Noobrew Questions - please critique my process and give me some pointers/tips

I'm new to brewing. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never got around to.

Finally, yesterday, I pulled the trigger and bought some stuff:

5 gallon Primary Fermentation Bucket
5 gallon Carboy
Bung and Airlock
Racking cane and Siphon Hose
Carboy Cleaning Brush
Restaurant Grade Sanitizing Solution
Yeast and Yeast Nutrition

I wanted to start with something easy. I've always loved honey Mead and had decided (through lots of googling) that Mead was a fairly easy brewing project to start with. So I started with it.

I thought I made a big mistake at one point, but I think it's working out okay anyway. I'll look to your input on that, though. Here is what I did.


1. Sanitized everything.

2. Pasteurized a 2 gallon mix of equal parts honey and water (1 gallon of honey with 1 gallon of water, brought to 170 degrees and kept there for 15 minutes).

2.1. Simultaneous with that^ I hydrated my yeast in room-temp/warm water.

3. Mixed the pasteurized honey/water mixture with 3 gallons of cold water in the primary fermentation bucket, then did my best to shake it/swirl it up for aeration.

4. (Here's where I messed up) I added the yeast nutrition and the hydrated yeast to the Must without first checking the temp to make sure it was not too hot.

5. I panicked, checked the temp, and discovered that the Must was around 120 degrees F.

6. Not knowing what to do, I put the lid on it and stuck in the airlock (with sanitized water in the airlock).

7. Moved the primary fermentation bucket to a dry room that stays at about 72-75 degrees F throughout the day.


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AFTERMATH/NOTES/QUESTIONS

I was concerned that I killed the yeast by adding it to water that was about 120 degrees F, and so I was planning on picking up another packet of yeast to pitch. But, within a couple of hours the airlock was bubbling about once every 20 seconds. This morning the airlock is bubbling at a rate slightly more frequent than once a second.

I know, from what I've read here, that the airlock is NOT a tool to gauge fermentation. I also know that the lack of bubbles in the airlock is NOT an indication that fermentation is not occurring.

So, my question would be related to the converse. Is quick and frequent airlock bubble action (more than once per second) an indication that fermentation IS occurring? Should I go ahead and pitch another packet of yeast to be safe, or should I leave it as is?

I do not have a hydrometer, therefore I did not get a measurement prior to pitching the yeast.

BUMP

Please help me.

If it's bubbling then it's fermenting. I would recommend getting a hydrometer so you know when it has stopped fermenting.

yeast doesn't die until around 140, you were right on the edge. but if you have bubbling you're fermenting

Cool. Thanks.
I am going to get a hydrometer, at least for future batches. Regarding this batch, though, since I did not test it and get any sort of reading at the beginning, will a hydrometer tell me anything down the road, without a beginning reading to compare it to?

It'll let you know when it's done fermenting.

Critique the method/technique ?

Ok, why "pasteurise" something that is effectively, naturally sterile ? Or at least its natures most anti-fungal, anti-bacterial substance ?

After all, all of the sugars are fermentable, there's no conversion process like with beer making.

I didn't see if the honey was anything decent or not, at worst, you've removed a fair bit of the aromatics and probably some of the more subtle flavouring elements. You might as well just used a champagne yeast, it has a similar effect.

Making a basic and somewhat mediocre mead isn't hard, yet making a good, mega tasty mead isn't so easy.

If you have a look at the main page of the Gotmead forums, their "NewBee" guide is linked in the left side yellow dialogue box. It's full of invaluable advice and guidance.

fatbloke said:

Critique the method/technique ?

Ok, why "pasteurise" something that is effectively, naturally sterile ? Or at least its natures most anti-fungal, anti-bacterial substance ?

After all, all of the sugars are fermentable, there's no conversion process like with beer making.

I didn't see if the honey was anything decent or not, at worst, you've removed a fair bit of the aromatics and probably some of the more subtle flavouring elements. You might as well just used a champagne yeast, it has a similar effect.

Making a basic and somewhat mediocre mead isn't hard, yet making a good, mega tasty mead isn't so easy.

If you have a look at the main page of the Gotmead forums, their "NewBee" guide is linked in the left side yellow dialogue box. It's full of invaluable advice and guidance.

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Thanks.

Why did I pasteurize it? Simple, honest answer is: the majority of the recipes I found online said to do so, as did the local expert at De Falco's. I'm new to this, so I didn't question.

I will definitely check out the Gotmead forums. Thanks.

SandorClegane said:

Thanks.

Why did I pasteurize it? Simple, honest answer is: the majority of the recipes I found online said to do so, as did the local expert at De Falco's. I'm new to this, so I didn't question.

I will definitely check out the Gotmead forums. Thanks.

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Da nada.

Suggestions of pasteurisation usually mean that it's an outdated recipe. If you look up some of the few truely ancient recipes that are about, they also boiled their musts.

But that's mainly because the water used wasn't sanitary - it's why beer became so popular from mediaevel times onward. Because part of the process of converting the starches to fermentable sugars meant the wort had to be boiled, thereby sanitising the water.

Here's the link to the Gotmead forums and this one is the Gotmead NewBee guide

The newbee guide is a fair amount of reading but it's stuff full of brilliant advice, tips and guidance.

Oh, and ignore people in home brew shops when making meads. Most of them know bog all about meads and their advice is usually sweeping generalisations about how they "think" a mead should be produced, they usually think wrong, suggesting bits from beer or wine making - meads are closer to wines than beers, but that's pretty much where the similarity ends.

fatbloke said:

Da nada.

Suggestions of pasteurisation usually mean that it's an outdated recipe. If you look up some of the few truely ancient recipes that are about, they also boiled their musts.

But that's mainly because the water used wasn't sanitary - it's why beer became so popular from mediaevel times onward. Because part of the process of converting the starches to fermentable sugars meant the wort had to be boiled, thereby sanitising the water.

Here's the link to the Gotmead forums and this one is the Gotmead NewBee guide

The newbee guide is a fair amount of reading but it's stuff full of brilliant advice, tips and guidance.

Oh, and ignore people in home brew shops when making meads. Most of them know bog all about meads and their advice is usually sweeping generalisations about how they "think" a mead should be produced, they usually think wrong, suggesting bits from beer or wine making - meads are closer to wines than beers, but that's pretty much where the similarity ends.

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Ah, thanks.

Yeah, I found gotmead, and registered there too. Read the whole newbee guide from start to finish, before you posted the link. But thanks anyway.

So, when you (personally) brew Mead, do you cook the must at all? Or you just pour the honey into the water and add the yeast?

I just sit my honey container in a bucket of hot water long enough to get my honey to a point it pours and stirs easily.

Are you aerating twice daily and following the SNA (staggered nutrient additions) routine?

Racking cane and Siphon Hose

I would suggest purchasing an Auto Siphon. So much easier and your not getting the germs in your dirty mouth near your mead.

SandorClegane said:

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So, when you (personally) brew Mead, do you cook the must at all? Or you just pour the honey into the water and add the yeast?

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If the honey is liquid, then I just pour it into the water (by weight) and then stir the hell out of it, with either an electric balloon whisk or a stick blender (sanitised of course).

When the honey is crystalised, I'll weigh it out, then about 1lb at a time, it goes into the food processor with some of the water I'm intending to use to mix it in, then that gets blitzed enough to liquify it - it usually partially dissolves the crystals down a bit too.

That then goes into the bucket. Once all of the weight I'm intending to use is mixed as above, I then water it down to the target volume and blitz it with the whisk or stick blender - which sorts out any crystalisation that might remain, as well as aerating it just nicely. I then take a sample and let it settle out any bubbles before taking a reading, to know the gravity and whether I need to add any more honey to adjust the gravity or not.

Yes, it's a little long winded, but as I generally don't know how much processing the honey might have had before I got it, I prefer to "damage" it as little as possible. I aim to keep as much of the aromatics and more subtle flavouring elements as possible.

Of course, this wouldn't be an issue with raw honey, but I've yet to source any of that. Luckily, the local honey/apiary supplies place keeps local wild flower and that is cold pressed and cold filtered, so when I'm using that I know that I don't need too worry too much.

opus345 said:

Racking cane and Siphon Hose

I would suggest purchasing an Auto Siphon. So much easier and your not getting the germs in your dirty mouth near your mead.

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I've got an auto siphon racking cane. Thanks.

+1 Autosyphon

Also, when you use the autosyphon make sure that the temp of the must is below 90 as the high temp will styrate and make long splintering openings in it and render it useless over time. I ruined 3 autosyphons this way. One I turned into my own oaking wand.

Also, I think that you are fine with out a hydrometer for now, at least if you don't care how potent your mead is. The yeast will have it's own alcohol tolerance and will usually go to that. I know everyone says that no bubbling in the airlock is not an indication of a complete fermentation. But it is an indication that it is time to rack off of the primary. At least for me. So just use the visual que of the air lock on when to rack for your first time.

After you Rack just let it sit and settle, you may need to rack again after 2-3 months, just keep an eye on the sediment, over 1/4 inch should be racked off of. But don't stress about it. It will be fine, mead is a forgiving mistress for us lazy brewers, depending on the yeast. I usually don't let Lavin 71B sit on the lees long but Lavin D47 I can.

I recomend Postasium Sorbate for stabilizing and back sweetening.
Then after backsweetening to taste, keep in mind that initially the sweetness is masked by the fresh alcohol until aging so it will be about 25-50% less sweet than it will eventually end up, after aging.

After it clears a bit. Oak it using your choice of toast level of 1 oz of oak chips or cubes, I use chips for ease and availbility. Chips infuse quicker and it's harder to judge the oak level. But I have found 3 weeks to a month on the oak chips to be sufficient. Lightly toasted oak is recomended but Medium will bring a bit more to the table, Dark Toasted Oak will impart a smoky or to me more of a sooty flavor. some like it but with lighter meads, I use lightly toasted oak, darker flavors like pumpkin or heavy spice I use medium toasted oak.

Then after you take out the oak, just wait for it to clear, then either bottle or bulk age. Aging is basically forgetting about it for 6 months to a year. I highly recomend a year if you can wait.

Yes it is a long learning curve for time sake but worth it. Boards like here and Gotmead.com will only speed up that curve.

Also, remember, A cook (or brewer) is only as good as his ingredients. Find good quality honey. Unfiltered as close to the source is best. Never use store bought honey. If you can find it go to your local apiaries (bee keepers) for your source, this way you can see about buying in bulk at a cheaper price then usually the store's $6+ a pound. If you have nothing near buy look into online sources such as honeylocator.com or even your fellow mead makers for a group honey buy.

Hope it works out well.

Matrix

And get a digital thermometer with a probe length as it will save you from possible breaking a glass one and getting mercery into your mead, turning it poisonious.

Matrix

Matrix4b,

Firstly, didn't know about oaking. So...basically, after it's in the secondary fermenter (carboy) for a month or a couple of months (or when it starts clearing) I should toss some oak chips in there? Please give me some details on this, as it is a new concept to me (as is a LOT of this).

Second, I've been using a metal meat thermometer. Is there a reason I should not use this?

SandorClegane said:

Matrix4b,

Firstly, didn't know about oaking. So...basically, after it's in the secondary fermenter (carboy) for a month or a couple of months (or when it starts clearing) I should toss some oak chips in there? Please give me some details on this, as it is a new concept to me (as is a LOT of this).

Second, I've been using a metal meat thermometer. Is there a reason I should not use this?

Click to expand...

Ok, so oaking: I use 1 oz of oak chips in mine. Supposely you can oak at any time but I like to oak at the point it's starting to clear or just prior to bottling and after your last racking prior to bottling. The time does vary as does the type of oak and the toast of the oak. For your batch there what I would suggest is a Lightly Toasted American Oak. Usually found at your local brew store. I would put the oak in for about a month. I like to put the chips in a muslin hops bag so that it's easier to remove. Putting a couple of sanitized glass marbles in the bag will also help it sink to the bottom. You can go less than a month, possibly 3 weeks. I did a test of a standard show mead (that's no flavorings, just honey and nutrients) where I did two batches and did nothing differnet between the two except in one I added lightly toasted oak for 3 weeks. And then after aging I asked people to do a blind taste test. Hands down people preferred the oaked. The oaked ended up aging smoother and silkyer and it removed a bit of back bite that my previous mead had. I also noticed that the oaked was a bit more drinkable earlier. I wouldn't shorten on the aging time but it can make it taste better earler.

Needless to say I was suprised. I figured most of my meads from then on will be oaked. I have a toast level test in the carboy now about ready to be bottled. I did the same batch using light toasted oak, medium toasted oak, and heavy toasted oak. The results should be interesting and informative on future batches. I recomend oak chips, they infuse faster than spirals or cubes. Many more experienced brewers will say cubes or spirals (or staves) are better because they infuse slower and it is more control able. I have yet to do a test side by side of this.

What they used to do in the olden days: Why we know this works is they used to age Mead, and burbon and other alcohols in oak barrels of varying toast levels. The toast level imparts different flavors, if you look you can see what the different toast levels will do. Just a breif though: Light Toast is said to impart a fruity, nuttyness suitable for most fruit meads or light tasting meads. Medium Toasted Oak imparts a more nutty/vanilla flavor notes. Not much but enough. This is usually suitable for spice batches and more earthy flavored meads. Heavy Toasted Oak is said to bring a deep vanilla/smoky flavor, a much darker flavor. This I would gather would be good for chocolates or even the very spicy or pepery meads or even a Braggot. That's what I remember off the top of my head. It may be a bit more complex than that in the subtle flavor notes.

As to you second question: Use what works. A meat thermo would work, many state it is best to use a candy thermo for more range and sensitivity. Personally I don't want to risk getting mercery in my mead so I shy away from glass. I have an electronic one that has a probe connected to a wire that goes to the box, serves as a timer and a temp gauge and an alarm if I reach a setting of my own tempature. I like it, All I need to do is sanitize the end of it when I use it and I can have my temp on the box next to the stove. Mine cost like $15 or so. But in essence, use what you have and what works. Just be careful not to break the thermo in the mead, it would ruin the whole batch.

Hope that this helped.
Matrix

Thanks, Matrix.


New question, guys. I assume it is normal for the air coming out of the top of the airlock to smell kind of like bread dough, since it is yeast that is working in there afterall. Is my assumption correct?

Somewhat, yes, depending on the yeast and what it's fermenting. What you put in the airlock will also help influence that, too. I use 80 proof Vodka, some use sanitized water. As long as whatever you use you don't mind possibly getting into your batch of goodness!

I've never done a cider, but I've read that it's foul, no matter what. "Rhino Farts".

Never had a batch of mead smell bad, though, no matter what I used.

Banzai said:

Somewhat, yes, depending on the yeast and what it's fermenting. What you put in the airlock will also help influence that, too. I use 80 proof Vodka, some use sanitized water. As long as whatever you use you don't mind possibly getting into your batch of goodness!

I've never done a cider, but I've read that it's foul, no matter what. "Rhino Farts".

Never had a batch of mead smell bad, though, no matter what I used.

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Don't get me wrong, I don't think it smells bad. It smells great! I used to cook Indian food at home, and when I'd make the naan (Indian flat bread), the dough would smell like this. It's a delicious smell, but I just want to make sure it's normal and not an indication that something is growing that shouldn't be.


Oh, and Matrix4b, I went ahead and ordered some medium toasted oak chips. I did read your post thoroughly, and realize you suggested light toast for my brew. But, your description of the flavors rendered from medium toast chips just struck a chord with me, and sounded like exactly what I'd want. So I went with those.

When this is all said and done I'll be sure to let you know how it worked out. Thanks for that tip.

SandorClegane said:

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it smells bad. It smells great! I used to cook Indian food at home, and when I'd make the naan (Indian flat bread), the dough would smell like this. It's a delicious smell, but I just want to make sure it's normal and not an indication that something is growing that shouldn't be.


Oh, and Matrix4b, I went ahead and ordered some medium toasted oak chips. I did read your post thoroughly, and realize you suggested light toast for my brew. But, your description of the flavors rendered from medium toast chips just struck a chord with me, and sounded like exactly what I'd want. So I went with those.

When this is all said and done I'll be sure to let you know how it worked out. Thanks for that tip.

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With the experience with Lavin D47 AND Blueberries the scent you are getting is normal. I once did a Strawberry Mead with the Strawberries in the primary and my wife loved it, she said it smelled like strawberry bread baking. She hates coffee so she has prohibited me from making a coffee mead or a Mocca Mead. But Chocolate was ok. Still aging the chocolate and chocolate mint meads that I did. Should know about that one next october as I am giving it a full year and 1/2 to age.

But good luck. The Medium Toasted Oak should do you fine. The notes may be very subtle and not entirely noticeable but the smoothness for me is always noticable. Takes that sharp bite off of it. I know there is a post around this board and even on Gotmead.com somewhere for more information on oaking, just can't find it right now.

Matrix

Wait wait wait wait wait.


... you can make a coffee mead? Time to look up that recipe! Funny thing is, I was just wondering earlier today if you can brew stuff with coffee beans or grounds.