Mead fermentation

[Skuee]

I'm trying out my first mead this year. Got 10lbs of honey from Costco, and we picked about 6.5lbs or so of raspberries off the side of my house throughout the summer.

I tried to make sure I killed off all the wild yeast before pitching my sweet mead yeast by adding campden tablets 24 hours or so before I pitched...did that about a week ago. However after about a week as of yesterday I think I got hardly any fermentation going.

I know some will ask, but I couldn't get a good starting OG reading...which prompted me to get a refractometer.

I also decided to throw in a vial of 3711 in there as well since I know that is a monster attenuator. Per Revvy's suggestion/instruction I also did a new charge of DAP tonight, and a slight de-gassing for good measure.

I'm hoping that you guys can re-assure me that things will get going again, or offer any tips related to situations like this. My bucket is in my basement which is pretty warm right now, averaging around 78-80, which will obviously cool up here in MI come the end of this week.

 

[Skuee]

Today showed more encouraging signs. Did another small DAP addition just a bit ago, and stirred must. Seemed to de-gas a bit which hopefully the yeast is coming back some.

I think my options going into this weekend are, build another starter from a vial I was saving, or trying out a wine yeast.

More to come...

 

[Skuee]

Day 3 of nutrient additions: poured in more DAP, and got more de-gassing to happen. I think the yeasties are back in action! Gently stirred to get the yeast roused again and a fair amount of gassing happened too. So I'd say that points to good signs.

Things I'm learning about mead/fermenting. Don't really got a krausen like with wort, not as much air lock activity as I thought either.

Now back to being patient, having a brew, and giving the bucket another week before I possibly move it to the glass carboy.

 

[Skuee]

Also, if this should be moved to a different, more appropriate part of the forums please do so. Don't want to offend anyone if I started this in the wrong area.

 

[stillstoked]

Ive made several batches of mead, and it does seem to me that it ferments slower. i always use yeast nutrient, i also let it sit in the primary for about 4 weeks then rack into a secondary.

 

[Skuee]

Ive made several batches of mead, and it does seem to me that it ferments slower. i always use yeast nutrient, i also let it sit in the primary for about 4 weeks then rack into a secondary.

In that case I'll leave it in the bucket for another 2 weeks then and keep feeding it nutrients before I rack. I'll probably slow down the feeding after this weekend.

 

[Skuee]

I just transferred it to another carboy for secondary. Last grav reading came in close to 1.000 which is fine by me. The nutrient additions worked well, now to wait about 24-36 hrs for the potassium sorbate, and campden tablets to do their job so I can back sweeten/add my vanilla beans.

 

[Skuee]

2lbs of table sugar mixed in with a 1/2 lb of raspberries I saved for backsweetening along with about 4ish cups of water went into secondary this past weekend. I like my meads on the sweeter side. I'm waiting to add the vanilla beans.

I think the clover honey flavor along with slight sour/astringent/acidic nature from the raspberries is overpowering right now for me to want to add the vanilla. Hopefully that mellows out over time.

 

[Skuee]

Quick update.

Added the remaining vanilla beans to the mead. I'll probably do a re-rack to get the mead off the yeast that has flocked out. Probably move the beans over to the new carboy to let them soak longer too.

Does anyone know if the sulfur aroma/flavor ages out since I had to add it to stabilize the mead so I could back sweeten.

 

[Skuee]

Update.

Vanilla beans were added. Flavor is there...subtle. Might start using extract instead.

As a first go at mead I think I generated a lot of fusels. Local mead judge told me I'll probably have to let them condition 6 months to a year before that dies down. I'm pretty sure the fusels are what gave me a headache that night.