Jeasted Honey

[The Norseman]

Hello there! Im about to try brewing mead for the very first time. I got hold on a 10L (2.64GL) bucket of honey from a local beekeeper but he told me it was fermented. So im wondering if it's still usable for brewing?

Also wich yeast should i use for making the mead sweet with a strong taste of honey? Would like it to end up on 12-15% alc.

I ordered 300grams of the Filipendula ulmaria plant to add into the brew, haven't seen many people talk about it on the forums but it seems like a popular ingredient here in Norway.

If you have any tips for a beginner im happy to hear them!

 

[BeerChemistWhiskey]

Welcome, Norseman! The first thing I will ask is what is meant by "jeasted" honey. I tried a quick google search but I couldn't find a definition for this word in English.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Welcome, Norseman! The first thing I will ask is what is meant by "jeasted" honey. I tried a quick google search but I couldn't find a definition for this word in English.

The norweigan J is prounounced like an english Y.

 

[RPh_Guy]

So, what is "yeasted honey"?

Anyway I would try making mead/cyser/braggot/etc because I don't think I could eat 10L of honey in my lifetime.

Edit: removed wrong info

 

[Mr impatient]

Hi, I have never heard of 'yeasted honey'. It might mean you have all the scrummy bits from the cutting of the money comb as it was being spun out, in which case crack on. I am having some trouble with my mead, but never give up lol.

 

[The Norseman]

Welcome, Norseman! The first thing I will ask is what is meant by "jeasted" honey. I tried a quick google search but I couldn't find a definition for this word in English.

Thank you! What i ment to say was "fermented honey"

 

[RPh_Guy]

Fermented honey is called mead. Maybe something is getting lost in translation?

If it looks/smells/tastes like honey, go ahead and try making mead with it

 

[The Norseman]

All i know is that the beekeeper didn't want the honey because of it being fermented, so i got it for way less than it would normally cost. 36$ for 10Kg, "normal" honey would have cost me 184$ for the same amount

 

[loveofrose]

I believe the beekeeper is referring to honey that has a high moisture content. Honey with high moisture content does not keep and will spontaneously ferment.
My advise is to taste it. If it tastes good, use it with a killer strain of yeast such as W15 or KIV. Use the TOSNA protocol over at www.meadmaderight.com and you will be setup for success.

Note: You will need to mix honey and check gravity as standard weight to gravity calculations will be wrong.

 

[madscientist451]

I didn't know

I got hold on a 10L (2.64GL) bucket of honey from a local beekeeper but he told me it was fermented. So im wondering if it's still usable for brewing?

If you have any tips for a beginner im happy to hear them!

I had to look up fermented honey to see what it was. So is it usable for mead making? That depends:
-What does it taste like?
-The fermented honey probably had a high moisture content and the wild yeast kicked off, how much
alcohol is present?

My tips: Make a 1 gallon (4L?) test batch. Use an online calculator like Brewer's Friend to figure how much honey to add to a gallon of water to get your ABV, but 2.5 lbs should get you 13.6%.
Use 1 packet of yeast per gallon. Rehydrate your yeast, don't just throw it in. Using yeast energizer (not yeast nutrient) when rehydrating, helps.
Use yeast nutrient, there is lots of info about this, look it up. You want to make staggered additions .
De-gas the mead following an established schedule.
Ferment your mead in a cool place. Don't be in a hurry, mead takes time and usually tastes better after aging.
If you want to add spices and herbs, a good technique is to make a tincture by letting the herbs/spices sit in a jar of vodka for a few weeks. After the mead is done fermenting and has aged, you can do some blending trials to see how much of the tincture to add.

By doing test batches you can figure out what, if any problems are occurring and if you have to dump a batch you're not wasting all your honey.

 

[The Norseman]

-What does it taste like?

I'm working off-shore so i haven't got the chance to taste it yet, going home on Wednesday so ill try it then.

-The fermented honey probably had a high moisture content and the wild yeast kicked off, how much
alcohol is present?

I have no clue, how do i find out?

My tips: Make a 1 gallon (4L?) test batch. Use an online calculator like Brewer's Friend to figure how much honey to add to a gallon of water to get your ABV, but 2.5 lbs should get you 13.6%.

Ill do that, but what is ABV? [/QUOTE]

Use 1 packet of yeast per gallon. Rehydrate your yeast, don't just throw it in. Using yeast energizer (not yeast nutrient) when rehydrating, helps.
Use yeast nutrient, there is lots of info about this, look it up. You want to make staggered additions .
De-gas the mead following an established schedule.
Ferment your mead in a cool place. Don't be in a hurry, mead takes time and usually tastes better after aging.
If you want to add spices and herbs, a good technique is to make a tincture by letting the herbs/spices sit in a jar of vodka for a few weeks. After the mead is done fermenting and has aged, you can do some blending trials to see how much of the tincture to add.

By doing test batches you can figure out what, if any problems are occurring and if you have to dump a batch you're not wasting all your honey.

Ok, any yeast in particular you recommend?
Ill try that, but since the honey was so cheap im not to worried of wasting it because i can always buy more of of it.


Thanks for the help!

 

[bernardsmith]

I think that there is a general confusion/ misconception about indigenous (wild) yeasts and honey. Honey is chock full of yeast. The yeast are not dead in the sense of human beings being "dead". They have no water in their cells so they are inactive because the sugar content of properly processed honey is such that it will pull out any moisture from any living organism in contact with the honey, but once you dilute the honey with enough water those yeast cells will rehydrate and many, many will become viable and they will spontaneously ferment the must. I have made a few meads using only indigenous yeast from the honey.
That said, lab cultured yeasts are cultivated to produce certain desirable traits from their tolerance to alcohol, their mouthfeel, their lack of H2S production, their minimal need for nitrogen, their ability to produce glycerols (mouthfeel), their enhancement of fruity esters etc. With indigenous yeast yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance. The yeast may be unable to tolerate an ABV greater than 3% or it may produce awful smelling/tasting compounds... But it may be delightful AND in my opinion, the best way to experiment with indigenous yeasts is to begin with very low gravity musts (around 1.040). This tends not to create too much stress for any usable yeast.. If using such a must results in a pleasant low ABV mead you can use that mead much like a starter for a higher ABV mead..

 

[bernardsmith]

I forgot to make very clear that the honey must be raw and not heated. The heat will destroy any yeast.