So I've no made and tasted 2 batches based off JAO Mead.
The first batch was made just as the recipe says. I found it to be pretty good, but a little too bitter (I think maybe I cut the orange into smaller bits (thus more pith surface area contact) to get them past the demijohn's neck.
My second batch was a definite improvement. I did a side-by-side taste of batches 1 & 2 and much preferred the second batch despite the first batch being 8 months older.
The things I did differently for the second batch:
The second batch was a bigger batch (7.7L instead of 3.8L)
I did not scale up the other ingredient amounts (used the same 1 orange cut into 8 pieces, 25 raisins, 1 clove, 1 cinnamon stick).
I used 5 grams of D-47 yeast (plus Go-Ferm for rehydration) instead of supermarket Tandaco brand yeast,
Had higher starting and finishing gravities than the regular JOAM recipe (my Batch 2 was SG of 1.146, FG of 1.049).
I gave batch 2 some pure O2 when pitching yeast.
I added 2g Fermaid A and 3g DAP 3 days after pitching the yeast.
I stirred up the must every few days for the first couple of weeks before leaving it be.
First batch spent 9 weeks in demijohn, while second batch spent 11 weeks in demijohn.
