Bray's One Month Mead

[MX1]

Possibly ferm temp, IIRC the BOMM calls for a 70-ish degree temp, that will speed things up compared to a 65 or 65 ish temp
I see you are at 68 in your chamber, what size batch was this?

Have you tasted it? Have you pulled a gravity yet....gravity will tell you more about the ferment than the airlock will

 

[Miraculix]

Sigh...

While it is good to know it is a well behaved yeast, I was looking for responses describing HOW it behaves and looks, typical time of fermentation in the BOMM protocol, etc. so I might have a chance on geting a clue why I followed the protocol closely, and my batch is STILL fermenting 40 days from pitch.

Can anyone help me with my original question, what does a typical 1388 ferment look and act like?

My uneducated guess is that your pack was old or somehow the cells were not as healthy as they should be. So you might have pitched not enough cells, at least what you are saying sounds like the blueprint of not enough cell count problems.

 

[MX1]

My uneducated guess is that your pack was old or somehow the cells were not as healthy as they should be. So you might have pitched not enough cells, at least what you are saying sounds like the blueprint of not enough cell count problems.

Tasting it will help tell if it is an under pitch or possible wild ferment, or at least I think it should

 

[JP_BeerFan]

Possibly ferm temp, IIRC the BOMM calls for a 70-ish degree temp, that will speed things up compared to a 65 or 65 ish temp
I see you are at 68 in your chamber, what size batch was this?

Have you tasted it? Have you pulled a gravity yet....gravity will tell you more about the ferment than the airlock will

Huh, thought I typed out a response, must have not sent it...

1 gal jug, in my little dorm fridge fermenter with temp control. It does taste good, so if it's a wild yeast at least its a good one. Haven't checked a sample for a while, at 20 days it was at 1.018, its past 40 days now, and still going, still growing thin wispy yeast rafts on top. I moved from 68F to 70F for several days at the first week, when it was starting so slowly, Bray had said he thought 1388 went fastest at 68F, so I put it back there since then.

Will check it soon, taste and gravity, and report back.

 

[Miraculix]

Tasting it will help tell if it is an under pitch or possible wild ferment, or at least I think it should

A lot of the precursors for wild funk are not present in honey. Especially all the phenolic ones are missing, so we won't be getting these flavours from wild yeasts. This means it's a lot harder to tell if wild yeasts played a role during fermentation than with beer. This can be a good thing.

 

[MX1]

A lot of the precursors for wild funk are not present in honey. Especially all the phenolic ones are missing, so we won't be getting these flavours from wild yeasts. This means it's a lot harder to tell if wild yeasts played a role during fermentation than with beer. This can be a good thing.

This is very good to know!

 

[Miraculix]

This is very good to know!

Yes! It can make live hard if you are after a "funky" mead.... this is a tough one. I made a wild mead once, that one is pretty good, needed ages to become good, but at the end is really nice. But nothing in there says it is a wild ferment... I mean, it is not as clean as a commercial yeast mead, but also not as funky as you would expect when you compare a wild beer to a normal beer.

 

[amber-ale]

What is the recommended 2nd choice for yeast, in the event I cannot find 1388 tomorrow

Llalamand CBC is one of the recomended alternative (dry) yeasts for a BOMM

 

[MX1]

Question about the BOMM SNA
Only doing additions at day 0/2/4 ?

working on build a bewlog with formulas for the SNA additions

 

[Miraculix]

Question about the BOMM SNA
Only doing additions at day 0/2/4 ?

working on build a bewlog with formulas for the SNA additions

I'd just follow the schedule from youtobrew and be done with it. Worked well for me every time.

 

[MX1]

I'd just follow the schedule from youtobrew and be done with it. Worked well for me every time.

that is where I got the schedule from

 

[ruddyscot]

Dr. Bray Denard did a yeast experiment to find out which yeast performed best. Here's a link to the article he wrote about it on his website.

https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/ale-yeast-experiment-belgian-bomm-one-month-mead/
I hope this helps you.
Happy meading

DanO, thanks for your reply,and THANK YOU for being a veteran!

 

[Dan O]

DanO, thanks for your reply,and THANK YOU for being a veteran!

You're welcome. My pleasure, my honor to serve

 

[OssianOtt]

Hello, I have some ingredients to make a franken-bomm, I have the wrong honey and will use abbaye dry yeast.

Potassium carbonate is very hard to get a hold of around here, would Natriumbicarbonate work as a substitute? I have a bag with NaHco3 which I bought from the LHBS. I read that they (Natrium and Potassium) have similar characteristics and that both are very reactive, which I presumed was to get the fermentation going well.

Also GoFerm is a little hard to get by here, I think I read somewhere in this thread that I can substitute it for a banana. Anyone tried this? I would love to get a batch of something maybe reminiscent to a BOMM mead ready for christmas.

Thanks

 

[Miraculix]

Hello, I have some ingredients to make a franken-bomm, I have the wrong honey and will use abbaye dry yeast.

Potassium carbonate is very hard to get a hold of around here, would Natriumbicarbonate work as a substitute? I have a bag with NaHco3 which I bought from the LHBS. I read that they (Natrium and Potassium) have similar characteristics and that both are very reactive, which I presumed was to get the fermentation going well.

Also GoFerm is a little hard to get by here, I think I read somewhere in this thread that I can substitute it for a banana. Anyone tried this? I would love to get a batch of something maybe reminiscent to a BOMM mead ready for christmas.

Thanks

No.

Leave out the salt if your cannot get it, it's not mandatory. You can go to youtobrew.co.uk for latest advice on brewing with dry yeast. You can also buy the nutrients there. You can certainly not replace them with a banana.

 

[OssianOtt]

No.

Leave out the salt if your cannot get it, it's not mandatory. You can go to youtobrew.co.uk for latest advice on brewing with dry yeast. You can also buy the nutrients there. You can certainly not replace them with a banana.

Such a goldmine of info. I've tried to gather info on BOMM from Denard Brewing before but this new website is better at explaining for a novice to understand. I've ordered Fermaid-O and GoFerm. Thanks!

 

[Miraculix]

Such a goldmine of info. I've tried to gather info on BOMM from Denard Brewing before but this new website is better at explaining for a novice to understand. I've ordered Fermaid-O and GoFerm. Thanks!

It's also from the same guy as your quoted website .

 

[OssianOtt]

Yes I've realised this, two different websites, and this forumthread and the one at gotmead makes it a bit confusing to navigate

 

[Dan O]

Yes I've realised this, two different websites, and this forumthread and the one at gotmead makes it a bit confusing to navigate

Denard Brewing will have the most up to date recipes. You To Brew (YTB UK or .com) will have the most current mead making info.

 

[MX1]

Thre is a YouTooBrew discord as well

 

[OssianOtt]

Hello guys, I have a batch of bomm almost finished fermenting and a couple of questions:

should I rack to secondary for it to clear when fermentation is finished? if so, should i cold crash before or after racking?

if fermentation has proceeded well (which it has), is that a sign of not having problems with too low pH? I could not find potassium carbonate around but it might not have been a problem.

Is swirling the demijon somewhat gently enough to degass it? Should it be totally still and not produce any bubbles at all for the mead to be still after bottling? Should it be done after racking to secondary (if I should rack)

Anybody tried to wash and reuse yeast for another batch of mead? I have been using ferm-o at proper intervals and rehydrated with goferm in beginning, somewhere around 1.1 in OG

Thanks!

 

[Miraculix]

No secondary. Just wait till it's clear and then bottle. If you want to bulk age, then a secondary would be ok to use but I personally see no benefit in bulk aging the mead.

 

[z-bob]

Has anyone tried using saison yeast in mead? The one I'm specifically interested in is OYL-033 "Jovaru".

 

[Miraculix]

Has anyone tried using saison yeast in mead? The one I'm specifically interested in is OYL-033 "Jovaru".

No, but this should be an excellent idea to test. Especially for a dry mead as jovaru produces loads of glycerine and leaves even dry fermented beers tasting sweet. Please let us know your results.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Its advertised alcohol limit is only 10%. Better keep that in mind for a dry mead.

 

[Miraculix]

Its advertised alcohol limit is only 10%. Better keep that in mind for a dry mead.

These limits are rarely true. I've yet to find a yeast that stops below 15% abv when confronted with simple sugars only plus decent nutrition

 

[Maylar]

These limits are rarely true. I've yet to find a yeast that stops below 15% abv when confronted with simple sugars only plus decent nutrition

I've had Fleischmann's bread yeast take a JAOM mead to 15%.

 

[z-bob]

I was planning to use 1.5 pounds of honey and an 18 ounce jar of apricot preserves (plus nutrients and potassium bicarb) in enough water to make 4 liters. I've done this before with wine yeast and it comes out to about 10% ABV. Jovaru should be able to handle that, but it may take a long time to carbonate.

I could also step-feed it so the osmotic pressure is not so high at first. Start with the apricots and half the honey, and add the rest of the honey a few days later when the SG isn't so high.

 

[MightyMosin]

Its advertised alcohol limit is only 10%. Better keep that in mind for a dry mead.

SafAle S-04 states 9-11%, but with proper nutrients, enough honey, and time I have gotten it to shy of 14%.

 

[z-bob]

I've been skimming thru this thread trying to figure out how much potassium bicarbonate to add for a 1 gallon batch. The recipe seems to have evolved over the years and the first post on page one says 3/4 tsp for both the 1 gallon and 5 gallons batch, which can't be right. Would 1/4 tsp be enough for 1 gallon? Should that be a scant 1/4 tsp or a generous one? I know it's an important addition, but maybe the amount is not critical as long as it's not zero. Thanks.

 

[Maylar]

That was a typo that he corrected on his web page. 1/4 TSP for 1 gallon.

 

[z-bob]

I used 1/4 tsp of potassium bicarbonate, 1/2 tsp of Fermax nutrients, 2 quarts of bottled "spring" water, the sediment from a liter bottle of beer fermented with Jovaru, and an 18 oz jar of apricot preserves. Let that ferment for about 2 weeks in a 3 liter jug until it died-down. Whenever I walk by, I would shake it a little to degas it.

Yesterday I strained all the apricot mush out and transferred the must to a 4L jug. Added another 1/2 tsp of nutrients, a pound and a half of honey, and enough water to take the level almost to the bottom of the neck. (I'll fill it the rest of the way with water once I know it's not going to foam-over)

It's bubbling happily again with a thin layer of white foam on top. The honey settled to the bottom and didn't want to mix in when I shook it up. So I'm leaving it there. The honey layer looks almost an inch less today and there's a lot of yeast collecting right above it. It's interesting to watch. It may need one more small dose of nutrients in a few days.

I have used Jovaru in cider and it tastes very spicy. Not any specific spice, but spicy just the same. I think I like it; not sure. I may be retiring this yeast to the back of the fridge after this experiment. It was very good in a wheat beer that I brewed last summer so I'll want to keep a jar for that when the weather gets hot again.

 

[kvos]

I am on about page 7 doing a re-read. Great info and many thanks!!! I like having a warranty so been lurking and gathering supplies. I have most items needed but like others finding this or that comes down to shipping costs. Honey for me is the issue, I can get 7 kg pails for $60 but it's random farm honey clover, alfalfa, canola, dandelions, pesticides??? I will probably try Kirkland brand unpasteurized 3 kg x 2 planning for 1.5kg per gallon ...

My question is about starting 4-1gallon ferments, I have 2 smack packs but I only want to use one. For making a 5-gallon ferment, Brey says just make a 1-gallon batch for a starter. So if I make a 1-gallon batch, pitch and give it three days to build the yeast numbers, can I then mix it up well and put 1/4 volume into each of the other 3 ferments and just top everything up with the needed honey and nutrients and call it day one???

Regards K

Also is there a definitive Final Revision of Bomm RE Fermaid O ???

 

[DBhomebrew]

Dr. Denard has his most recent writing here...

https://www.youtobrew.com/mead-making-101

 

[Dan O]

I am on about page 7 doing a re-read. Great info and many thanks!!! I like having a warranty so been lurking and gathering supplies. I have most items needed but like others finding this or that comes down to shipping costs. Honey for me is the issue, I can get 7 kg pails for $60 but it's random farm honey clover, alfalfa, canola, dandelions, pesticides??? I will probably try Kirkland brand unpasteurized 3 kg x 2 planning for 1.5kg per gallon ...

My question is about starting 4-1gallon ferments, I have 2 smack packs but I only want to use one. For making a 5-gallon ferment, Brey says just make a 1-gallon batch for a starter. So if I make a 1-gallon batch, pitch and give it three days to build the yeast numbers, can I then mix it up well and put 1/4 volume into each of the other 3 ferments and just top everything up with the needed honey and nutrients and call it day one???

Regards K

Also is there a definitive Final Revision of Bomm RE Fermaid O ???

The most up-to-date recipe &information is on Bray's website.
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/brays-one-month-mead/

 

[kvos]

I search and found this definitive Dap free Recipe on Youtobrew.

 

[loveofrose]

Llalamand CBC is one of the recomended alternative (dry) yeasts for a BOMM

I would no longer recommend CBC. I would recommend Lutra for a dry yeast alternative. Be sure to rehydrate it. Make your calculations easy with my Batch Builder: Mead Batch Builder — You To Brew

 

[Miraculix]

I would no longer recommend CBC. I would recommend Lutra for a dry yeast alternative. Be sure to rehydrate it. Make your calculations easy with my Batch Builder: Mead Batch Builder — You To Brew

How does lutra compare against w15?

 

[loveofrose]

How does lutra compare against w15?

Lutra is very neutral, but provides a crisp minerality to the mead. W15 adds body and rose type flavors. Lutra would be Jack of all trades because it’s neutral and does well at 70-100 F. W15 is more specialized to meads that are compatible with rose notes.

 

[Miraculix]

Lutra is very neutral, but provides a crisp minerality to the mead. W15 adds body and rose type flavors. Lutra would be Jack of all trades because it’s neutral and does well at 70-100 F. W15 is more specialized to meads that are compatible with rose notes.

Good to know now that I have 125g of it in the freezer .

Rose mead for the next 20 years it shall be!

My personal experience with kveiks (although with beer, not with mead) ist that it is almost impossible to make them throw out fusels, even if fermented at body temperature. So lutra sounds actually nice. I think I even made a mead with it once, now that I think of it. Was good!