Bray's One Month Mead

[DBhomebrew]

Sampled a classic BOMM @ day 14. 1.096 down to 1.002. It's a green and yeasty, but tasty!

I racked this one to a fresh fermenter last week and put a cup jar into the fridge to help it clear a bit. This is my first wine strength mead and only my second overall. Never tried a commercial. I am in love with this beverage. Absolutely delicious and I know the stuff in the fermenter is just getting better.

Cheers, @loveofrose. Thank you.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Ok, a little late, but with my third batch going I'm just now reading up on 1388. It's diastaticus?! Looks like I've got some dedicated fermenters. And hose. And bottle filler. Hmm. How do you nuke this stuff?!

 

[Jokester]

I have a little bit of a dilema. I am getting on a plane and out for 8 weeks on 4th jan. This batch which would be 4 weeks old on Jan 4th is fermenting well. But I am also turning the heat down in the place to ~50. So I am in a dilema if I am to start another batch on the yeast cake before I go, with this racked into a secondary, or if I leave this to keep going in the primary and not bother because at 55 a fermentation wont start in this, and the secondary may also stall.
And I also have a kombucha that is nearly 4 weeks in, and not sure if I can start a 2nd batch and in the 2 weeks from now its scoby will get it revved up enough to keep moving at the 50-55 I'll have the house end up at.
Now this is in Charlotte NC, and in the house temps rarely drop to under 50 even if I turned the heat off, I get plenty of western sun and as the glass etc in the house lets in sun and traps heat, etc, its likely not over 70 but likely not under 60 either.

A bit of an update. In about 3 weeks it cleared. I racked it into the secondary on 30th dec and started a 2nd batch on top of the yeast cake and did the TOSNA feeding on it till the morning of the 4th. That in 5+ days almost is where the clearing is starting, it fermented like it was boiling. Every feeding was likely to have the thing over flow. Now the batch that is in the secondary is air locked and it went clear in less than 24 hrs and the air lock was almost levelling out.
Charlotte is now in a freezing state and the heat in the house is set at 55.
Could they be hurt by the cold snap - essentially assume its at 55F since the 4th. Both batches have 10lb in 5gal of must.
PS: I didn't touch the Kombucha, it really didn't look like it was done and I also didn't have enough sugar in it I suspect. Its very Bland.

 

[Miraculix]

Ok, a little late, but with my third batch going I'm just now reading up on 1388. It's diastaticus?! Looks like I've got some dedicated fermenters. And hose. And bottle filler. Hmm. How do you nuke this stuff?!

Also diastatic yeast is only a yeast. No superpowers involved! I use diastatic yeasts from time to time in my fermenter. Have a good cleaning regime and you won't have any problem with them.

 

[z-bob]

Also diastatic yeast is only a yeast. No superpowers involved! I use diastatic yeasts from time to time in my fermenter. Have a good cleaning regime and you won't have any problem with them.

Is there anything you would dedicate to them? Like bottling wand or hoses? Those are extraordinarily hard for me to sanitize, and they are not that expensive.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Is there anything you would dedicate to them? Like bottling wand or hoses? Those are extraordinarily hard for me to sanitize, and they are not that expensive.

After my panic came down I've come to the conclusion that my cleaning and sanitation is probably sufficient to handle diastaticus just as I judged it sufficient for brett. The big thing is to get at every single surface to be able to clean it free of all residue.

Once I have things broken down with no hidden surfaces I'll give them a oxyclean or PBW soak. Then a really good rinse before air-drying. Just before next use I'll give them a StarSan rinse.

Two areas that were until recently weak points were spigots and the bottling wand. Spigots come apart, even the smaller ones on Fermonsters and PET carboys. The twisty part comes out of the part that goes through the fermenter. Bottling wands also come apart, but watch for the spring and o-ring. They fly and are on a suicide mission toward the drain. Spigots and wands, parts are all just a friction fit.

Everything gets a wipe down with a soft cloth or brush in the OXY wash. Hoses, I have a 36" long brush that I run through before a last rinse. This gets through any biofilm. Easier to take care of when fresh.

Added to my cleaning regimen will be an hour or so of direct sunlight.

 

[Miraculix]

Is there anything you would dedicate to them? Like bottling wand or hoses? Those are extraordinarily hard for me to sanitize, and they are not that expensive.

I boil everything that I cannot clean properly. Bottling sticks, valves, o rings, rubber parts, sometimes airlocks. Hoses... That's a tough one, I don't use hoses, so no experience in that one.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Has anyone has attempted a BOMM with Imperial Pub?

I've done two short metheglins a la Bray's Fidnemed. One with Tension Tamer, a bedtime tea with hops. I steeped it with 2oz light crystal per gallon. Wasn't a big fan of the tea (too medicinal), also the crystal left too much residual sweetness. Next, a batch with peppermint tea and only 1oz crystal per gal. It's still in the fermenter, but very promising. Just a little minty, not too sweet. I carb these short meads at 2.0vol and they drink like a pale ale.

Onto my building my next short mead. I want to put it squarely in the realm of pale ale. I'm thinking 1oz amber malt per gallon to bring more bready maltiness than just crystal sweetness. EKG, likely a small amount at flameout + a bit more as it cools down past 175°.

But what yeast? Has anyone tried Pub? @Miraculix?

 

[Miraculix]

Has anyone has attempted a BOMM with Imperial Pub?

I've done two short metheglins a la Bray's Fidnemed. One with Tension Tamer, a bedtime tea with hops. I steeped it with 2oz light crystal per gallon. Wasn't a big fan of the tea (too medicinal), also the crystal left too much residual sweetness. Next, a batch with peppermint tea and only 1oz crystal per gal. It's still in the fermenter, but very promising. Just a little minty, not too sweet. I carb these short meads at 2.0vol and they drink like a pale ale.

Onto my building my next short mead. I want to put it squarely in the realm of pale ale. I'm thinking 1oz amber malt per gallon to bring more bready maltiness than just crystal sweetness. EKG, likely a small amount at flameout + a bit more as it cools down past 175°.

But what yeast? Has anyone tried Pub? @Miraculix?

Nope, never used it in a mead. But curious how it behaves!

 

[DBhomebrew]

Nope, never used it in a mead. But curious how it behaves!

I'll be sure to report back!

 

[z-bob]

Disaster struck (small disaster) It wasn't a volcano or geyser, it was a tidal wave. Using the stirring wand in an electric drill was a bad idea in a straight-sided pail full almost to the top. I lost at least a cup of must, which is a lot when I only have about 5 quarts. I transferred it all to a barrel-shaped container with a shoulder; it holds just over 2 gallons. I will use that container right from the start next time and make about 6 quarts.

The preserves have totally broken up and there's mushy fruit on top now. It smells wonderful. The must is very milky-looking now from all the yeast, and a light apricot color. The stuff on the floor very quickly smelled not-wonderful because I didn't clean it up very well at first. After it dried, another damp mopping with some Lysol took care of it.

I bottled the apricot mead about a month ago in those 13-ish ounce stubby gingerale bottles, with a half teaspoon of sugar and a crown cap. I didn't think it would carbonate. I opened one yesterday. It is lightly carbonated and very clear, with a nice yellow color from the apricots. It smells good and tastes good but I don't have the experience to describe it. Doesn't necessarily smell like apricots but it is fruity. It is also really hides the alcohol and you could hurt yourself with this stuff. I'm going to let the rest of the bottles age another month, then it will probably disappear fast.

 

[Jokester]

The mead I left in a 55 degree house jan 4th is still not clearing even though it was looking like it was clearing after just 5 days of TOSNA feeding after starting it on a yeast cake. Is it a stuck fermentation, and I am thinking I'll go to secondary with it because it seems like it is starting to clear but somehow doesn't have the core temperature up to do so.


Then the fully fermented one I put in secondary Dec 31st seems to be nice and clear and tightly flocculated etc.
I am thinking of adding a little more honey instead of priming sugar when bottling. Maybe less than 1/4lb in 5 gal


What do Y'all think ?

 

[Jokester]

I want to get away from using the water jug (because it has no tap) secondary. So my idea is ti get a 5gal bottle with a tap, siphon off the water jug into that, add honey to it and bottle it out of that with the helpful tap. Then put the non clearing batch into that secondary with the flocculated yeast lees stirred in from the water jug. So it hopefully starts to get "unstuck". Of course I'll start a new batch in the primary with 12lb or so honey in a 5 gal must.

 

[Jokester]

My first ever "bottling". Plenty of fermenting and drinking BTW, just no bottling.
I bottled 4 gal of mead yesterday.
It was good to almost 10% abv I think. Had 11lb honey in 5 gal must. FG just under 1.00. Put it in 42 12oz bottles and 2 cam lock 32oz.
I used 1lb honey as "priming" and that was my rookie mistake, too much of it ended up in the bottom, and well ended up in the last cam lock bottle.
I'll be observing that for exploding and if it doesn't for a week, I may just start with the others using this as a little flavoring because I suspect its far too sweet and the taste sample I pulled was a bit too dry.
I suspect its all too dry except the last bottle. I actually prefer dry, but let me see if I dislike it at some point.
And I used Voss Kveik yeast, and its a much more drinkable mead right out of the secondary than champagne yeast.

 

[Jokester]

I compared the mead to a commercial mead from a local meadery. Fox Hill for those who are interested.
The store bought mead was stated as semi sweet, was, well extremely good. However it is far too sweet for what I was shooting for.
I took a gravity reading of it. 1.006. Mine was .997 or so. I started at 1.08 (including the botched honey addition at bottling) and was bottled at .997.
Obviously I am not pasturizing or filtering, so I get sediment in the bottle with flocculation etc etc.
Mine being bottle conditioned may improve if I let it sit for longer, but other than the sediment and the little bit of a bite from the mead as well as the complete lack of sweetness which was intended, I certainly would call mine a success.
Hope the batch I have going now clears and makes a good mead. Then its time to clean the bottle and restart with new yeast and raisins etc.
The honey flavors are obvious in mine without the sweetness, and in the store bought its there in spades running well with the sweetness.
I actually didn't find fully dry mead at all fox hill or otherwise in that store. I was hoping to get a dry one to compare apples to apples. Will try again in a few weeks after this batch is done I guess.

PS: That mead came in a wine bottle and had no carbonation. I guess that's OK too. But I was hoping to get it carbonated. Which is very light in mine.

 

[MX1]

Getting my stuff together to get a BOMM and a JOA BOMM started after the holiday. Should give then time to lay down and make good gifts. Mylocal does not carry any Wyeast, so I have to sort that out also so far all I can find is clover or wildflower honey...so might have to order it as well....Still need to try Costco

When I get back from a weekend of fun and music for Labor Day, I am ordering 2 of the Lil Big Mouth Bublers made of glass with the spigot

T

 

[Dan O]

Getting my stuff together to get a BOMM and a JOA BOMM started after the holiday. Should give then time to lay down and make good gifts. Mylocal does not carry any Wyeast, so I have to sort that out also so far all I can find is clover or wildflower honey...so might have to order it as well....Still need to try Costco

When I get back from a weekend of fun and music for Labor Day, I am ordering 2 of the Lil Big Mouth Bublers made of glass with the spigot

T

There are places that you can get the yeast shipped from, but, you'll have to pay extra for ice packs to keep it chilled....even then, it will probably arrive already swollen & ready to be used. You can get it here....

https://www.morebeer.com/products/wyeast-1388-belgian-strong-ale.html
BOMM without Orange Blossom honey, (or the 1388 yeast, for that matter) is just not BOMM.
There are plenty of sources to find Orange Blossom honey. Here are just a few....

https://mvabeepunchers.com/honey/bulk-honey-wax/https://www.smileyhoney.com/collections/raw-honey-varieties/products/orange-blossom-honeyhttps://www.walkerhoneyfarm.com/orange-blossom-honey/https://flyingbeeranch.net/product/raw-orange-blossom-honey/
BOMM is a great mead that has been a crowd pleaser since I started making it, but, remember, If you deviate from the recipe, all bets are off & you get what you get.
I hope this helps you.
Happy meading

 

[MX1]

yeah yeah yeah, fine print, voided warranty...lol....i have read almost all 47ish pages
I was just coming back to ask if there are any "off the shelf" honnies I should avoid....

Take Nature Nate;s I read good things, top 10 honey...and I read bad things..heated, toxins, heavy metals....
And I think I read either here, the Denard Brewing site, or gotmead, that clover or wildflower honey would work as well

 

[Dan O]

yeah yeah yeah, fine print, voided warranty...lol....i have read almost all 47ish pages
I was just coming back to ask if there are any "off the shelf" honnies I should avoid....

Take Nature Nate;s I read good things, top 10 honey...and I read bad things..heated, toxins, heavy metals....
And I think I read either here, the Denard Brewing site, or gotmead, that clover or wildflower honey would work as well

Not saying it won't make good mead, it just won't be BOMM. I'm sure it will still make a very drinkable product.

 

[JP_BeerFan]

Have a question for all you BOMM makers... (uh, oh, hope that doesnt get one on a list, these days...)

I have my first BOMM percolating away... and percolating, and percolating...

Long story sort of short, got the 1388, it sat in my fridge a long time, was just a bit past it's date. Smacked the pak, (wasn't previously broken)
and it barely swelled at 2.5hrs. I did allow it an hr or so to rise to room temp beforehand. A bit concerned, but seemed there was some swelling, pitched it into my gallon batch anyway.

Took a while getting started, and has been fermenting very slowly since then. Did two feedings, since it was 1.110 when it started. (I overshot a bit) Been 20 days now, and it's not done yet, it's at 1.018... I've been keeping it at 68F in a ferm chamber. Also have been watching pH, it never got very low. (3.65 pH, lowest measurment)

So, wondering what those who have made BOMM's/used 1388 a lot, think about the behavior? It never had a strong, fast ferment, and I see a few to many whispy trails or clumps of yeast on the surface, occasional large bubble in them. Wispy, not fibrous or fuzzy, so I doubt its a mold.

Just wondering the chances that I had a fully dead pack, and this is some odd yeast in the honey, or something... or just an extreme underpitch. From reading, I had the impression that 1388 takes off strong, and you're usually done in 7 days or so. At least it doesn't smell or taste bad...

 

[JP_BeerFan]

Well, how about it? Anyone with 1388 experience want to comment on how it usually behaves?

 

[Dan O]

Well, how about it? Anyone with 1388 experience want to comment on how it usually behaves?

I use 1388 for most of my meads. For the most part, it behaves as it should. It has a pretty fair temperature range & if you keep it fed & happy
, no worries.

 

[MX1]

So while I am at work I can not log into either of the sites that have the current BOMM protocol, is there anyway to get the OG post edited with the most current recipe? I think the main differences is the SNA, but looking to place an order on Amazon today and want to make sure I have all the things I need.

Thank you

 

[Dan O]

So while I am at work I can not log into either of the sites that have the current BOMM protocol, is there anyway to get the OG post edited with the most current recipe? I think the main differences is the SNA, but looking to place an order on Amazon today and want to make sure I have all the things I need.

Thank you

Bray's website has the most up to date recipe.
BOMM recipe

https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/brays-one-month-mead/

 

[MX1]

Bray's website has the most up to date recipe.
BOMM recipe

https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/brays-one-month-mead/

i cant get there from work...LOL

 

[Dan O]

i cant get there from work...LOL

No home PC?

 

[MX1]

No home PC?

wanted place my order this morning, its not a big deal, just really looking to make sure I have the right items for the nutrient/ferm additions.
Thanks!

 

[Miraculix]

wanted place my order this morning, its not a big deal, just really looking to make sure I have the right items for the nutrient/ferm additions.
Thanks!

Staggered Nutrient Addition (SNA) - Mead University — You To Brew

This is the most up to date version from Bray himself.

 

[MX1]

Staggered Nutrient Addition (SNA) - Mead University — You To Brew

This is the most up to date version from Bray himself.

lol, cant get there from work either...LOL

 

[Dan O]

lol, cant get there from work either...LOL

Ahh...firewall?