Bray's One Month Mead
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Nice hat mate! And what a lovely business model. As soon as I've run out of mj mead yeast, I'll be buying w15 from you guys.
Getting ready to assemble my first mead. Have read through this epic thread, aquainted with the gotmead and mead university sites, enjoyed reading what I can see of the denardbrewing site.
@loveofrose I can pull up various pages of your site via the direct links in this thread, but the site's menu or search functions don't seem to be functional.
ETA: I can't navigate off the directly linked pages.
@loveofrose I can pull up various pages of your site via the direct links in this thread, but the site's menu or search functions don't seem to be functional.
ETA: I can't navigate off the directly linked pages.
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In the fat right corner there's a dropdown menu that has access to the whole site
Attachments
Sent a note to LHBS requesting them to assemble the ingredients needed for my first two meads. It should all come in just as the basement dips below 70°.
Classic Strong BOMM
Florida OB Honey
Fermaid O protocol
WY1388
OG 1.090
Step fed to stabilize at 1.005
Oaked in secondary
Fidnemed Short Metheglin
Missouri Wildflower Honey
I know my colleagues are mead fans. These will be great for an afterwork drink on the dock.
Classic Strong BOMM
Florida OB Honey
Fermaid O protocol
WY1388
OG 1.090
Step fed to stabilize at 1.005
Oaked in secondary
Fidnemed Short Metheglin
Missouri Wildflower Honey
I know my colleagues are mead fans. These will be great for an afterwork drink on the dock.
I got two batches going now. The recommended temperature range is rather big. 15c to 30 c, I wonder what type of yeast this really is.
No problem. His site is chock full of good recipes. I've made quite a few
@loveofrose
Im really enjoying your new website. Especially that you guys sell all the things that we need in handy portions, that are usually not readily available in home brew sized sizes. Very good, I gladly buy from you guys in the future, just have to make sure that the total amount of money is below the minimum taxable sum for importing from UK into Germany.
Anyway, what I actually wanted to say is, I cannot find a way to determine the amount of dry yeast necessary for my meads on your site. In the recipe section is just the sentence "determine the amount of yeast you need". Well yeah... That's nice to know... But... How?
Another slightly confusing table was for me the one where the nutrient additions are given per starting gravity. It is confusing because it should be read like nutrient additions per starting gravity per 5 l mead. At the beginning of the page, it is clearly written that, if not stated otherwise, everything below is for a five litre batch, but if you miss that sentence, you're going to scratch your head till you figure that one out. So maybe add the "per five litres" to the table so that people like me see from the beginning where they are at.
Everything else, spot on, thanks for that. I just set up two meads this weekend, based on the dry yeast protocol and the mj mead yeast was already going crazy after 8 hours or so. I split the pack in half, using 5g of yeast per 5 litres of mead, that should do. Still double the amount of yeast then what's recommended by mj, so I'm on the safe side here, although I have no idea how much you would have used.
Im really enjoying your new website. Especially that you guys sell all the things that we need in handy portions, that are usually not readily available in home brew sized sizes. Very good, I gladly buy from you guys in the future, just have to make sure that the total amount of money is below the minimum taxable sum for importing from UK into Germany.
Anyway, what I actually wanted to say is, I cannot find a way to determine the amount of dry yeast necessary for my meads on your site. In the recipe section is just the sentence "determine the amount of yeast you need". Well yeah... That's nice to know... But... How?
Another slightly confusing table was for me the one where the nutrient additions are given per starting gravity. It is confusing because it should be read like nutrient additions per starting gravity per 5 l mead. At the beginning of the page, it is clearly written that, if not stated otherwise, everything below is for a five litre batch, but if you miss that sentence, you're going to scratch your head till you figure that one out. So maybe add the "per five litres" to the table so that people like me see from the beginning where they are at.
Everything else, spot on, thanks for that. I just set up two meads this weekend, based on the dry yeast protocol and the mj mead yeast was already going crazy after 8 hours or so. I split the pack in half, using 5g of yeast per 5 litres of mead, that should do. Still double the amount of yeast then what's recommended by mj, so I'm on the safe side here, although I have no idea how much you would have used.
Has anyone tried using kveik yeast in a mead? The obvious choice would be Hornindal (sp?) because it has the highest alcohol tolerance, but I have Voss... I'm mainly wondering what temperature to ferment at; does it need to maintain 80+F or would low 70's be warm enough?
I've got it stuck in my head to make a one or two gallon melomel with clover honey and apricots.
I've got it stuck in my head to make a one or two gallon melomel with clover honey and apricots.
I tried lutra. Was ok but never fully cleared.
Sorry for replying to such an old post, (not sorry) but have you considered using Szechuan peppercorns instead of cloves?
I should probably go check out the gotmead forum for questions like this, but I have one more general question: Can you achieve kind of a continuous step feeding by just putting half the honey in at first and shaking it up good, then immediately dumping the rest in and letting it sit at the bottom? That would reduce the osmotic pressure on the yeast as it's taking hold. Seems the honey would diffuse into the must (poorly) and the yeast would attack the transition zone above it until the honey is all consumed. If it's going too slowly you could stir it in after a few days -- being careful to avoid a geyser of course.
You would also create a zone with a very high sugar concentration close to the honey which would damage every cell that passes through it. Not a good idea imho.
That's a good point, but I thought the yeast would stay out of the dangerous zone. Agreed about the not a good idea
The yeast cannot choose where it's going, it's just drifting with the current.
I ordered 100g of Go-Ferm a couple of days ago, and Amazon sent the wrong item; it just got here. They sent 28g of Fermaid K instead. The replacement order is supposed to get here tomorrow. At least Fermaid K is something worth having, even though I have a pound of Fermax already.
The replacement order is supposed to get here tomorrow. At least Fermaid K is something worth having, even though I have a pound of Fermax already.
I just started a batch of melomel. I can't call it BOMM because I'm using the wrong yeast, but basically following the feeding protocol. I put 960 grams of honey (a full pint jar of raw honey from Aldi and 2 open jars of partially-crystallized honey, one was clover honey and the other local wildflower honey. All three honeys were very mild) in 4 liters of warm water, dechlorinated with 1/4 of a vitamin C tablet because I couldn't find my K bisulfite. There's approx 5L total. The yeast is a 5 year old packet of Vintner's Harvest AW4 rehydrated in 90 degree water with 10g Go-Ferm. I've already added the yeast to the must because it was foaming over and making a mess. (use a bigger jar to rehydrate next time) Now I need to figure out the KHC03 to add, and the amount of nutrients -- I'll get those in in the next half hour.
The brix right now is 15 but might actually be slightly higher because there are a few sugar crystals at the bottom but not many. I still have a 18 oz jar of apricot preserves to add. (about equal to 15 oz. of honey) I think I will wait until I see the gravity dropping for that.
How long do typical wine yeasts take to make a decent mead if you treat them well, 6 months?
Edit: It's all mixed up now. 1/2 tsp KHCO3 and a teaspoon of Fermax, still 15 Brix. Currently 82 degrees (warmer than I wanted, OTOH the yeast and the must were the same temp when I pitched) I put it on a cool concrete floor in my basement. Maybe I should sit it in a cool water bath... It's in a 6 liter food-grade bucket with a tight lid but no rubber seal, and no airlock. I'll crack the lid a little bit so it doesn't blow off.
Edit 2: 8 hours later and there is no foam on top, but it's fizzing like mad. I can see the little bubbles breaking at the surface.
The brix right now is 15 but might actually be slightly higher because there are a few sugar crystals at the bottom but not many. I still have a 18 oz jar of apricot preserves to add. (about equal to 15 oz. of honey) I think I will wait until I see the gravity dropping for that.
How long do typical wine yeasts take to make a decent mead if you treat them well, 6 months?
Edit: It's all mixed up now. 1/2 tsp KHCO3 and a teaspoon of Fermax, still 15 Brix. Currently 82 degrees (warmer than I wanted, OTOH the yeast and the must were the same temp when I pitched) I put it on a cool concrete floor in my basement. Maybe I should sit it in a cool water bath... It's in a 6 liter food-grade bucket with a tight lid but no rubber seal, and no airlock. I'll crack the lid a little bit so it doesn't blow off.
Edit 2: 8 hours later and there is no foam on top, but it's fizzing like mad. I can see the little bubbles breaking at the surface.
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Day 3. I just checked on the mead; degassed it with a wire whisk, and took a refractometer reading. It now says 5 Brix (I know that's not accurate) and smells surprisingly alcoholic even tho' the alcohol is not that high yet. I tasted the little bit in the pipette and it's still slightly sweet and a bit tart. I did not expect the tartness yet since I added the potassium bicarb and I used tap water that tastes good but has very high alkalinity.
I added another teaspoon of Fermax, and if it had been in a jug rather than a bucket it probably would have volcanoed because I didn't degas as well as I thought I did. Then I added the jar of apricot preserves. That's probably all the nutrients I will use because the OG that I calculated if I had added the all the fermentables at the beginning was only about 1.087. The mead should end up about 12% ABV. I think I'll bottle most of it petulant in 750ml fliptops, and a few beer bottles that I'll prime and let carbonate. The only mead I've had was some ginger
The preserves are in little chucks at the bottom. Those should dissolve over the next few days as I continue to degas it (with a paddle and electric drill since the whisk didn't do a good job) and as the yeast begin to attack the edges. At least I hope they will. If they don't dissolve on their own I'll have to strain them out, heat them up in just a little of the mead, then add it back. I'm not sure at what point I need to transfer this into a gallon jug and a growler with air locks.
One reason I'm posting all this is so I'll have a record, because I'm terrible at writing things down, and if I do write them down I lose the piece of paper.
Edit: In just a couple of hours, the mead has darkened in color a little and I'm seeing bits of fruit floating at the top. So the preserves are already breaking up on their own from the water and the actions of the yeast.
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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.
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.
Getting in the game...
Can I just say 1388 is probably one of my favorite yeasts?! It works fantastic for nearly every brew you can think of. I've considered doing mead and this definitely confirms it. I always have a stored slurry from overbuilt starters of it. Time to do the BOMM Cyser with it.
Over 90% of what meads I make are with BOMM yeast. Love that stuff!
I started a mead yesterday with Voss Kveik. I'll be moving it to secondary in 4 weeks and let it ferment in that for 2 months while I put another batch in this on top of the yeast cake. I am making a 2 month Trip out of the country so I have to do it that way. Let me post about how it goes. I should have chopped up the raisins. But well, I was in a hurry and dropped em in whole.
Bottled a batch of short metheglin BOMM. With 2oz of steeped light crystal malt per gallon, it's a bit sweet. Some carbonic bite might make it just right.
Sampled a classic BOMM @ day 14. 1.096 down to 1.002. It's a green and yeasty, but tasty!
Sampled a classic BOMM @ day 14. 1.096 down to 1.002. It's a green and yeasty, but tasty!
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.
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.
How well do the principles here scale down in ABV? A couple of months ago I had the first mead that I really liked: Meridian Hive from Austin, TX. It was the honey flavored rather than one of their fruit meads, and only 5% ABV. Sparkling about like champagne or beer. It was dry but the honey flavor and aroma gave an illusion of a little sweetness. Ingredients list says honey, water, yeast, and sulfites.
I'm starting something like that now. I've mixed 5 liters of warm tapwater (tastes good but is quite alkaline), 1.5 Campden tablets, and a 1/4 tsp of potassium chloride. The sulfites will dechlorinate it. I stirred in 1.5 pounds of raw unfiltered honey, and let that sit overnight. I used chloride rather than bicarbonate because the water has plenty of buffering already. Soon I will aerate it and pitch the yeast; not sure what yeast, maybe CBC-1 rehydrated in distilled water and GoFerm. Or I might use a white wine yeast and GoFerm. I assume it will need just one feeding of Fermaid O because the gravity is so low. I was reading at a commercial mead-maker's website where they publish all their recipes, and they use D-47 yeast and very high pitch rates even for their low-gravity stuff.
I'm starting something like that now. I've mixed 5 liters of warm tapwater (tastes good but is quite alkaline), 1.5 Campden tablets, and a 1/4 tsp of potassium chloride. The sulfites will dechlorinate it. I stirred in 1.5 pounds of raw unfiltered honey, and let that sit overnight. I used chloride rather than bicarbonate because the water has plenty of buffering already. Soon I will aerate it and pitch the yeast; not sure what yeast, maybe CBC-1 rehydrated in distilled water and GoFerm. Or I might use a white wine yeast and GoFerm. I assume it will need just one feeding of Fermaid O because the gravity is so low. I was reading at a commercial mead-maker's website where they publish all their recipes, and they use D-47 yeast and very high pitch rates even for their low-gravity stuff.
This easy protocol here never let me down: Staggered Nutrient Addition (SNA) - Mead University — You To Brew
So yes, one addition is enough! 4,8g per 5l togehter with yeast and honey.
I think the recommended dry yeast ther is W15, I cannot easily get this one in small packs in Germany unfortunately, so I go with Lutra (does not clear well but also does not create ANY fusels) or Mangrove Jack 05 Mead Yeast, which clears well.
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@Miraculix Thanks, I will get some W15 next time I place an order from MoreBeer.com (or whomever else has it.) I used a packet of Cote des Blancs today because I have a bunch. I like it for cider, and it gets good reviews for mead on Reddit.
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.
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?!
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
I'll be sure to report back!
