Mead - the homebrew thread

[RunninMixz]

My must is still chugging at 3 weeks. Bubble every 20 seconds. 71B yeast. How long can it go? I heard it'll max out around 14% or maybe more?

 

[bigk84]

24 lbs of honey, 40 lbs of raspberries, 32 oz of rasp concentrate, and you only were able to get 3 gallons out of it? Is it 40% alcohol or just pure sugar? I don't understand how that volume of fruit/sugar only came out to 3 gallons of finished product. What am I missing?
Best pricing I can think of is $3 a lb for honey, and $2 a lb for raspberry, so over $150 of fermentables for 3 gallons. That is dedication.
*This post is not at all meant as disrespect, just pure curiosity.

30 lbs were in primary fermentation with the concentrate, 10 lbs secondary. I wanted to go for a Schramm's style "statement Reserve" but with raspberries. It's right at 15% alcohol without back sweetening. Yeast died out and it's tasty.

It was stupid expensive but way better dollar value for my pocket than Schramm's. Honey was $130, Raspberries were $3 a lb and concentrate was $77 :/

So yes, stupid expensive and hopefully on par with my last black currant batch that everyone who's tried it says it's right up there with Agnes.

But who knows, I could be doing this wrong.

 

[RunninMixz]

30 lbs were in primary fermentation with the concentrate, 10 lbs secondary. I wanted to go for a Schramm's style "statement Reserve" but with raspberries. It's right at 15% alcohol without back sweetening. Yeast died out and it's tasty.

It was stupid expensive but way better dollar value for my pocket than Schramm's. Honey was $130, Raspberries were $3 a lb and concentrate was $77 :/

So yes, stupid expensive and hopefully on par with my last black currant batch that everyone who's tried it says it's right up there with Agnes.

But who knows, I could be doing this wrong.

I'm excited to finish mine and try and trade with done of u Mi mead makers!

 

[Indytruks1381]

30 lbs were in primary fermentation with the concentrate, 10 lbs secondary. I wanted to go for a Schramm's style "statement Reserve" but with raspberries. It's right at 15% alcohol without back sweetening. Yeast died out and it's tasty.

It was stupid expensive but way better dollar value for my pocket than Schramm's. Honey was $130, Raspberries were $3 a lb and concentrate was $77 :/

So yes, stupid expensive and hopefully on par with my last black currant batch that everyone who's tried it says it's right up there with Agnes.

But who knows, I could be doing this wrong.

It sounds amazing, in no way did I mean to say you were doing it wrong. I actually would like to PM you about process to see how you got all that to ferment down. I can see how my post could be taken negatively but I didn't mean it and apologize if I offended. I have to imagine it is ridiculously tasty!

 

[bigk84]

It sounds amazing, in no way did I mean to say you were doing it wrong. I actually would like to PM you about process to see how you got all that to ferment down. I can see how my post could be taken negatively but I didn't mean it and apologize if I offended. I have to imagine it is ridiculously tasty!

nothing taken negatively. Sorry for my delayed response on this, I was out of town drinking lambic on the streets of Boston with GuzzleMcBrew this past weekend. PM me anytime with questions, happy to talk mead/beer.

 

[jivex5k1]

So I looked up some brett strain info. Seems like brett has a pretty high tolerance for alcohol in general, but I wonder how high. According to a calculator I found online, if my mead ferments all the way through it will be 25% abv. I might cut the must in half with some water, that's pretty damn strong and probably won't taste great.

 

[RunninMixz]

So should this still be chugging a month later?

 

[mjohnson171]

Transferred my Super Berry Melomel into secondary and got a much higher volume than I expected! Primary had about 6 gal including 16+ lbs of fruit. Ended up with about 5 gal in secondary!

 

[RunninMixz]

Transferred my Super Berry Melomel into secondary and got a much higher volume than I expected! Primary had about 6 gal including 16+ lbs of fruit. Ended up with about 5 gal in secondary!

Yum!!!

 

[lb304854]

Transferred my Super Berry Melomel into secondary and got a much higher volume than I expected! Primary had about 6 gal including 16+ lbs of fruit. Ended up with about 5 gal in secondary!

Let's be friends.

 

[mjohnson171]

Let's be friends.

When it's ready I'll bring a bottle or two to the next tasting we happen to both be at. The last time our path's crossed was at Gonzoillini 's house for powz87 's birthday.

 

[lb304854]

When it's ready I'll bring a bottle or two to the next tasting we happen to both be at. The last time our path's crossed was at Gonzoillini 's house for powz87 's birthday.

I remember meeting you at Tony's actually. Thought it was at Tony's birthday, probably because I try not to remember powz87.

 

[jivex5k1]

Picked up some more honey since my first batch is still fermenting after over a month. Got 6lbs this time, going to use half of it in a gallon carboy which should leave room for about 3/4 of a gallon of water. Got yeast nutrient on hand, and will be pitching ECY dirty dozen into it.

Maybe I should read up on mead techniques this time instead of just throwing **** in a carboy. I won't though.

 

[pdurrrr]

What I've been lacking in posting I've been making up for in brewing

The three on the left are an experiment with fruit additions.
All in secondary
Half primary, half secondary
All in primary

Apple in the middle

Next 2 are strawberry, one will get a chocolate addition before bottling

Final one is a cherry, lime Serrano mead

 

[RunninMixz]

What I've been lacking in posting I've been making up for in brewing

The three on the left are an experiment with fruit additions.
All in secondary
Half primary, half secondary
All in primary

Apple in the middle

Next 2 are strawberry, one will get a chocolate addition before bottling

Final one is a cherry, lime Serrano mead

 

[Beerontwowheels]

My tart cherry mead took third place in the philly regionals of NHC! Stoked!

 

[FTowne1]

My tart cherry mead took third place in the philly regionals of NHC! Stoked!

Nice work!

 

[jivex5k1]

Well my new mead is fermenting very strongly. Been about 4 days now.
Didn't end up using dirty dozen, instead I put the dregs of the following beers into it:
Prairie Brett C
Mikkeller / Anchorage Invasion IPA
Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabazarrr
Crooked Stave Wild Sage

I smashed up some frozen blackberries and threw them in too. Didn't use much though, about 3/4 a pound into a gallon of must. Just happy it's fermenting from the dregs at all.

 

[Jb123]

Orange vanilla

 

[RunninMixz]

My first attempt thus far. Went big.

18lbs locally sourced wildflower honey.
3.5 Gallons of water.
71B Yeast packet
Added Energizer and Yeast nutrient First 3 days. Fermentation started roughly 24 hrs after pitch.

"Mistakes so far" based on my research:

Rehydrated the yeast hours before pitch,
In an bowl I forgot to sanitize, then left it out uncovered for hours .

Pitched it at 80°F which prob should have been done at a lower temp.

Stirred the must too vigorously at the top causing some foaming when I fed the must.

I hope it turns out. Not adding fruit until secondary so I can keep lots of fresh fruit flavor in it. Thinking strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants this batch. And planning on doing a smaller batch of pear / apple with Champagne yeast in the near future.

Still chugging. 6ish weeks. Normal?

 

[FTowne1]

Still chugging. 6ish weeks. Normal?

You're fermenting a ton of sugar, so I'd imagine that's probably normal.

 

[belvedere86]

After going through this thread I have 2 questions (and probably more when I start myself)

1) Do you use tap water or bottled water?

2) Do you ferment in plastic or glass jars? I heard plastic jars can let air through and turns the mead into vinegar?

 

[RunninMixz]

After going through this thread I have 2 questions (and probably more when I start myself)

1) Do you use tap water or bottled water?

2) Do you ferment in plastic or glass jars? I heard plastic jars can let air through and turns the mead into vinegar?

My primary is a 6.5 gallon plastic carboy. I also have a 5 gallon glass. My first rodeo though

 

[pdurrrr]

After going through this thread I have 2 questions (and probably more when I start myself)

1) Do you use tap water or bottled water?

2) Do you ferment in plastic or glass jars? I heard plastic jars can let air through and turns the mead into vinegar?

Distilled water and I use glass. Don't have experience with plastic though so can't say it would be wrong

 

[harrymel1]

Is $120 for 5 gallons of local raw honey a good deal?

 

[RunninMixz]

Is $120 for 5 gallons of local raw honey a good deal?

Great deal. Half of what I pay.

 

[rcubed1]

5 gallons is about 60 pounds right? So $2 a pound is a great deal.

 

[belvedere86]

Question: Where do you add the fruits? During primary or secondary fermentation? Schramm's adds all fruit in primary but most home mead makers seem to add only during secondary?

 

[RunninMixz]

Question: Where do you add the fruits? During primary or secondary fermentation? Schramm's adds all fruit in primary but most home mead makers seem to add only during secondary?

I'm going secondary since I want all the fresh fruit sugar and flavor to remain not ferment out.

 

[pdurrrr]

Question: Where do you add the fruits? During primary or secondary fermentation? Schramm's adds all fruit in primary but most home mead makers seem to add only during secondary?

No wrong or right way, will just taste different. Try different batches with different addition timings to see what you like best