Bray's One Month Mead

[Seamonkey84]

Ah, I knew it was to buffer it but didn’t know it was just to slow the swing vs keeping it from dropping below a certain point. That makes more sense now.

 

[rgraville]

I began my starter two days ago on Monday evening. I am looking to make the must and pitch the starter either tomorrow evening or the next day.
I have tried to make sure that my plan follows the official recipe as much as possible and have documented any adjustment prior to pitching. If anyone has any suggestions, pointers, or notices any flaws in my plan please let me know.
Here are my parameters:

"BOMM" 5 Gal. target FG 1.010

Recipe Source

Based entirely on Bray’s information documented at the following links:
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/BOMM5gallons/
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Liquid-yeast-SNA/
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Start/

Recipe Conditions/modifications

No stir plate for starter
No 2L flask, rather a 64fl.oz. growler
City water from tap using whole-house carbon and sub-micron filtration system
Want the final specific gravity (FG) a little sweeter, so original specific gravity (OG) of 1.130 rather than 1.100, leading to an estimated FG of 1.010
Using TOSNA (Fermaid O) nutrient schedule
Kirkland brand Oregon sourced honey from Costco, variety unknown

Starter Recipe

1. Sanitize 64fl.oz. growler
>To sanitize, use StarSan or OneStep. Do not cook it on the stove burner as glass will shatter. Avoid iodine based cleaner due to staining.
2. Add 1 tsp GoFerm
3. Add 48fl.oz. water
4. Mix in 4fl.oz (half cup) honey (6 oz by weight)
5. Pitch smack pack of Wyeast 1388 (125ml or 4.22fl.oz) (count this as water for SG purposes?)
>I generally do break the internal packet for the nutrients, but you don't have to wait to pitch.
>Final volume close to 56fl.oz. (7 cups, or 1 cup shy of half gal) with smack pack volume added.
6. Cover but don’t air lock (sanitized foil) and swirl it when you can for 3 to 4 days
7. Pitch in your mead. Don't forget that the starter will add 56fl.oz. of volume!

Mead Recipe

1. Sanitize fermenter (7gal Fermonster carboy)
2. Add 3.2734 gal (3gal+1qt+3floz) water to fermenter (See volume calculations below)
3. Add 1gal+1qt+1cup+1floz honey by volume (253.5oz (15lbs+13.5oz) honey by weight) (SG 1.130 est) (See volume calculations below)
4. Use a drill powered mixer to mix honey completely
5. Add 10.375g (1 1/4 tsp) Potassium Carbonate. One time addition (See nutrients calculation below)
6. Add 9.45g (2 5/8 tsp to 2 1/4 tsp) Fermaid K. One time addition (See nutrients calculation below)
7. Add 13.8g (3.067tsp to 5.52tsp) Fermaid O at upfront, 1.100, & 1.060 (See nutrients calculation below)
8. Stir again to aerate.
9. Add your starter of Wyeast 1388.
9. If needed, add water or honey to 1.130 OG
10. No water in airlock for 1 week
11. Degas daily
12. Ferments dry in about a week, clears in 3-4 weeks. You can cold crash to speed up clearing
13. Wyeast 1388 temperature range is best in the 68-74 F range. Some people have reported issues with going above 74ºF, other people say it's fine. I try to keep my fermentations at 68ºF for the initial few days, then bump it up to 72 F for the last 20 points.
14. Do not step feed if attempting to re-use the yeast cake

Volume Calculations to reach 1.130 OG

1. 10oz. by weight of honey in 5gal raises specific gravity (SG) by 0.005
2. Water SG is 1.000
2. Ratio is honey to final must volume, not honey to water volume
3. 3oz. by weight of honey has volume of 2fl.oz.
4. 1 gallon is 128fl.oz
5. Math for water and honey amounts:

5gal *128 floz/gal = 640floz
10oz honey = 6.67floz honey
640floz must - 6.67floz honey = 633.33floz water
633.33 / 6.67 = 94.95
Water to honey ratio for 1.005 SG = 94.95:1 by volume

6.67/640 = 0.0104 floz honey per oz. must per 0.005 SG increase
1.130-1.000=0.130 increase in SG desired
0.130/0.005=26 units of increased SG desired
26*0.0104=0.2704 floz per 1 floz must to get 1.130 OG
640*0.2704=173.056 floz honey per 5 gal must
173.056floz / 128floz/gal = 1.352gal = 1gal+1qt+1cup+5floz
173.056floz = 259.584oz honey by weight

640floz must - 173floz honey=467floz water
173 floz honey - 4floz honey in starter = 169 floz honey in fermenter
169/128=1gal+1qt+1cup+1floz honey by volume
169*1.5=253.5oz (15lbs+13.5oz) honey by weight
467floz water - 48floz water in starter = 419 floz water in fermenter
419/128=3.2734 gal (3gal+1qt+3floz) water

Nutrients calculations for 1.130 OG

1. Excerpt from chart for Fermaid O at 1.130 OG
Brix 29
SG 1.131
YAN 400
Fermaid O (grams) 8.26
Split by 3 (grams) 2.76
Split by 3 (tsp) 0.69
Wyeast 1388 Additions Upfront, 1.101, 1.061

2. Add 1.89g Fermaid K per gallon upfront only for all gravities.
1.89g/gal * 5 gal = 9.45g (2 5/8 tsp to 2 1/4 tsp) for 5gal batch
3. Add 2.075g (1/4 tsp) potassium carbonate per gallon upfront only for pH buffering.
2.075g/gal (1/4 tsp) * 5 gal = 10.375g (1 1/4 tsp) for 5gal batch
4. Add 8.26g/gal split between 3 additions
8.26g/gal * 5 gal = (41.3g (9.178tsp to 16.52tsp) for 5 gal batch)
Each addition is 2.76g/gal * 5 gal = 13.8g (3.067tsp to 5.52tsp) at upfront, 1.100, & 1.060

 

[Miraculix]

I began my starter two days ago on Monday evening. I am looking to make the must and pitch the starter either tomorrow evening or the next day.
I have tried to make sure that my plan follows the official recipe as much as possible and have documented any adjustment prior to pitching. If anyone has any suggestions, pointers, or notices any flaws in my plan please let me know.
Here are my parameters:

"BOMM" 5 Gal. target FG 1.010

Recipe Source

Based entirely on Bray’s information documented at the following links:
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/BOMM5gallons/
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Liquid-yeast-SNA/
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Start/

Recipe Conditions/modifications

No stir plate for starter
No 2L flask, rather a 64fl.oz. growler
City water from tap using whole-house carbon and sub-micron filtration system
Want the final specific gravity (FG) a little sweeter, so original specific gravity (OG) of 1.130 rather than 1.100, leading to an estimated FG of 1.010
Using TOSNA (Fermaid O) nutrient schedule
Kirkland brand Oregon sourced honey from Costco, variety unknown

Starter Recipe

1. Sanitize 64fl.oz. growler
>To sanitize, use StarSan or OneStep. Do not cook it on the stove burner as glass will shatter. Avoid iodine based cleaner due to staining.
2. Add 1 tsp GoFerm
3. Add 48fl.oz. water
4. Mix in 4fl.oz (half cup) honey (6 oz by weight)
5. Pitch smack pack of Wyeast 1388 (125ml or 4.22fl.oz) (count this as water for SG purposes?)
>I generally do break the internal packet for the nutrients, but you don't have to wait to pitch.
>Final volume close to 56fl.oz. (7 cups, or 1 cup shy of half gal) with smack pack volume added.
6. Cover but don’t air lock (sanitized foil) and swirl it when you can for 3 to 4 days
7. Pitch in your mead. Don't forget that the starter will add 56fl.oz. of volume!

Mead Recipe

1. Sanitize fermenter (7gal Fermonster carboy)
2. Add 3.2734 gal (3gal+1qt+3floz) water to fermenter (See volume calculations below)
3. Add 1gal+1qt+1cup+1floz honey by volume (253.5oz (15lbs+13.5oz) honey by weight) (SG 1.130 est) (See volume calculations below)
4. Use a drill powered mixer to mix honey completely
5. Add 10.375g (1 1/4 tsp) Potassium Carbonate. One time addition (See nutrients calculation below)
6. Add 9.45g (2 5/8 tsp to 2 1/4 tsp) Fermaid K. One time addition (See nutrients calculation below)
7. Add 13.8g (3.067tsp to 5.52tsp) Fermaid O at upfront, 1.100, & 1.060 (See nutrients calculation below)
8. Stir again to aerate.
9. Add your starter of Wyeast 1388.
9. If needed, add water or honey to 1.130 OG
10. No water in airlock for 1 week
11. Degas daily
12. Ferments dry in about a week, clears in 3-4 weeks. You can cold crash to speed up clearing
13. Wyeast 1388 temperature range is best in the 68-74 F range. Some people have reported issues with going above 74ºF, other people say it's fine. I try to keep my fermentations at 68ºF for the initial few days, then bump it up to 72 F for the last 20 points.
14. Do not step feed if attempting to re-use the yeast cake

Volume Calculations to reach 1.130 OG

1. 10oz. by weight of honey in 5gal raises specific gravity (SG) by 0.005
2. Water SG is 1.000
2. Ratio is honey to final must volume, not honey to water volume
3. 3oz. by weight of honey has volume of 2fl.oz.
4. 1 gallon is 128fl.oz
5. Math for water and honey amounts:

5gal *128 floz/gal = 640floz
10oz honey = 6.67floz honey
640floz must - 6.67floz honey = 633.33floz water
633.33 / 6.67 = 94.95
Water to honey ratio for 1.005 SG = 94.95:1 by volume

6.67/640 = 0.0104 floz honey per oz. must per 0.005 SG increase
1.130-1.000=0.130 increase in SG desired
0.130/0.005=26 units of increased SG desired
26*0.0104=0.2704 floz per 1 floz must to get 1.130 OG
640*0.2704=173.056 floz honey per 5 gal must
173.056floz / 128floz/gal = 1.352gal = 1gal+1qt+1cup+5floz
173.056floz = 259.584oz honey by weight

640floz must - 173floz honey=467floz water
173 floz honey - 4floz honey in starter = 169 floz honey in fermenter
169/128=1gal+1qt+1cup+1floz honey by volume
169*1.5=253.5oz (15lbs+13.5oz) honey by weight
467floz water - 48floz water in starter = 419 floz water in fermenter
419/128=3.2734 gal (3gal+1qt+3floz) water

Nutrients calculations for 1.130 OG

1. Excerpt from chart for Fermaid O at 1.130 OG
Brix 29
SG 1.131
YAN 400
Fermaid O (grams) 8.26
Split by 3 (grams) 2.76
Split by 3 (tsp) 0.69
Wyeast 1388 Additions Upfront, 1.101, 1.061

2. Add 1.89g Fermaid K per gallon upfront only for all gravities.
1.89g/gal * 5 gal = 9.45g (2 5/8 tsp to 2 1/4 tsp) for 5gal batch
3. Add 2.075g (1/4 tsp) potassium carbonate per gallon upfront only for pH buffering.
2.075g/gal (1/4 tsp) * 5 gal = 10.375g (1 1/4 tsp) for 5gal batch
4. Add 8.26g/gal split between 3 additions
8.26g/gal * 5 gal = (41.3g (9.178tsp to 16.52tsp) for 5 gal batch)
Each addition is 2.76g/gal * 5 gal = 13.8g (3.067tsp to 5.52tsp) at upfront, 1.100, & 1.060

Isn't fermaid k from the old and outdated recipe?

 

[loveofrose]

You still need Fermaid K for trace nutrients and vitamins. It’s only 1 addition.

 

[Miraculix]

You still need Fermaid K for trace nutrients and vitamins. It’s only 1 addition.

I see, I think the dry yeast protocol was without k, because of the goferm? Maybe I mixed that up.

 

[rgraville]

Question. If re-using the yeast cake for a second batch, are additional upfront and/or staggered nutrient additions still required? I can see yes, the yeast need food, but also there is going to be some dead yeast in the cake for some nutrients. Would the added potassium stay with the yeast cake or follow the mead into the bottles/keg?
Can I make a follow up BOMM in the same fermenter after I rack this one and just add the 1/3 and 2/3 nutrients?

 

[loveofrose]

Yes, nutrients are required again for a second batch.

 

[rgraville]

Wow this thing is fast! I know, I know, others in this thread have said the same, but... wow.
I pitched my yeast starter at 11am yesterday. I shook the carboy a few times over the course of the day and got some bubbles. This morning 6:30am I shook it and got more bubbles and thought "great, I'll check the SG and see if it is ready for first addition." It was already down 90 points. It was down to 1.04 from a OG of 1.13... I missed both the first and the second addition.

Then got my drill and de-gassing mixer so I could give it a good hit before adding the nutrients, assuming that since I had just shaken it I should be alright. Nope, MEA. At least I had put the carboy in a tote just in case.

Went ahead and added both the first and second sugar break additions now even thought it was late for both. I guess just *carefully* degas a couple times a day for the next week then fill the bubbler and let it sit, right?

Edit:
Checked the SG again this morning, 50 hours after previous check, and the SG was only down to 1.086. I have no idea how I could have misread the hydrometer so badly the other day. Now I'm not sure what the heck is going on. I could have sworn that it was ~1.040. It was before morning caffeine...

 

[Jokester]

Ha! I’ve already got a 3 day mead:
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Ginger-Genius/

I’ve got the HotHead strain in my yeast bank. I really like it for tropical style meads (Tepache).

If I let this sit for 2 weeks would it get to .99 ? With a different yeast maybe ?
Thanks.
Srinath.

 

[Jokester]

I've been reading your blog https://denardbrewing.com/blog - I'm seeing you're stopping it at 1.04 etc and then oaking it etc. Now do you do that in the fridge or in a 75F house ? If it was sitting 3.5 months in a 75F house isn't its gravity going to drop more ? I am well before 1.04, I'm 1.02 on this mead I have, and its actively bubbling still, I am thinking I'll let it run till it stops bubbling, but should I add wood chips now or wait till it stops bubbling.
Thanks.
Srinath.

 

[loveofrose]

If I let this sit for 2 weeks would it get to .99 ? With a different yeast maybe ?
Thanks.
Srinath.

Yes, it will easily go to 1.00 or below.

 

[loveofrose]

I've been reading your blog https://denardbrewing.com/blog - I'm seeing you're stopping it at 1.04 etc and then oaking it etc. Now do you do that in the fridge or in a 75F house ? If it was sitting 3.5 months in a 75F house isn't its gravity going to drop more ? I am well before 1.04, I'm 1.02 on this mead I have, and its actively bubbling still, I am thinking I'll let it run till it stops bubbling, but should I add wood chips now or wait till it stops bubbling.
Thanks.
Srinath.

Wyeast 1388 eats 120 points. That means it will take a 1.120 gravity mead to 1.000, a 1.140 mead to 1.020 and so on. You may get plus or minus 0.005 points depending on your nutrients, temp, etc. This is because the ABV tolerance of the yeast is around 16%.

All oaking is done at 70 F as I have temperature control. Cold temperatures would take longer to fully extract the oak.

Bubbles mean nothing. I’ve had mead finish in 7 days and degas CO2 for a year. CO2 dissolves into solution and exits when agitated or when nuclei are introduced (hence foaming when you add nutrients). Get a hydrometer. Sterilize the hydrometer and drop it in.

 

[Jokester]

I'll check gravity. This still has pineapple chunks floating. Is that a sign of something ? And its yeast isn't settling, its still brown and muddy. But if I am reading under 1.00 I'll definitely check again in 2 days and if its the same call it good. Maybe cold crash it then.
This has 3 different yeasts in it, ec1118, then I added Turbo 24, then a 28%er bought out of ebay which I only put in 1/5th a packet, it is meant for 5 gal.
I should have a sediment and a clear-ish liquid right.
Thanks.
Srinath.

 

[loveofrose]

I'll check gravity. This still has pineapple chunks floating. Is that a sign of something ? And its yeast isn't settling, its still brown and muddy. But if I am reading under 1.00 I'll definitely check again in 2 days and if its the same call it good. Maybe cold crash it then.
This has 3 different yeasts in it, ec1118, then I added Turbo 24, then a 28%er bought out of ebay which I only put in 1/5th a packet, it is meant for 5 gal.
I should have a sediment and a clear-ish liquid right.
Thanks.
Srinath.

That’s a hot mess right there. There are so many things wrong with what you did and said. You would be miles ahead if you just follow my direction. Let me try to help you for future batches:

1. Pick a yeast and stick to it. Look up it’s ABV tolerance. This will tell you how many points of gravity it will ferment before it gives up. For Wyeast 1388 is 120 points, for EC1118 it’s around 140 points. Very likely you are dry unless you used more than 4 lbs of honey per gallon. Mixing yeast can also lead to off flavors as some yeast actively attack other types of yeast.

2. Agitate the mead with the airlock on once it is finished to remove the extra CO2. The Degassing CO2 can prevent clearing by stirring up the yeast.

3. Art is the finished product. The process is ugly. Once a stable gravity is reached, cold crash the mead until it is clear. If it cold crashes for a week and isn’t clear, then rack off the lees (layer at the bottom) and cold crash again.

 

[Jokester]

See I didn't even start at this thread. There is a "fermenting 2 months and still sweet thread" I started.
Anyway, I started this mead with 3.2lb honey in 1gal and ec1118 and nothing else on August 25th 2019. I kept it in a car in the burning heat of summer and it was flying for 2+ months.
Then I seemed to stall. So sometime in nov, I had it in a 75 degree house and I put in turbo 24. It seemed to re start fermentation. But again seemed to stall. It tasted very sweet so I attempted to re start with that 28% yeast and more fruits and a bit more water.
Let me look and see if it clears in a day or 2 and check gravity and rack off the lees etc.
Its got the fruit mostly floating, so is it even ready to rack off now ?

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[Jokester]

How would degassing affect gravity reading, wouldn't co2 coming out of the brew affect it, and would it raise or lower it ?
Thanks.
Srinath.

 

[loveofrose]

Just spin the hydrometer and the CO2 bubbles come off. No effect then.

 

[Jokester]

Just spin the hydrometer and the CO2 bubbles come off. No effect then.

Yea I do that, still being in suspension has to be some effect I think, anyway I'll wait out a little more on this one, I think there's too much alcohol round the house anyway, while the lovely lady stocked up on cans of food and what not like Armageddon was coming, I stocked up on booze. There's whiskey, rum and vodka in addition to the 6+ trays (24 count of pints - no 500ml) of the cheap crap beer (pabst black label etc etc) awaiting its crack at the hyper fermenter.

All that's left is to buy enough ammo and we're ready to take on an invasion by zombies. Something like you want my liquor, eat lead you undead.

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[LeoIvan]

Hello, excuse my English, I am using the google translator, I was testing several dry yeasts with the boom protocol (experimenting), I found a yeast with a tolerance of 9% I wanted to test it to make a sweet mead, the initial density was 1,100 and I thought that at most it would go to 10%, when it reached 9% it was very very rich, but after going over 9% it started to generate fusel and ended up consuming all the sugar in honey, leaving 1,000, that is, dry, is it normal for a yeast to spread so much with that tolerance? I hoped I couldn't ferment any more, but I've eaten everything and the yeast has been stressed

 

[Miraculix]

Hello, excuse my English, I am using the google translator, I was testing several dry yeasts with the boom protocol (experimenting), I found a yeast with a tolerance of 9% I wanted to test it to make a sweet mead, the initial density was 1,100 and I thought that at most it would go to 10%, when it reached 9% it was very very rich, but after going over 9% it started to generate fusel and ended up consuming all the sugar in honey, leaving 1,000, that is, dry, is it normal for a yeast to spread so much with that tolerance? I hoped I couldn't ferment any more, but I've eaten everything and the yeast has been stressed

Generally, those stated tolerances are not reliable. Usually the tolerance of most commercial yeast lies in between 14 and 16% abv, in my experience.

 

[bernardsmith]

I would argue, Miraculix that the published tolerances are very reliable in the same way that the manufacturer publishes the breaking strain or load chain or rope can tolerate before they break. The idea is that you can depend on them for your life to support the strain they state they can tolerate but you are on your own if you deliberately use them at higher loads. However, they almost certainly can support double the published load without a problem.
The trick then, LeoIvan, is to choose what ABV you in fact want, to use enough sugars to hit that amount and then to stabilize and backsweeten your mead or wine. You don't use your yeast as the brakes for the fermentation. You use the total amount of sugar that you provide the yeast.

 

[Jokester]

Yes, it will easily go to 1.00 or below.

I've got 1.00 today. Barely drinkable. Rough as drinking sand paper. I can tell its got honey in it, partially that's what's making it rough. And my standards are low, I made 30% by over fermenting and freeze concentrating Pabst black and I have been drinking that - the excuse being, it gets me sleepy as the side effect, and I drink a lot smaller quantity of it to get the same amount of drunkenity plus, it can be drunk warm or cold it is just as nasty.

My thought is to put it in 3 cam lock bottles and let it age a few months.
Oaking is also an option but I really want to keep it as it was - oaking 1-2 bottles may be a thought.
Anyway what's the best way forward - Now as a side note I can just put more nutrient in it and shoot for under .98. I guess I am a sucker for punishment.

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Degas it and then try it again. I find that as long as the yeast was kept happy through the process, 1388 really doesn’t need much or any aging to be drinkable/good. But the yeast farts s built up during primary need to be taken o it first.

 

[Jokester]

I didn't use 1388. I used ec1118 then a turbo 24 then a turbo 28 and yeast nutrient.
I'll degas it, but I'm guessing its under 1.00 anyway, need to age it or oak it or something I think. Its pretty dry, nearly completely dry from the taste.
Cool.
Srinath,

 

[rgraville]

If you didn't use 1388 then it isn't a BOMM per this thread and therefore will likely need a year of aging to taste drinkable.

 

[Jokester]

If you didn't use 1388 then it isn't a BOMM per this thread and therefore will likely need a year of aging to taste drinkable.

Yikes, its already been 8 months or so since it started fermenting. OK I'll put oak chips in it and hope for the best. Its also rather cloudy. Is it possible its still fermenting ?
Cool.
Srinath.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Don’t turbo yeast have other nutrients and additives in it that taste bad and are meant to be distilled and filtered out?

 

[z-bob]

1. Pick a yeast and stick to it. Look up it’s ABV tolerance. This will tell you how many points of gravity it will ferment before it gives up. For Wyeast 1388 is 120 points, for EC1118 it’s around 140 points. Very likely you are dry unless you used more than 4 lbs of honey per gallon. Mixing yeast can also lead to off flavors as some yeast actively attack other types of yeast.

I think EC-1118 is a "killer" yeast. It also has a very high alcohol tolerance. I bet it murdered the turbo yeast, and it's still slowly chugging through the sugar but is starting to get stressed itself by the alcohol.

 

[andrewmaixner]

ITT: Hey I didn't follow the instructions, why is my end result different?

 

[Jokester]

Well - D-uh I started it before I even remembered this forum. In any case, I'll just stick to 1388 for the next batch.
By 120 points you mean 1.120 ? That was my OG actually putting in 3.2lb honey in 1 gal must. But EC1118 stalled till I added the turbo 24 - which also stalled till I added Turbo 28 which also stalled, then I added nutrient (pineapple and raisin boiled up) lowering gravity too. In effect its now still fermenting I'll wait till it hits .99 or wherever it gets.
Cool.
Srinath.