Bray's One Month Mead

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Bubble gum.

Primary fermentation ceased.
Tastes of a delicate white wine, a bit aging required, but very drinkable (dryness too dry for me).

Backsweeten - yum. Needs something else though.
Oak + vanilla after 3 days I take off vanilla.

Yum. Wait.
Bubblegum?

I'm waiting to see if it's some kind of strange product of the vanilla (will taste this week), but I thought bubblegum should have shown up sooner - during active fermentation... not after.

Strange.

Still good, though, but definitely not intended.
 
Believe it or not, the bubblegum comes from the oak. The longer you leave it on oak, the more the flavor develops. First, you taste bubblegum, then you get vanilla. If you go long enough, you get bourbon. I know this from an oak experiment I did.


Better brewing through science!
 
loveofrose said:
Believe it or not, the bubblegum comes from the oak. The longer you leave it on oak, the more the flavor develops. First, you taste bubblegum, then you get vanilla. If you go long enough, you get bourbon. I know this from an oak experiment I did.


Better brewing through science!
Click to expand...

That is bizarre.
 
So, I haven't quite read through all the posts yet but has anyone tried carbonating this?

I dig fizzy mead. Planning on starting a big batch next week as soon as the ingredients I can't get locally arrive.

But, back to carbonation, hypothetically, you could prime and bottle the same way you do with beer, right? Any overt risk of bottle bombs or is it not a worry when the yeast reach full attenuation?
 
As long as the mead is dry (<1.00 gravity), you can prime and carbonate like beer. If the mead is sweet, you must force carbonate in a keg.


Better brewing through science!
 
My BOMM (first mead!) is about 2 months old and turned out really well. I used honey from my own bee hives, which is super dark and has lots of pollen. I've racked it 3 times and cold crashed it once and it is not clearing at all. It seems like the only thing that has dropped out is the yeast. From reading other threads most people use either Super Klear or sparkolloid for mead. My BOMM has a super nice and complex flavor and I don't want to lose any of that with a clarifying agent. I'd like a clear mead, but would rather have the complexity vs clarity. I've read that people have lost some complexity after clearing, but it seems rather subjective to me.

Anyone have any suggestions/experience with this. I've never used a clarifying agent before.
Thanks.
 
I've seen this before with meadowfoam honey. Some honeys have additional components from whatever the bees were pollinating that refuse to clear. This sounds like one of those cases.

It's either SuperKleer or live with it. Usually, SuperKleer improves the flavor, but, in this case, SuperKleer may very well strip some of the complexity. Your call. I would drink it cloudy.


Better brewing through science!
 
SuperKleer or sparkalloid. I've dealt with both. For me superkleer seems to leave an after taste that, so far, only I can taste. I may be allergic to it.

Sparkalloid can used with great success too, and I've used it before.

If the taste is fine, I wouldn't mess with it though.
 
So for 5 gallons do you add that 3 TBSP mixture twice for a total of 6 TBSP over the course of the fermentation? Or break up 3 TBPS mixture in half?
 
For 5 gallons, It's 1 TBSP DAP + 2 TBSP Fermaid K at 3 points for a total of 9 TBSP of nutrient. Must creation (1.099), 2/3 break (1.066), & 1/3 break (1.033).


Better brewing through science!
 
Thanks for the replies!
I'm going to clear 1 gallon and compare.
Thanks!


IJesusChrist said:
SuperKleer or sparkalloid. I've dealt with both. For me superkleer seems to leave an after taste that, so far, only I can taste. I may be allergic to it.

Sparkalloid can used with great success too, and I've used it before.

If the taste is fine, I wouldn't mess with it though.
Click to expand...
 
Without reading the whole 50 pages looking for the answer (yes, ive read 99% of the thread in the past, just not while thinking about this question)

Can you make a bochet with the BOMM method? I cant see why not, It might just take more time for the flavors to work themselves out, maybe?
 
I did a BOMM style mead with honey slightly caremilized for only about 45 min to an hour so not really that dark. In full disclosure the yeast was 71b so not a true BOMM but used the same PH balancing and nutrient regiment. It turned out AMAZING. I did a side by side with one without cooking the honey and I liked the near bochet better.
 
MNSmitty said:
Without reading the whole 50 pages looking for the answer (yes, ive read 99% of the thread in the past, just not while thinking about this question)

Can you make a bochet with the BOMM method? I cant see why not, It might just take more time for the flavors to work themselves out, maybe?
Click to expand...


Sure you can. It's on my list!


Better brewing through science!
 
I'm ordering up yeast and everything in the ingredient list for this. Wondering what people do with the stuff that comes in heat sealed bags? How do you store this/reseal?
Thanks
 
How about direct pitching the yeast without making a starter? I don't have a flask but I have some quart mason jars. Could at least make a small starter.
 
jdanderson1449 said:
How about direct pitching the yeast without making a starter? I don't have a flask but I have some quart mason jars. Could at least make a small starter.
Click to expand...


Mason jar starter is better than nothing. Go with that if it's all you've got. I never advise direct pitching in more than 2 gallons. Unless it's one pack per gallon.


Better brewing through science!
 
I've made it almost all the way through the thread and have some questions about back sweetening and ABV

It sounds like the protocol is add honey after the BOMM has quit at about 1.000 to bring sweetness to taste, however adding honey may kick off fermentation again.

Add honey until the alcohol content is too high for the yeast and they give up, and then add honey to sweeten.

Later in the thread you mentioned that you don't need to stir the honey in for this step, it will go into solution in about 2 days or so. My question then is around calculating gravity and ABV. If you add honey, and it takes 2 days to go into solution, when/how do you measure the new SG to then recalculate/add together you SG/FG measurements along the way to killing the yeast to figure out ABV?

For your 19% BOMM with 1 oz honey additions that must have taken a LONG time!
 
threeway said:
I've made it almost all the way through the thread and have some questions about back sweetening and ABV

It sounds like the protocol is add honey after the BOMM has quit at about 1.000 to bring sweetness to taste, however adding honey may kick off fermentation again.

Add honey until the alcohol content is too high for the yeast and they give up, and then add honey to sweeten.

Later in the thread you mentioned that you don't need to stir the honey in for this step, it will go into solution in about 2 days or so. My question then is around calculating gravity and ABV. If you add honey, and it takes 2 days to go into solution, when/how do you measure the new SG to then recalculate/add together you SG/FG measurements along the way to killing the yeast to figure out ABV?

For your 19% BOMM with 1 oz honey additions that must have taken a LONG time!
Click to expand...

The way you'd do this is by calculation, you wouldn't necessarily need to take sg's after hitting 1.000.

You would simply add honey (and keep track of how much) until it's at a sweetness you desired, and then back-calculate for ABV.
 
Not sure I follow.

1.Hit 1.000
2. Add honey until yeast caps out(wouldn't this increase the gravity and then drop it as sugar is used up?)
3. yeast finally stalls
4. add more honey to get desired sweetness


Are you saying ditch the hydro at that point and just calculate the ABV from adding honey and the FG?
 
So, here's a point of wonder: I degassed my batch of mead last night and attempted to take another gravity reading so that I can detect sugar breaks and it was at a higher level than when I started. I'm thinking I should take my reading before I degas so as to not stir up all that gas.

Anyone else ever encounter this? Or am I too concerned about my sugar breaks and should give it a couple more days?
 
I dont know about the gases but if I had to make a guess that sounds reasonable. Also if the honey was not completely dissolved it might still be coming into solution. Don't know if it could do that faster than the yeast could ferment though. Maybe someone who knows more could answer more definitely.
 
jdanderson1449 said:
So, here's a point of wonder: I degassed my batch of mead last night and attempted to take another gravity reading so that I can detect sugar breaks and it was at a higher level than when I started. I'm thinking I should take my reading before I degas so as to not stir up all that gas.

Anyone else ever encounter this? Or am I too concerned about my sugar breaks and should give it a couple more days?
Click to expand...

Its more likely that you didn't dissolve all of the honey. It takes a lot of stirring to dissolve a gallon of honey...

You'll hit all your sugar breaks within a span of 4-5 days if you follow everything correctly
 
Used a drill powered mixer. It's unlikely that I understirred but not impossible.

Guess we'll keep an eye on things what's the worst that can happen, higher ABV? I sure hope so!
 
After today's degassing and gravity reading, things are much more normal. Down almost 15 points overnight. This Belgian yeast is impressive.
 
loveofrose, thank you so much for this thread. I have read this in it's entirety. Great information. I am ordering the 1388 today as this is on my list to do. I have one mead in progress right now and it is going along nicely. Have made the step nutrient additions and stirred to degas every day. Seems to be working.

I just have a general question regarding the time that it takes for the mead to reach the 2/3 and 1/3 attenuations. Do you have a feel for this, i.e., third day for 2/3's 5th day for 1/3, etc. Any insight here.

I don't have a hydrometer, but have been brewing beer for 20 years and it always comes out great. Mead is different though.

Thanks for your time and thank you for this wonderful thread.
 
Time to 2/3 & 1/3 sugar break depends on a lot of things, but usually it's in the range of 2-4 days for the first break and an additional 2-4 days for the second break.

Mead is different. Go on Amazon and find a cheap hydrometer. Then, buy three.


Better brewing through science!
 
I gave my batch its first round of nutrients last night after degassing on day 5. Mixed it again and as soon as I put the lid on, activity took right off again. Almost as much as within the first couple of days.
 
My mead is quickly reaching full fermentation it's currently right around 1020 so I expect active fermentation to be finished this weekend. And it tastes good!

That being said, has anyone had any luck cold crashing? I'm not trying to rush the process just a curiosity. I may rack a single gallon to a secondary and try it out. Because why not.
 
Cold crashing works very well. If you want crazy fast clearing, hit it with SuperKleer then cold crash.


Better brewing through science!
 
I think I'll abstain from using any clearing agents for the time being.

I read in an earlier comment on this thread that some have had finished mead using your method in as little as ten days with good varietal honeys. Unfortunately, I live in an area where coming by those can be very expensive but I did get a hold of twelve pounds of good clean wildflower honey for a good price. What I have tasted from the fermenter over the last few days was more than acceptable.

I'm very excited for a finished example, clear or not.
 
loveofrose said:
For 5 gallons, It's 1 TBSP DAP + 2 TBSP Fermaid K at 3 points for a total of 9 TBSP of nutrient. Must creation (1.099), 2/3 break (1.066), & 1/3 break (1.033).


Better brewing through science!
Click to expand...

Is first post a typo then?
 
Thinking about trying this as my first attempt at mead. Question ... It says to "Aerate daily by shaking". Is this just until you start seeing airlock activity or throughout the whole fermentation process? Should an airlock even be used if aerating the primary often is a good thing for mead? Sorry if this has been asked before. I haven't had a chance to go through the whole thread yet.

Cheers
~Joe :mug:
 
I started this about 10 days ago. I used an airlock. With a 5 gallon batch, I used a drill mounted mixer (the same kind used for mixing paint). You'll see airlock activity almost immediately if you made a starter. I don't think it'll hurt if you use an airlock but I'd bet you don't need one for at least two weeks considering how active this yeast is. They're monsters.
 
loveofrose said:
Yes. A copy paste typo that has been haunting me ever since.


Better brewing through science!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification. I found where you posted in other spots with the TBSP notation and then one post where you said TSPs may work also since you have since reduced the amount of nutrients so I was totally befuddled. Pitched starter last night. We'll see what happens! Not sure what kid of honey. My brew store had 5 lbs glass jars of some dark looking stuff with no label. That's the best kind right?
hoping for non-buckwheat!
 
I leave the airlock on to keep flies, air bacteria, and assorted varmints out. The first week the airlock is not necessary if you don't have those issues.


Better brewing through science!
 

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