what to do know...help with back sweeting

ok so I have a 1 gallon test batch going right now. I don't have my notes in front of me but this is from memory.

2lbs of mesquite honey

24oz of blueberries/raspberries mix

Fill to one gallon


I was experimenting with this and used Nottingham's beer yeast.

I didn't use and pectate or anything as I didn't have any on had. (I 'll add that I do know)

So I let it ferment for 2 weeks on the fruit and did a sample taste.

It was very wine like but very tart and sour like a lambic. (I do love that taste btw) But I racked off the fruit and now I'm just waiting to see what to do next.

I'm just concerned that its a bit to tart and wine like for my taste. Not to sweet.

I like sweet meads. For example JOAM is about perfect for me on a sweet level.


So was wondering what the proper steps are to back sweeten. I've never done it before.

What do I need to do to properly back-sweeten this momel?

Thanks for all the help!

Cheers,

I'm a noob to mead myself...I just have a 5 gallon batch going that I haven't touched since I put it in the fermentor...but I asked a similiar question when I started a thread and here's the answer I was given...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=548903&postcount=9

It would be worth noting that if you still have active yeast, you could end up with bottle bombs or at very least a big mess. Make sure that your yeast has crapped out completely. I would use campton tabs to make sure you don't re-start fermentation, but that post is corect. You will always end up sweet, so back of a little.

You need to use some potassium sorbate to render the yeast inactive then backsweeten with more honey.

ok cool yeah I got some camp tabs now so thats no prob. So from the above post with a link I don't add any water to the honey before mixing it in the mead?

I'm a bit confused as to how the honey will dissolve? Especially my honey its all natural and THICK.

Thoughts?

Stir it, or you could heat the whole batch until it dissolves (don't boil).

cheezydemon said:

Stir it, or you could heat the whole batch until it dissolves (don't boil).

Click to expand...

I wouldn't heat the batch...It's gonna give funny flavors. If you warm your honey to thin it down, then mis with VERY little warm water, it'll mix right in. Just make sure that you are 100% CLEAN when you start stirring and putting stuff in your mead post ferment.

ahhh ok cool thanks heaps!

Cheers,