Leap Year Mead 2

[BigKahuna]

WOW!
We came off the beans today. This is a lot better than I'd expected. I have a 1 gallon tester that I made using identical procedure, and it's WAY overpowering vanilla. The big batch is not like that. It is very nice. NOT clear yet, by any means, but still very nice.

128 days in......Cant wait till that 4th or 5th leap year on this.

***EDIT***
OH...and very much sweeter than I'd expected. This has been stable at 1.004 for 2 weeks.

 

[nealf]

I'm wishing I had made more than a 1 gallon batch ... oh well I guess I know the recipe for next time around!

 

[Nurmey]

I'm wishing I had made more than a 1 gallon batch ... oh well I guess I know the recipe for next time around!

You could make more now. We still have over 3.5 years before we break into it. I won't tell anyone if it's a couple months younger than the rest.

 

[BigKahuna]

You could make more now. We still have over 3.5 years before we break into it. I won't tell anyone if it's a couple months younger than the rest.

and if you blended a cup or 2 of the first batch...with the second batch....Who's to say that you don't have a true Leap year Mead?

 

[McKay]

Ooh the Apricot Blond and Leap Year Mead sound equally fantastic and I'd love to take you up on the offer! Thx!

 

[BigKahuna]

Anyone out there in mead land stealing samples of this yet? I am looking at my first sample since racking off of the beans, and I must say this is one of the most simple and beautiful things I've ever seen. It has the "Legs" of a fine white wine, it smells a lot like vanilla and honey ice cream, it's the color of PBR, and tastes of honey and the vanilla isn't nearly as overpowering as it once was. It's still a bit too alcohol tasting...and SWMBO says it tastes like something we could do shots of.
I am sure that with as good as this is today, we are in for a real treat in a few years!

 

[JustMrWill]

Cheater...

Mine is still on the beans...I put it in the basement and forgot about it...

Not sure when to rack off the beans...or when to bottle...just playing it by ear.

-Will

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Mine=infected

 

[BigKahuna]

Mine=infected

WHAT?
There's no infection in MEAD....I said....Just not allowed.

POST A PICTURE! How did that happen?

 

[HarvInSTL]

Mine=infected

I think mine is too.

I was so excited when I got back from London to take a gravity reading I don't think I sanitized my thief well enough. Two weeks later I walk downstairs to take another reading and this is what I see.

 

[BigKahuna]

That My Good Man Looks Like Pasteur Champaign Yeast looking for a clean Carboy to settle in.

RACK THAT MEAD MISTER! YOU TOO Buffalo!

Really...That looks pretty normal for a primary ferment to me...Rack that and see what happens.

Knowing the background to your story...I am a bit confused...but Really...it doesn't look that different from mine at racking #1.

I think You're better off than you think.

 

[HarvInSTL]

That My Good Man Looks Like Pasteur Champaign Yeast looking for a clean Carboy to settle in.

RACK THAT MEAD MISTER!

Really...That looks pretty normal for a primary ferment to me...Rack that and see what happens.

Knowing the background to your story...I am a bit confused...but Really...it doesn't look that different from mine at racking #1.

I think You're better off than you think.

Hmm, I used D-47. And I really wish you could smell it, it might change your mind. But it will be racked tomorrow and the taste will determine it from there.

 

[BigKahuna]

I still wouldn't abandon hope. It could (And Will) taste Pretty Damn Funky at this point. DON'T be too let down if it tastes like Yeast Flavored Rocket Fuel.

 

[Tusch]

Well I left all my brews at my apartment for 3 whole months without touching or even getting to look at it. (I considered setting up a webcam to keep an eye on my babies )
I just moved into my new apt. and have all my brew back within sight. They have all cleared BEAUTIFULLY. But before I left in April, I checked on my Leap Year mead and I definitely had what looked to be mold.

Looking at it now, it is definitely not clear. But all discoloration seems to be gone. I think I will wait until it clears before racking onto the beans. I figure if I wait long enough and it does clear, I can more confidently rule out infection before wasting some good beans. And if I don't see any good progress, well then I might just start a new batch and not tell anyone I cheated.

 

[BigKahuna]

I think I will wait until it clears before racking onto the beans. .

You guys all need to rack this stuff! I don't know why, but MOST of my meads do NOT clear in Primary like beer, but they do fall clear withing weeks of racking.

and that's not mold that any of you are seeing, it's bees wax, chunks of protein, whatever else managed to get in there...all sticking together with the yeast that managed to stay on top.

 

[homebrewer_99]

As long as those nasties don't have tentacles it'll be fine.

Rack it and leave the top 1" in the carboy.



EDIT: BK, guilty...vanilla flavoring is pretty potent, but has mellowed out a lot. Tastes good to me. I can see holding on to this for a couple more years. Oh well, since this bottle is already opened there's only one thing to do...

 

[Tusch]

OK I bow before others advice, I will rack it tomorrow.

 

[petes]

Know I'm a bit behind the 8 ball here; had originally marked BK's Leap Year Mead as of interest because of the vanilla aging then moved on with other things.
Picked up the whole thread last night from end to end, realised I had the necessary to hand so thought why not - I'll be 6 months short of you guys but at least I'll be there in spirit. Or should that be intent?
Anyway it's down. 4 (US)gall batch, 12lb clover honey, Gervin #3 yeast, prestarted on the honey, pitched under loose cover. Vanilla beans in the cupboard.
SG off the hydrometer but scaled at 1125, yeast should be up to it. Will watch for the SG drop and airlock when the stars align.

 

[HarvInSTL]

I still wouldn't abandon hope. It could (And Will) taste Pretty Damn Funky at this point. DON'T be too let down if it tastes like Yeast Flavored Rocket Fuel.

Well I'm not sure if I should be happy or pissed off.

I still can't tell if it is infected or not, even after tasting it. Maybe if it was a 5% beer, but this finished at 1.004 after starting at 1.116 so it is sitting right at 14.8%!

The nutrient additions I think helped push the D-47 past the 12-14% range and the alcohol finally killed it. Which was the goal so I could back sweeten with more raspberry syrup with out having to worry about fermentation taking off again.

If I had to place a taste on it, I would go with metallic band aids.

Hmm, let me taste it again just to make sure. So does anyone think based upon that picture that it is a possible infection?

Ohh, I also forgot. That the only thing that changed when I got back from London was I took it out of its cooler/ice bath (which kept it at 63-65deg the whole fermentation time) and set it out at room temp. It was at 1.020 after almost a month so I figured the temp increase might help. A week and a half later I see the stuff on the top in the picture below.

Just in case you didn't see it, here is the picture again.

 

[BigKahuna]

I still say that is totally NOT infected.

Raspberries will (at least the 1 batch I did) taste kind of Metallic for a while.

That is juts yeast and gunk....This will clear up fine.

 

[HarvInSTL]

I still say that is totally NOT infected.

Raspberries will (at least the 1 batch I did) taste kind of Metallic for a while.

That is juts yeast and gunk....This will clear up fine.

I swear you must live in the Mead forum! This is my first time using the raspberry syrup and the more I think about I agree that this will most likely turn out just fine.

Now if I can just find a good supplier for 6oz bottles! But hey, I still need your address!

Thanks again.

 

[Tusch]

Well I am in the middle of racking all of my brew and I decided to start with this bad boy. I now agree that it is most likely not an infection, based on appearance, lack of the prior mentioned discoloration, and scent.

However, I appear to have a stuck fermentation at 1.03 It is far too along in the process to be that high isn't it? Sure it may finish up over time, but what od the mead profs suggest, wait and see? Keep testing gravity? Try to restart fermentation?

And if anyone was wondering 1.030 IS FREAKING SWEET, now I truly understand what cloyingly sweet means.

 

[BigKahuna]

I'd Re-pitch. That's too damn sweet for pancake Syrup!

 

[Tusch]

Well I don't have any red star pasteur champagne.

So the available options are: Red Start Premier Cuvee or Lalvin: d-47, ED-1118, or K1-V1116

Or wait for another pack of champagne yeast.

So what should I do, switch up the yeast or order a new pack. I think either the EC-1118 or the Premier Cuvee would be good, but those are just guesses.

 

[BigKahuna]

Use the Cuvee, or the 1118

The pasteur has failed you.

 

[Tusch]

Well I have 2 of the 1118, so that's my deciding factor, as always thanks for the help Kahuna

 

[Tusch]

Bumping a great thread with an "update" I racked and subsequently repitched my LYM and it is clearing nicely but slowly as expected. I haven't taken another reading, because I am only doing 1 gallon (I know! but I only have the one carboy besides 1 gal's). I would imagine it didn't get stuck again, because there was renewed fermentation. Now the plan is to order my vanilla beans at last and rack to a tertiary for the vanilla additions. Are we aging on the beans? How long are people leaving it on them?

 

[Don "Ho"]

I have had them on the first set of beans since April. I am getting ready to re-rack on to fresh beans, but I have a question.

On the first rack, I scraped each bean into the carboy. What if you just split the beans and spead them open then put in the carboy? I seemed to be getting more on my hands and on the floor than in the carboy!

Thanks

 

[nealf]

On the first rack, I scraped each bean into the carboy. What if you just split the beans and spead them open then put in the carboy? I seemed to be getting more on my hands and on the floor than in the carboy!

I did the split & spread method and let it age on the beans for a few months in secondary. Mine has been in the bottle for about 2 months; I probably bottled a bit early... there is some sediment in the bottom of the bottles. I'll just pour it like a homebrew and call it good.

 

[Tusch]

It's been too long since my last unneeded and shameless bump

My mead is clearing nicely and my beans are on their way. Since I had a bit of a stuck fermentation, mine will be getting the bean treatment (2 madagascar) in tertiary until completely clear. Then I'll go ahead and bottle the beautiful brew that follows.