in the frozen isle
Have you guys ever thought of, or heard about adding the Fermaid O in 2 stages? At the onset of fermentation and the other half between 1/4 and 1/3 sugar depletion.
Oils is a frequent consideration for my meads too because most of the dried fruit I can get for my meads (raisins, cranberries etc) list sunflower oil as an ingredient on the package. I have not had a problem so far though
I have the same issue. Try rinsing the dried fruit in hot water for a couple minutes. I found this gets rid of some of that
Doin' the Most used Dawn dish soap to wash the oil off of dried cranberries. LOL!
Brian is the most dad ever
Hmm?
@@CitySteadingBrews Incomplete sentences seem to be a new internet lingo thing.
@@CitySteadingBrews dad jokes
As soon as I saw the red packet I was like "ok, where's the scissors?"
Great video guys. Thanks as always.
I made some forbidden purple rice and I took the water and I made some sake I guess your rice wine with it with some dried cherries and black tea
Interesting video 😊. I've lived in South Florida for 40 years and never heard of acai berry. I looked it up and the taste is said to be a little bitter and nutty. Sounds like a good mix for some "acai/coffee" wine 😅❤
Acai Berries are native to Brazil. It has only become popular in USA Health Trends in the last decade.
I would have dumped this in the oil slick stage... you fixed it, waited it out, and ended up producing a 10... kudos to you
Thanks. We always say don't dump unless you have to!
I just want to say it made me happy when you said skizers I say the same thing 😂😂😂
With that messy first rack that you had to do, it almost feels better to dig too low (into the lees), since that way you have more room to avoid the surface goop.
So many of your recipes are easy-peasy throw together and get great results. It's kind of fun to see a recipe you guys had to really work and noodle over to get good results. I'm glad it came out so well. If I ever get a shot at shopping a Publix, I might give this a go. The looks on your faces when you looked down into the swamp swill stage still has me giggling. Brings to mind when I grew an actual slime mold on a batch of nectarine wine. Ewww, what is that???
They can't all be easy! We love showing the process, good and bad... it's all great to show people how to do this at home.
This video was a great learning experience. If I had seen that oil slick in one of my brews, I would have been very tempted to ditch it. Watching you guys work through the problem was an inspiration.
I would like to add that I really miss not seeing the final bottled product. Don't need to watch you do the bottling, but the process lately feel a little "truncated" with videos ended with the brew in a pitcher. Not that it would keep me from watching or anything. Just tweaks my OCD a little.
I recently have taken an interest in home brewing and I love the content you both put out. This video in particular is equal parts hilarious and informative! I think as my first mead, I'm going to replicate this recipe. I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.
😅 I'm so glad that turned out well!
There was so many times during the video I thought this was going to be the first throw away online... But I know you guys, and you're not so mean to put up an hour video and then just throw out the end product!😂😂😂
I have to admit, at one time it look like a part of my mom's chili that was in the refrigerator for two months 😢😊😂😂😂
Brian: “if you watched four or five of our videos”
Me (a city stealing brews need watcher): no…. Not good enough, you must watch them ALLLLLLLL!!!
Lolol. I’m helpless…
Ha!
A solution to the oil would be to blend the mix and add a little water. Then in a freezable container freeze it but give it time in fridge to separate oil. Then freeze it and scrape off oil ones frozen.
You could… or just rack it like we did :)
12:43 “Every yeast is sacred.” Nice Monty Python reference!
As a Brazilian how is starting tô levar about homebrewing i love to ser my country's fruits being represented. You should try doing something with jaboticaba, If you can find It anywere
Next time, throw them in frozen and let then defrost in fermentor. No juice wasted then in the packets. Love the videos
Frozen fruit in a fermentation will delay fermentation.
Wow was not expecting a 10. 😂. Long video it took me a bit to get through. But love it.
BRYAN!! You forgot to
"THWACK YOUR PACKET!!"
I thought so too….
'Every yeast is sacred' 😂😂😂
I also use the rubber bands from my produce!
Hey, they work!
Publix has Acai juice in bottles in the refrigerated juice section.
We didn’t see it at ours.
@@CitySteadingBrews After I saw it recently they didn’t have it.
I asked them to keep some for me.
They haven’t been out since.
I drink some in the AM for arthritis pain.
I’m going to look for them in the freezer!
Just google foo'd acai berrys and they have 25-40% oil contents, so probably not a long term storage drink @00:24:00
Well… the oils floated out so probably not a problem.
Hey Brian. I’m going to make an uncarbonated apple wine and put it in a small barrel for aging whiskey ( from Amazon). My plan is to keep it in a shed outside so it can be exposed to extreme cold and heat. My question is, is this a terrible idea, and if not how long would it be acceptable to keep it in the barrel?
Unless it’s a huge barrel, I wouldn’t. They do that with 50+ gallon barrels due to surface to barrel contact being lower so they have to leave it longer. With 1 gallon you just don’t need or want that much extraction.
I'm sorry, I have a question not really related to this video:
I'm making a blueberry mead currently and it stopped fermentation about a month ago. It became clear and all, I tasted it and it tasted quite ready, wine strong. I gave up on gravity readings since I had problems with it from the get go (my wine thief doesn't fit in the jug and I had to pour some unfinished mead out to add more honey).
After test tasting it and leaving it be for a couple weeks with some oak chips, it started fermentation again! Could it be that it just stalled somewhere in the 10-14 ABV range and now the oak chips added some nutrients or something and now it will give out a percent or two? I used Lalvin 71B for yeast so in theory it shouldn't go much higher than 14.
I had put 2l of honey in it (but in reality it's a bit less because I added it in two parts and was an idiot and didn't originally leave enough room for the second addition of it...) and it was semi-sweet, almost sweet, according to the standards video.
Worther's. I want to watch you guys figure out how to ferment Worther's!
Acai has that bitter aftertaste, always. Part of it's character
Love your videos. Watching them started me to brewing in my own. Have you ever tried making a Honey Dew or Cantaloupe melon mead?
We haven't. But it is on the list!
Masterbaster😂
If you have not made elderberry yet, the oils will be present in that as well if pureed, or too much stem-age.
would love to see a banana foster mead
Just received 2 Little Big Mouth fermenters for my birthday, and one has my first mead bubbling away right now.
I am hoping to use these fermenters for many years and I would like to upgrade the gaskets are they available, and where? Thanks, your channel is wonderful, and I believe that I have a new hobby.
We have yet to use anything but he stock gaskets. I would think Northern Brewer has replacements.
I'm curious if the reason this turned out so well may be due to acai berries' higher pH levels than most other fruit (around 7 range; many other berries like blueberries ~3-4 pH) and lead to a more optimal fermentation range for the yeast. Just a wild guess 🥂
3-4 is the ideal pH for most yeast :)
A little trivia: açaí heart of palm is very bitter. I do not recommend. Here in Brazil, the most common, with a more neutral flavor is the heart of palm of pupunha. But the açaí fruit is very good. I need to do this now!
I'm curious, I have never attempted to make any fermented beverage and I want to try my hand at it! I found an Acai juice powder and was interested if it would work in a Mead/Wine, also I love the vibe y'all give off. Makes me want to keep on watching!
I have not used the powder... couldn't say if it could work or not.
@@CitySteadingBrews I was wondering the same. I also see the powder much cheaper and more available. I wouldn't mind trying if you could weigh in a little bit on these thoughts. I'm assuming add as much powder to get to the specific gravity desired and of course would probably need an acid to help balance and brighten? What would your best guess be and ways to go forward on this?
I would say measure and test. Without any idea what this powder is it's really hard to give specific advice.
Word of the day: Honey Police 😂
When cleaning up, what do you do with your lees cake? Do you dry it out a bit and throw in the bin or compost? Do you wash it down the sink? Can you think of any ideas of reusing it in any way, such as nutrient source for other non-brewing projects?
Compost.
A terrible packet is a non tearable packet... That should be on y'all next shirt
yoo i tried this once. weird and oily from the aseptic puree. thick layer on top i had to go through to siphon just like yours. i used waaay too much pea blossom flower though so it wasnt great.
It could have stalled and adding the chips was just enough to get it to ferment again.
Hey Brian! In my first mead I found a white opaque-ish film in the first inch from the top of my brew, I read it could be a mild bacterial infection. I added frozen blueberries, some vanilla extract and just in case I also added a Campden tablet if it was an infection. Other than that the smell and taste was fine. If it does come back I might restart to be safe.
What do you think?
If you added camden tabs it’s unlikely to be an infection.
@@CitySteadingBrews oh I added the tablet and the blueberries in secondary, after I saw the film from the primary fermentation
Perctic Enzyme helps to break down the plant matter... Wouldn't breaking it down make it less likely to fall out of suspension?
edit: I just got to the end and I'm wondering if the pectic enzyme contributed to the amount of oils released... Could be entirely unrelated though.
PE breaks down pectin. That then falls out of suspension.
The oils are in the fruit.
Howdy long time listener first time messager. Could u use a paper towel to pull the oil off like u would when making a soup or sauce? BTW we love y'all and brewing with ya!
I wouldn’t. Either use a baster or rack like we did.
I'm sure you've been asked this before, but i couldnt find the info on your website
What is the jar you are using in this video for primary fermentation?
It's the Little Big Mouth Bubbler and it's linked in the description of this video.
Question: Is there anything you can ferment that may be non-toxic going in but would be toxic or somewhat toxic coming out due to some weird chemical reaction involving the alcohol?
Nothing I know of.
All my frozen berry wines etc turn out fantastic, even freeze fresh fruit first, the best, what is going on with acai berry?
You have to watch til the end...
Off topic of this video. But I'm trying to make a fizzy one. I know you guys got a video but I can't find it. Is there any chance that you can link it in a video, comment back on this comment or refresh and do a video about it. I know you've grown and learned more.😊
ruclips.net/video/ZnFMPJ5vGTA/видео.html
Cold crash it the oils and fats may be easier to remove that way
True. They racked out nicely though.
I love watching your videos no matter what your making
hey fam! You or someone else may know the answer-but is there like a definitive list on which ingredients to avoid when picking out a commercial juice? I have a juice I'd like to try in one but the last ingredient is ascorbic acid. Is that going to win against a lot of yeast or will the yeast win that battle? Have any of you tried with that or any -ates or -ites additives? I would think that manufactures are worried more about stopping a few floating air yeasts and not anticipating a whole packet being dumped in and it would be fine. Or maybe not?
Preservatives. They can stop or stall yeast but yeast are alive and sometimes can overcome it. But… it could stress them anyway and cause off flavors.
Ascorbic acid may just need aging to help. Most times it’s not even noticable.
Lol...I do the same thing Brian. Skissors, kuh-nife, & deliberately mispronounce other words too. Photo-graphy, geo-graphy, etc.
Tor till a.
Hello again , any thing i should know when making a brew from Nectar juice ? say like Mango nectar
ruclips.net/video/WnImlHeCgUc/видео.html
What would be the best recommendation for racking with alot of solids? mine looks like this (minus the oils) there is fruit solids on top and bottom in a 5 gallon big mouth bubbler its 8" of sediment on bottom and 2" of floating goop on top I have a racking wand with the cap but the fruit solids plug the cap
Rack from the middle and just try to avoid the solids and oils.
Hey there...another fun video!! I'm about to dive back into all grain beer brewing (saved my pennies for a Spike Solo system)....and in my research I'm coming across a LOT of videos about Kviek yeasts. There are several strains of it isolated on the US market, and most of it appears to ferment VERY fast, at higher temperatures without off flavors.
I was wondering if ya'll had considered doing something with some of the Kviek yeast strains? I hear it is also quite ABV tolerant...at least most strains...so, maybe would work good for mead?
I've seen hints there and there good for mead and cider, but not much out there on it.
The kviek yeast also apparently cleans up well after itself quickly...so, wondering if it would make for a more "mature" mead in record time, without having to actually wait year or so?
Anyway...curious of your thoughts and if you might try some ciders and meads with some of the Kviek variants (Voss, Lutra, etc....)
Thanks in advance,
CC
We have not tried it. Essentially when the cost is more in line with typical yeasts we might look at it! For now… it’s just more expensive and a lot of our audience won’t go for that.
@@CitySteadingBrews Ok thanks for the reply!! Hmm...I had bought some locally and it was about the same, I thought as the typical Ale/Wine dry yeasts I usually use. I checked on Norther Brewers for the dry stuff...it was about $6.99...the other dry yeasts were about $4.99-$5.99.
So, it's a little more that's true, I honestly hadn't noticed.
But one thing I've been looking at is...the RE-use of the stuff. Apparently it is very easy to either harvest...or just dump more fermentable liquids right on top and off it goes again. Apparently a little goes a LONG way with Kviek yeasts....I'd seen one YT brewer that basically buys his preferred strain of Kviek once a year and reuses/harvests it all year. And only buys a mother after a year to prevent possible mutations.
So, I dunno...if you approached it that way, it actually becomes very economical.
Again, I've not tried it yet myself...but that aspect of it fascinated me and I plan to explore it.
Anyway, just tossing ideas out there...ya'll have a great day.
(PS is it as hot there as it is now here in New Orleans...whew!!)
Can you use a coffee filter folded into a point to just touch the oil spots to wick out? Or is there a contamination potential using a coffee filter?
I suppose you could but racking worked just fine.
First time ever I try again berry wine, yes little frozen packs, I thaw add all my fave ingredients, I always cook my water in sugar and let it cool, l add everything, then pitch. Hydro read, date ,wait, 2 weeks, looks like melted chocolate? Taste ok. So transfer to another canter, and it starts fermentation like crazy, foaming 😱 so l split it up, it's like a melted smoothie,? What the heck?