Another update!

I've tasted the "Barshacks Ginger Mead" recipe. Fuck it was horrible. Ok not horrible, but rather bland, and not as I'd expected. I followed the recipe as closely as I could - I had to use normal sugar, as I couldn't locate any "corn sugar", that shouldn't have been too much of an issue.

Unfortunately it just tasted like a watery version of normal newly brewed mead (normal, as in that "medicinal" or mouthwash taste suggested in the "Compleat Meadmaker" book by Ken Schramm), I could smell the ginger but there didn't seem to be any ginger flavour.

It's strange, because for a normal mead recipe, I'd have just used about 4lb of honey made up to 4.5 litres with water - Ok this one has added sugar, so what it's supposed to taste like exactly is a bit of a mystery to me.

What the fuck, I've said bollocks to it and added a further 3lb of honey and a further 6 or so Oz's of ginger.

I'll now have to wait and see what happens. I suppose I'll just rack it off the yeast in a month or so and then just seal the container and chuck it under the stairs to age.

Hell, this home brewing thing is interesting, but bloody hell, it does seem to take forever to make anything even vaguely drinkable. I'm glad I've invested in the still, because making straight alcohol and using commercial flavourings seems to be a bloody sight quicker. It also gives me the option, of actually having a go at making something like "proper spirits" if I want too, though I'd have to work out about making myself a proper "pot still" for, say, brandy or rum. Of course, I'd have to get some proper oak barrels as well, but I can take my time locating them.

TTFN