Bray's One Month Mead

[jradams76]

If you look in the mead recipes section, I believe there is a recipe named Good Morning Magpie that is what you are looking for from New Days.

Edit: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=463377

Awesome I will have to give this a try. How did it turn out? Any adjustments to the recipe?

 

[rjolin01]

Is it feasible that if I want a sweeter mead I get the OG higher with honey and let the yeast eat what it can and then what's left will sweeten the mead? Or are there side effects of this theory?

 

[HawleyFarms]

Awesome I will have to give this a try. How did it turn out? Any adjustments to the recipe?

Being from NY, I can't compare it to New Days, but I did use black raspberries as they do, used us05 yeast, and followed the rest of the recipe exactly as written.

Going to make it again this year, if I can get ahold of enough black raspberries. Sticking with the same yeast, but may try to use beans instead of a cold extraction.

 

[Sourz4life]

Is it feasible that if I want a sweeter mead I get the OG higher with honey and let the yeast eat what it can and then what's left will sweeten the mead? Or are there side effects of this theory?

Depending on the yeast it will most likely eat all of the simple sugars. The best way to get a sweet mead is to stop fermentation at a target FG or you could back sweeten or blend a young mead. I've also gone with low ABV % meads using about 1.5-1.7 lbs of honey per gallon. Although it all still gets fermented mead just seems a tad sweeter at lower ABVs

 

[loveofrose]

See post #932 in this thread.

 

[Sourz4life]

.

 

[rjolin01]

So I got my 3 gallon batch going. I used a full 2L start that has a double pack of 1388 in it. I recieved a pack in mail that took 4 days to get and I felt the viability of the yeast may had been compromised so I added it overnight to the starter that's been mixing for past 3 days.

I never knew wildflower honey could vary in color. The 6 pounds I got from northern brewer was way darker than the one pounders I got at Walmart.

I am going out of town Friday morning till Saturday evening. I hope that degassing Friday morning and then again not till Saturday evening is ok. I also plan on checking the breaks during these times to determine if dosage applies. Here hoping it goes well! [emoji120]🏻

 

[rjolin01]

I started at 1.15 and within 24hrs I am at 1.09. I did not dose at precisely the 1.1 mark but I did dose in 24hrs. Does this seem right as far as how fast it's fermenting?

 

[loveofrose]

Wait. Your SG was 1.150?

 

[rjolin01]

Sorry suppose to be OG 1.15. Perhaps I misread some number but I use a Refractometer with ATC. Sometime hard to see exactly where line is

 

[andrewmaixner]

Don't refractometers have to be calibrated differently to get accurate readings from sugar vs. maltose vs. honey? I had a panic once when I tried to use my maltose refractometer on something else. I realised the issue when I used my hydrometer instead -- density is density, but refraction varies by chemical solution.

Also note that once fermentation has begun, refractometers may no longer be used directly, instead requiring a formula with a known OG. It's almost easier just use a hydrometer.

But to answer the question, 0.06 gravity in 24 hours does seem way too fast, though it is within the realm of possibility.

 

[jradams76]

Just asking if anyone has used those carbonation tabs to make the BOMM mead a sparkling one? It looks like I just drop a tablet in a bottle and then it should be carbed in a week or so. I'm just worried that it would explode. I have never made a sparkling mead before. I assume when I rack into the secondary and FG is consistent its safe to bottle and i would drop a tab in and then cap it.

 

[Jupapabear]

Just bottled my batch at 28 days and it is fantastic. Dropped some carb candy into 4 bottles (we used grolsh bottles for ease). I'll let ya know what I think. I assumed they would take closer to 3 weeks to be carved and stable though.

 

[andrewmaixner]

Just asking if anyone has used those carbonation tabs to make the BOMM mead a sparkling one? It looks like I just drop a tablet in a bottle and then it should be carbed in a week or so. I'm just worried that it would explode. I have never made a sparkling mead before. I assume when I rack into the secondary and FG is consistent its safe to bottle and i would drop a tab in and then cap it.

Yes, used them on the fidnemed herbal variation. It was good. Get the ones that look like cough drops, not the white smaller ones, which seem to have a binder in them which makes more sediment in the bottle.

 

[jradams76]

Yes, used them on the fidnemed herbal variation. It was good. Get the ones that look like cough drops, not the white smaller ones, which seem to have a binder in them which makes more sediment in the bottle.

Thanks I will have to take a look to see which ones my local store carries. I will give it a try and let ya know how it works out.

 

[cozmogeek]

I stopped at the store to order some more 1388 yesterday and they actually had it in stock. They decided to start carrying it after "multiple customer requests".. I have a feeling that was just me ordering it several times from different employees but I'm not going to complain.

 

[wkrawul2]

So I just finished pitching my yeast into a cherry melomel I'm attempting. OG:1.110

According to your prior posts, I can put my air lock on my fermenter, but don't put any water in it? I add water to the air lock after 7 days?

 

[Zymomancer]

On the other hand, I saw a guy named Ricky the Meadmaker give a presentation at NHC this year. He doesn't back sweeten and serves his mead very very dry. I don't know the name of his meadery though.

It's Groennfell Meadery, I only know this because I've seen some of his videos and I'm very curious how he can get low-ABV, dry, unsweetened meads that the general public actually wants to buy (namely this one: http://www.groennfell.com/mannaz.html). I made a 6% dry mead once and the flavour was just a bit too weak to think about doing it again in the future. It really needed spice, fruit, or anything with extra flavour.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

So I just finished pitching my yeast into a cherry melomel I'm attempting. OG:1.110

According to your prior posts, I can put my air lock on my fermenter, but don't put any water in it? I add water to the air lock after 7 days?

I usually just cover my bucket with a tshirt and remove when doing the daily stirring. Once it's below 1.02, (about 7 days), I rack to a carboy and put the airlock on with sanitizer in it. Water will not cut it. Another option is Vodka.

 

[laserstone]

Hey all, question from a newbie here. Planning on giving the BOMM a go in the next couple days, and I had a question about nutrient addition: I have Wyeast Nutrient Blend on hand; would it impact the result if I added 3/4 tsp of this nutrient blend at sugar breaks instead of the DAP/Fermaid K mix? AFAIK the nutrient blend has sources of organic and inorganic nitrogen as part of the mix, plus some vitamins/minerals the yeast needs.

 

[Whitey72]

Hello All from Australia, long time reader and first time poster.

I'll also say a very grateful thank you to lor for his wisdom and initiative on creating the BOMM and I have been reading this thread from start to finish as well as his website trying to absorb as much as I can.

I just obtained 2 fermenters and 70 bottles from a friend who used to brew beer but as I can't stand the stuff and have a dad who keeps bees I'm very keen on trying mead.

I have a total warranty void 5 gal batch going now for 3 days using mangrove jacks m05 yeast and also the pre packaged yeast nutrient freely available here in Australia and it appears to be going great. Seriously chewing along which I've been degassing regularly as well as trying the sugar breaks as required for the practice. SG was 1.1 and this afternoon was down to 1.022 with no bad smells, very fizzy and not a bad taste (no burning) and a nice honey lingering flavour. If it finishes nice, awesome, if not, I don't care as I'm learning!!

I've ordered wyeast 1388 as well as some dap, go ferm and the fermaid-a getting ready to get serious.

I do have a couple of quick questions though:
1. Another Aussie user "wombat" asked in the 90's pages if you can explain if fermaid-a can be used? We can't get fermaid-k down here because of our touchy feely government and fermaid-a apparently has been created for us but it says little regarding its make up.
2. Could you also please post a 5 gal recipe of the jao BOMM as I can only see the 1 gal and just want to get the fruit etc amount correct and also should we do a starter like to 5 gal BOMM?

Any help is greatly appreciated as it looks like I've got another hobby to keep me in the man cave away from the wife!

Cheers Geoff "Whitey72" White.

 

[loveofrose]

1. Fermaid A is Fermaid K without added vitamins, sterols, and trace nutrient...all of which are rather critical. I would suggest supplementing with an equal part of GoFerm to get the appropriate yeast nutrition.

2. Whenever you want concise, up to date info, go to my site. The 5 gallon recipe is here:
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/BOMM5gallons/

 

[Whitey72]

Bray, thanks for the fast reply re Fermaid-A. I'll do exactly as stated. I've already been all over your page, which is now a favourite and a great wealth of information.
My other question is regarding making a 5 gal batch of JAO BOMM and your site has the 1 gal recipe.

Do I create a starter as per the 5gal BOMM recipe for the JAO too?

Also are the fruit ingredients for the JAO BOMM increased in a linear scale to supply the correct nutrients for a 5gal batch.

Again, thanks for sharing your knowledge and can't wait to get the next batch on when all my supplies arrive.

Cheers Whitey.

 

[loveofrose]

Yes to both questions.

 

[Whitey72]

Yes to both questions.

Thanks again.

 

[Mritravis]

I started my first BOMM last Thursday and I have a couple of questions. My age was 1.10. Today is 1 week and I am at the 1/3 break nutrient addition gravity 1.03. I have been degassing daily. The directions say to put water in the airlock at one week. My question is do I still need to degas daily or leave it alone? I appreciate all the help.
Thanks,
Travis

 

[Mritravis]

My phone auto corrected SG to age in my previous post
Sorry for any confusion.
Travis

 

[laserstone]

Hey all and @loveofrose, I started my first BOMM just last night, in a 1gal carboy, and was wondering how best to quickly degas (and how thoroughly to degas). Swirling the carboy creates a lot of bubbles (but there seems to be no end to them), and if I cap and shake, I risk an explosion. With my first SNA coming up, I was wondering how best to degas to avoid getting mead everywhere! Thanks for the help.

 

[loveofrose]

I swirl slow at first, then a bit more furious as it settles down. Over the sink is best (especially when adding nutrients).

 

[laserstone]

Do you allow some mead to foam over, or do you try to keep it all inside the carboy?