BlackSundog
Member
So , I just bought a mead brewing kit on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ICTNPK8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
But as a few have noted, I feel this kit is for more experienced home brewers.
I've a few questions before I start:
1. I've only done some extract brewing prior. On sanitation -I was going to use iodophor but can I use campden tablets? 4 crushed tabs as a rinse in a quart of water? (And how long do I Rinse? And after rinsing, do i just air dry, or rinse again with water?)
http://www.eckraus.com/blog/campden-tablets-what-they-can-and-cant-do
2. On honey -the kit says that FDA regulated honey + distilled water is fine. Just...dump it in with "DO NOT BOIL" it capitalized bolded letters. None of the stuff has crystalized.
This is all good right?
3. I have to rehydrate this yeast packet but...
The packet contains enough yeast for " 5 gallons". I have a 2 gallon fermentation bucket, and 1 gallon glass carboy. Do I want to measure a 1/5th of this packet, or can I just dump the whole thing in (Included were 3 of them)? Is there any disadvantage to this?
4. Spices & other ingredients:
- the kit included a big bag of toasted oak
- I bought 333g/12oz of Raw Organic Blue Agave nectar
- In the meantime, I've taken an interest in Capsicumel (something sweet AND spicy maybe?)
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/honey-sun-iqhilika-mead--african-birds-eye-chili/69687/
http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=105184&st=0&p=1388424&#entry1388424
So in preparing the must.....what should go in it? I've heard peppers can add "wooden" notes, does that mean the oak would go well with hot peppers?
What of my Agave? Could it ALL go "in the pot" as it were and come out great or should these ingredients become 3 different meads? Also, if I do go with a capiscumel/chilimel, is it better to put the peppers in the secondary as the above did or....can I put them in primary? The directions of the kit only talk about adding spices in primary fermentation.
Also, is it better to add a whole pepper or two, or add dried and ground spice?
5. Sugar Breaks:
The directions talk about "sugar breaks". You determine the 3 of them by taking the specific gravity of the original must. You take the original gravity, determine what your final gravity should be based on ABV tolerance of the yeast (it does not say on the package of Red Star dry wine yeast), and then break the that number (the difference) into 3rds. You're supposed to aerate the must daily while within the first "sugar break".
That aside um...how DO I use a hydrometer? The kit includes one, but says nothing on its use.
6. What about...a "short" mead? How do you make your mead ferment faster?
What do you have to say about short meads?
:fro:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ICTNPK8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
But as a few have noted, I feel this kit is for more experienced home brewers.
I've a few questions before I start:
1. I've only done some extract brewing prior. On sanitation -I was going to use iodophor but can I use campden tablets? 4 crushed tabs as a rinse in a quart of water? (And how long do I Rinse? And after rinsing, do i just air dry, or rinse again with water?)
http://www.eckraus.com/blog/campden-tablets-what-they-can-and-cant-do
2. On honey -the kit says that FDA regulated honey + distilled water is fine. Just...dump it in with "DO NOT BOIL" it capitalized bolded letters. None of the stuff has crystalized.
This is all good right?
3. I have to rehydrate this yeast packet but...
The packet contains enough yeast for " 5 gallons". I have a 2 gallon fermentation bucket, and 1 gallon glass carboy. Do I want to measure a 1/5th of this packet, or can I just dump the whole thing in (Included were 3 of them)? Is there any disadvantage to this?
4. Spices & other ingredients:
- the kit included a big bag of toasted oak
- I bought 333g/12oz of Raw Organic Blue Agave nectar
- In the meantime, I've taken an interest in Capsicumel (something sweet AND spicy maybe?)
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/honey-sun-iqhilika-mead--african-birds-eye-chili/69687/
http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=105184&st=0&p=1388424&#entry1388424
So in preparing the must.....what should go in it? I've heard peppers can add "wooden" notes, does that mean the oak would go well with hot peppers?
What of my Agave? Could it ALL go "in the pot" as it were and come out great or should these ingredients become 3 different meads? Also, if I do go with a capiscumel/chilimel, is it better to put the peppers in the secondary as the above did or....can I put them in primary? The directions of the kit only talk about adding spices in primary fermentation.
Also, is it better to add a whole pepper or two, or add dried and ground spice?
5. Sugar Breaks:
The directions talk about "sugar breaks". You determine the 3 of them by taking the specific gravity of the original must. You take the original gravity, determine what your final gravity should be based on ABV tolerance of the yeast (it does not say on the package of Red Star dry wine yeast), and then break the that number (the difference) into 3rds. You're supposed to aerate the must daily while within the first "sugar break".
That aside um...how DO I use a hydrometer? The kit includes one, but says nothing on its use.
6. What about...a "short" mead? How do you make your mead ferment faster?
What do you have to say about short meads?
:fro:
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