Recent content by mdindy

you can if you want, it is just inconvenient due to the size and weight, you also do not want to splash the wort and risk oxidation

So I have 3 gallons of mead in single gallon containers aging (currently 6-7 months old) with air locks. I was recently told I should not have used air locks for secondary and aging as it could cause oxidation. Should I be worried and replace them with rubber locks or leave as is?

So I am planning on making a 2 gallon batch of blueberry melomel and im looking for advice on when and how I plan on adding the blueberry puree. I will be using 6lbs of clover honey with a 3 gallon carboy before transferring to 2 single gallon jugs for significant aging. I was planning on adding...

So I am coming off of a successful first mead not too long ago (traditional orange blossom 2 gallon) I used 6lbs of honey and ended up with a 1.090 to 1.018. This time around I wanted to make a cyser. I added the same amount of honey but this time diluted it with 1.5 gallons of preservative...

shouldnt be an issue

stir plate is for convenience, that being said it is good practice. even if it is not a high gravity brew the idea is by increasing cell count the yeast will be less "stressed" and give you a better cleaner flavor, plus it is very important if your yeast is close to the best by date.

I wouldnt touch it for at least a week or two. It could be normal depends of the yeast you use. I would just leave it be for 1-2 weeks before doing a second SG. the recipe you used should have a FG listed, if not readings that are the same over 2-3 days should confirm you are finished. either...

I have personally made both pilsner and Oktoberfest recipes with this yeast that both came out perfect, I now swear by this yeast.

I always recommend white labs 029, as lager like as you can possibly get while staying at ale temps.

if you are not able to lager at all right now I would recommend the WLP029, it will give you exactly what you are looking for to make a lager style with out the lager tempts.

WLP029 gives a really clean lager like profile, or you could use an american style strain to go a completely different direction.

white labs cry havoc, one of my favorite lager strains, I have used it on a pilsner recipe before and came out great.

Leave it be you will be fine, give it a day or too more before you start to get nervous, I have used single vials of white labs in the past without a starter and they all came out fine.

now lets say I add it to the primary right before I transfer to the secondary, is that going to restart fermentation?

So I made my first mead a few months back and it came out great. for my next batch I would like to make a blueberry Melomel. I was reading some recipe directions online and it said to add the puree sometime after fermentation has started, is there a reason I shouldn't add it when I mix the honey...