Brewin_Bob

Recipes 

Before making the meads in my other thread, I think I should make a smaller one to help get the process down. I'm thinking a half gallon batch using a pound of honey. Per Hightest's spreadsheet, it should have an OG of 1.071 and I want to ferment it down to 1.010, similar to the other meads I have planned. With a batch this small, will I need the staggered nutrient additions or just one addition with the yeast? Thanks.

__________________

-- Kings Full Brewery --
-- Currently Being Remodeled --
Primary:None
Secondary:None
Conditioning:Lemstrac Wine, first mead
Bottled:None

CBBaron

Recipes 

I wouldn't bother with a 1/2 gallon batch. Do atleast a gallon. By the time you take into account all of your transfer losses and samples you might only get a couple bottles, which means you probably won't get the chance to sample them after they have aged. Even with my 2gal batches I feel I am only sampling them to see how they change with time. There isn't enough to just break out a bottle to enjoy.

That said with an OG of 1.070 any yeast will finish this dry fairly quickly. you will have to back sweeten to get to your 1.010. A SNA might be a good idea for the experience but with a low starting gravity it shouldn't be too much stress on the yeast so a single addition is probably sufficient, especially if you pitch 1/2 a pack or more of yeast.

Craig

hightest

Recipes 

I would agree that a ½ gallon is much too small a batch. The smallest size I've ever made was 2½-3 gallons. The only time I've used my 1 gallon jug was to make wine from the extra grape juice from my pyments.

hightest

Recipes 

The reasons for using supplemental nutrients in a mead must do not change just because the batch size changes.

The amount of nutrients used should be adjusted to the batch size, and in case no one has noticed, my mead calculator spreadsheet performs that adjustment automatically (rev 8) ...

Brewin_Bob

Recipes 

I noticed that! Your spreadsheet is great!

How about this then. 2 gallon batch with 5 lbs. of honey. Is that, in your opinion, too small for a beginner/sampling batch?

__________________

-- Kings Full Brewery --
-- Currently Being Remodeled --
Primary:None
Secondary:None
Conditioning:Lemstrac Wine, first mead
Bottled:None

CBBaron

Recipes 

I think that is a good sample size and a good original gravity to learn about mead fermentations. Follow the nutrient additions specified by hightest's spreadsheet and you should have good results.

Craig

Brewin_Bob

Recipes 

Cool. Thanks Craig and Hightest.

__________________

-- Kings Full Brewery --
-- Currently Being Remodeled --
Primary:None
Secondary:None
Conditioning:Lemstrac Wine, first mead
Bottled:None

hightest

Recipes 

That should be fine. For a beginner, that lower OG should help to minimize the possible issues you might experience with high garvity musts. Yet it is not too low...

However, you haven't mentioned what type of yeast you intend to use...

Brewin_Bob

Recipes 

I'm thinking WYeast 4184 for this one and WYeast 4632 for the other 2 meads I have planned (Birthday meads thread). Any suggestions/comments on the yeast?

__________________

-- Kings Full Brewery --
-- Currently Being Remodeled --
Primary:None
Secondary:None
Conditioning:Lemstrac Wine, first mead
Bottled:None

hightest

Recipes 

You might have noticed from other topics in this forum that I am not a fan of liquid mead yeast. I used a sweet mead yeast one time (years ago) and did not like its fermentation characteristic - slow, finicky, and $$.

Since that time I've only used dry yeast - the "old" standards (D47, EC-1118, 71B, K1V-1116, Champagne, etc.). However, I also use types that are not often used (Zymaflore VL3, 58W3, RC212, BA11, R2, Uvaferm 43, etc.)

I hope your liquid mead yeast experience turns out better than mine did...