Lime Melomel Yeast Suggestions

[dogprince]

I've three months to go before bottling my Sack Cyser (born September of 2011), and am looking to gather resources for my next foray: Lime Melomel.

The list (so far) is:

7-10lbs Clover honey
5lbs Orange Blossom honey
5 gal Newman's Own Limeade (i can get it super cheap)
Pectic Enzyme
Yeast nutrients
Yeast energizer
Campden tabs

Yeast: ?

I used Lalvin K1v1116 for my sweet apple mead since it's suited for fruited wines. So far, it's an excellent mead, if not a touch strong (16%).

I've used WLP720 Sweet Mead/Wine yeast in the past for a blueberry honey hard lemonade, but found it neither here nor there.

I've no problem using it for the Lime Melomel, but was curious if anyone had any other suggestions. Part of this batch may end up turning into a cherry limeade melomel.

 

[dogprince]

Must is sulfited, will pitch yeast tomorrow!
I think I've decided to use the Sweet Mead Yeast for this batch.

SG: 1.118
Target FG: ~1.010
Target ABV: ~15%

Recipe:
5 Gal Newmans Own Limeade
5lb Clover Honey
5lb Orange Blossom Honey
Will be adding Pectic enzymes.

Can't wait to see what happens!

 

[fatbloke]

71b ?

 

[biochemedic]

71b ?

What I would have suggested as well....

Not to jinx you, but with all that limeade, *IF* you have any trouble with fermentation, you might consider problems with low pH interfering with the yeast.

 

[fatbloke]

What I would have suggested as well....

Not to jinx you, but with all that limeade, *IF* you have any trouble with fermentation, you might consider problems with low pH interfering with the yeast.

Yeah, that got me thinking after my post as well.

I've got no idea what the Newmans stuff is either, because what is traditionally sold as "Limeade" here would be just like a lime soda to you lot over there. There used to be like a like cordial sold under the Roses brand, but I haven't seen that for years.

Either way, you have to be careful with lime as a flavour, not only is it the acid issue, but its like raspberry and can be very over powering.......

 

[dogprince]

I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it; I made a hard lemonade with tons of fresh squeezed lemons and limes and it fermented pretty well.

If there is a trouble with pH, how would I go about correcting it?

71b does sound like a much better option. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm not up to par on yeasts quite yet.

 

[dogprince]

Newman's Own brand limeade is an all natural product.

The ingredients are:
Lime juice (and pulp)
Lime juice concentrate
Lime oil (maybe? I don't remember if that's in it or not)
Sugar
Ascorbic Acid

It's excellent stuff. I just hope that flavor translates into good mead. I'm going to use yeast nutrients, but I'm also guessing that the sugar in the limeade will supply what the honey does not in terms of nutrition.

 

[Arpolis]

If there is a trouble with pH, how would I go about correcting it?

I'm going to use yeast nutrients, but I'm also guessing that the sugar in the limeade will supply what the honey does not in terms of nutrition.

I heard using potassium bicarbonate a small tsp. at a time to raise PH works well. Lime juice has a PH at around 2.0 - 2.35. Raising that up to around 3.8 where the yeast like it better would help if the fermentation gets stuck. But if it could be prevented I think that would be best because lime flavor is so dependent on that low PH. I guess after fermentation you could lower the PH back down with some citric acid but I have no experience on how that would affect taste.

Definitely use the yeast nutrients. Lime juice is low in amino acids (building blocks for the ever so important amino nitrates) and several trace nutrients that yeast need.

 

[dogprince]

Thank you all for your help!

I pitched the yeast last night (71b) and am just waiting for it to kick off. I did add yeast nutrients. I'll keep you all posted, and probably ask for more help with my next experiment:

Old fashioned root beer mead (No extracts, all herbs and spices!)