Erick
Member
Started fermenting my first mead tonight.
3(+) Gallon batch.
Initial Components:
3 Gallons of Spring Water
9# of Foot Hill Manor Wildflower Honey*
Juice of 3 Oranges
1 cup of Black Tea
3 tsp Yeast Nutrient
* - From my hives
Yeast: Lalvin D47
Rehydrated yeast and prepared a starter 2d ago, using a 1q mason jar with 4:1 water to Honey (same as above) and a 'pinch' of yeast nutrient. Used tap (well) water.
Started with 1gal of spring water in a steel stockpot and added the 9# of honey, the yeast nutrient, OJ, and Tea(brewed with spring water). Heated on stove to dissolve while vigorously stirring. No skimming...my honey is freakin' awesome...I want nothing taken out
Put 1 gallon of spring water into brew pail. Dumped in yeast starter and rinsed jar with spring water. Dumped must on top and added another gallon of spring water. Stirred vigorously for 5 minutes.
Checked gravity. Added honey and stirred until OG=1.1000.
Covered and put in warm spot.
CONCERNS:
1) This is my first ferment ever. Winged it with WAAAYYY too much reference material floating around in my head.
2) Did not pasteurize or use sulfite despite having the additive. Wanted to be as 'natural' as possible.
3) I want a semi-sweet mead. OG may not have been high enough considering yeast...worried it may go completely dry. Will monitor gravity, may add more honey.
4) Water may have been a bit on the cool side. Fermentation is observable but not vigorous.
Nothing special here, just one more traditional mead from a new guy.
THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER:
1) May pull water from local spring in the future.
2) Want to eventually make it completely local using materials from the property or local farms.
2) Eliminate black tea and use Oak leaves for tannin?
3) Figure out a local source of acid. I've read new growth Spruce tips contain ascorbic acid. Will investigate.
4) Is yeast nutrient even necessary?
5) Eventually try to harness a wild yeast
I will post updates as I progress. If nothing else it can serve as my log. I would like to have a 'standard' mead process of my own to build off of for Metheglins and Melomels from; hopefully using goodies from the farm stand (if they don't rape me on cost)
3(+) Gallon batch.
Initial Components:
3 Gallons of Spring Water
9# of Foot Hill Manor Wildflower Honey*
Juice of 3 Oranges
1 cup of Black Tea
3 tsp Yeast Nutrient
* - From my hives
Yeast: Lalvin D47
Rehydrated yeast and prepared a starter 2d ago, using a 1q mason jar with 4:1 water to Honey (same as above) and a 'pinch' of yeast nutrient. Used tap (well) water.
Started with 1gal of spring water in a steel stockpot and added the 9# of honey, the yeast nutrient, OJ, and Tea(brewed with spring water). Heated on stove to dissolve while vigorously stirring. No skimming...my honey is freakin' awesome...I want nothing taken out
Put 1 gallon of spring water into brew pail. Dumped in yeast starter and rinsed jar with spring water. Dumped must on top and added another gallon of spring water. Stirred vigorously for 5 minutes.
Checked gravity. Added honey and stirred until OG=1.1000.
Covered and put in warm spot.
CONCERNS:
1) This is my first ferment ever. Winged it with WAAAYYY too much reference material floating around in my head.
2) Did not pasteurize or use sulfite despite having the additive. Wanted to be as 'natural' as possible.
3) I want a semi-sweet mead. OG may not have been high enough considering yeast...worried it may go completely dry. Will monitor gravity, may add more honey.
4) Water may have been a bit on the cool side. Fermentation is observable but not vigorous.
Nothing special here, just one more traditional mead from a new guy.
THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER:
1) May pull water from local spring in the future.
2) Want to eventually make it completely local using materials from the property or local farms.
2) Eliminate black tea and use Oak leaves for tannin?
3) Figure out a local source of acid. I've read new growth Spruce tips contain ascorbic acid. Will investigate.
4) Is yeast nutrient even necessary?
5) Eventually try to harness a wild yeast
I will post updates as I progress. If nothing else it can serve as my log. I would like to have a 'standard' mead process of my own to build off of for Metheglins and Melomels from; hopefully using goodies from the farm stand (if they don't rape me on cost)