First mead need some advice

[muffinman]

I am trying to make my first batch of mead. I used 3 and 1/2 pounds of honey, cup of raisins, water and a pack of red star premier cuvee. I want a dry mead. I let it set in the primary for 30 days adding nutrient 2 times. I have it in my basement where the temp is 69 f constantly. I just moved it to a secondary and it had an sg of .99 . I tasted it and it tasted like kerosene smells and had strong alcohol smell. I have searched here and looks like I could have chosen better yeast. My question is how long in the secondary and should I add something else like fruit to help the taste. How long in bottles would you recommend. Here is a photo of what it looks like.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

30 days is pretty young, give it time. Was it dry as well?

 

[bernardsmith]

There is a lot of headroom in that bottle. Is there some way that you could reduce the amount of space either by transferring the mead to a smaller container or by topping up the volume in this container? You want that liquid right up into the neck of the carboy not just above the shoulder of the bottle.
The taste sounds like the presence of fusels and fusels are caused by too aggressive a fermentation. People say that lengthy aging helps remove those alcohols but by that they mean a year or two aging in the bottle. You might need to wait three years...

 

[muffinman]

Yes it was dry. I will top it off with water plenty strong.

 

[pmg]

I´m trying to make my first mead and wanted some advice about the yeast. I´m used to beer brewing and I´m not sure about what yeast to use for mead, since I´ve read many people use Lalvin (here I can get Lalvin EC-1118) or if I can use beer yeast as well (S-04, US-05, Nottinham, Abbaye, Saison...). Also read many use regular baking yeast?? I´m concerned about this because here a beer yeast is $ 50-60, EC-1118 is $ 240 and baking yeast only $ 4.
Would appreciate some help! Thanks!

 

[Maylar]

I´m trying to make my first mead and wanted some advice about the yeast. I´m used to beer brewing and I´m not sure about what yeast to use for mead, since I´ve read many people use Lalvin (here I can get Lalvin EC-1118) or if I can use beer yeast as well (S-04, US-05, Nottinham, Abbaye, Saison...). Also read many use regular baking yeast?? I´m concerned about this because here a beer yeast is $ 50-60, EC-1118 is $ 240 and baking yeast only $ 4.
Would appreciate some help! Thanks!

Where are you, on the moon? EC-1118 is less than $1 from the internet.

There is a famous mead recipe called Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (JAOM) that uses bread yeast and comes out very nice. Highly suggested for a first mead. Just be sure to follow directions EXACTLY.

 

[pmg]

Where are you, on the moon? EC-1118 is less than $1 from the internet.

There is a famous mead recipe called Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (JAOM) that uses bread yeast and comes out very nice. Highly suggested for a first mead. Just be sure to follow directions EXACTLY.

LOL... no, I´m from Argentina and the values are in "pesos". The EC-1118 at $240 would be like 16 USD (which is expensive indeed), I just put the values to compare it with a beer yeast (1/5 of it).
I don´t know if beer yeast work for mead.
I´ve read that JAOM and guess I´ll try that first.

 

[JJack887]

You can absolutely use beer yeast for mead. Good luck!

 

[pmg]

You can absolutely use beer yeast for mead. Good luck!

I have a couple of Nottingham packs. Should I use that yeast? Or better try the JAOM first?

 

[Maylar]

Try the JAOM, it's easy and foolproof. Or one of Bray Denard's BOMM recipes from https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/category/mead/ Please make no substitutions when making any of these, the recipes have been thoroughly thought out and tested.

I don't recommend Nottingham for mead. If you push it to its alcohol limit it doesn't die gracefully.

 

[pmg]

Allright, you convinced me. I´ll go for JAOM. Thanks.