Mead/Cyser?

**justbrewit** · 04-28-2008, 11:41 PM

so, i started my first mead, heres what i've got so far

15lbs clover honey
yeast food
1118 yeast

fermented for 1 week, then rack'd onto 10lbs of freshly pureed apples(peeled and cored) i have around 7 gallons sitting in the fermenter right now, i'm planning on leaving it on the apples for 1 month and then off the apples to clear for about 6 months. pointers? tips? any thing i'm doing wrong? any and all comments welcome. thanks

tooomanycolors · 04-29-2008, 01:07 AM

What are your gravity readings? 1 week may have been a little short.

**Wade E** · 04-29-2008, 01:30 AM

I would add some ascorbic acid to that at the rate of 1 tsp per 6 gallon. This will prevent any fruits from browning as Apples are very prone to. Ascorbic acid will not hinder any fermentation like k-meta does but both are anti-oxidants.

**justbrewit** · 04-29-2008, 01:42 AM

the apples turned brown way before i added the mead. i put them in the blender after i had cored, peeled and pasturised them.

i'm trying to stay away from acids of any kind in the mead as i do not like the acid burn from most wines and some commercial meads. i didn't take any gravity readings, i don't take many when i'm making beer either. sure it would help me figure out my ABV and also my eff. when brewing but hey, i mash, i boil, i make beer!!! lol

when i took the lid off the fermenter after a week, there was still plenty of activity going on with the yeast which is what i wanted. i wanted to make sure i got the mead on the apple puree while still in a very active stage of fermentation. the apples i used were just a hair tart so i'm hoping that making a sweet mead and putting those apples in there it will turn out nice with just a little tartness.

as of right now i don't have enough carboys to put it all in there, right now with the apples it is in a 10 gallon plastic fermenter. it has a loose fitting lid instead of an airlock. once its been on the apples for a bit i'm going to put it in whatever carboys i have open and maybe a few 1/2 gallon jugs i have. i'm wanting this to sit for about 6 months or more before i keg or bottle it.

i'm sure i'm doing alot of stuff wrong, but hey, thats what a first batch is for, to learn what not to do and get your process down.

thanks for the input so far.