First Mead-Critique My Plan

[LegalBrewer]

Excited to take the plunge into mead making. I've assisted on a few beer brews, and am currently fermenting my first solo beer. I've been sampling the mead world, and the only one the wife and I have both enjoyed has been a dry-ish, sparkling mead. I've been researching and reading, and want to have more experienced mead-heads check my math as it were.

Recipe:

• 15 lb (6.8 kg) | Local honey (12 lbs of honey roughly equates to 1 gallon)
• 4-5 gal (15-19 L) | Water
• 0.18 oz (5 g) | Lalvin Fermaid-K*
• 2 packets | Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast or suitable alternative
  

Process:
1. Combine, aerate, rehydrate yeast, throw in the fermenter (sanitizing everything of course). I'm not planning on boiling the honey, but welcoming input on that, too.
2. Ferment until FG holds steady (roughly 3 weeks)
3. Rack off lees, split batch into a few different carboys. Considering throwing some fruit in at this point. For fruit batches, will I need to check that no fermentation is taking place?
4. Bottle into old champagne bottles and swing tops, priming batches with sugar. This recipe specifically says to bottle still. Working on calculations for this, but really want those bubbles. Will I need to add another batch of yeast?

At this point, I don't know what I don't know, so any input is welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Seamonkey84]

I’m your going to need more nutrients than that, honey has little to no nutrients in it. One SNA I read says to use almost 5g Fermaid K plus some DAP per dose (3-4 doses) per 5gal. Don’t boil your honey, you’ll loose a lot of the aroma.
When you add fruit, the ferment will likely restart, and that is fine. You’ll have to let it go dry anyway. Personally, I’d add the fruit into the primary bucket once the mead is done or almost done. then rack into carboy when you pull the fruit. Then rack again when fully clear. Degas it, even if you want to carbonate it. the gases built up during a high gravity fermentation is going to have a bunch of off flavors and aromas. Adding more yeast shouldn’t be necessary, just some priming sugar. If your looking for a naturally carbonated and sweet mead, you’ll have to be very careful and pasteurize it after it’s reached desired carbonation.

 

[LegalBrewer]

I’m your going to need more nutrients than that, honey has little to no nutrients in it. One SNA I read says to use almost 5g Fermaid K plus some DAP per dose (3-4 doses) per 5gal. Don’t boil your honey, you’ll loose a lot of the aroma.

Thanks, I'll add that note to the recipe!

When you add fruit, the ferment will likely restart, and that is fine. You’ll have to let it go dry anyway. Personally, I’d add the fruit into the primary bucket once the mead is done or almost done. then rack into carboy when you pull the fruit. Then rack again when fully clear.

I want to try a few different types of fruit. If I'm willing to do a 3rd rack, do you see any problems running the 1F (possibly short, 2.5 weeks?), rack onto a few different fruits, run out the 2f, re rack, bottle?

Degas it, even if you want to carbonate it. the gases built up during a high gravity fermentation is going to have a bunch of off flavors and aromas. Adding more yeast shouldn’t be necessary, just some priming sugar. If your looking for a naturally carbonated and sweet mead, you’ll have to be very careful and pasteurize it after it’s reached desired carbonation.

At which stage would I be concerned about degassing?

This is gold! Thanks for the input.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Don’t quote me on the nutrient additions, I’m only really familiar with the BOMM protocol pinned at the top of the forum, which uses wyeast 1388 (liquid ale yeast) and mostly fermaid O and one dose of fermaid K, but there’s also an older recipe using fermaid K and DAP. Otherwise I’d look at Improve Your Mead with Staggered Nutrient Additions | American Homebrewers Association
As for degassing, you want to get all of it out before you add priming sugar, which is right before bottling. However there’s also the degassing (just stirring till the fizz slows down) during primary to keep the yeast happy and in suspension.

 

[LegalBrewer]

I'm learning a ton here. After initial pitch, I'll degas daily for the first week or so of fermentation, adding staggered additions of fermaid-o at 24, 48, 72 hours and a last addition at 1/3 sugar break.

Should I degas further into primary than that? Or should that keep my yeast healthy and prevent off-flavor development?

 

[Seamonkey84]

I degas until I pull the fruit I put the fruit in primary, or up to 10 days. With a straight mead, the BOMM protocol says to degas until it shows signs of clearing on its own between stirring (easier to see in a carboy than bucket of course). Now, the other thing is, if it’s in a bucket (unless your going to add fruit), it’s a good idea to transfer everything into a carboy before it’s finished, like the last 10 gravity points. By everything, I mean yeast but not solids. Give it a final gentle stir like when degassing, get everything mixed up, then rack into a carboy. That way the entire yeast colony can finish the process and help clear the mead, while reducing headspace