greg_anderson
Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2013
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 2
Hi!
I am a brewer, but all I seem to want to do is make other things like sours, cider, wine or mead. Since mead makes the most sense with the climate I reside I want to see if I can make really winey mead/melomels.
Shooting for a dry, below 10 ABV mead.
So far I've tried 3 batches, read through forums and books and now I'm writing this post. So many questions.
First, here is my tree attempts:
1. The wild one
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
40 g apple peel from the garden
No YEAST except from apple peel
OG: 1068
Kept aerating it the first period.
3 months fermentation room temp (22-25°C) on lees
Taste: Thin, Cheesy, alcoholic, fresh apple.. basically every off taste there is.
2. Raspberry champagne
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
100 g raspberry
WLP175 Champagne Yeast
OG: 1068
3 months fermentation room temp (22-25°C) on lees
Taste: Thin, Fresh raspberry, alcohol, water, champagne/chablis.
3. The method
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
100 g tart cherries
Lalvin EC-1118
SNA with only WYEAST Nutrient blend (can't get Fermaid K or DAP)
Not too much aeration as I should maybe.
6 weeks in room temp (22-25°C) on lees.
Tried it yesterday and it was basically the same as the Champagne one, just with tart cherries.
Ok, I cant spend another 2-3 months with this result.
Questions:
1. Will a hydromel always be thin?
2. Do you have to sweeten the finished mead? And if so, when do you know that the yeast is unable to just start fermenting whatever you put in?
3. What is the temperature chart for a good fermentation? 70/20 for a week or two of vigorous fermentation and then left cooler 60/15?
4. How long is it ok to have it standing on its lees?
5. Should I use potassium carbonate?
6. What is a safe Lalvin/other yeast?
7. How will the result be if I switch over to WLP655 Belgian Sour Mix 1?
8. Should I buy other products to manipulate taste, PH, tannins, sweetness etc.?
9. What is the biggest reason my mead is almost undrinkable?
10. What is the best recipe with explanations around for a SAFE test (hopefully a light and dry melomel without too much honey sweetness aka. the closest I can get to making a rosé if you get my drift.. And that doesn't take 12 months, I don't have that kind of patience).
Ah! Feels good to write down everything thats on my mind..
Sorry about that
Best,
Greg.
I am a brewer, but all I seem to want to do is make other things like sours, cider, wine or mead. Since mead makes the most sense with the climate I reside I want to see if I can make really winey mead/melomels.
Shooting for a dry, below 10 ABV mead.
So far I've tried 3 batches, read through forums and books and now I'm writing this post. So many questions.
First, here is my tree attempts:
1. The wild one
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
40 g apple peel from the garden
No YEAST except from apple peel
OG: 1068
Kept aerating it the first period.
3 months fermentation room temp (22-25°C) on lees
Taste: Thin, Cheesy, alcoholic, fresh apple.. basically every off taste there is.
2. Raspberry champagne
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
100 g raspberry
WLP175 Champagne Yeast
OG: 1068
3 months fermentation room temp (22-25°C) on lees
Taste: Thin, Fresh raspberry, alcohol, water, champagne/chablis.
3. The method
1/5 honey for my local beekeeper (1 kg)
4/5 tap water (4 kg)
100 g tart cherries
Lalvin EC-1118
SNA with only WYEAST Nutrient blend (can't get Fermaid K or DAP)
Not too much aeration as I should maybe.
6 weeks in room temp (22-25°C) on lees.
Tried it yesterday and it was basically the same as the Champagne one, just with tart cherries.
Ok, I cant spend another 2-3 months with this result.
Questions:
1. Will a hydromel always be thin?
2. Do you have to sweeten the finished mead? And if so, when do you know that the yeast is unable to just start fermenting whatever you put in?
3. What is the temperature chart for a good fermentation? 70/20 for a week or two of vigorous fermentation and then left cooler 60/15?
4. How long is it ok to have it standing on its lees?
5. Should I use potassium carbonate?
6. What is a safe Lalvin/other yeast?
7. How will the result be if I switch over to WLP655 Belgian Sour Mix 1?
8. Should I buy other products to manipulate taste, PH, tannins, sweetness etc.?
9. What is the biggest reason my mead is almost undrinkable?
10. What is the best recipe with explanations around for a SAFE test (hopefully a light and dry melomel without too much honey sweetness aka. the closest I can get to making a rosé if you get my drift.. And that doesn't take 12 months, I don't have that kind of patience).
Ah! Feels good to write down everything thats on my mind..
Sorry about that
Best,
Greg.
