Joe's Ancient Orange Mead - Page 9

robsauce · 02-05-2009, 03:57 AM

In addition to my previous post a few posts above...

Has anyone that has previously made this took any gravity ratings during fermentation? It has been about 6 days since I first pitched the yeast into the must and I took a gravity rating and it seems that neither has really changed (i didn't pay that much attention to the original measurement but I know they were both around 1.1ish and they still are). I guess I should have been a tad more aware of what was going on and documented my progress better.

I understand mead is a process that takes patience and being used to brewing beer I'm obviously used to a fermentation process that is much more active and quicker. I don't have a problem just letting the bottles sit as per the recipe but the last thing I want is in 2 months to rack/siphon the mead out, take a SG rating and have it be the same as what I started with. How can I be sure that fermentation is actually taking place. As this is only a 1gallon batch I'd really like to avoid taking a sample out of it every day or so as that takes away from the amount of mead I have. Any thoughts or suggestions? I do have some bubbles coming through the airlock...about 1 every 15-20s out of both which makes me think I have some fermentation but how can I be sure?

I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the Mead section and am wondering if it would be too late to add some nutrients or maybe all my yeast is dead and I should be adding some more?

**Mirilis** · 02-06-2009, 01:05 AM

I havent checked mine yet on the ones i just made. However if it helps my OG was 30 brix

NikolausXX · 02-06-2009, 03:09 AM

I havnt racked mine yet, It was made on Dec 15th, and the oranges have already dropped, mead is crystal clear.

NikolausXX · 02-07-2009, 04:00 AM

I went ahead and poured off a small tasting of of this mead tonight. I got 2 raisons in the glass also! I ate the raisons first, not knowing what to expect as I have not had mead before. The raisons tasted alright, a little alcoholic. I took a smell, I could smell citris, and alcohol. I took a little taste and wow, this will mature into a good drink. I could taste the honey, could taste the citris, on the negative a little bitter and solventy, but that should age out. I plan on racking here in a week a so, topping up with some easy going wine, and letting age until my next baby is born, probably july. Then drinking this to celebrate! I know racking is against the rules for this recipe, but I got alot of dead yeasties, and oranges, and raisons and such, so I think ill blend in some similar colored wine, and hopefully might dry it out a bit as it is a bit too sweet for my taste!

PBRmeASAP · 02-14-2009, 11:24 PM

Used this and made my first mead today....Very excited to see how good it is. Hope to get another one rolling next week, maybe swap a few things and see what happens.

ruger12pk · 02-17-2009, 04:49 AM

I conjoured up a batch (5 gal) of JOAM using K-V1116 and now after a month its slowing on the fermentation. Now the question is...from the looks of it Im showing a good inch of lees on the bottom. Since Ive used this higher abv yeast, would it be prudent now to rack it off the oranges and the lees and let it clear out and age or leave it on the lees and wait for the oranges to drop? Would racking it be a useless gesture on my part or is leaving it on the lees not going to be a problem with off tastes? Just looking for some advice at this point weather to leave it be or work it some.....

jwr · 02-20-2009, 12:45 PM

Does anyone know why quickrise yeast wouldn't work? I dumped the teaspoon of yeast in before looking at the packet and seeing "rapid rise yeast". I don't know what difference there is besides maybe a little dried nutient or something in the packet to give it a boost? The mead is fermenting "slow but sure", and I can't imagine any significant difference in alcohol tolerance of quickrise v/s regular bread yeast.

joejaz · 02-22-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwr

Does anyone know why quickrise yeast wouldn't work? I dumped the teaspoon of yeast in before looking at the packet and seeing "rapid rise yeast". I don't know what difference there is besides maybe a little dried nutient or something in the packet to give it a boost? The mead is fermenting "slow but sure", and I can't imagine any significant difference in alcohol tolerance of quickrise v/s regular bread yeast.

I used quickrise too before I read not to. I started 1/4/09, this stuff is like rocket fuel, hope it mellows out, but it is nice and clear.

**Mirilis** · 03-04-2009, 10:27 AM

So I made a batch the end of January, then I made another batch the next day using the same ingredients. The only difference between the two is the second one had an extra clove, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice in it.

I decided to open my closet today to look at them (they set side by side) and the first one looks crystal clear with the oranges at the top and a ton of lees.

The second one was cloudy with the same ammount of lees. So if they were made with the same process and same ingredients 1 day apart then fermented beside each other in a closet why can one clear up and no the other? Im sure it will by the end of this month when it comes time to bottle it but I was just curious.

joejaz · 03-09-2009, 04:30 PM

It's been 2 months, this stuff is brutal. Now I know what they mean by prison hooch.