Strategy for my leap into meading

Hi All,

I'm thinking about jumping into meads now that I've had some fun with beer (will continue brewing beers). I'm reading Schramm's book, and ordered the goodies (nuitrients, engergizer, campden, etc).

To get a feel for the possibilites, I'm thinking about making a 5 gallon batch using 10 # clover honey (cheap bulk at costco), his favorite yeast (Lalvin 71b--1122 Narbonne), and the yeast goodies. After initial fermentation, next comes bulk aging for a while in a carboy for a while (clearing?). Finally, I'd like to split it up into 1 gallon batches and add additional honey types (ie ~1#/gal orange blossum or whatever) and flavor adjuncts. Maybe rosemary in one, a clove + cinnamon stick in another, orange zest + juice in a 3rd, mango + kiwi (or some other fruit) in a 4th, and just more honey in the 5th. Then bottle each after some time (when specific gravity or taste dictates?). This way I can try different flavors.

Sound like a good plan? Can I use 1 gallon milk/water jugs after the bulk aging? Do i even need bulk aging here, or should the aging be done only in the gallon jugs and bottles? Should I get a separate primary fermentation bucket for meads and beers (I usually clean with bleach and/or oxyclean and sanitize with starsan)?

Thanks, meaders

I would just start with 1 gallon batches. I know we have discussed this at length, but my 1 gallon batches clear a LOT more quickly than the big batches, this way you can also try different yeast strains, so you can see the difference on the base mead as well as trying different fruits and spices.

Don't forget to make a SHOW mead. You'll be glad you did.

You can age/clarify the mead prior to adding your fruits and spices, but it's not necessary. I think you are better off aging/clarifying after you add the adjuncts. You should rack off the fruit and let that clarify before bottling. You may need more than one racking. I usually rack my metheglins off the spices when they get enough flavor. There are different opinions on bulk aging vs bottle aging, but I don't see a big difference between bottles and one gallon jugs. I would bottle when it clarifies.

I use the same carboys for mead, cider, and beer (except sour beer). No need to buy new ones. I would not leave mead for a long time in milk/water jugs. I believe they are permeable to oxygen. They may work, but you are better off with glass. I use one gallon wine jugs.

Thanks! Looks like I've got to drink a lot of cheap wine, and quickly!

Maybe a good excuse to make sangria!

I've never fermented mead in gallon jugs. How do you deal with headspace? You need to leave some space for fermentation and then you leave some sediment behind when you rack to secondary. How do you not end up with a 3/4 full jug?

There are lots of ways to do it. My preference is the larger primary and then rack over fruit, spices, etc in smaller vessels. I purposely make a little extra and put it in another jug or beer bottles (make sure it is fully fermented if you put it in beer bottles or you'll have bottle bombs). I use this extra mead to top off carboys when I rack off the fruit or spices. That way I'm aging full carboys. Using a carboy for primary also gives you more time to drink all that sangria!

Or, ferment as one 5 gallon batch, then rack to secondary, to 1 gallon batches with your different flavorings and herbs, etc.

fruit works great in secondary, but that's my opinion.

you can then rack to tertiary after a month and let it finish clearing up, then bottle.

I'd recommend buying a Mini Auto-siphon for racking the 1 gallon jugs.

malkore said:

I'd recommend buying a Mini Auto-siphon for racking the 1 gallon jugs.

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+1
You gotta be CAREFUL With 1 gallon batches....they are very easy to mix the lees back in.

Sorry for the Off Topic... but would a cold crash for a few days help to settle out a mead before racking?

nealf said:

Sorry for the Off Topic... but would a cold crash for a few days help to settle out a mead before racking?

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You bet it does. In fact, I never used a cold crash on beer until I did it with wine / Mead first.