Bray's One Month Mead

[loveofrose]

Fermaid O ferments a bit slower, but your talking about 14 days compared to 10 days. As far as aging out for drinkability, Fermaid O is faster.

For Lallemand Abbaye, I've only done 2 batches so far, so keep that in mind. So far, it is just as fast or faster than Wyeast 1388.

 

[IJesusChrist]

It just so happens the plate i have will hold a gallon container pretty easily. My brew area is at 64 Deg F plus or minus 1 Deg F year round and i suspect certainly would work well to keep the yeasties very happy in Primary up to the 2/3 break.

I would encourage the stir plate up to around the 1/2 break, but strongly suggest against anything below.

What I witnessed when I attempted this (albeit at higher than suggested temperatures) the yeast ate through the first 1/2 very quickly compared to control (no stirring). But the second half went at the same speed. It finished a day earlier (~ish).

But what happened was, although the stirred tasted much better at the 1/2 break, and slightly better at the 1/3 break, it tasted worse when finished.

I've read before that agitation causes yeast to produce more fusels with agitation, but this was in a paper that didn't cite a source (poor science). I believe this to be true only when the yeast are stressed (i.e. low gravity).

Good luck!

 

[IJesusChrist]

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0922338X9290605T

If you're able to see, the fruity esters are much lowered, while higher alcohols and diacetyl are much higher.

So I can't say I know this at all, and would like to investigate - but stirring for the first 1/2 sugar break, and then removing stirring...

 

[HB_in_Subic]

KHCO3 works fine. Use exactly the same amount.

I've used the first yeast. It's not nearly as good as Wyeast 1388. This specific yeast is the key to a one month mead.

Recent experiments suggest Lallemand Abbaye ale performs equally well if rehydrated with GoFerm first.

What was your fermentation temperature?

 

[loveofrose]

70-72 F is typical.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

OK well I guess I blew my controls on this experiment, I had it at 85F for the first 4 days... Oh well.. next batch will be done at a much lower temp

 

[loveofrose]

High temps are always a fusel producing nightmare. You've got to get your temp under control or your just wasting honey. I wouldn't even mix up a batch unless I know I can keep it below 74 F. Look up swamp cooler or buy/convert a mini fridge.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

My problem was self induced. I have been so used to using M27 at 85-90F that I went ahead and did it for this new yeast thinking that it had the same temperature range. I even used a space heater to keep it at 85F. I have no problems keeping temps below 74F. I guess that I will have to set these aside in the corner for a while after I rack them off to secondary. Completely opposite of my intentions. At least I have plenty of carboys to do this with.

I am already shopping for a used chest freezer for my new fermentation chamber. I just bought a new temp control unit.

 

[Atek]

Fermaid O ferments a bit slower, but your talking about 14 days compared to 10 days. As far as aging out for drinkability, Fermaid O is faster.

For Lallemand Abbaye, I've only done 2 batches so far, so keep that in mind. So far, it is just as fast or faster than Wyeast 1388.

I figured this would be a good place to put this. Here is an online calculator I put together using the recommendations from meadmaderight.com
http://app.calculoid.com/#/calculator/6004

Also here is a simplified spreadsheet version:
http://lejnd.ddns.net/TOSNA
*If you want the actual spreadsheet PM me and I will send it to you.

Thanks to members here for showing me meadmaderight.com and thanks to meadmaderight.com for posting their info. Also thanks to Nate Landis for his help devising the formulas based on meadmaderight.com

Mods, think we could get a sticky with this calculator?

 

[Danmor1]

Do you think the Abbaye at 68-69 would produce the same result, or should I adjust for slightly lower temp?

 

[Danmor1]

Incidentally, did you know that, some days, you just can't get rid of a BOMM?

 

[Ike]

Incidentally, did you know that, some days, you just can't get rid of a BOMM?

Obviously, Master Wayne didn't follow the recipe...

 

[Danmor1]

Obviously, Master Wayne didn't follow the recipe...

That was my overstressed rubbery locust. Curse the luck, I ended up needing to drink it all myself. The moral of this story: stick to my buckets for primary.

 

[Ike]

That was my overstressed rubbery locust. Curse the luck, I ended up needing to drink it all myself. The moral of this story: stick to my buckets for primary.

Actually, I was just trying to find the way to connect the general theme of this thread with the awesome (yet wildly obscure) quote you'd provided. So many of the young whippersnappers here have no idea who starred in the REAL Batman movie...

 

[kopfjager]

I appreciate that. All I want is for you guys to make damn good mead. After you master it, open meaderies so I'm not forced to make it anymore!

Hey again, Bray!

I should be putting together my first batch this week! I have waded through a ton of your great information here, and just wanted to run what I have planned, by you, to get your thoughts.

Picked up 5lbs of local orange blossom honey, for a 2 gallon split batch.

4oz honey 1L starter, stirred for a day or two, with 1/4tsp of GoFerm

roughly 2.5lbs of honey, for each gallon, with 1tsp of potassium bicarbonate, and 1tsp of Fermaid O per gallon. Then, 1 tsp of Fermaid O per gallon at the 1/3 and 2/3 sugar breaks, all while agitating/degassing daily, but ensuring I make Fermaid additions AFTER degassing.

When would you recommend adding blackberries/raspberries for a melomel, and how long would you keep them in? Also, when/how often would you recommend racking off the lees?

 

[Edbert]

So many of the young whippersnappers here have no idea who starred in the REAL Batman movie...

It was...."Mr. Mom"!

 

[slip_kid]

Bray, and all the other contributors here,

Thank you for this thread, i just finished all 86 pages. My homebrew experience is limited to one really ****ty homemade wine from a groupon kit that i dumped a few years back, and currently have two one gallons of cider going as an experiment in competency.

I think i only have one question after reading all of this. if you age the mead (3-6 months), is this aged in the secondary, move to tertiary after some point, or in bottles?

I may carb half of this to see which way we like better.

I think that's the only question i have left. Going to try the Fermaid O route, and get the OB honey online (we only have wildflower native honey near me in CT). I found 5 gallons of Gunther (SP?) for $18 from some restaurant supply shop, or swansonvitamins.com has 13.5 oz of raw unpasteurized OB honey for under $6 each, and they constantly bombard you with coupons...

Thank you again

 

[loveofrose]

Bray, and all the other contributors here,



Thank you for this thread, i just finished all 86 pages. My homebrew experience is limited to one really ****ty homemade wine from a groupon kit that i dumped a few years back, and currently have two one gallons of cider going as an experiment in competency.



I think i only have one question after reading all of this. if you age the mead (3-6 months), is this aged in the secondary, move to tertiary after some point, or in bottles?



I may carb half of this to see which way we like better.



I think that's the only question i have left. Going to try the Fermaid O route, and get the OB honey online (we only have wildflower native honey near me in CT). I found 5 gallons of Gunther (SP?) for $18 from some restaurant supply shop, or swansonvitamins.com has 13.5 oz of raw unpasteurized OB honey for under $6 each, and they constantly bombard you with coupons...



Thank you again

Always happy to help. I generally cold crash primary and bottle for traditional mead. For mead with chunks of fruit, I cold crash secondary after the chunks are filtered out, then bottle.

 

[slip_kid]

Always happy to help. I generally cold crash primary and bottle for traditional mead. For mead with chunks of fruit, I cold crash secondary after the chunks are filtered out, then bottle.

Thanks! Maybe the first one gallon we'll stick to a traditional, cold crash for a while and then bottle age. Then decide if we want it carbed in the future. This way I only tie up a jug for a month while the ciders age.

 

[wkrawul2]

Okay... So my starting gravity is 1.110 for this batch I'm doing. I'm making a melomel, but, I'm using cherry extract, instead of a puree, etc. Do I still need to worry about oxidation with the cherry extract? If so, what do I change about the first and second sugar breaks? Would I just degas lightly without trying to add any additional oxygen in and add the ingredients as normal?

 

[wkrawul2]

I know this has probably been talked about. But, I would like to step feed the mead batch I'm doing. Can I step feed it with cherry extract? Or should I do a mixture of the extract and honey also? When you step feed, do you do it in the primary after the fermentation process has finished, or do I siphon it to a secondary, then add what I need? Last question, what specific gravity should I be at to start with, before I start step feeding, and what should I stop at when adding in the extract and honey?

 

[loveofrose]

Depends on your goals. Do you want it dry with cherry flavor or sweet with cherry flavor? Cherry juice or extract (not the same). Need more info!

 

[Sadcheese]

Greetings!

Thanks much for posting and maintaining this thread, as well as your other postings. I've had a chance to read through your website as well as gotmead and homebrewtalk threads and decided that my next round of meads are going to be a standard 1 gallon BOMM and some experimental variants while my last round of 5 gallon meads bulk age.

I have been into aromatic, hoppy beers lately, and was thinking of trying a braggot using BOMM as a base recipe. I was wondering if you have any experience using hops in your mead recipes, or if you know of any attempts using the BOMM format that I could learn from before setting out? The information/recipes regarding using hops in mead that I could find is sparse and appears poorly verified/researched.

Thanks for your wisdom.

 

[loveofrose]

I've done many braggots and braggot-like recipes in the past. Here is my advice:

Malt versus Specialty grains: you can make a braggot (50:50 fermentable sugar from malt and honey) or you can simply steep specialty grains in the water you will use to make a BOMM. The later is more mead like, but I enjoy both. I suggest Caramel 20 and/or Special B for a start, but it largely depends on your honey.

Hops: The general consensus is to keep your IBUs in the 10-15 range to avoid masking the honey character. You can dry hop like crazy as long as the hop aroma compliments your particular honey. Much trial and error here, but think about hops characteristics and match it to your varietal honey. For instance, Citra hops and orange blossom honey both have nice orange notes that pair well together.

If you want something stupid fast, beer like, and tried true, make this:
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Fidnemed/

You are welcome to bounce any ideas off me once you start formulating a recipe.

 

[wkrawul2]

I would like the mead to be sweeter,but, not too sweet, and I am using cherry extract, not juice. And, I obviously want to try to get a higher Alcohol content to it

 

[Sadcheese]

I've done many braggots and braggot-like recipes in the past. Here is my advice:

Malt versus Specialty grains: you can make a braggot (50:50 fermentable sugar from malt and honey) or you can simply steep specialty grains in the water you will use to make a BOMM. The later is more mead like, but I enjoy both. I suggest Caramel 20 and/or Special B for a start, but it largely depends on your honey.

Hops: The general consensus is to keep your IBUs in the 10-15 range to avoid masking the honey character. You can dry hop like crazy as long as the hop aroma compliments your particular honey. Much trial and error here, but think about hops characteristics and match it to your varietal honey. For instance, Citra hops and orange blossom honey both have nice orange notes that pair well together.

If you want something stupid fast, beer like, and tried true, make this:
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Fidnemed/

You are welcome to bounce any ideas off me once you start formulating a recipe.

Great thanks. I'll probably give that a shot before I go adventuring.

Thanks again!

 

[loveofrose]

I would like the mead to be sweeter,but, not too sweet, and I am using cherry extract, not juice. And, I obviously want to try to get a higher Alcohol content to it

Cherry extract won't add sweetness. You will definitely need to add more honey to raise the sweetness. Without knowing a target gravity (sweet but not too sweet is very objective), I don't know how much to tell you to add.

 

[wkrawul2]

Unfortunately, this is the third batch I have ever made. I have no idea about making a target gravity for sweetness. The first mead I made with cote de blanc yeast, turned out to be a semi-sweet mead. I also added wine conditioner at the end to make it sweeter. Could i just do that, or if, I'm looking for sweeter, but, more of a honey taste, I use the honey?

My ending gravity has always been 1.000 or lower. So I guess, how do you go about making a dry wine, sweeter? And how does the gravity effect the outcome of how sweet it can become worth of step feeding?

 

[andrewmaixner]

I've added to my mead (at serving time) a Montgomery tart cherry concentrate, which definitely has sugar in it and makes it sweeter.

I've also used it in a chocolate stout, and the sugars fermented out leaving a tart chocolate cherry stout as opposed to the semi-sweet taste from before fermentation.

You should be able to use the nutrition information on the container to estimate sugar content.

 

[wkrawul2]

That sounds pretty good. It definitely smells sweet. I'll see how it tastes tomorrow, before I add anything to it, to make it sweeter. For all I know, it may be prefect