• kindnesskills@literature.cafe
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    18 hours ago

    In my foggy memory, mead tasted like very sweet beer, so I assumed some grain would be involved, but perhaps not.

    If the flavour comes only from honey (and the process), it’ll probably be a lot harder to imitate.

    • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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      15 hours ago

      Raw honey has a lot of flavor. And beer has barley and hops for flavor.

      Also the yeast contributes a lot. There are so many varieties of yeast.

      But the problem with pure sugar is that it’s one dimensional. The yeast go into overdrive and starts spitting out off flavors.

      • MinnesotaGoddam@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        pure sugar is that it’s one dimensional

        are we talking like, the white granulated shit? because we gave processed sugarcane and sugar beets to the cows as treats. also stole a little for ourselves (it still had plenty of sugar in the cane and beet after they’d extracted the sugar juice somehow. i don’t know how you juice a cane. then they sold it to us. don’t ask me how it works, i was a kid and this is what i was told) and they tasted great. i think it’s that we had the plant the sugar came from rather than just the sugar. the plant gave the sugar flavor depth. think how brown sugar (sugar without the molasses extracted) has a different flavor than white sugar.

        i’d still call the cane or the beet “pure sugar”, since that’s what they made the white granulated shit out of. that’s me tho, and the contexts i’d be using it in pure would mean more natural/unmodified/untainted than homogenous.

        • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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          2 hours ago

          Yeah, the white granulated stuff gives off flavors.

          brown sugar has molasses that adds some depth, or just add different flavorings.

          Different yeasts can sometimes save white granulated, but it’s more hassle than it’s worth, just add different sugars (in addition even) and you’ll get something that will have a chance of tasting okay.

          Also, yeast nutrient. Add some yeast nutrient. That can save a brew as well.