Bray's One Month Mead

[SimPilot]

Meh! First time making BOMM. 5 gallons recipe. Mistakenly added 1 tps of DAP vs GoFerm into starter. Then added 1/2 tsp of GoFerm just for fks sake. Not to self - don't listen to interesting lectures while making booze.

 

[cmac62]

I have some of the African forest honey I found here on HTB. Has anyone done a BOMM with this honey and how did it turn out? Also, how many pounds of honey (or OG) does it take to get a semi sweet mead using 1388 without stabilizing and back-sweetening? I'm doing a 2 gal batch. Thanks

 

[Dan O]

Oh okay. Makes more sense. I've heard horror stories of people paying like 12 dollars a pound for honey. I sell 5 lb jugs for 15 bucks.

What kinds of honey do you sell, Beek? I just paid $12/lb for tupelo

 

[Dan O]

After I started this, I realized that I didn't have any Fermaid K, (but, I did have a yeast nutrient, which worked out just fine). My 3 gallon BOMM is almost done. Just waiting for it to clear a little on its own before I rack it off of the lees & into smaller vessels for experiments with different flavors & sweetness levels. I'm loving this hobby!

 

[Alexcc1]

New guy question. I am making a 5 gallon BOMM. It is proceeding slowly. Starting Gravity was 1.096 on 9 Oct 2020. Today, 18 Oct 2020 the gravity reading is 1.014 (a six point change from yesterday). I have been degassing once daily since starting.

My question is: How long should I continue degassing? Once daily until secondary fermentation, or should I stop sometime sooner?

Part of why I am asking is because when I degassed today, on day 9 and there is still a lot of gas when I degassed.

Thoughts?

 

[cmac62]

New guy question. I am making a 5 gallon BOMM. It is proceeding slowly. Starting Gravity was 1.096 on 9 Oct 2020. Today, 18 Oct 2020 the gravity reading is 1.014 (a six point change from yesterday). I have been degassing once daily since starting.

My question is: How long should I continue degassing? Once daily until secondary fermentation, or should I stop sometime sooner?

Part of why I am asking is because when I degassed today, on day 9 and there is still a lot of gas when I degassed.

Thoughts?

Alex, if I remember correctly you are supposed to degas and no water in the airlock through the 1/3 break, then you fill the airlock and ferment as usual with adding the second Fermaid 0 at 2/3 break. If I got this wrong someone please correct.

Edit: I answered my own question by checking on Brey's site. Here is what it said concerning the airlock: " -No water in airlock for 7 days or the gravity falls below 1.033. Whichever comes first, add water or vodka to airlock. Ferments dry in 7-14 days. " I hope this helps.

 

[Alexcc1]

I saw that line 11 in the 5 gallon BOMM instructions states " 11. Degas daily. ". but it does not state when to stop degassing.
I was planning to degas until the 30 day point or 1 week of stable SG readings.......... unless someone tells me otherwise.
Alex

 

[SimPilot]

@loveofrose

I want to make 5 gallons of cyser. I found your one gallon recipe. It seems very similar to 5 gallon BOMM Do you think I can just follow your 5 gallon recipe and it will be good to go? While increasing 5 x of steps 3 and 4;
3. Add 2.4 oz dark brown sugar, 1.6 oz dates, and 1.33 cups orange blossom honey.
4. Add 1/2 tsp pectinase.

 

[Alexcc1]

@SimPilot

I was also thinking of making a 6 gallon batch of cyser by scaling everything linearly. I chose 6 gallons because I have a 6.5 gallon fermentation bucket that I plan to rack into a 6 gallon carboy and finally into a 5 gallon corny keg. I expect to lose some during racking, but hope to have at least something close to 5 gallons when it goes into the corney.

I won't use a starter because I plan to use the yeast cake that resulted from a 6 gallon BOMM that I have in the brew chamber now.

I hope that someone else chimes in since I am seasoned small scale beekeeper with plenty of honey but just a newbie mazer.

Alex

 

[Alexcc1]

I am at the 25 day point with my first BOMM. It tastes like beer. Is this normal?

 

[SimPilot]

I am at the 25 day point with my first BOMM. It tastes like beer. Is this normal?

I'm about 30ish days and it tastes like watered-down mead. I'm used to 14ish % and this is about 10-12ish ABV. Doesn't taste like beer though. But it is drinkable, and smell and taste of honey is very strong compared to my prior experiments. Another big unfortunate issue to me ... honey taste had a bit of "burned" aftertaste (morarch honey) and it transferred to the mead perfectly. Now I'm in the process of adding cranberries in an attempt to coverup the less-than-desired taste.

 

[SimPilot]

I won't use a starter because I plan to use the yeast cake that resulted from a 6 gallon BOMM that I have in the brew chamber now.

I'm interested in how that would turn out. I've never used yeast cake... waiting for a local beer shop to deliver wy1388 for my cyser. Local farm delivered 5 gallons (8$/gallon) of amazingly good cider without any additions. So clear and so tasty.

 

[Alexcc1]

I'm interested in how that would turn out. I've never used yeast cake... waiting for a local beer shop to deliver wy1388 for my cyser. Local farm delivered 5 gallons (8$/gallon) of amazingly good cider without any additions. So clear and so tasty.

I asked about reusing the yeast on this thread; just a bit up the page in post 1728. Love of Roses replied in post 1731 that the yeast cake can be reused 5-6 times " depending on your sterile technique "

I don't know that I'll reuse the cake if the BOMM tastes like beer when I rack it.

 

[SimPilot]

east cake can be reused 5-6 times

Just used yeast cake from BOMM into BoMM-cyser. OG 1.095. 15 hrs later it's at 1.085. So it's working. No idea if there will be after taste or off-flavor.

 

[Alexcc1]

Just used yeast cake from BOMM into BoMM-cyser. OG 1.095. 15 hrs later it's at 1.085. So it's working. No idea if there will be after taste or off-flavor.

I am definitely a new mazer, but 10 points in 15 hours seems impressive to me. Those yeastie beasties are alive and well. You'll have to keep us posted on how it progresses and turns out. I am still interested in using my yeast cake as long as my mead doesn't taste like beer.

 

[SimPilot]

You'll have to keep us posted on how it progresses

Just did my morning check and it's now 1065. Highly aggressive little buggers. I even missed my feeding schedule @1.076!

 

[cmac62]

I did one using the Wild African Honey from the thread on HTB. It is coming close to a month and it smells like honey, but the taste is ok. I'm not sure I like mead. It is very thin/no body and basically tastes like a week wine-ish. Next I'm going to sorbate and back sweeten it with the same honey. Is there any way to add to the mouth feel without altering the flavor?

 

[Maylar]

I did one using the Wild African Honey from the thread on HTB. It is coming close to a month and it smells like honey, but the taste is ok. I'm not sure I like mead. It is very thin/no body and basically tastes like a week wine-ish. Next I'm going to sorbate and back sweeten it with the same honey. Is there any way to add to the mouth feel without altering the flavor?

Yes, but kinda late now:

Opti-White | MoreWine

 

[cmac62]

Maylar, thanks for the response, what do you think about using some lactose when I sorbate and back sweeten? I know it will change the flavor, but perhaps it will be minor and add the mouth feel im looking for.

 

[Alexcc1]

Maylar, thanks for the response, what do you think about using some lactose when I sorbate and back sweeten? I know it will change the flavor, but perhaps it will be minor and add the mouth feel im looking for.

LoveOfRoses has a website www.denardbrewing.com . On his site he did an experiment with Glycerin to add mouth feel. Here is the link to the Glycerin experiment Denard Brewing

This is a quote from his experiment
" Overall, the glycerin additions improve the overall mouthfeel and balance of the acidity of the mead. Dry mead is so thin that the max addition is needed for balance, but sweet meads would likely need less. I highly suggest a bench trial (like above) before adding to a full batch. The surprising result is that glycerin addition balances tartness. This fact is useful in the case of over-zealous acid blend additions! "

I plan to try it on my first BOMM when it is finished in a few days.

Alex

 

[Alexcc1]

1.

Just did my morning check and it's now 1065. Highly aggressive little buggers. I even missed my feeding schedule @1.076!

I was checking the Gravity every 12 hours for the first few days. I also feed just a few points early just to be sure that I didn't miss the feeding. Probably just being paranoid since I'm new to this mead thing.

 

[Brewer dad]

I have a 5 gallon BOMM that has been going for a week now. I made the feedings based upon estimation of how gravity would drop based upon comments here and on website(mistake I know), and fed on day two and four without gravity reading. Took a reading today(day 7) and I'm at 1.060. The ferment has been pretty active visually, so this surprised me especially with the comments regarding going dry in a week.

I'm almost certain the lag is due to cool temps, we got into the 20's two nights in a row this week(and it was 80 on Monday). Normally the room in question keeps my ferments in the upper/mid 60's. Have been taking temps when doing my daily de gas, started 64/65, but after coldest night got to 63 even high 62's. I use a laser thermometer so I figure it's a degree or two higher below the surface. Did put it on a heat mat set to 71, hoping to bring up temp a bit when frost came, which it did.

For time being I have moved to a room which is a little less susceptible to cold. I will keep on with daily de gas. Should I feed again since I haven't hit second target gravity yet(I have already done the two feedings, but my thought would be yes since ferment is extended and we're not using any DAP)? Second question, I have used all my ferm O, don't have a hbs in the area. Would ferm K work as sub? I can order more ferm O, but if gravity drops quickly I may hit second target before it arrives.

Thanks to Mr. Dernard for all his contributions to the world of mead, and the other helpful Mazers who tolerate us new folks.

 

[Redeemer]

So I have been off experimenting with kveik for the better part of a year and have been quite impressed with their performance and speed, but find they are lacking in the esters and body for traditional meads, and I found myself back here. I got my hands on some good mesquite honey and had a smack pack of 1388 in the fridge that was taking up space and getting old so I decided it was time to do something in the spirit of a BOMM. The funny thing is, I had been used to kveik speeds and honestly stressed at how subjectively slow the gravity was dropping during the first week, wondering if my SG was too high, having forgotten all about the goodness of the 1388 strain. My stress was unfounded however and I am posting my results below:

In a plastic bucket with lid placed loosely on top:

11/15/20

12 Pounds Mesquite honey

4 Gallons HEB spring water

1t Potassium carbonate

1 liter starter made with Wyeast 1388 smack pack and mix of Huajillo and wildflower honeys ratios per BOMM standards at denardbrewing.com, on stir plate for 26 hours

Yield is just above 5 gallons. SG 1.110

In reserve, 1 gallon spring water and 4 pounds mesquite honey

11/16/20

After lag phase, add Fermaid K and DAP per protocol Travis Blount-Elliott's.

Added remaining 1 gallon spring water

SG 1.085

Add 5 grams Fermaid O

11/17/20

Add 6 Grams Fermaid O

SG 1.070

11/18/20

Add 6 grams Fermaid-K and 4 grams DAP

SG 1.065

11/19/20

SG 1.060

11/20/20

SG 1.055

Add 5 grams DAP and 5 grams Fermaid-K

11/22/20
Added zest of 6 oranges

11/25/20

SG 1.001

Racked onto 3.5 pounds of Mesquite honey in 6.5 gallon glass carboy with airlock, and sampled. Aroma is excellent, and has the esters one would expect from a standard BOMM.

Color is cloudy as expected but pale and nice. This should have no trouble clearing.

Flavor is dry and clean, with the slightest bit of acidity, but overall thin. Needs more body and a touch of sweetness.

Ambient temps have been 72 to 76 degrees F throughout the entire ferment.

My plan at this point is to let the yeast eat what sugars they can, and then rack once more for clearing, then bottle.

What fascinated me most is how my methods have improved. Timing and weight based measurement of nutrients have been a huge factor in quality and time to drinkability. Degassing is vital as well. I feel these things can somewhat offset limited temperature control.

This is sort of an experiment in step feeding combined with seeing what I have learned, and how good I can produce a drinkable, fast, relatively robust mead. So far I am happy with the results. As always opinions are welcome.

One final note, I should have simply added the honey to the bucket and let it keep going as opposed to racking but the reason it went this way is, I hadn't planned on adding more honey until I was tasting it, as the batch was being transferred. I should have sampled, before deciding on a course of action but I have been prepping for Thanksgiving and was pretty much on autopilot. If I end up with flaws in the finished product, this is the step I will point towards as a mistake. Lets see how it goes.

 

[Redeemer]

I just wanted to add an update to this for anyone interested. Within a day or two, airlock activity began to pickup, and now 17 days later is still ongoing. About 2 bubbles per second. Ambient temps around 70 degrees. I haven't done much with step feeding honey in the past, and I honestly wasn't sure this yeast could handle the addition.

Also, I have not added any nutrients beyond the final addition and I don't think I need to. I haven't detected the slightest off aroma, and things seem to be proceeding. I did draw off a sample a few days ago for tasting. It tastes like high alcohol but isn't hot. No off flavors present but surprisingly, not much honey or other flavor either. Mostly tasted like a vodka / soda. Not bad at all just, really tasteless, which surprised me because I expected at least some esters.

Will see what happens after it finishes and I rack it. Maybe age will bring out some honey flavors.

 

[Alexcc1]

When step feeding to boost ABV, do I need to add any additional Fermaid O or Fermaid K feedings, or just honey?
What is the SG that I should start step feeding?

My understanding is 1oz of honey per gallon of mead when step feeding. So with my 6.5 gallon batch I should add 6.5 oz of honey per step feeding.

It is an original BOMM adapted for my 7 gallon fermenting pail.

Starting Gravity was 1.104 (28 Dec 21)
Feed schedule: 1) 1.076 planned, 1.082 actual (1 Jan 21)
2) 1.043 planned , 1.052 actual (3 Jan 21)
I would have been at work for the planned feeding SG so I fed early rather than late.
Currently (13 Jan 21) the SG is 1.010 and dropping slowly at about 2 points per day for the last 6 days.

Let me know if any other info is needed. Thanks in advance for the help.

Alex

 

[Dan O]

When step feeding to boost ABV, do I need to add any additional Fermaid O or Fermaid K feedings, or just honey?
What is the SG that I should start step feeding?

My understanding is 1oz of honey per gallon of mead when step feeding. So with my 6.5 gallon batch I should add 6.5 oz of honey per step feeding.

It is an original BOMM adapted for my 7 gallon fermenting pail.

Starting Gravity was 1.104 (28 Dec 21)
Feed schedule: 1) 1.076 planned, 1.082 actual (1 Jan 21)
2) 1.043 planned , 1.052 actual (3 Jan 21)
I would have been at work for the planned feeding SG so I fed early rather than late.
Currently (13 Jan 21) the SG is 1.010 and dropping slowly at about 2 points per day for the last 6 days.

Let me know if any other info is needed. Thanks in advance for the help.

Alex

Just honey, no additional Fermaid K or Fermaid O needed.
This mead will finish @ around 15-16% ABV. Are you really looking for a higher ABV than that? If not, wait till it's stable, as in, you get 3 consecutive gravity readings over a 2 week period, before adding anything. I personally am fine with the ABV of this mead so I don't step feed, but, I do backsweeten, because the 1388 is a kick ass yeast & ALWAYS ferments dry, (when going by the recipe).
I hope this helps
Happy meading

 

[Alexcc1]

Just honey, no additional Fermaid K or Fermaid O needed.
This mead will finish @ around 15-16% ABV. Are you really looking for a higher ABV than that? If not, wait till it's stable, as in, you get 3 consecutive gravity readings over a 2 week period, before adding anything. I personally am fine with the ABV of this mead so I don't step feed, but, I do backsweeten, because the 1388 is a kick ass yeast & ALWAYS ferments dry, (when going by the recipe).
I hope this helps
Happy meading

I am basically a new mazer and I want to play around with the mead and see what happens with different inputs.
But since it it s big batch (to me) I don't want to screw it up by doing something too dumb that can be easily avoided.

For example, I had a gallon BOMM that I added blueberries to in a secondary. It had a nice color and taste, but was too dry for my wife's liking. I added Potassium Sorbate, and a Campden tablet to stabilize before back sweetening. a few days I added honey till it was agreeable with my wife. I went to bottle it after cold crashing and it tasted horrible. I don't know what I did wrong. My best guess is that I oxidized it because I shook it to mix in the honey and there was a lot of air in the carboy. I bottled it anyway to let it sit and see if it gets any better since I really don't know what went wrong.

For the step fed BOMM I plan to secondary with a blend of American and French Medium toast Oak cubes. I did that with a smaller batch and I really liked it, kinda of bourbon like. So I figure Bourbon like flavor with a higher percent ABV will be a nice balance.

Alex

 

[Dan O]

I am basically a new mazer and I want to play around with the mead and see what happens with different inputs.
But since it it s big batch (to me) I don't want to screw it up by doing something too dumb that can be easily avoided.

For example, I had a gallon BOMM that I added blueberries to in a secondary. It had a nice color and taste, but was too dry for my wife's liking. I added Potassium Sorbate, and a Campden tablet to stabilize before back sweetening. a few days I added honey till it was agreeable with my wife. I went to bottle it after cold crashing and it tasted horrible. I don't know what I did wrong. My best guess is that I oxidized it because I shook it to mix in the honey and there was a lot of air in the carboy. I bottled it anyway to let it sit and see if it gets any better since I really don't know what went wrong.

For the step fed BOMM I plan to secondary with a blend of American and French Medium toast Oak cubes. I did that with a smaller batch and I really liked it, kinda of bourbon like. So I figure Bourbon like flavor with a higher percent ABV will be a nice balance.

Alex

If you shook it to blend the honey, after fermentation was done, then, sadly, it sounds like it my be oxidized. What was your FG reading? How long did you leave the fruit in for?

 

[Alexcc1]

So the BOMM was at a dry 1.000 before adding the blueberries. The berries were in the mead for 18 days. I racked to another 1/2 gallon jug using a bottling wand to reduce splashing. I didn't think/ know to take another gravity reading after removing the blueberries. And I didn't take a gravity reading after adding 1 cup on honey to sweetening to my wife's taste since I was more interested in making it so she will drink it.

How would you suggest mixing in the honey for back sweetening in the future? Would purging with CO2 the shaking be okay?

 

[Dan O]

So the BOMM was at a dry 1.000 before adding the blueberries. The berries were in the mead for 18 days. I racked to another 1/2 gallon jug using a bottling wand to reduce splashing. I didn't think/ know to take another gravity reading after removing the blueberries. And I didn't take a gravity reading after adding 1 cup on honey to sweetening to my wife's taste since I was more interested in making it so she will drink it.

How would you suggest mixing in the honey for back sweetening in the future? Would purging with CO2 the shaking be okay?

Get yourself one of these, they have all different lengths....& stir, & stir, & stir...not swish & swirl....stir...slowly. You'll be there a while, so get cozy. Honey takes a bit of persuading to mix in when back sweetening.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/18-plastic-paddle