Orange Creamsicle Mead

Primary:

• Make starter with Go-Ferm
  
• Mix Orange Blossom Honey with 3 Gallons water
  
• Add Orange Zest from 9 oranges in steeping bag
  
• Add yeast
  
• Let ferment for 2 weeks while TOSNA
  
• Remove orange zest
  
• Add frozen peeled oranges
  
• Add vanilla beans and toasted coconut (in steeping bag)
  
• Add high dose of Pectic Enzyme
  
• Ferment to completion
  
  Secondary:
  
• Transfer
  
• Add sweet orange peel in steeping bag
  
• Add Sparkelloid for fining
  
• Stabilize with Potassium Sorbate and Metabisulfite
  
• Rest for 48 hours
  
• Add Lactose
  
• Backsweeten to 1.045 and bottle on correct flavor from sweet peel
  
  Brewer's Notes:
  Initial Primary fermentation needs yeast nutrient, it runs slow otherwise even though the Ph was 4.0. Was sweeter before the addition of the actual oranges, so remove as much pith as possible and try to use the sweetest oranges you can find. Maybe reduce the amount of oranges and pulp the thawed bags before adding to fermenter. May not need toasted coconut, could be lending an oily mouth feel.