forces

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Im not sure what the mechanism is that causes this to work. If I had to take a stab in the dark, I would say that fusel alcohols have a high vapor pressure, and when you shake it up, or let it degas in the fridge, those trapped vapors are driven off. Same concept as shaking a can of soda, then openning it: all the CO2 comes out of solution. Shaking is just much faster than corking and letting it degas on its own.

forces

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This thread may be dead in the water, but I didn't want to post a new thread on a similar topic.... so here's my follow up:

I talked to a guy at my LHBS who has made a bunch of meads. His comment to my fusel alcohol problem was something to the tune of: "Every mead I've made has had some fusel alcohols, and it takes years for the flavors to mellow."

I've also done some other research, and it seems that some proclaim mead to produce a killer head ache. Some people also suggest that fusel alcohols are to blame for this. While that fact remains to be substantiated by any reputable scientific source, it doesn't seem to have been widely studied. (Wikipedia quotes some test on hangovers in animals... seemed pretty subjective). I've had store bough mead,Hidden Legend brand, that tastes just fine to me and didn't produce any memorable hangover. Soooo.... I know it's possible to make a solvent-free mead, I just haven't done it yet.

Anyone have any words of wisdom on creating a fusel-alcohol-free mead? I am planning on using Wyeast liquid "4632 Dry Mead Yeast" with a decanted DME stir plate starter for my next batch.

biochemedic

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Love that yeast strain, first of all...

To answer your question, in short *manage your fermentation well!* Healthy, happy, unstressed yeast will ferment cleaner, and with less off flavors/byproducts...

To expand:

1) Proper pitch rate --Make an appropriate sized starter for your OG and volume, or pitch an appropriate weight of rehydrated dry yeast (hint: it will be more than one 5 gm packet if doing a full size batch!) I would not use DME to make a starter for mead. AFAIK the general wisdom for starters is to ferment what you intend to ferment -- honey in this case. It doesn't have to be expensive honey...I use Sam's Club clover honey for starters. From what I've read, there is some science behind this -- they types of enzymes a yeast up-regulates during it's growth cycle will depend on the predominant source of fermentable sugar. I give my honey starters the same oxygen and nutrient treatment as I do the mead.

2) Oxygenate. Consider a second shot of oxygen 12 hrs or so after pitching

3) Staggered Nutrient Additions

4) Degas frequently during active fermentation.

5) Watch your temps. Be aware that internal temp may be higher than ambient.

__________________
Packaged: Vienna Simcoe SMaSH, Mayan Stout, Caramel Quad, Basic Spiced Cider, Spur of the Moment Graff
Recent Meads: Cherry Melomel, Belgeglin, Bochet
Primary: Fresh Simple Cyser
Secondary: Why do I keep this line here...?
Bulk Aging: Mead Day '11 Ginger Metheglin, Cocobochet, Mead Day '12 Traditional (orange blossom) Mead
Planned: Hop Metheglin #3 (NZ hops), Trad. Gesho T'ej

forces

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Thanks for the advice. It think temp control and strain selection were my two biggest errors... i plan on altering both of these, as well as yeast medium (liquid instead of freeze-dried).

I, too, wondered about this. So I emailed Wyeast about it. Here is the brief conversation.

ME:

"I usually make starters for BEER using dry malt extract. I understand that one of the reasons for using DME instead of, for example, pure glucose, is that the yeast will adapt and stop producing the enzymes needed to break down maltose, maltriose, etc. Honey is composed of 31% dextrose, 38% Levulose, 7%maltose, 1.5% high sugars and 1.3% sucrose. DME has no, or very little, fructose in it. Will this be an issue if I use DME for a mead starter? Will the yeast become "accustomed" to a low fructose enviornment and later not be able to properly ferment it to alcohol?

I like the idea of DME becuase I know it already has all the nutrients needed, but I don't know if that will cause a problem with the yeast when it is pitched into a honey must. I do have Wyeast nutrient and energizer (diammonium phosphate) on hand if a honey starter is preferable. Thanks again for your help"

Wyeast Microbiologist response:


"You can use one Activator in your must, but I would recommend, if you have the time and gear, to make a starter. This will allow the fermentation to progress faster.

I don't think it is necessary to use multiple strains for this fermentation.

Please let me know if you have other questions.


(NAME OMITTED)
Brewer/Microbiologist"

So I went ahead with the starter tonight..... I am gonna cold crash it when its done and decant it in a few days before pitching, reason being that I don't want to introduce "fermented" barley into the mead. I hope decanting will leave the barley-water solution behind.

Insomniac

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Is it me, or did he not answer your question at all?

biochemedic

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^this...unless the reply's mention of "strains" refers to various types of sugars?
I feel gratified that they are emphasizing starters as much as myself, but I don't think they really answered the question at hand.
Perhaps forces can e-mail (Name Omitted) back and ask for clarification...

Can you explain? By strain selection, I assume you're talking about which yeast you're using, but what do you mean by liquid vs freeze-dried yeast medium?

In terms of yeast strains, there are lots of great strains that make great mead...the Wyeast Dry strain just happens to be my favorite/'go-to' strain for most meads. I do, however use others -- 71B, White Labs Dry English Cider, even some 'beer' yeast.

__________________
Packaged: Vienna Simcoe SMaSH, Mayan Stout, Caramel Quad, Basic Spiced Cider, Spur of the Moment Graff
Recent Meads: Cherry Melomel, Belgeglin, Bochet
Primary: Fresh Simple Cyser
Secondary: Why do I keep this line here...?
Bulk Aging: Mead Day '11 Ginger Metheglin, Cocobochet, Mead Day '12 Traditional (orange blossom) Mead
Planned: Hop Metheglin #3 (NZ hops), Trad. Gesho T'ej

TheBrewingMedic

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As you will hear echoed through multiple responses....yeast managment, degas as needed, oxygenate when appropriate, feed (give nutrients even with a starter) so they don't starve, watch your ferment temperature (D47 is the notorious one for fusel production of 70*F but they all have their quirks) ....Keep the yeast happy and keeps the fusels away

forces

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All that is meant by that is that I'll be using a liquid yeast rather than a dry package of yeast.
They answered the question as to whether a DME starter or a Honey starter should be used.... the question about the yeast needing to be cultured in a fructose-rich environment was neglected. Could be that she didn't know.

What wasn't included here was a previous email, where I asked if Wyeast 4632 had the same problems with high osmotic pressures that EC-1118 does, where it would be good to start with a yeast that handles high OG's then finish with a dry-mead yeast. Her response above is that there is no need to do that.

2.) I am toying with the idea of doing an open fermentation this time around. Probably not more than for the first 7 days.

3.) The only two yeast-aiding products that i have at my disposal are Wyeast powdered Nutrient and DAP. I haven't been able to find any kind of consensus for a nutrient/ energizer schedule. Last time I just added 1 TSP nutrient + 2 TSP DAP at the time that I pitched, then another TSP of DAP about 1 week in. Any reason to alter this on the next batch?

4.) planning on stirring it up with a brew spoon once a day until it goes to secondary. May once everyother day if it stays in primary more than 2 weeks

5.) This is a bit tricky for me. Ambient temps are usually 68-72*F. I could fill my 10 gallon brew pot with water, and submerge the plastic fermenter there by reducing drastic swings in temp. I've never tried this method, however.

Insomniac

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Where did she say that? I only see that she says using a starter is good practice, no info on how best to make that starter.

forces

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Sh*t. I just realized that I posted a quote from the wrong email reply.... yeah thats confusing as hell.

Here was the actual response:

"I would recommend using DME for this starter as well. The main reason DME is a great base is the fact that it has all of the nutrients the yeast needs… not just a sugar source. I would recommend using nutrient and dap in the main must.

Please let me know if you have other questions."

^