I recall seeing something somewhere concerning maiking wines or meads using Rosewater... I struck my fancy but I have no idea where to find Rosewater, what concentrations it comes in (I have never seen Rosewater), or how to flavor a wine/mead with it. I did a Google search and find Rosewater for cooking and for spraying on one's skin.
Does anyone have a recipe and source for Rosewater???
How about Saffron??
Thanks, A. J. Rawls Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Rosewater is often found in cakemaking supply stores. You can make your own by infusing fresh rosepetals in water over night and straining out the petals. (You can also make a great cordial by infusing the petals in vodka or rum and adding some sugar). Because petals float, you will need to use warm water &/or a weight to hold the petals below the surface of the water (without smushing them too badly).
This liquid can make a scrumptious mead.
If you can't get saffron in your local grocery store, you'll have to order through a catalog or online. Here's one good source.
Note: Saffron is the stamen of a flower. Therefore is Very Expensive. Fortunately, a little goes a long way.
-georg
I make my own by infusing roses in either warm water (~50-70 C) for 10 mins or so, or by bringing them with cold water to the boil on the stove.
Same technique would be fine I'm sure.
Ben
A.J. Rawls said whilst I was quaffing a mazer o' mead........
Hi A.J.,
I purchase rosewater at a Middle Eastern grocery here in Raleigh. I have also found rose syrup (used in flavoring drinks and coffees) in World Market. I make a rose mead by freezing heirloom rose petals (make sure no pesticides are used), putting them in a net bag in the secondary ferment, and finishing off by adding a bottle or two of rose water (depending on flavor levels). When I bottle, I add rose syrup to raise the sweetness to my preferred level, then bottle. It's a really interesting medium sweet mead. I've posted the recipe on GotMead.com in the recipe window (left side of the main page).
Regarding saffron, I haven't tried it in a mead yet, but I imagine that you could either infuse in in warm water and add it to your mead, or put the strands right in the mead. However, if you do the latter, I'd probably put it in either the secondary, or in the aging in bulk bottle (I age my meads in 5 gallon glass jugs).
Vicky - getting ready to head to Nashville for the week
Vicky Rowe - rennie, computer geek, & Meadwench
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