specter623
Member
Proposal
Hey, Im about to start my first batch of mead, and it is going to be pretty experimental. I plan on making a 5 gallon batch in a primary, and then dividing it up into 5 1 gallon batches, each with a different fruit/spice. I was just going to toss up my idea here and see what anyone here though. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Primary 5 gallon batch Ingredients
-17 pounds of Low-temp (aka flash-pasteurization for any other microbiologists out there) treated fresh citrus honey as my apiarist friend calls it, I looked it up, it is also called orange blossom honey.
-Lavin EC-1118 yeast, or White Labs Sweet mead yeast (still cant decide any ideas?)
-Fermaid-K and DAP
Procedure..
1. Bring to a 150degrees F 5 gallons of water, and slowly add the 17 lbs of honey off the flame. Allow to pasteurize for about 5 minutes (is this per gallon? Anyone?)
2. Add to Fermentation bucket, and allow to sit overnight (hopeful OG 1.11, is this about right?)
3. Use drill powered lees stirrer for about 5 minutes to oxygenate, and add the yeast, along with a semi-heaping tsp (or 4.5g) of Fermaid-K and a heaping tsp(4.5g) of DAP
4. At active fermentation (8-24 hours), add 2.8g of fermaid-K and 2.8g of DAP. (slowly, and still up with drill powered lees stirrer)
5. At fermentation Mid-point (OG + FG target / 2), add 1.8g of superfood and 1.8g of DAP
6. Allow to hit FG (Im hoping for around 1.000, which would give me a ABV of about 14%)
7. Rack to 5 1gallon carboys
Carboy Plan -
Carboy 1 Oak Chips Im thinking lightly toasted American oak 5 grams
Carboy 2- Cinnamon/Vanilla 1 whole Vanilla bean sliced into thirds, and a 4 cinnamon stick
Carboy 3 Apples/Cloves 2 prepared apples (5 minute soak in vodka, frozen, cubed, and defrosted)
Carboy 4- Oranges 2 prepared oranges (same procedure, no skin)
Carboy 5 Plain
I was planning on letting it sit in the secondaries for 1 full year, racking every 3 months, tasting, and possibly replacing the fruit/additives. Then bottle, and allow sitting for another year (if I can wait )
So this is my basic idea Im just hoping for some feedback.. Some questions though
A. Is carboy 3 and 4 going to give me problems?
B. Has anyone ever had a lightly carbonated Muscato Dasti? I was hoping to make these kind of like that. What would the procedure be to make those? Just bottle with a very small amount of honey?
C. Still working on which yeast to get .
D. Also, any ideas on Irish moss? I heard that clear gelatin was better, no residual taste, and works just as well
E. When should I worry about adding acid? Would lemon juice work ok? Or do I need to get a powder?
cheers!
-5 batches of beer/cider brewing under my belt, first time mead brewer
P.S. my Nutrient Additive Schedule is from this site, I found it very useful.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/sticky-mead-making-faqs-83030/
Hey, Im about to start my first batch of mead, and it is going to be pretty experimental. I plan on making a 5 gallon batch in a primary, and then dividing it up into 5 1 gallon batches, each with a different fruit/spice. I was just going to toss up my idea here and see what anyone here though. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Primary 5 gallon batch Ingredients
-17 pounds of Low-temp (aka flash-pasteurization for any other microbiologists out there) treated fresh citrus honey as my apiarist friend calls it, I looked it up, it is also called orange blossom honey.
-Lavin EC-1118 yeast, or White Labs Sweet mead yeast (still cant decide any ideas?)
-Fermaid-K and DAP
Procedure..
1. Bring to a 150degrees F 5 gallons of water, and slowly add the 17 lbs of honey off the flame. Allow to pasteurize for about 5 minutes (is this per gallon? Anyone?)
2. Add to Fermentation bucket, and allow to sit overnight (hopeful OG 1.11, is this about right?)
3. Use drill powered lees stirrer for about 5 minutes to oxygenate, and add the yeast, along with a semi-heaping tsp (or 4.5g) of Fermaid-K and a heaping tsp(4.5g) of DAP
4. At active fermentation (8-24 hours), add 2.8g of fermaid-K and 2.8g of DAP. (slowly, and still up with drill powered lees stirrer)
5. At fermentation Mid-point (OG + FG target / 2), add 1.8g of superfood and 1.8g of DAP
6. Allow to hit FG (Im hoping for around 1.000, which would give me a ABV of about 14%)
7. Rack to 5 1gallon carboys
Carboy Plan -
Carboy 1 Oak Chips Im thinking lightly toasted American oak 5 grams
Carboy 2- Cinnamon/Vanilla 1 whole Vanilla bean sliced into thirds, and a 4 cinnamon stick
Carboy 3 Apples/Cloves 2 prepared apples (5 minute soak in vodka, frozen, cubed, and defrosted)
Carboy 4- Oranges 2 prepared oranges (same procedure, no skin)
Carboy 5 Plain
I was planning on letting it sit in the secondaries for 1 full year, racking every 3 months, tasting, and possibly replacing the fruit/additives. Then bottle, and allow sitting for another year (if I can wait )
So this is my basic idea Im just hoping for some feedback.. Some questions though
A. Is carboy 3 and 4 going to give me problems?
B. Has anyone ever had a lightly carbonated Muscato Dasti? I was hoping to make these kind of like that. What would the procedure be to make those? Just bottle with a very small amount of honey?
C. Still working on which yeast to get .
D. Also, any ideas on Irish moss? I heard that clear gelatin was better, no residual taste, and works just as well
E. When should I worry about adding acid? Would lemon juice work ok? Or do I need to get a powder?
cheers!
-5 batches of beer/cider brewing under my belt, first time mead brewer
P.S. my Nutrient Additive Schedule is from this site, I found it very useful.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/sticky-mead-making-faqs-83030/