Search results

Making Mead

This is my first crack at brewing mead. I am a beekeeper so I used honey from my hive in the backyard. And as the name implies, I added slices of orange and two sticks of cinnamon. It tastes GREAT! I am quite happy

First off, thank you for your detailed response James! It is greatly appreciated my friend. After reading your reply, and doing some independent research I set about the task of "getting my **** together" on this project. The unfortunate bit is that I live in a very small town in Iowa so there...

I found my hydrometer and after taking the FG using it (and compensating for temp) I get a FG of 1.069. That number subtracted from the OG (which was taken with my refractometer). gives me .021 multiply that by 131.25 and you get to an ABV of 2.756. That is better than I had estimated before...

Yea, I have been using it alone! That may very well be the issue I guess. I have a hydrometer in the house, but I can't find the damn thing. Thanks for the tip!

This is an applejack. I started with 5gal of cider, and pitched 10g of fermentis SafeCider A-2. It's a bit heavy, but I did manage to swirl it around pretty good yesterday. That seemed to make no difference. The refractometer is new, but I guess that don't mean it's accurate. I will look into...

This is an applejack. I started with 5gal of cider, and pitched 10g of fermentis SafeCider A-2. It's a bit heavy, but I did manage to swirl it around pretty good yesterday. That seemed to make no difference. The refractometer is new, but I guess that don't mean it's accurate. I will look into...

A full month ago I started a 5gal batch of Applejack. It has now quit "bubbling" so, it was a nice slow fermentation. But, It seems to have a very low ethanol content. The OG was 1.090, and today I took the FG and it was 1.078. Both readings were taken with a refractometer. If I did the math...

So, here is an update on my very first batch of applejack. As some of you already know, the first time I pitched my yeast nothing happened. The was most likely do to me not hydrating the yeast before pitching it. Well, I put 10 more grams of yeast in the mix being careful to do it correctly...

That is exactly what I needed to know Thanks Bill

OK, My applejack should be done fermenting in a day or two. So I am getting ready to freeze it. Some will go outside in a 5 gal bucket, but I also want to freeze some in 2L bottles in my freezer. I know ethanol dissolves in water, but when it freezes does the ice form at the top of the bottle...

Well, the gravity is almost the same as when I put it in the carboy. So, stirred it around a bit and turned the heat up in that room from 68 to about 75. The only thing else I can do is wait for my new yeast to arrive. So it goes sometimes!

Thanks for the ifo! It is valuable to me for sure. But now I have hit another problem! It fermented for about 28 hours or so, then stopped cold. Hmmm. The water in the airlock has not moved at all in the last 24 hours at least. I pitched 10g of Fermentis AS-2 cider yeast in a 5gal batch. The...

Well, I have 5 gal to deal with but, I am fortunate enough to live in Iowa and its December. So I hope to take a 5gal bucket and just set it outside overnight. But I do like your method, it's very clever.

OK, my rookie brewing skills may have caused me an issue with my Applejack. I'm talking about temperature and pitching yeast. Yesterday before I poured my apple cider into the fermenter, I added two packets of cider yeast. But! I failed to rehydrate it in warm water first. I just poured the...

Thanks for the clarification Jim! Good information! I got the applejack all made up and put into my fermenter yesterday. The final mixture had an OG of 1.090. In some ways that don't matter much because the alcohol content will be what it will be in the end. But I need the practice at...

I planned on using a yeast nutrient. It did not mention pectic enzymes on the label. Is that still a good idea?? Thanks

Kung Pao Chicken

Well, after all the feedback I have been lucky enough to get, I am no longer worried about Methanol or any of the other components of fermenting my cider. Cheers all! And I will let you know how it goes!! Given I had to special order 5 gal. of good unfiltered cider that has not yet com in, It...

Thanks Ty! I will be freezing, not distilling the fermented apple cider. I was just concerned about the methanol content because of a video I watched on UTube. You have calmed me down quite a bit with your input about the topic. Thanks!