How to get mead ready asap?
- Thread starter R0B0naut
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Even as fast as possible it can still be as close as 6 months minimum for many recipes. If you really want quick fermentations look into beer and then some wines can be ready to drink in 30 days. When dealing with mead here are some great sources to read from. Check out the web site Gotmead.com and look at the Newbee guide on the left side of the page. That gives lots of good info. Also check out the sticky at the top of the mead forum here about SNA (stagard nutrient additions).
Start there and have fun.
Start there and have fun.
Pitch lots of yeast with appropriate levels of yeast nutrient. Have a clean, open primary fermentation (I cover with cloth) and stir often during primary. After fermentation, drop temps some to clear and/or add clearing agents (I like bentonite).
Stick to lower ABV melomels and metheglins, they are ready much quicker than show meads.
Some on here will say that mead takes years, and maybe it does for some people/meads.
I have meads that are darn good and clear in 6 weeks.
Stick to lower ABV melomels and metheglins, they are ready much quicker than show meads.
Some on here will say that mead takes years, and maybe it does for some people/meads.
I have meads that are darn good and clear in 6 weeks.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
vNmd
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 704
- Reaction score
- 173
I like that episode. The guy they interviewed (Curt Stock) also did an interview with the beersmith guy and has the podcast posted that lists the topics discussed in that interview: We talk about how you can use modern techniques to keep the yeast healthy and significantly reduce the time needed to make mead (down to a few months). I haven't listened to it yet, but I think that guy has a lot of good info to give.
loveofrose
Well-Known Member
If you want fast sweet mead, try Joes Ancient Orange. Google the recipe. You must follow the recipe exactly as it breaks all the normal rules! It is drinkable in 2 months but gets much better after 6 months.
If you want an even faster dry mead, you can use one of my recipes that originated from testing ale yeast as opposed to wine yeast. Fermentation is done in 9 days and it is drinkable 1 month after pitching. Recipe as follows:
Bray's Belgian Mead - 1 gallon
2 lbs orange blossom honey per gallon (Northern Brewer)
1/3 tsp potassium carbonate (pH buffering)
1/4 tsp each Fermaid K and DAP (A must unless you want sulfur notes)
Also, add the above nutrients again after three days. Add to a bit of water first then pour in unless you want a mead volcano.
A smack pack of Wyeast 3787 or 1388 smacked 24 hours in advanced.
-Add everything but yeast into a gallon jug and shake like hell to aerate. No heat or boiling required!
-Add yeast.
-Add more nutrients after three days and wait.
-Bottle after it is mostly clear. Use hydrometer to make sure it's stable over a week
My recipe will be dry and light as opposed to JAOM being sweet. Great for summer consumption and faster. If you decide to scale up to 5 gallons, Make a 1 liter starter of yeast and multiple everything by 5. One note: 3787 generally stays a little cloudy unless you use a finning agent. Doesn't affect the taste though, so I never bother. 1388 may be a little better or perhaps it will be personal taste. Hope that helps!
If you want an even faster dry mead, you can use one of my recipes that originated from testing ale yeast as opposed to wine yeast. Fermentation is done in 9 days and it is drinkable 1 month after pitching. Recipe as follows:
Bray's Belgian Mead - 1 gallon
2 lbs orange blossom honey per gallon (Northern Brewer)
1/3 tsp potassium carbonate (pH buffering)
1/4 tsp each Fermaid K and DAP (A must unless you want sulfur notes)
Also, add the above nutrients again after three days. Add to a bit of water first then pour in unless you want a mead volcano.
A smack pack of Wyeast 3787 or 1388 smacked 24 hours in advanced.
-Add everything but yeast into a gallon jug and shake like hell to aerate. No heat or boiling required!
-Add yeast.
-Add more nutrients after three days and wait.
-Bottle after it is mostly clear. Use hydrometer to make sure it's stable over a week
My recipe will be dry and light as opposed to JAOM being sweet. Great for summer consumption and faster. If you decide to scale up to 5 gallons, Make a 1 liter starter of yeast and multiple everything by 5. One note: 3787 generally stays a little cloudy unless you use a finning agent. Doesn't affect the taste though, so I never bother. 1388 may be a little better or perhaps it will be personal taste. Hope that helps!
RachmaelBenApplebaum
Well-Known Member
Time Machine
FermentusMaximus
Well-Known Member
1.21 jigawatts!!!!
I started a cyser 2 weeks ago. I used staggered yeast nutrients 1st, 2nd, 3rd day in primary and then at 2/3 sugar consumption. Fermaid k and dap. 2:1 dap to fermaid k. 5 gallon batch take 2tsp DAP and combine that with 1tsp fermaid k, and then add a quarter of that mix at each addition. I also added potassium carbonate as stated above. Approximately one gram per gallon should do. There is a sticky in the mead forum about that too. Make sure you degas and oxygenate your must the first few days.
I started a cyser 2 weeks ago. I used staggered yeast nutrients 1st, 2nd, 3rd day in primary and then at 2/3 sugar consumption. Fermaid k and dap. 2:1 dap to fermaid k. 5 gallon batch take 2tsp DAP and combine that with 1tsp fermaid k, and then add a quarter of that mix at each addition. I also added potassium carbonate as stated above. Approximately one gram per gallon should do. There is a sticky in the mead forum about that too. Make sure you degas and oxygenate your must the first few days.
