Im going to make my first 5 gallon batch of Mead here shortly...Should I use one or two packets of yeast? I plan on using K-V1116 yeast. I thought about trying JAOM as a first big batch. Advice? Ideas?
Im going to make my first 5 gallon batch of Mead here shortly...Should I use one or two packets of yeast? I plan on using K-V1116 yeast. I thought about trying JAOM as a first big batch. Advice? Ideas?
I see alot of experienced mead makers using 2 packets (10g total) of yeast in a normal 5 gal batch and 2 packets if the OG is excessive. This is what I have been doing recently. I think 5g of yeast is under pitching but ofcourse it will ferment, however adding additional yeast should help the ferment finish faster with less stress.
Consider yeast pitching rates for beer. The better dry beer yeast packets are 11g of yeast. This is pitched in wort that is usually 1.060 or less. Mead is a similar volume of 1.100 or better. 5g of yeast seem pretty lite by comparison.
Craig
Are you pitching the yeast straight in or making a starter first? Using a starter will way more than double yeast you're starting out with,a nd can help ease the acclimitaztion (ok, not even closed to spelled right, but you konw what I mean) to the must.
I actually made starters from both packets...I pitched the second an hour after the first.
Starters can be particularly useful for musts that aren't really yeast friendly. Using starter, you can either half the harshness (ie, if using 3 pounds of honey per gallon can use one in starter), or can use something completely different, like grape juice, which is really beneficial for the yeast. Eithe rway, you're trying to give the yeast a start first, to let it start reproduciing, and to let it get ready for the must.
Of course, just as a disclaimer, I've only just started my first batch of mead about 4 days ago. But have made 40-50 batches of wine from ingredients ranging from grapefruit (great white) to zucchini and pumpkin (well, they made decent cooking wine anyway. ), and another 4-5 batches of beer.
Plus I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
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