First mead Recommendationa

OK, Tomorrow night after work I plan on making my first Mead ever.

I have the ingredients for a gallon of the popular JOAM but also wanted advice on another Gallon to try.

Here is what I have on hand,

3 lbs of honey
2 1/2 quarts of Mulberry picked and frozen
yeast nutrient and energizer
Camden Tablets
pectic enzyme
Lalvin 71B-1122 Yeast

Since this is my first try, I am looking for instructions or recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

I used Lalvin 71B-1122 because it is supposed to make mead drinkable quicker but I'm not sure how quick is quick, really.

Using this yeast I still think it's going to take upwards of a year before it becomes palatable.

With that said I only started with staggered nutrient additions (and the addition of vitamin B1 tablets) about three months ago.

71B is a solid yeast that can definitely produce a quality mead within a relatively short period of time (yes, even under a year), especially if you use good modern techniques. Just be sure to keep up with racking. While 71B is a great yeast, it has been known to do some weird things when left on the lees for too long.

A plain show mead is a great place to start. 3lbs of honey with water to the gallon mark is what i started with and it came out great. Just be sure to use yeast nuetrient or some raisens and youll be fine.

Are the raisins for yeast nutrient replacement or do they serve a different purpose?

CharlieJ said:

Are the raisins for yeast nutrient replacement or do they serve a different purpose?

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They act as a nutrient source. Ive also heard they can add a little body to the mead but im not sure on that one..

I have heard of people using Marmite as a yeast energiser alongside raisins for yeast nutrients.

I haven't tried Marmite myself, however, on account of not wanting the mead to taste of the condiment or to increase sodium levels (they add salt to spent beer yeast in the process of making it.)

Adding raisins could introduce another type of yeast to the mead which could effect the finished product if you were using a specific yeast to attain a desired result.

Salt will inhibit the action of some microbes. It's why you salt sourdough, so the culture doesn't go wild and consume everything.