Looking for advice on recipe

[Srimmey]

Hello!

I am planning my 4th mead and had a few questions about a the recipe I found. Hoping you guys can help me out. Recipe is posted below the questions

1. I’m hoping to lower the abv down to 14-16% depending on how well the yeast does. I want to use 71B in hopes of increasing the mango flavor. Also planning on using Brey's feeding plan to hopefully push the yeast past 14% and into the 16% range. If it doesn’t work, I will just have to back sweeten less.

2. I plan on making 3 gallons instead of 5 and using 2 habaneros. How long should they hang out in primary? 1 week? 2 weeks? I want it to be good and spicy but not so much that it isn’t drinkable.

3. Instead of using fresh mangos, I wanted to using chopped frozen mangos (think freezer section of Costco) in primary and secondary (maybe 5 pounds in primary and another 5 pounds in secondary for 6-12 weeks. I rather avoid infection from fruit so frozen seems safer. Will the flavor suffer?

Mango Habanero 4​

(by /u/stormbeforedawn)

Total Volume: 5 gallons

Style: Capsicumel, melomel

Carbonation: Yes

Starting Gravity: 1.144

Final Gravity: 1.000

Target ABV: 17%

Target YAN: 288 effective PPM

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Honey	20 pounds
Mangos	10	Peal and third, leaving pit in center third
Habaneros	4	whole and fresh, halved
Yeast	Lavin 1118
Med Toast American Oak	1 Spiral

1. Take honey and mix with warm water to form must.
2. Add sliced mango and habs in separate bags to must, stir and fill to 5 gallons.
3. Follow SNA, rehydrate yeast.
4. Remove habs when desired heat is reached, and remove bagged fruit after 2 weeks.
5. After 1 month rack and add 1 medium toast oak spiral.
6. Rack to bulk age in 1 more month, or when clear.
7. Backsweeten to taste with honey.
8. Force carbonate and serve when the mead has aged.

Additional Notes: Consider adding 10 more mangoes in secondary for more flavor, or reducing habaneros if a less spicy drink is desired. Heat is hard to remove. The fruit isn't measured on a hydrometer and the total volume should measure 5 gallons prior to fruit addition. This lowers the final ABV compared to the expected from the OG slightly.

 

[CKuhns]

Recipe looks good.

Watch for a lag at or near 1.040 as your OG is pretty high. To help, consider adjusting pH prior to yeast pitch to 4.3 or so.

1118 should go to dry with help from a good SNA protocol. Nothing wrong with Brays but consider trying TOSNA 3.0 using the following calculator.
Consider staring 1118 for 24 hours prior to pitch. Ana aerate or stir your must to 1/3 sugar break to help keep the yeast happy.

https://www.meadmaderight.com/tosna-calculator
Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

[bernardsmith]

Can't speak to the details but 4 lbs per gallon suggests a starting gravity of 1.140 and so a potential ABV (sic) of about 18.5% . The issue for me is that that is very likely too concentrated a sugar solution for the yeast to even begin to transport sugars through cell walls. Balanced recipes are typically closer to 12%,

 

[Srimmey]

Can't speak to the details but 4 lbs per gallon suggests a starting gravity of 1.140 and so a potential ABV (sic) of about 18.5% . The issue for me is that that is very likely too concentrated a sugar solution for the yeast to even begin to transport sugars through cell walls. Balanced recipes are typically closer to 12%,

This was a worry of mine. I’ve had much more luck using 3 pounds of honey per gallon. The alternate solution would be to stagger the addition of honey but i rather use a yeast that could bring out the notes of the mangos like d47 or b71 which would mean an overall less amount of sugar to start out

 

[bernardsmith]

But 3 lbs of honey dissolved to make 1 gallon of must will give you an SG of about 1.105 which is a potential ABV of about 13%... Not a problem for just about any wine yeast.