im very new to mead and i need some help

[lanky1706]

so this will be my 1st batch and i just wanna make sure i understand this and get it right.

so im gonna try making a blackberry mead,
pour 5 gallons of distilled into fermenter
pour 12lbs honey in, ill more then likely use wildflower
stir till all is dissolved
add 8lbs of blackberrys
pitch yeast
seal and leave it alone for 30 days or till airlock slows to 1 bubble per 30sec
rack into carboy
leave it alone for 90 days min or more
then bottle.

Bentonite to clarify
a few drops of lemon juice to stop ferment


the yeast i am using is Lalvin 71B-1122

i hope this is right

 

[bob1852]

Here's a couple of suggestions...

1) add the honey first, then the fruit, then the water....honey and fruit will take up a lot of volume, so you don't want to add the water first...

2) you should look at adding some nutrients; Fermaid K would be best, but any yeast nutirent and energizer should work

3) your fermentation time may take longer than 30 days. In fact it probably will. Don't rely on time. Use a hydrometer.

4) after you rack into the carboy, make sure to top off with water so you have very little headspace. Then let it sit until it's either clear, or until there's 1/4" or more of gunk in the bottom.

5) if you give it enough time, you won't need bentonite to clarify; it should all settle out.

6) lemon juice to stop the ferment? I don't understand that part

71B-1122 yeast is great for a fruit mead!

Good luck, and welcome to HBT!

 

[fatbloke]

so this will be my 1st batch and i just wanna make sure i understand this and get it right.

so im gonna try making a blackberry mead,
pour 5 gallons of distilled into fermenter
pour 12lbs honey in, ill more then likely use wildflower
stir till all is dissolved
add 8lbs of blackberrys
pitch yeast
seal and leave it alone for 30 days or till airlock slows to 1 bubble per 30sec
rack into carboy
leave it alone for 90 days min or more
then bottle.

Bentonite to clarify
a few drops of lemon juice to stop ferment


the yeast i am using is Lalvin 71B-1122

i hope this is right

Well, I'd increase the honey to 3lb per gallon to start with, otherwise, you're gonna end up with a very dry mead.

Fruit likewise, to 3lb per gallon, and that'd be used with 2/3rds going into primary, and 1/3 into secondary.

Stirring the honey in cool, is good, though if the honey does turn out to be a bit thick in consistency, then just pour out what you can and then put the container into a sink of warm water, for long enough to make the rest of the honey slightly less viscous.

As per AZ_IPA's suggestion, nutrient and that would be added in 2 batches, first once the batch is showing signs of fermentation, and then the 2nd batch when it reaches its 1/3rd sugar break - and yes, that does mean that you should get a hydrometer to test with.

The bentonite will help clear it, but lemon juice doesn't stop fermentation. You should let it finish and calculate the finish with a hydrometer, then use sorbate and sulphite to stabilised, preferably before you clear it down.

71B ? Hum? I'd be more inclined to use RC-212 for the yeast, but that needs a little more careful handling of the ferment as it's quite nutrient hungry........

regards

fatbloke

 

[pkeeler]

pour 5 gallons of distilled into fermenter
pour 12lbs honey in, ill more then likely use wildflower
stir till all is dissolved

This can be very tough and a real PIA. I would do it in smaller batches where you have more control. Get a gallon container or a bucket or something and put in about a pound of honey and a quart of water at a time. Shake, stir the heck out of it and then pour that into your fermenter. Continue until you have all your honey in and add more water to the volume you want. Remember, 12 lbs. of honey is a gallon, so you really only need to add 4 gal. of water for a 5 gal. batch (will also leave room for the fruit). There is not much trub loss with mead, so 5 gal. in and you will get out just about 5 gal.

Use nutrient or you will get serious off flavors.

Bentonite to clarify
a few drops of lemon juice to stop ferment

If you let it sit long enough, it will clear on its own. Lemon juice won't stop anything. But unless you are adding more sugar, there shouldn't be any fermentation happening at 90+ days.

I'd top off with mead or white wine instead of water.

 

[lanky1706]

thank for the info it is a big help

couple of questions tho:

also with the yeast does it really matter kind i use, or or is the a link to a site or something that says what yeast should be used with what kind of mead (all kinds) ie metheglin, melomel, Oxymel and so on.

damn i forgot what else i was gonna say

 

[fatbloke]

thank for the info it is a big help

couple of questions tho:

also with the yeast does it really matter kind i use, or or is the a link to a site or something that says what yeast should be used with what kind of mead (all kinds) ie metheglin, melomel, Oxymel and so on.

damn i forgot what else i was gonna say

The yeast varies, as to how much flavour you end up with, how much honey flavour, how aromatic it might turn out, how much nutrient you might need to use, what the necessary fermentation temperature might need to be, etc etc etc.

Here's a link to the lalvin yeast chart. I'd suggest that you check out what it says about fermentation speed, nutrient (nitrogen) requirements, the usual fermentation temperature range, etc. If you looked up the yeasts that have been mentioned in this thread, that'll give you enough info to be getting on with (plus they're the ones that tend to be easily available).

For my 0.02$ worth, K1V-1116 is good to get going with, doesn't need much nutrient, has a wide temperature range and is generally thought of as a good, easy to use yeast....

regards

fatbloke