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mhenry41h

mhenry41h

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For my first mead, I've procured 15 lbs of Orange Blossom honey. I'm making a 5 gallon batch which I'm estimating to give me an OG of 1.104 and an FG of 0.998 for an ABV of 13.9%. I'm using K1-V1116. Looking for a nice Traditional Dry which I will dose with tannin and acid blend in tertiary.
 
My 2 cents! Leave out tannin and acid blend. Only use nutrients and energizer in primary in staggered doses. Its your call though
 
Also, K1V WILL go to 18% if it has half a chance. Don't just assume it will stop at 0.998, since it can go lower than that. There are plenty of people who have had meads ferment far below 0.998 due to the yeast still being able to survive, and there being sugars left for it to go through.

I'd also leave out the tannin and acid blend out of the batch. You don't need it. Nutrients, degassing, and aerating will help it along. Otherwise, just give it time to do what it will. IMO, you're best off planning on giving a batch of mead a bare minimum of 10-12 months before going to bottle. Rack as needed (don't do the first until it's 100% FINISHED fermenting) but never more than once every 2-3 months (post primary).

You can add some proper tannins to a batch via oak aging. IMO/IME, that will do a lot of good for a batch (depending on what it is). My traditional (18%) that spent some time with oak is better because of it. Just be sure to give it enough time in all stages/steps. Do NOT try to rush this through.
 
Golddiggie said:
Also, K1V WILL go to 18% if it has half a chance. Don't just assume it will stop at 0.998, since it can go lower than that. There are plenty of people who have had meads ferment far below 0.998 due to the yeast still being able to survive, and there being sugars left for it to go through.

I'd also leave out the tannin and acid blend out of the batch. You don't need it. Nutrients, degassing, and aerating will help it along. Otherwise, just give it time to do what it will. IMO, you're best off planning on giving a batch of mead a bare minimum of 10-12 months before going to bottle. Rack as needed (don't do the first until it's 100% FINISHED fermenting) but never more than once every 2-3 months (post primary).

You can add some proper tannins to a batch via oak aging. IMO/IME, that will do a lot of good for a batch (depending on what it is). My traditional (18%) that spent some time with oak is better because of it. Just be sure to give it enough time in all stages/steps. Do NOT try to rush this through.
Click to expand...

0.990 is about the baseline that it will drop too. Basically bone dry, no sugars left and its below 1.000 due to the alcohol thinning out the mead. Just try it before you add anything and add to a small sample first. Pull out 5oz and add a bit to it and taste. When you get to where you want, multiply it out to the full batch and add about 75% of that. Its easy to add more if its not enough, its impossible to remove it once its in there.
 
I mixed up the must this morning. 5.25 gallons yielded a starting gravity of 1.102. Let's, for the sake of speculation, say that the strain I've selected does in fact take the gravity to 0.990...then my ABV should be 14.7%. This makes me happy. I'm fermenting this bear at 62F (per Michael Fairbrother). I have a temp controlled fridge for brewing. Due to the fact that in 10 days I will be brewing a Wee Heavy that is going to require temp control, I plan to add nutrients for the next 2 days as well as at the 1 week mark and degas daily for 5 days before removing it to finish at ambient basement temps. Upon complete fermentation, I will rack to glass and let that sucker sit.
 
Thing is, using K1-V1116, you'll need to stabilize the mead before you try to back sweeten it (if you don't want it super-dry). Just keep that in mind.
 
Golddiggie said:
Thing is, using K1-V1116, you'll need to stabilize the mead before you try to back sweeten it (if you don't want it super-dry). Just keep that in mind.
Click to expand...

Super dry is my plan. I'm not generally a fan of sweet beers, wines, or meads.
 
Golddiggie said:
Then you'll get what you want. Plan a good amount of aging time for the batch. This will also serve to get the yeast to drop out of suspension before bottling.
Click to expand...

Do you think there is a discernible difference between allowing it to age in the Carboy or let it age in the bottle?
 
mhenry41h said:
Do you think there is a discernible difference between allowing it to age in the Carboy or let it age in the bottle?
Click to expand...

IME, aging in bulk/carboy (for up to two years) will net you a better product. Provided you listen to the mead and treat it right. It will also be cleaner in bottles this way. Basically, less sediment in the bottles.
 
Just under 1.060 in 7 days using staggered additions and de-gassing for the first 6 days. Im astonished at the citrusy aromas of the Orange Blossom honey. I never expected such floral and bright aromatics. Now I cant wait to use some other honeys to compare it with.
 
Hope you've added the last of the nutrient and degassed/aerated one last time already. You've passed the 1/3 break (was at 1.069-1.071).

If you think it's smelling great now, just wait until it's aged a decent amount and is in the glass. I prefer not dry meads, which means I get even more of the honey flavor and aroma in glass. :rockin:
 
Today, exactly two weeks, I took a gravity sample. It's down to 1.027 from 1.102. It's obviously rather sweet considering the gravity but it has certainly taken on a white wine character. Can't wait to taste it when it's dry.
 

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