spiffystump76
Active Member
Hello everyone! This is my very first post here, a member from home distiller forum recommended me here when I made a post about getting started with Mead. I have made many mashes before and a couple of wines and beers but never a mead. I am familiar with how to use a beer and wine or sugar hydrometer but I still have very much to learn.
Some of my questions would be, what temperature is it good to keep Mead for fermentation and racking? Is it okay to rack a mead into a used whiskey barrel? I watched a video where a fella simmered his Mead and water and continue to do so for about 30 minutes, I have had some people say that is a bad idea and a few say it's good to do that to sterilize the honey, but most people say to not do that. Do I need to use nutrients? The water I will be using will be well water and has a hint of sulfur in it, should I use a charcoal filter to filter some of the sulfur out or will that take too much nutrients/minerals out of the water? I will not be buying water as I plan on making a lot of Mead and it will not be worth all the hassle and money to spend on water, so I will no doubt be using my well water even if it does have a slight fart smell from the sulfur. What is a good beginner's recipe? What things do I need to look out for with honey? I was told you want raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey is this correct? Is there anything else I need to watch out for or know? What is a good ABV you want to aim for for me? I know with distilling you want to aim for about 6% to 10% ABV as that makes the best quality and tasting spirits so would there be a range for Mead for best quality?
That is about all I can think of right now, looking forward to answers and becoming a part of this forum.
Some of my questions would be, what temperature is it good to keep Mead for fermentation and racking? Is it okay to rack a mead into a used whiskey barrel? I watched a video where a fella simmered his Mead and water and continue to do so for about 30 minutes, I have had some people say that is a bad idea and a few say it's good to do that to sterilize the honey, but most people say to not do that. Do I need to use nutrients? The water I will be using will be well water and has a hint of sulfur in it, should I use a charcoal filter to filter some of the sulfur out or will that take too much nutrients/minerals out of the water? I will not be buying water as I plan on making a lot of Mead and it will not be worth all the hassle and money to spend on water, so I will no doubt be using my well water even if it does have a slight fart smell from the sulfur. What is a good beginner's recipe? What things do I need to look out for with honey? I was told you want raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey is this correct? Is there anything else I need to watch out for or know? What is a good ABV you want to aim for for me? I know with distilling you want to aim for about 6% to 10% ABV as that makes the best quality and tasting spirits so would there be a range for Mead for best quality?
That is about all I can think of right now, looking forward to answers and becoming a part of this forum.