Maple Mead

KemP130 · 12-23-2011, 05:18 PM

I am going to attempt to make maple mead in the next few weeks, just posting my recipe for critique.

3 quarts water
1 quart maple syrup
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast
10 rasins

This should put me at a SG of 1.093.

I might backsweeten before bottling to carb.

**Golddiggie** · 12-23-2011, 05:33 PM

I have a maple mead that I started on 12/4. I used 5 quarts grade B syrup with 3 gallons of water (4.25 gallons total volume). I used yeast energizer and Fermax (recommended dosages of both) and Lalvin 71B yeast. I would gp with a yeast that will finish closer to your goal than EC-1118 for your batch too. I started mine with 4 quarts syrup and added the fifth one later so that the OG wasn't too high. Its still going, even though it has slowed down a good amount.

I would use either a hydrometer or reffactometer to determine the actual OG and not trust software. You won't know how much sugar is in the syrup until you have it mixed in. I would also use grade B since it has more flavor to it. Get an extra quart too since you'll probably want it.

KemP130 · 12-23-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golddiggie

I have a maple mead that I started on 12/4. I used 5 quarts grade B syrup with 3 gallons of water (4.25 gallons total volume). I used yeast energizer and Fermax (recommended dosages of both) and Lalvin 71B yeast. I would gp with a yeast that will finish closer to your goal than EC-1118 for your batch too. I started mine with 4 quarts syrup and added the fifth one later so that the OG wasn't too high. Its still going, even though it has slowed down a good amount.

I would use either a hydrometer or reffactometer to determine the actual OG and not trust software. You won't know how much sugar is in the syrup until you have it mixed in. I would also use grade B since it has more flavor to it. Get an extra quart too since you'll probably want it.

I used software for a close guess and I had planned on measuring the sg.

As for yeast I currently only have the Lalvin 1118 on hand. I may purchase other strains but i'm not completely sure yet.

I had thought about adding more syrup in stages.

Overall, I am keeping this to a 1 gallon batch so it does not tie up my only carboy. And I want to experiment with it to see how it tastes before devoting $40+ dollars a gallon for syrup.

**huesmann** · 12-23-2011, 09:15 PM

Since there's no honey in your recipe, I wouldn't call it mead. It's more properly just maple wine. If you included honey in your must it would be an acerglyn.

KemP130 · 12-26-2011, 06:05 PM

Does anyone know if Yeast Nutrient would be fairly essential to a maple wine? Or would it be possible to bypass nutrient? Doing some more research I have found that maple syrup contains large amounts of zinc and nitrogen, which I understand is necessary for yeast growth.

**Golddiggie** · 12-26-2011, 06:30 PM

Without knowing the levels of FAN within maple syrup, it's hard to say. But, IMO, you wouldn't be bad off giving it some nutrient. Use either Fermax, DAP or yeast energizer in your batch. I used Fermax and yeast energizer in my current batch and it has had a very strong fermentation.

I also think you'll be best off using grade B maple syrup.

KemP130 · 12-26-2011, 06:53 PM

Noted.

And I agree that Grade B seems that it will give stronger flavor, as of now it appears I have two 4-liter glass jugs(former wine containers) so I will be doing two batches, Grade B dark amber and Grade A fancy. I will post results when I get to that point.

**Golddiggie** · 12-26-2011, 07:10 PM

I did one batch of mead last year in 1 gallon size... With how few bottles you get from that, I swore to not do it again. Moving forward, any recipe 'test' batches will be 3 gallon size (for mead and non-beer fermentations).