Help, first time making mead, two days and the raisins are floating!!

Hello all,


I would greatly appreciate any help or advice.
I was so eager to start making mead, but lacked the funds to properly follow any of the recipes. So, taking the information that it is very forgiving, I created my own(using less honey and more fruit). And two days after combining the must, all the raisins have risen to the top. I read this means it is ready, but it's only been two days; could I have haphazardly come across a super fast recipe?

What do I do now? Let it sit for another 10-12 days? Bottle it now? Add more honey?

There does not seem to be anything wrong with it, there is an odor that is pleasant, not indicating trouble. There is a bit of sediment that has accumilated on the bottom, it is still bubbling.

If I let it sit, will it turn to vinegar?

Please help, thank you
Sherbear

What was the recipe you used? And I wouldn't definitely not rack it yet. Let is sit until it's clear.

Well, I just kinda took what I had in the kitchen(I haven't been able to find decent work in two years, sad I know). A small portion of store bought apple cider(the bottom of the gallon with all the sediments included, probably 3 cups worth), two oranges sliced, one apple sliced, a handful of raisins, nutmeg, allspice, cinnimmon, bread yeast(a little more than comes in one package(I have a big baggie full of it for making bread and kinda just guessed as to what amount I needed considering the amount of the other ingredients)), and I boiled the honey with water(I used a rediculously small amount of honey, what was left of a 12oz bottle), oh and I made apple juice popcicles that i forgot about and found them while making this and warmed them up and added them(they were fermenting in the freezer, which I was very surprised at). I realize that this is not close to any mead recipe I found but just used my instincts as to what portions of other ingredients I needed to increase due to the minimal use of honey to achieve the desired result; ie fruit to feed the yeast as well as it's natural yeast and fermentation and extra yeast to try to get the most fermentation possible with the least amount of honey. Though, now looking back, I may have added too much yeast(but it's not bubbling over, so maybe not). I am intending this to become a sparkling mead.

Thank you Irregular Pulse, I will wait until it clears a little, any comments about my recipe?

I do hope I have not offended any serious mead makers by my experiment, if I have please forgive me, experimenting is part of my nature.

sherbear said:

Thank you Irregular Pulse, I will wait until it clears a little, any comments about my recipe?

I do hope I have not offended any serious mead makers by my experiment, if I have please forgive me, experimenting is part of my nature.

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There's nothing wrong with experimenting, but just keep a good record of what you do so that you can recreate it if it turns out great. My biggest suggestion would be to get and use a hydrometer if you want to make sparkling meads. Without one, you may make bottle bombs instead.

The raisins rising to the top doesn't mean it is ready. That means the yeast have started to work and the CO2 they are releasing is buoying the raisins up (forming what is capped a cap). When the fermentation is done and the CO drops, the raisin will likely fall again. The surest way to judge that the fermentation is done, is to use a hydrometer.

Medsen

I have made a few batches of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (which also uses raisins and bread yeast) and found that my fruit floated to the top during fermentation. When all was done and the mead cleared, the raisins and oranges fell to the bottom along with the yeast.

+1 on writing down your recipes... I made an experimental beer (2.5 gallons rather than my normal 5 gallons) that tasted awesome! I just threw a bunch of ingredients that sounded good in the mash and played with hop additions. I was fortunate that I wrote all of my steps down in my brewing software so that I can make it again in a 5 gallon batch! The one time you don't write it down is the time that you make the best tasting stuff you have ever had and you can't remember exactly how you did it... Ask me how I know

Thank you everyone, you've been much help!! Hopefully this first batch will turn out well.

I made dandelion wine this year, and the raisins never fell, even though I left it in the fermenter for nearly two months.

S

Judging from the 'recipe', there's not a ton of fermentable sugar in there. Less than 12 oz of honey, and the apple juice, plus whatever the raisins yield.

not saying its done, but it should be a fairly quick experiment. i would expect it to be pretty thin and weak tasting, but not foul. the spices could overpower, but they will mellow with aging if that's the case.

next time though, don't boil the honey. no need, it'll be fine.