Lavender: A Love Story

I couldn't think of a spiffier title, so this one will have to do for now.

In preparation for the Tir Righ A&S Competition in September, I am making a lavender cure as written in De Materia Medica:

                                        

                                      1 pound bruised lavender(wrapped in ta thin linen cloth) 

                                      into nine gallons of must (new wine/unfermented juice) 

                                      and also put in small stoned so that the bundle subsides

                                     to the bottom. After 40 days strain is and put it in another jar.

I am using grape juice, without any preservatives, as I was unable to find must in my area.  I have drastically adjusted the amounts as I have neither the room or need for 9 gallons of anything.  

Here are the pictures documenting this process:

Linen, lavender and rocks to weigh it down.

Bundle, juice and jar.

Bundle in the juice (August 19, 2013)

Herbs in juice - some sediment on the bottom of the jar (September 13, 2013)

  At the advice of another member of the Society, I am also fermenting the lavender and juice with wine yeast.  I am hoping to see which one turns out best.

The package of yeast.

The yeast in water according to the package directions.  It worked out to be about an 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Yeast, juice and lavender (August 19, 2013)

Fermentation - lots of little bubbles on the surface of the juice. (August 24, 2013)

Fermentation - no bubbles or material on the top, there is some sediment at the bottom (September 13, 2013)