First Batch...sort of

[stephm]

I will be starting my first batch (sort of) of mead next week!

My first batch is what inspired my mead name "Drunken Mead" a fellow beer maker came over one night and after quite a few beers/whiskeys I told him how much I wanted to make my own mead. He ran home, got his stuff and we made a mead!

This time I have found a recipe I love (here) I have all the equipment and now I am roaring ready to go.

Any advice you "experts" :rockin: want to offer to a first timer? {insert joke here}

 

[MedsenFey]

Use a large fermenter for those big-fruit melomels. 10-gallon size would be my suggestion. If you go small, antifoam drops may help, but you may still wine up with a big clean-up.

 

[Gamrchick]

Hi Stephm, I have to agree with Medsen. If you can get ahold of a 10 gal fermentor, it will help immensely. Melomels are my preference, and everyone we have made has popped its top. (we use 6.5 gallon glass carboys for our melomel secondaries) After almost getting shot by an airlock one morning, we started using blow-off tubes during the secondary until the fermentation calmed down enough. Instead of a standard airlock, we push tubing into the stopper. We weight the other end down in a dishtub full of water and StarSan (sanitizer). The problem is, if any fruit chunks make it up the foam and hit the tube, pressure will still build up and push the stopper out. (we had a pink table after the strawberry mead went). We've never used the antifoam drops, so I cannot give an opinion on those.

Good Luck!