Got 5 gallons of honey need simple recipe!

[Berniep]

Ok so a beekeeper friend of mine recently tells me that he has a bucket of honey that has started to ferment and would I like it to make something out of. He knows I brew beer. So of course I say yes. He put it in his garage at very cold temps and now I have it in my lagering fridge at about 35 to 38 degrees. I'm thinking this will stop the fermentation until I figure out what I want to do with it.

No experience with mead.
Don't know anything about yeast nutrients or specific gravitates to start it at.
I don't want to push any boundaries. I just want something simple that has the possibility turn out reasonably drinkable.

I don't think its fermented very much. There is just a hint of a smell to it. But right now its very crystallized.
I think I should kill the wild yeast somehow so I can add a known yeast. Not sure if that's possible or not. Maybe dilute it down to whatever SG I need and heat it just enough to kill the yeast? Or am I stuck with whatever got into it?

What would you do with this stuff?

 

[Transamguy77]

I made mead about 5 years ago and I followed the recipe by curt stock here's the link.



By adding the neutrient additions like he suggested it was reafy to drink in less than 2 months.

 

[FatDragon]

Is this five gallons of pure honey? What's the evidence that it's fermenting - I thought that was impossible...

 

[Berniep]

I made mead about 5 years ago and I followed the recipe by curt stock here's the link.

.....

By adding the neutrient additions like he suggested it was reafy to drink in less than 2 months.

Thanks looks easy enough.

 

[Berniep]

Is this five gallons of pure honey? What's the evidence that it's fermenting - I thought that was impossible...

Ripped heartlessly from the hardworking makers themselves lol.
Sometimes when the surface gets a little high in water content it will start fermenting on its own. You can definitely smell it. Its very crystallized right now and I would need to soak it in a warm water bath for quite a while to get it clear again and see exactly how much it has fermented. Apparently you can generally skim that off and it will be fine but this guy doesn't do that and I'm not gonna argue if he is going to give me 60 pounds of honey.

 

[Miraculix]

Do brays one month mead. Proven hundreds of times and it is really quick and well documented. Maybe pasteurise the honey by heating it to 65c before, as it started fermenting.

https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/BOMM5gallons/

 

[loveofrose]

If I wanted to completely spoil someone, I would give them this recipe first: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Perfect-tej/

You don’t even have to wait for it to clear! T’ej is traditionally drunk cloudy. It is one of my favorite meads and turns out well with any honey I’ve tried.

Get Gesho here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ACO7UT8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Nutrients at www.morewinemaking.com

No worries about natural yeast. The packet or starter of yeast you add will overwhelm any natural flora.

 

[Berniep]

If I wanted to completely spoil someone, I would give them this recipe first: https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Perfect-tej/

You don’t even have to wait for it to clear! T’ej is traditionally drunk cloudy. It is one of my favorite meads and turns out well with any honey I’ve tried.

Get Gesho here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ACO7UT8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Nutrients at www.morewinemaking.com

No worries about natural yeast. The packet or starter of yeast you add will overwhelm any natural flora.

Do brays one month mead. Proven hundreds of times and it is really quick and well documented. Maybe pasteurise the honey by heating it to 65c before, as it started fermenting.

https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/BOMM5gallons/

Thanks guys....reading this denard brewing blog has helped a bunch.

 

[Miraculix]

Thanks guys....reading this denard brewing blog has helped a bunch.

Just to let you know, I think loveofrose is actually the author of this blog, which also helped me a lot.

 

[Grad]

Use enough honey mixed with water to make just over 5 gallons of must, then add nutrients and yeast(with go ferm 1:1) and aerate/degas 2-4 times a day for the bulk of primary. Depending on your starting gravity the nutrients should be in the range of 4 additions(add at the start and at each quarter of the gravity) of 1/2 tsp dap(diammonium phosphate) and 1/2 tsp fermaid K. Also I'd recommend Lalvin 71b yeast. In my experience, with a starting gravity of around 1.080, the mead will be very tasty within 2 months of primary. Once primary is done, rack to a 5 gallon carboy to clear. To stabilize, add Campden tablets, wait 2 days(very important to wait 2 days) then add potassium sorbate. Then after 1 more day you can bottle with additional honey to sweeten.
Hope this helps!
Grad

 

[Gentle Jesus]

What is the significance of adding Gesho to the T'ej BOMM recipe? Would it be tasty as well even if you omit the gesho?

 

[bernardsmith]

What is the significance of adding Gesho to the T'ej BOMM recipe? Would it be tasty as well even if you omit the gesho?

Um... but it is gesho that makes a mead a tej. Tej is an Ethiopian mead and gesho (buckthorn) is central to tej. You can use the twigs ... or the leaves but if you use neither then you ain't made tej. It's like an IPA. You leave out the hops you ain't made an India Pale Ale. So, sure, leave out the gesho and depending on your process this can be a tasty traditional mead. But don't tell anyone that you made a tej, 'coz you didn't.

 

[Gentle Jesus]

Um... but it is gesho that makes a mead a tej. Tej is an Ethiopian mead and gesho (buckthorn) is central to tej. You can use the twigs ... or the leaves but if you use neither then you ain't made tej. It's like an IPA. You leave out the hops you ain't made an India Pale Ale. So, sure, leave out the gesho and depending on your process this can be a tasty traditional mead. But don't tell anyone that you made a tej, 'coz you didn't.

Oh ok, just the style. I thought the Gesho was some sort of natural nutrient addition.