Recent content by DaveVanO

ok thanks. I cold crashed my meads and then auto siphoned. but i still had the yeasty flavor. was using EC-1118. If i dont care about the cider being completely clear. think i could just cold crash it for a few days (its cold enough outside) and then bottle etc. The ciders im making are Caramel...

when making hard cider, after fermentation is complete. Do most of you strain it through coffee filters (or a different type of strainer) to get all the yeast out etc. Just wondering because I read it somewhere and my first couple batches of cider are soon to be racked either 1. to a secondary...

the hydrometer would be used to check the gravity readings at certain stages throughout fermentation. It lets you know when fermentation is finished, the potential ABV, and brix. He suggested a hydrometer because you could take a reading, taste it, and decide when you want to stop your...

My thing is, i used sparkloid. Its been aging for a little bit, I put sparkloid in it like 2 weeks ago. It is a little bit clear when I hold it up to light. but normally it isnt. And the one i made with white concord cherry cleared nicely. but seemed to have stopped also. Might just bottle them...

Anyone know if this will clear or not? My grape one seems like it wont clear, even with finings

ok thanks for the answer...Would aging it first then backsweetening be fine? It has no sugars left in it. I have yet to stabilize, so would i be able to just age first. THEN stabilize and backsweeten? I already bottled, and didnt use any expensive bottles because its my first time bottling mead...

I made a 1 gallon batch of mead, heres the recipe: 2.5 lbs clover honey 4oz fresh raspberries 4oz fresh blackberries 1 Juice of lemon 1 Juice of lime 1/2c Earl Grey Tea Yeast: D47 Nutrient and Energizer I made this on 1/18 and let it completely ferment. It stopped at 1.000 on ~1/24...

Today I racked it into a tertiary, mainly because it is crystal clear, and i can read right through it. Gonna let it bulk age for now because when racking I could smell the alcohol within the mead anyways. Do I need to keep an airlock on it for the aging process?? (I didnt stabilize this mead...

I dont think it will mess it up. Just might take a little bit of time to get started. Just think, normally the yeast is stored in a fridge, so it will just need to get down to room temp and then it should begin. might take a day or two to get going

Thanks for the answer, I plan to let them go for a little bit longer. Let 1g of the from concentrate stay still and bulk age. the other 1.5g carb, bottle, pasteurize. I did the two batches mainly to see the difference in taste between from concentrate and not from concentrate apple juice.

Mine has been fermenting/finished for now 3-4 weeks. Pretty sure its 3 weeks for my 1gallon juice not from concentrate. AND then 3 1/2 weeks for my 2.5g juice from concentrate. My 1gallon batch is starting to clear up. Think cold crashing it would hurt? (mainly to speed up the process of...

Well..just started a batch of this. I also added 1/4c brown sugar into my apple juice prior to mixing the caramelized sugars+juice into the carboy. Just for a little added ABV. Pitched yeast at 1.086 SG and using Montrachet yeast. :tank: Cant wait for it to be finished. If it tastes as well as...

Thanks for all the replies and the help, I was going to try just by lookin at different recipes, just need to Make sure I don't need any specific items for it. Once I find a combination of recipes to try (and two or three carboys open) I will begin brewing. I don't plan on using my mr beer...

Hey there, first some quick background info. I began brewing with my Mr Beer on Christmas of 2012. Once it was out of the Mr Beer Keg. Then I noticed how much the kits were from Mr Beer. For some reason, I just cant justify spending the $20-30 for 2g of beer, when you can just go buy a case of...

Where about in Michigan would this be?