Bray's One Month Mead

[pricelessbrewing]

Pitched 570 into like 0.85 gallons, somewhere around 1.068 (didn't measure OG). Should end up around 9% if it ferments out to 1.000. Added DAP and Ferm O according to double TOSNA.

C02 started being produced like 2 hours after pitching.

 

[Atek]

It may be possible to use less and get a good result, but I don't know what the threshold is. I can tell you that Wyeast 1388 needs more nutrients than 71B (which is what TOSNA is based on). Maybe double the suggested TOSNA amount to be sure? Let me know how it turns out.

So I went ahead and did 21g in my 5gal batch at 1.050 OG, this is meant to be a light mead to be kegged. This amount is double what the "rough" recommendation would be. I say rough because the TOSNA scale for nitrogen in mg/L doesn't start until you hit 13 brix at which point it increase 25mg N/L for every 1 increase in brix. Seems like at odd scale but doing 10mg N/L for every 1 increase in brix seemed to be the closest and easiest way to continue the scale down below 13brix. My main concern is really I don't want too much nitrogen in the batch and give the possibility of breading unwanteds.

We'll see how it turns out!

 

[brottman]

Loveofrose, what would be a good/correct amount of Fermaid O (in your opinion) using the TOSNA schedule for a 5 gallon BOMM?

 

[loveofrose]

The TOSNA schedule for a gallon batch would suggest 4 additions of 1.25 tsp (5 tsp or 950 mg total) of Fermaid O added at 24, 48, 72 hours and Day 7 or 1/3 sugar break, whichever comes first. For 5 gallons, it would be 6.25 tsp per addition (25 tsp or 4.75 grams total).

My very early experience is that Wyeast 1388 may need a bit more nutrition than prescribed, but YMMV. Personally, I would bump it up to 1.5 tsp per addition per gallon.

If any of you try it, please report your results to the rest of us. I always like options!

 

[DiabloMontana]

1st off, Thank you Loveofrose for this incredible thread, and all the info. I just got my first 2.5g batch fermented, and moved it to cold crash overnight. Now my question to those with experience, I believe Loveofrose doesn't do this (allergies I believe??) but I want to back sweeten a portion of this for my wife and dont want to step-feed(?) what would be the proper amount per gallon of Potassium Sorbate and Potassium Metabisulphite? I appologize for any terminology errors, thank you in advance!

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I use 5 crushed Campden tablets and 3tsp of Potassium Sorbate for 5 gallon batch stabilization. So that would work out to 1 Campden tablet per gallon and .6tsp of Potassium Sorbate per gallon. I would wait several days (monitor the gravity until it is stable) after stabilizing prior to back sweetening.

 

[rjolin01]

1st off, Thank you Loveofrose for this incredible thread, and all the info. I just got my first 2.5g batch fermented, and moved it to cold crash overnight. Now my question to those with experience, I believe Loveofrose doesn't do this (allergies I believe??) but I want to back sweeten a portion of this for my wife and dont want to step-feed(?) what would be the proper amount per gallon of Potassium Sorbate and Potassium Metabisulphite? I appologize for any terminology errors, thank you in advance!

Do you have the numbers you used for a 2.5 gallon? Did you just half all the 5 gallon numbers?

 

[DiabloMontana]

I followed the 2.5g instructions in post #880.

Hope that helps!

It ended up closer to 3g, so I racked into (3) 1g jugs, trying (1) sweet, (1) semi-sweet, and (1) dry, all with relativly small amount of medium oak cubes.

"Cooking" up a Fidnemed Short Metheglin as we speak...

 

[andrewmaixner]

....
"Cooking" up a Fidnemed Short Metheglin as we speak...

Hope you enjoy that, mine first one turned out very good, crystal clear (reddish) though very slow to bottle-carb -- probably because I bumped up the alcohol to ~9.5%
Now I'm interested in trying some other metheglin variants

 

[Sadcheese]

Had my first BOMM taste this past weekend, not yet a month old. Used raspberry honey and came out awesome. Have a blackberry one that's going to get some oak. Impressive how it comes out-- I only had done two leads prior but each were pretty hollow until aged a good year or two. The hopped short with 1388 is tasty but the nose is really musky... Good for me but thinking I'll try dry hopping next time.

 

[plepper]

I made my first batch on 2/22/16. I followed the recipe TO THE LETTER and everything seems good! OG was 1.100 and today (2/23/16) it was at 1.080 does this seem right? I degassed and added my Fermaid K and DAP as per instructions. Nothing weird happening just wanted some reassurance. By the way it was 73 degrees and i'm writing everything down!

 

[loveofrose]

Sounds good.

 

[plepper]

Ok I'm at 1.00 and not showing any air lock activity is it time to rack to secondary? I'm thinking 2 1 gallon carboys and add frozen strawberries to one and back sweeten the other. when drinking my sample it tastes ok but not much honey flavor, could be the cheap honey i used. Will better honey bring back better flavor after back sweetening?

 

[loveofrose]

1.000 is perfect for racking, but I would step feed more honey in primary.

The lack of honey flavor can be due to low amounts of honey used, the honey itself, or aging. In any event, adding more will help.

 

[plepper]

Thank you! do you have any idea of how much honey to add? from doing a search info is kinda scarce. the best I came up with is 2oz of honey should the SG .005 points but it didn't say if this is per gallon. I have about 2.3 gallons now after pulling samples for the SG tests. I'm thinking I could add honey to taste and test gravity and add until it ferments down to my preferred gravity. Im thinking 1.010 to 1.015 or thereabouts.

 

[loveofrose]

2 oz per gallon adds .005 points. 13.8 oz will get you to 1.015, but it will continue to ferment. As a result, you will likely need to add more.

 

[rjolin01]

Is it potassium carbonate, bicarbonate, or sorbate? I can't find carbonate on a lot the online site I buy from, and I read that it's basically washing soap. When I search bicarbonate, or just carbonate it often comes up with sorbate. Are they interchangeable?

Also I have some Nutriferm Energy. Can this be used in place of any of the additives?

 

[loveofrose]

https://morewinemaking.com/products/potassium-carbonate.html?site_id=5

Potassium carb and bicarbonate are interchangeable and function to buffer the ferment.

Potassium sorbate is used to prevent yeast from fermenting.

No, Nutriferm is not a replacement for anything unless you wish to void the warranty.

 

[rjolin01]

Thanks for the link. Just wondering, 2oz pack should be more than enough but 1lb is better deal. Does anyone know shelf life of potassium carbonate?

Same question for the fermaid k?

 

[andrewmaixner]

Thanks for the link. Just wondering, 2oz pack should be more than enough but 1lb is better deal. Does anyone know shelf life of potassium carbonate?

Same question for the fermaid k?

Long shelf life, years. minimize air (CO2) exposure on the carbonate.

I would presume to minimize o2 / moisture on the fermaid, but that's just a gut instinct. I use O not K.

 

[Skullfingr]

Just wanted to pick your brain a bit, but this is a very long thread, so I haven't read the whole thing. I was wondering why the potassium carbonate is used. Also what your ideology is for adding sugar. And how you feel the fermaid K helps out.

 

[loveofrose]

Read this and all will be explained:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html

Also, multiple articles here:
www.denardbrewing.com

 

[rjolin01]

Few more questions.

I plan on doing a 3gallon version it BOMM and since so little difference between the additions for 1 and 5 gallons can I assume it's ok just to do the original 5 gallon step method in original post? I imagine ingredients are all scalable also? And I am gonna assume a standard smack pack may be sufficient and no starter needed?

I also planned on when racking to secondary I was going to rack to 3 one gallon fermenters and add strawberry to one, orange to another, and either a spiced mead or kiwi for third. Is this possible with the shortened ferment period for this mead? Should I treat the fruit ahead time and will this after time frame at all?

 

[andrewmaixner]

Few more questions.

I plan on doing a 3gallon version it BOMM and since so little difference between the additions for 1 and 5 gallons can I assume it's ok just to do the original 5 gallon step method in original post? I imagine ingredients are all scalable also? And I am gonna assume a standard smack pack may be sufficient and no starter needed?

I also planned on when racking to secondary I was going to rack to 3 one gallon fermenters and add strawberry to one, orange to another, and either a spiced mead or kiwi for third. Is this possible with the shortened ferment period for this mead? Should I treat the fruit ahead time and will this alter time frame at all?

1) I would just use the mid-point for all of the measurements between the 1 and 5 gallon weights. fairly simple to estimate that.
2) I'd do a starter (really, 15 minutes of time the day before is not much extra effort), but you'd probably be fine. I've personally re-pitched refrigerated yeast/dregs from this 3 times in a row on 2.5gal batches.
3) That should be fine. Maybe keep the OG around 1.095 instead of higher, to reduce the chance of too much alcohol.
4) 11% alcohol should keep potential contaminants from growing, if you don't want to pasteurize the fruit first (your call). You can freeze and blender the fruit to maximize extraction/fermentation rate.
5) I'd personally mix the yeast back into solution before racking onto the fruit, and beware to leave a little headspace in the 1gal secondaries. Maybe bottle a few of the clean mead first so you have plenty space.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Alright bray, following up now.

Made my first mead about 6 weeks ago. Used wlp 570 (belgian high gravity yeast aka 1388) and fermK+Dap. The mead is completely clear, yeast has flocculated. I can read a piece of paper through it.

1 question I have is in regards to a very fine "mist" or "cloud" for lack of a better word about 1" from the top of the mead. It's very difficult to see unless I give it a slight spin. It's most likely some yeast still in suspension, but was curious of the other mazers thoughts? Should I rack again now? Cold crash first, then rack and bottle if fg doesn't change?

 

[loveofrose]

The thin film is generally a mix of beeswax and yeast. Cold crashing won't help as it is oil on water so to speak. You will find it is a bit sweeter than the rest of the mead. I generally "sample" the top and bottle the rest.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Ah that makes sense, thanks.

I'm cold crashing now, and will be bottling tomorrow.

 

[ntheknow]

Im about to cold crash the starter for 24 hours and then follow your recipe, loveofrose.

I reordered your recipe and instructions based on how I understand it:

• Smack Wyeast 1388 pack for overnight.
o Mix the following in 1800ml RO water and pour into a 2L flask:
 Starter
 6 oz honey
 1 tsp Go-Ferm
o Total volume into flask = 2L
o Put on stir plate for 2-3 days.
o Cold crash starter for 24 hours before decanting and pitching

DAY 0
Add 1 gallon OB honey to 3.5 gallons water.
Use a drill powered mixer to mix honey.

Dose the following at:

• must creation
o 2 tsp Fermaid-K (10g)
o 1 tsp DAP (5g)
o 3/4 tsp (4ml | 4g) potassium carbonate

Stir again to aerate and add starter
Add additional water to SG 1.096-1.1.
pH should be between 3.7-4.6.

Ferment @ 68 in Primary for 10 days

Dose the following at:

• 2/3 sugar break
o 2 tsp Fermaid-K (10g)
o 1 tsp DAP (5g)

• 1/3 sugar break
o 2 tsp Fermaid-K (10g)
o 1 tsp DAP (5g)

Rack to secondary for 14 days @ 68F

DAY 24
Rack to Keg

 

[loveofrose]

No need to crash the starter. Just be sure to include it in the total volume.

As soon as the gravity is stable, you can cold crash to speed up the time to keg.

 

[ntheknow]

No need to crash the starter. Just be sure to include it in the total volume.

As soon as the gravity is stable, you can cold crash to speed up the time to keg.

Thank you, sir!

Id assume no decanting then if I need to account for the 2L in the total volume.