First batch, just looking for alittle direction/help

[david_the_greek]

The recipe I want to use for my first mead(s) is below.Either that or http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_rapidrecipe&page=viewrecipe&recipe_id=108&Itemid=6 . Now they say this stuff is fairly sweet, so if I make multiple 1 gallon batches and want a few that are a little more dry, I'm going to assume I reduce the the amount that I rack onto from the 1* carboy. If I use Joe's I might plan on skipping the buckwheat honey. Another question, is there any simple way to measure necessary amounts of honey from a bulk container? I'm going to be using Clover honey from Costco that comes in 2.2kg bottles and it seems like maybe I'll just have to throw a measuring cup on a scale and add up to 2lbs. So I'm thinking 2 one gallons batches of still mead, and 2 one gallon batches of carbonated, with one of each of the two batches being more dry than the other. For the carbonation of the 2 batches, can I do a procedure similar to the priming of beer, leaving out the sorbate and campden? I don't know if the couple that I am going to mention is a frequenter of this site, but this would be much harder if it weren't for a local couple in SE MI who gave me 17 (free!) 1 gallon jugs before the moved out of state. THANK YOU! Also thanks to everyone who gives me a little direction on this whole first mead (pyment) adventure.

*just wanted to add, should I throw some yeast nutrient into this for the 1* stage? Doesn't seem like a grape juice/honey will provide anywhere near the required nutrients. Also, I should aerate the bajesus out of this thing before I throw the yeast in right? I seem to have found conflicting reports of aerating after a few days, or multiple times for the first three days. Thats kinda throwing me off.

Joe's Grape Mead / Pyment -- J.M.
Created by JamesP, November 30, 1999
Ingredients
At a glance
Mead
Melomel
Pyment
Quick Meads
Makes
1 gal
2 lbs Clover honey
1 oz buckwheat honey
1/8t Pectin Enzymes (I used but on second thought I probably didn't need since Welch's is already clear)
64-oz Welch's Grape Juice with Vitamin C added- Make sure it has no preservatives in ingredients other than Vitamin C added (Absorbic Acid)
Balance water if you need it to make 1 gallon after adding honey mixed in water (don't use too much water in honey mix or you'll end up with more than you bargained for.
Lalvin EC-1118
Methods/steps
Just finished bottling my first Grape Mead (Melomel) or Pyment whatever one wishes to call it and it was started on November 4th and is simply wonderful to drink already. It was ready in 5 weeks!
Thought I would share my recipe with you, as it is the youngest best tasting, quick mead I have had thus far. Too bad

I only made 1-gallon experimenting.

It will ferment super fast to dry (about 13% alcohol) because of type of yeast and all the nutrients and natural sugars in Welch's grape juice. It should be to SG =1.000 or less in 14- 21 days max.
Rack to clean carboy over mixture of 6-oz honey, 6-oz Welch's grape juice, 1/2t of Sorbate and 1/2 crushed campden tablet.
It will stabilize and clear fast. Let it clear and set for another 2 weeks and it will be ready to bottle and drink.
It will be medium sweet but smooth and drinkable right away. If you want it semi sweet use 4-oz honey instead of 6-oz / gal.
The only reason I used the Campden (Sulphite) is because my understanding is that using both Potassium Sorbate and Sulphite together will definitely inhibit renewed fermentation and it did for me.
I went with the sweeter version to please my wife and can't wait till she gets home to try it.
I got 4 regular bottles and one small bottle and drank the rest. I don't usually like sweet wine but this was the fastest best so far. I'm told that most melomels don't require a lot of aging to be good and if this gets any better with age, I'll probably never buy store bought wine again.
Color is deep red, has nice legs on sides of glass after swirling, good nose and great balanced taste) Just don't tell everybody you used Welch's. I won't. Because the juice is clear to start, clearing is naturally fast, fast, fast.
Enjoy cause I am.
Regards Joe
-- submitted by Joe Mattioli

 

[mgayer]

If you rack into your 1 gallon jugs from a primary then dont do any additions of honey and it should be under the 1.0 FG as the 1118 yeast will go fairly dry. The receipe calls for the 3 lbs after the racking and it would take it over the top of what it could ferment out with the grape concentrate.

Your best way to do the measurment is just like your saying. Just put a measuring cup on the scale and add for the part you need.

The receipe calls for 5 tsp Yeast Nutrient are you wanting to add more? This should do okay without any more additions.

 

[david_the_greek]

I'm going to follow the 1 gallon recipe, not the big one. I didn't see any mention of the nutrients in the 1 gallon recipe but the two are so similar. It seems like the second recipe is just a large scale more detailed version of the 1 gallon recipe. I'm also going to try to ferment in 1 gallon glass vessels, is this a problem?

 

[mgayer]

They are using the grape juice as the nutrients base. It does have a bit in there. I would go ahead and use the pectic enzyme. It will help with reducing clearing times. Just watch your primary fermentation!! 1118 yeast does get very active at first so make sure you have a bit of headspace in the primary. Then when you go into the secondary top it off. I have had a few foam over with it before on mead and wine.

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[david_the_greek]

quickie update. I made 4 gallons today, used a little under 8lbs clover honey from Costco (processed I'm sure ) that I eyeballed the measurements on with a small scale, 2 gallons Welches purple grape juice, 2 tsp of nutrient (all of which I mixed hopefully effectively with the wine whip) and then two packets of the yeast. I threw it all in a 5 gallon bucket from H.D. Thanks for the help guys