First Batch OG question

[JezzaUK]

Hello all,

I've started my first batch of Mead after having numerous successes with alcoholic ginger beer over here in the UK.

Anyway, I made up my first batch on Sunday and took a reading of 1.079 before pitching the yeast with must with yeast at 20 celcius and must at 25 celcius after aereating the must for about 5 minutes in a fermentation bucket with a paddle

Recipe was:

1.34kg Blossom Honey
350ml stong black Fortnum & Mason spiced Christmas tea
Water to make up to 1 Gallon
1 pk Lalvin 71B yeast
2 heaped tsp of Tonozymol nutrient and energiser.

Pleased to say that that it is sitting in a 1 Gal Glass Demijohn bubbling away at about 1 bubble per second.

Anyway, I have read up a fair amount about OG and FG of peoples recipes, and it just seems to me that my OG might be a little on the low side given that the 71B takes up to 14%? Any thoughts of anyone would be greatly apperciated... I was planning on letting the yeast run it's course, but now I'm wondering if I've got enough sugar to ferment, and whether it might come out too dry? I'm open to the option of back sweetening if necessary, but would like to avoid it if possible.

Also, I have read plenty about degassing, and seem to have picked up some slightly conflicting opions. To degas, or not to degas, that is the question? I understand that if leaving to mature with airlock for a decent amount of time, then degasing is not always going to be necessary.

As I say, I'm new to this mead brewing malarky, so would greatly appreciate any suggestions/ideas to make sure things go as well as possible.

Thanks

Jez

 

[biochemedic]

Welcome! Regarding your OG, that is quite low given the numbers you posted. If my conversions are correct you have 2.9 lbs in 1 gal total volume, so your OG should have been well up over 1.100. Even if you used 1 gal water, and take into account the increased volume from the honey itself and the tea, you should still be expected to be about 20 points higher than you measured. Perhaps you weren't mixed up properly when you measured? Did you take that measurement before or after you aerated up in the bucket?

If you really were where you "should have been" (OG ~1.120) based on the calculated numbers, 71B should take you to semi sweet (FG 1.010-1.020), but if your measurement was good, you'll definitely go dry at about 10% ABV. You'll have to taste and see what you think when you get there...you might like it dry...if not, then as you said, you can consider backsweetening.

You'll find a lot of strong opinions for degassing here...I'm starting to think it probably makes some difference, but I'm still in the camp of "give the carboy (demijohn) a good swirl every time you walk by." More out of laziness than anything...I just haven't bothered with a true degassing whip/wand.

If you've not read about staggered nutrients, I'd check that out too...basically adding nutrients along the way during primary, rather than just at the beginning. There are actual numbers for adding at certain gravity points, but I generally just add at the beginning, shortly after the really active ferment starts, then again a day or two later.

All in all, it sounds like you have a nice metheglin brewing, and I'm sure it will be good in the end.

 

[GinKings]

OG is pretty close if it's an imperial gallon.

 

[JezzaUK]

Thanks Biochemedic. You are right, it is about 2.9lbs in 1 gal total volume. I did think that the OG was a bit low, and I didn't take in to account the tea and the volume of the honey (stupidly). As you say though, I was expecting an OG up around the 1.100 mark.

The must was pretty well mixed. I heated the water to 80 celcius (and let fall back a bit before adding the honey), and I warmed the honey in a water bath first to make it easier to mix.

However, I took the reading before aerating, so this may have cost me a few points. Either way, it has come up short of expectations. Could be something to do with the honey I used, as I couldn't find the sugar content on the manufacturers web site (or the jar - Gales Blossom Honey in case anyone was considering using it). I used 4 X 340g jars - so there is the possibility that the 340g weight applies to the jar as well. I will check on this and let people know...

Taste it and see is definitely the route which I'll follow I think on the sweetness side of things. If I do decide to back sweeten though, will I need to add a campden tablet (or two) to kill off the yeast before adding more honey - otherwise could fermentation start up again given 71B's tolerance of up to 14% - or would circa 10% be too high for it to get started again?

Thanks for the tips on degassing. No doubt others will add their worldly advice too.

I've read mixed things about staggered nutrients as well - some do, some don't. Although overall the general conception seems to be for it.

Lets give it a try, it's only 1 Gal, so worth having a good learn... How much nutrient do you think that I should add? It's been bubbling for 1 day so far pretty nicely (fermentation was well under way 24 hrs after pitching), so appreciate your thoughts for what to add now (circa 48 hrs after pitching and 24 since fermentation started), and in a couple of days?

Indeed, it is a metheglin. Apologies, I am still getting used to the various terminologies.

 

[JezzaUK]

OG is pretty close if it's an imperial gallon.

Yes, it is an Imperial Gallon - not US. Sounds as though I've picked up a US gallon recipe base, but not checked Imperial vs US measurement. Silly me

 

[biochemedic]

Ah, yes, the imperial gallon...I hadn't thought about this when I converted your honey...should have occurred to me, as there are a fair number of brewers from the UK/NZ/Australia here.

I think that if you add more honey, even after the finish, there's a good chance you could start up again. As with all yeasty things, it depends on ??? lots of factors...still, if you're going to add more honey, you'd either want to stabilize with sorbate and metabisulfite (if you want to increase the sweeteness) or watch it very closely for a good while to be sure it's not slowly dropping gravity points before bottling.

As for adding nutrients, the "proper amount" probably depends on what you're using (I'm not terribly familiar w/ Tonozymol)...I usually use the Wyeast nutrient blend, and I add the "recommended amount" for every addition. I'd add your next addition now, and then again in about 2-3 days. Be careful when you add...you can get a bit of a geyser, or as some say, a "MEA" (Mead Explosion/Eruption Accident) if you're not careful. It really helps to give a couple of good swirls of the container to at least partially degass before adding nutrient!

 

[JezzaUK]

Update:
Gave the brew a shake for about 5 mins last night and added half tsp nutrient. Small MEA, but more foam than lost volume.
Didn't take SG reading as too much activity - guessed would give a false reading.
Bubbling like a trooper this morning, so think the nutrient gave it an added kick.

Thanks for the advice guys. Will provide updates as and when.

 

[JezzaUK]

Update (Day 4):

Degassed by shaking

SG down to 1.004 (OG 1.079) = so nigh on 10% ABV

Tasting note - quite dry in taste. Strength comes through, but end notes of honey. No taste of the tea to mention at the moment. Consistency was pretty good though.

Looks wise, it is bright (bordering on yellow) in colour, and full on cloud.

There was a bit of lees at the bottom, but this got stirred up when swirling for degassing.

Added half a tsp of nutrient again, but I have a suspicion that it's almost dry now - or does anyone think that it might go a bit lower? Bubbles are still coming through at about 1 a second (about 2 hours after adding nutrients), so there is certainly still some life going on.

 

[MedsenFey]

Generally, adding nutrients at this stage of fermentation serves no useful purpose. This mead is nearly done, but probably will drop below 1.000.

 

[JezzaUK]

Generally, adding nutrients at this stage of fermentation serves no useful purpose. This mead is nearly done, but probably will drop below 1.000.

Thought as much. Will let it run it's course and check over the weekend before racking when I'm happy that it's all finished up.

Looking forward to the months on end of trying to forget about it to let it mature!

 

[2ndGenBrewer]

Sounds good so far. A trick I've learned recently with metheglins is after it has finished fermentation to rack it onto the herbs you prefer to use. I leave them on the herbs for 1-2 weeks then rack again. The alcohol does a great job extracting flavor and colour. You might consider racking onto a small amount of dry tea to inpart flavor lost during fermentation.

 

[JezzaUK]

Sounds good so far. A trick I've learned recently with metheglins is after it has finished fermentation to rack it onto the herbs you prefer to use. I leave them on the herbs for 1-2 weeks then rack again. The alcohol does a great job extracting flavor and colour. You might consider racking onto a small amount of dry tea to inpart flavor lost during fermentation.

Sounds like a good call - although given that I've only got a small amount for my first try, could be one to look to once I've got my first basic down. Although guess I could just split it up in to smaller batches to try it out.

As for herbs - what herbs have you used previously? Also - dry or fresh?

 

[JezzaUK]

Update:

Racked off lees today - about 1/2 inch.

SG reading was 1.000, so pretty sure I've hit FG now. Gives it about 10.5% SBV, which sounds about right.

Tasting notes - Good nose of honey. Taste is quite harsh with the alcohol at the moment. Body is (as you would expect) pretty much like water.

Didn't lose much of volume in racking, but obviously there is a bit. Do I need to top this up at all?

Any thoughts greatly welcomed.

 

[MedsenFey]

Didn't lose much of volume in racking, but obviously there is a bit. Do I need to top this up at all?

Yes, keep it topped up.
However, don't be surprised if the gravity drops a bit more - perhaps down to 0.995 or lower.