AintLifeGrand

Recipes 

Like the title says, this is my first batch of mead. Just wanted to get any tips or insight from some of you experienced mazers on the recipe I have put together.

1 gallon recipe
about 3lbs of local honey (variety honey, mostly galberry and wildflowers)
1 campden tablet (crushed)
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp malic acid
1 tsp yeast nutrient
spring water was used to top up to almost 1 gallon.
o.g. was 1.124

I didnt heat the honey, just mixed with water and shook until everything was disolved. I know there is a lot of debate on whether or not to adjust the ph before fermentation, but this is what I've done. The ph of the must before adding acids was above the range on my ph strips which goes to 4 or 5, i think. The acids I added brought the ph down to around 3.3.

Do you think this mead will ferment dry? or have residual sweetness? I'm thinking it will go dry due to my yeast selection. Any thoughts on adjusting the ph prior to fermentation?

thanks in advance for any thoughts or criticism on this recipe.

AintLifeGrand

Recipes 

oops.. forgot to say I used champagne yeast

robin850

Recipes 

If you keep an eye on it and keep it in a stable room temperature environment it should do fine and finish fairly dry. I never make 1gal batches, they disappear too quickly!

cheers,

robin850

AintLifeGrand

Recipes 

Yeah, I normally don't do 1 gallon batches of anything, matter of fact this is the first. I wanted to do something that will age well (hopefully anyway) and didnt want to spend a lot of money on a batch of something I'm not even sure I will like.

It's been 48 hours since I pitched my rehydrated yeast and the gravity has gone from 1.124 to 1.092. I've been aerating with a lees stirrer I made out of a chop stick with a notch cut in it with a piece of plastic pulled through the notch so that it is tight. The plastic bends to get through the opening of the 1 gallon glass jug, then springs back into shape. I put this in my drill and whip the heck out of the mead to degass, seems to be doing a good job. I will probably aearate one more time tonight and that will be it for degassing/aerating.

I wonder If I should add any more yeast nutrient or some yeast energizer now that I'm almost at the 1/3 sugar break.

DisturbdChemist

Recipes 

My first mead still bubbles rarely and it been a month an a half since i placed it in the 1 gal jug and now it crystal clear. Soon i'll move it to another and let it age till christmas.