stargirlmead
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2021
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 1
Hello everyone! I am so excited to have found this forum! Thank you all for your wisdom and help in this awesome hobby!
Ugh... Melomels have been my struggle lately. I keep having a reoccurring "issue" that I am not sure is an "issue" or not, or just a byproduct of fermenting fruit. I have had a lot of success making mead. I have my approach down, and have been able to replicate this process with many different varieties of honey.
However, when it comes to adding fruit to the primary, all bets are off.
I currently have a blueberry mead (SG 1.120 pre addition of berries (3lbs for 2 total gallons volume liquid) using 71B, and today (5th day of primary) there is an overpowering smell of FUNK. It isn't sulphur, it isn't "nail polish" aroma, just FUNK. Dare I say it smells like spoiled fruit... with something else that I just cannot put it to words. And only on day FIVE!
Fermentation temps kept between 65-69 degrees through duration, used TONSA staggered nutrient protocol accounting best I could for nutrient addition of blueberries, and the SG has dropped to 1.040 in five days. I sterilize everything thoroughly with starsan (although I don't add campden at this stage) and oxygenate the must during the first several days with a lid loosely on before I put it under air lock when it reaches around 1.020.
WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THIS SMELL/TASTE?? I don't understand! Will it age out? I dumped a Pawpaw wine because it had this same profile after several months! It isn't pleasant or enjoyable.
Hopefully I provided enough information that someone can help me! Thank you!!!
Ugh... Melomels have been my struggle lately. I keep having a reoccurring "issue" that I am not sure is an "issue" or not, or just a byproduct of fermenting fruit. I have had a lot of success making mead. I have my approach down, and have been able to replicate this process with many different varieties of honey.
However, when it comes to adding fruit to the primary, all bets are off.
I currently have a blueberry mead (SG 1.120 pre addition of berries (3lbs for 2 total gallons volume liquid) using 71B, and today (5th day of primary) there is an overpowering smell of FUNK. It isn't sulphur, it isn't "nail polish" aroma, just FUNK. Dare I say it smells like spoiled fruit... with something else that I just cannot put it to words. And only on day FIVE!
Fermentation temps kept between 65-69 degrees through duration, used TONSA staggered nutrient protocol accounting best I could for nutrient addition of blueberries, and the SG has dropped to 1.040 in five days. I sterilize everything thoroughly with starsan (although I don't add campden at this stage) and oxygenate the must during the first several days with a lid loosely on before I put it under air lock when it reaches around 1.020.
WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THIS SMELL/TASTE?? I don't understand! Will it age out? I dumped a Pawpaw wine because it had this same profile after several months! It isn't pleasant or enjoyable.
Hopefully I provided enough information that someone can help me! Thank you!!!