Newb here...started my first batch.. w/ some ?s

Heyo...

Got my love of mead from tasting it at an SCA event many years ago and still remember that awesome stuff today.

Anyway... I followed StormtheCastle.coms recipe for a simple 1 gallon batch... I wanted a sweet mead so I used 4 pounds of honey to 1 gallon of water. Used Lalvin D-47 like he said as well as nutrients and energizer stuff in the amounts he says to use...I plan on aging it for at least a full year.

Followed the directions he listed to a T and within a few hours... magical bubbles started! So I believe its doing good... (crossing fingers)

So he says to rack when the bubbling slows down to about one bubble every 30 sec or so, which he says will happen in about two weeks.... got that part down..

My question is... when do I use the hydrometer..? when I open it to rack or should I do it like every few days to check progress....? I didn't use it when I first made it.. is that bad..? (edit- checked Wills website, my bad... didn't use the hydrometer for the must)

When is a good time to taste my mead to see if its going well..?

Do I have to bottle it or can I leave it in the carboy to age after I rack it..?

I'll take some pics tomorrow so you guys can see what I've done and maybe tell me if anythings amiss.

Look forward to your responses!

Best,

Kaz

Congrats on your first batch. My first batch was a 5 gal batch of just strait mead with out flavors. I have about 10 batches under my belt too.

Don't worry too much about not using the Hydrometer for your first batch. I recomend that you rack it about 2 weeks to a month out. Then rack about every other month til it clears. Then just bottle and wait a year or so for aging. My first batch was ready to drink after 6 months in the bottle but it got lots better after a full year of aging. Patients is good. I highly recomend getting "The complete mead makers handbook" it is a great starter and has a lot of good info in it.

Incidently, I don't recomend tasting it until at least 6 months out from the last racking. It may taste rather anticeptic. That is how it was with my first batch. But it tastes good now. The vanacular for a mead that is tasting of too much alcohol is that it tastes "hot". Tasting dry is refering to the sweetness of the mead. Me, I like desert meads so I use 20 pounds for a 5 gallon batch, the same ratio you used. It should be very sweet and good. Just let it age a year or so after bottling. It is very hard to wait, I know but it is well worth it.