Leap Year Mead 2

[BigKahuna]

I got my 1 gallon under the stopper not 10 minutes ago! Man I am excited... oh wait this excitement has to last me 4 years.

I think You are #1

What else are you going to make today / this weekend...ya know...to tide ya over?

 

[Tusch]

Well I have my 6 gallons of blueberry cider, and a gallon of cider, pomegranate mead, and MAOM fermenting. Plus another gallon of spiced cider that will be bottled tonight or tomorrow. So on top of the other two batches bottled, I should be good for a while. haha

 

[Nurmey]

I just finished my 3 gallons of Leap Year Mead.

My OG was 1.12.

 

[JustMrWill]

about 5.5 gallons done...

OG 1.095

I warmed the water/honey to 90-100 F to make mixing easier...it is sitting in an ice bath to get the temp down to 65-70 ...I got impatient and pitched the yeast at 80...

4 years to go now...

-Will

 

[Don "Ho"]

Starting mine now..

 

[BigKahuna]

5 Gallons
12 #'s Raspberry Honey (Fort Collins Co)
3#'s Colorado Ambrosia Honey (Parachute Co)
O.G. 1.100
The only thing that went wrong: Yest from 1 corner of the kitchen to the other. Thank god I got 5 packs!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I pitched yeast about 20 mins ago. I changed it up a bit though.

10 lbs honey
1 lb 8 oz Corn Sugar
5 tsp Yeast Nutrient
1 tsp Citric Acid
Sweet Mead Yeast
Topped off to 6 gals.
Temp: 78
OG: 1.076 + 2 = 1.078
Saving the vanilla for the secondary.

 

[Kai]

2 Gallons mixed up with 6lb Nova Scotia wildflower honey (last minute).OG pending cooldown (we heated the water to about 160 to mix it in. I hope that wasn't too hot. The water brought it down to ~120)

 

[Don "Ho"]

Stayed with the original recipe and modified for 5 gallons. Used Buckwheat honey. OG 1.102 @ 75 deg.

Guess its a waiting game now!..

 

[SuperiorBrew]

Just finished mine, decided late so join in since I got my honey delivered today.

 

[archmaker]

Got One gallon going at 9:15 tonight. Stayed with the original recipe.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Got my 5 gallons in the fermenter. Only have 12 pounds honey in there now im going to add the other three later. I dissolved the honey with a few quarts of cold water and heated to around 145 while I rinsed the carboy. I didnt heat up my nutrient at all just added it in, was that alright?

 

[Tusch]

For a label, I was thinking of incorporating this image. Since this is the year of the rat, and 2012 will be the year of the dragon, I thought it was a cool theme to work with. Not sure if it would be anybody's style, but I thought something zodiac oriented would be cool. This is one of the first images I found that worked on its on, added some text, but I still don't know how to use Freehand yet.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Nice art work. With 5-6 gallons I can use a few different labels!

 

[JustMrWill]

YEA! We have airlock activity! Started slow...had a burb every minute or so up to about 2 hours ago...now she is burping away 2-3 every couple seconds...

-Will

ps...nice label...maybe we should design an official one...but leave a blank spot for the individual brewer and ABV.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

No activity here yet. I never took a starting gravity reading...what did you guys get?

 

[Tusch]

I had 1.115 for SG and it started bubbling within a few hours last night.

 

[BigKahuna]

My air lock is bubbling at the rate of gunfire in an Al Capone Movie!

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

No activity yet but I may not have let it cool enough before pitching. Im going to pick up another packet of yeast and if theres no activity tomorrow night Ill repitch.

 

[BigKahuna]

Did you Re-hydrate your yeast? I forgot on my Apfelwein, and it took like 3 days to get going...I dumped my yeast on about 8 oz of warm water for this mead, and it was less than 12 hours before it was going strong.

 

[Don "Ho"]

O gravity for me was 1.102 @ 75 degrees. Mine started bubbling during the night and is going like a crazy. I now have 10 gallons of mead bubbling like hell !!

Wish I had some to drink!!

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Mines going now but pretty slow tomorrow Ill add my remaining honey. This waiting thing is going to suck

 

[BigKahuna]

This waiting thing is going to suck

I used a 3 ltr wine jug and made a "Sister" to the Leap. I will not be leaving that one alone.

 

[Gavzilla]

4kgs honey, 12 litres of water, yeast and some stiff arms from frantic shaking!

Initial gravity of 1.110, bubbling within hours - and a few days later my cupboard now smells fantastic...

Good luck everyone!

 

[BigKahuna]

Good luck everyone!

Thanks to you Gavzilla. Wasn't this your idea in the first place?

 

[Gavzilla]

Heh, yeah I guess. I originally didn't even know how it could be done - knowing nearly nothing about mead - but with a bit of advice and interest from everyone, it's taken off!

 

[Loweface]

So when are you starting the log/poll of how many gallons were actually made?

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Guess Ill have to do that now!

 

[Tusch]

Well I kept working on my label, its still a bit plain and boring, but if anyone wants to take a shot at it, you are free to go for it.

 

[Tusch]

Edited again, this is my newest try. I have a thread in the label section, but I thought I would include it in this thread as well. If anyone would like me to edit it for their own brewery or anything, just ask. I know its a LONG while away before needing labels, but I've been too excited haha