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Do you have Hydrometer reading at these points to confirm your theory is working? It would further provide evidence to your claim if they are spot on what your weight is showing. Just trying to help cut off any naysayers with data! This is chemistry. If it doesn’t work, it’s because of a...

I suggest 4 cubes per gallon for at least 1 month. Sometimes 3-4 months is required if you really want a lot of oak.

I suggest you compile all the calculations you’ve done here and set up an experiment in a new thread.

It would depend on the honey you used, but my go to is American Medium Plus toast. It is most likely to balance the alcohol heat. This is what I use in barrels, xoakers and cubes. Sometimes I use Hungarian if I really want to improve body. I prefer French for cysers.

Bottled spring water is sterile from the factory. I do use the no heat method as honey harbors very little in the way of contamination and I don’t wish to lose the wonderful volatile esters.

In general, it goes (best to worse) Barrel, thick staves, xoaker, cubes, thin staves (what you are looking at), and the non-advisable chips. It is best to use low doses of oak so that you get maximal extraction of the full flavor profile.

Yes, fortifying with spirits will stop the yeast. It also adds spirit flavor, makes it alcohol hot, and takes time to integrate (does not save time). Unless you have a specific recipe reason, I would not suggest using this method.

I think the biggest problem is accounting for the CO2 that is dissolved into solution. As anyone will tell you, you cannot remove it all.

Yes, I do this with some of my meads, but it’s really variable where it stops. Chemicals can’t stop an active fermentation. Cold crashing can, but it could still drop 5-15 points before to cold stuns the yeast. After, you have to continue to cold crash until clear, rack, and add stabilizing...

1. How important is degassing? This really depends on your definition: Aerating vs Degassing vs Stirring Aerating or oxygenating would be to blow O2 through a tube in order to encourage yeast reproduction early in the ferment. You would not want to do this later in the ferment as you will...

My first mead was like this. The next 15 sucked. After that, I learned to use science to always insure my mead was stellar.

Ken Schramm’s Book was the first authority on mead, but even he will tell you it’s dated now. The most current resource right now isn’t a book, but the GotMead Podcast involving Ryan Carlson. While he can be direct, he was runner up for mead maker of the year and is very scientific about his...

If you want the ultimate fruit mead, make this: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/berry-bomm/

Thanks for this information. I am starting a side by side batch of Wyeast 1388, Hothead and WLP002 right now to test flavor profiles in a controlled manner. I’ll report back once I have results!

I have a different approach from most folks on being challenged. I always try to take it as a challenge to better my understanding of things and myself as a person. I think getting defensive on principal helps no one. You really needs to try to think like the opposite view and understand what...

You need one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SCOGY56/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 A Haemocytometer gives you a grid with a known volume so that you can acutely calculate cells/ml. Take an average of 3-5 grids.

Show me the document. I would really like to know!

Perhaps this is my doctor side kicking in, but what you describe is not an allergy. An allergy is a systemic immune response resulting in hives and possible life threatening shortness of breath. An allergy would become worse each time until one could no longer be exposed without life threatening...

Nope. It has a spicy note with heavy tannins when brewed as described.

The tea I use comes from mountain rose herbs. Palmetto honey has various sources, just google it. The mead ends with residual sweetness because cold crashing prevents the fermentation from continuing. Vanilla bean is added after cold crashing because actively fermenting yeast can eat vanillin...