dan09554

Recipes 

__________________
Primary:
Primary:
Bottled: Altbier
Secondary:Cherry Berry Mead
Drinking: Porter, Fat Tire Clone, Honey Nut Brown Ale

Gone but not forgotten: Kolsch, Centennial Blonde, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone,



If no one votes, will they just go away!

SD-SLIM

Recipes 

Yes leave it for as long as you can, if you bottle it while its still chugging along you will get bottle bombs!

Brew_Vet

Recipes 

Question on he yeast, I am using the suggested Wyeast 4184 put in in the carboy yesterday afternoon. It started fermenting about 3 hours later and continues to do so. However, the fermentation is not exactly brisk, one bubble about every 3 seconds, is this normal with this strain?

SD-SLIM

Recipes 

Yes...any activity is good activity, wait a few weeks and take some readings.

Brew_Vet

Recipes 

Actually since I wrote the response the fermentation has sped up quite a bit.

Thanks

barrog

Recipes 

I'm getting things around to try this soon. Like the other poster I could only find white grape and peach so I'm going with that. I'm still new to mead makeing so I have a few questions.

I didn't see anything about a starter for the yeast. I assume I need to make one though. What should I use as a starter when it comes to mead?

Is there any other steps I should be takeing that wasn't listed like degassing or stagered yeast nutrients, or whatever?

Last I have a few vanella beans and wanted to know if they could work in something like this.

Sorry for the questions. I just want to make sure I do it right the first time.

SD-SLIM

Recipes 

Hello I would recommend using various sites like mr. Malty to calculate what size of yeast starter is required, a work around for a yeast starter is to get a smack pack...which are perfect for a 5 gallon application.
I would recommend degassing and staggering yeast nutrients, both if done in a controlled environment will make for a better product.
As for vanilla bean, I think you can add them to anything...just make sure to sanitize the beans in vodka before adding to your mead.

Brew_Vet

Recipes 

Another question, excuse the ignorance this is my first mead. I did some further reading on mead after noticing a thick layer of Krausen on the surface. I understand this is called the cap and is common with fruit meads? They also suggest knocking it down or stirring it back in every few days or so?

SD-SLIM

Recipes 

I never do, because it contains dead yeast...and will cause some off flavors, however I only brew 6 or 7 Mead batches a year, so their may be better information out their than mine.

Qweegee

Recipes 

Looks like a great recipe... Looking forward to getting a batch started soon!