First time mead maker and i need help!

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TacomaHomeBrew

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Hello there, did my first attempt at mead tonight and of course I screwed something up. I forgot to add the yeast nutrient, I realized it right after I put the airlock on so I quickly put a teaspoon of it in. Am I screwed or is everything gonna be ok. I'm so nervous about it :( I appreciate any and all help!

It's a 1 gallon, technically melomel because I added some organic blackberry juice.
 
AZ_IPA said:
You'll be fine. Make sure to shake a little to get it mixed in.

Thanks. Hope it works out alright.

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AZ_IPA said:
Looks good :mug:

Keep an eye on that air lock and head space though. During active fermentation, it may foam over.

If it does, what do I do? Sorry for the newbie questions.
 
Actually, just checked and it is already getting in the airlock :(

Just open your jug and siphon it out until it has enough head space.
If the must is already blended with the water in the airlock you should wash it and refill the water in the airlock.
 
Nicely done, a blow off tube without the slightest of prompting! You might still lose some mead up the tube but at least it won't cause a horrible mess.
 
Insomniac said:
Nicely done, a blow off tube without the slightest of prompting! You might still lose some mead up the tube but at least it won't cause a horrible mess.

Thanks, I just got into brewing and this freaked me out. I had the tube because I was planning on doing some racking for my first batch of beer that's brewing. I was pretty nervous when I saw it filling up the airlock! I readjusted the bottle it was being air locked to. I'll switch to the traditional airlock in a few days if it calms down.



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What size bung/stopper are you using? I would much rather use that kind instead of a #6 stopper which always tries to slide out if it was cleaned with starsan.

btw, the mead looks good.
 
looking good Tacoma. Sometimes the foam will kinda build on itself, even if the volume of liquid is proper, so it may not hurt to sanitize a spoon or something and scoop out some of the foam. That may help in the short term, but in the long term; you'll be back to an airlock in no time.
 
AZ_IPA said:
looking good Tacoma. Sometimes the foam will kinda build on itself, even if the volume of liquid is proper, so it may not hurt to sanitize a spoon or something and scoop out some of the foam. That may help in the short term, but in the long term; you'll be back to an airlock in no time.

Thanks for your help and support. I realized another boo boo. I didn't scoop out the foam after I heated the water and honey. It wasn't stated in the recipe I had. Although I don't remember there being much anyways.
 
Not really a boo boo. That's more of the older method of mead making.

Most folks these days aren't heating honey at all, let alone boiling....
 
AZ_IPA said:
Not really a boo boo. That's more of the older method of mead making.

Most folks these days aren't heating honey at all, let alone boiling....

Have you tried making a chocolate mead? I wanna get another batch going and wanted to try a gallon of it, can't find a simple/reliable recipe tough.
 
as long as whatever is in your relief bottle is sterile and doesnt go back into your mead it looks fine, but it has to stay sterile, anything breeding in it has a free trip right into your mead
 
Update- it's been a few days so I switched back to the airlock admits bubblin away just fine. Thanks for all the help!



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If you want impose a more fresh blackberry taste on your mead in addition to your already present tastes, I'd say yeah rack onto blackberries. But if I were you I'd be wary about adding blackberry juice. Could easily go overboard and ruin the flavour. When you rack onto blackberries you could simply taste until desired flavour is obtained, then rack again, bulk age, then bottle. Plus, more natural taste.
 
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