This is my first post on this site, I have been a long time lurker. I have brewed mostly ciders up until this last Saturday, when I decided to brew my first mead!! My whole strategy with this mead is to age it until next NYE and then enjoy it with friends. I was hoping you all could answer a few questions I have about this batch I made. I made five gallons. I basd it off the "Costco recipe" in the mead recipe section, but different quantities:
12 lbs clove honey.
3 lbs mixed local fresh berries. (Ive read its not enough, but was lacking funds for more)
yeast nut.
Yeast energizer
Wyeast dry mead yeast, then some cote de blancs.... i will get to that below.
pectic enzyme
So heres my question. After I mixed all this goodness above and pitched the wyeast mix in, I let it sit until next morning. When I checked on it, nothing no activity. So I decided to wait another day. Next morning nothing, no activity. So I went to work and came home to check it and very little activity. SO in my noob panic I pitched in a little bit of Cote de Blancs in and the next morning, bubbling fury. SO what will i expect, from the two dfferent yeasts?
Also, when i was preparing the must I heat up the honey in a gallon of water to make it pourable and so it woud mix well. Once heated and watery I poured it into the carboy. I think that was a mistake because it took forever to cool down. But I smacked the yeast pack 1 hr prior to that. So I had to put the carboy outside for 4 hrs to let it cool down. after 4 hrs it was mostly cool except for the bottom, where all the honey settled and was warm to the touch. I pitched the yeast into the carboy. Was this ok for the mead yeast?
I know this a long post, sorry about my noobness. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Jake:rockin:
12 lbs clove honey.
3 lbs mixed local fresh berries. (Ive read its not enough, but was lacking funds for more)
yeast nut.
Yeast energizer
Wyeast dry mead yeast, then some cote de blancs.... i will get to that below.
pectic enzyme
So heres my question. After I mixed all this goodness above and pitched the wyeast mix in, I let it sit until next morning. When I checked on it, nothing no activity. So I decided to wait another day. Next morning nothing, no activity. So I went to work and came home to check it and very little activity. SO in my noob panic I pitched in a little bit of Cote de Blancs in and the next morning, bubbling fury. SO what will i expect, from the two dfferent yeasts?
Also, when i was preparing the must I heat up the honey in a gallon of water to make it pourable and so it woud mix well. Once heated and watery I poured it into the carboy. I think that was a mistake because it took forever to cool down. But I smacked the yeast pack 1 hr prior to that. So I had to put the carboy outside for 4 hrs to let it cool down. after 4 hrs it was mostly cool except for the bottom, where all the honey settled and was warm to the touch. I pitched the yeast into the carboy. Was this ok for the mead yeast?
I know this a long post, sorry about my noobness. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Jake:rockin: