Mead with US-05

cmhaynes · Jan 11, 2015

I'm curious about others' experience with using US-05 in a mead. I made my first BOMM (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/brays-one-month-mead-429241/) a few months back, and after reading a couple of the threads on gotmead that resulted in the BOMM recipe, I decided to try a version of it using US-05.

I made a 2.5 gallon recipe that also included 1.5 pounds of steeped crystal malts. My OG was ~ 1.090. I had planned on following the BOMM protocol for nutrient additions, and I made the first addition two days after pitching when the SG was ~ 1.060. Two days later (4 days after pitching), I was shocked to discover that the yeast had taken it down to 1.018. I knew I shouldn't add all the nutrients at that point so I only added half a tsp of Fermaid-K for good measure. Today, at day 7, it was down to 1.000.

I pitched the yeast warm at around 74F and then cooled the fermenter down to 64F. After that, the stick-on thermometer on the side of my bucket was between 64-68 for the entire week. Is it surprising that this yeast finished so quickly? I drank the sample today, and I didn't notice any obvious off-flavors. However, it truly is more "ale-like" than wy1388.

theonetrueruss · Jan 11, 2015

I think the crystal malts have more to do with the 'ale-like' nature of your meade than the s-05. Just a thought.

loveofrose · Jan 11, 2015

I tried US05 side by side when I was working out the BOMM. The tasting notes stated that it was very beer like. It's just how that yeast is.

Better brewing through science!

cmhaynes · Jan 11, 2015

Russ, when loveofrose did his ale yeast experiment over at gotmead, he remarked that the results of the US-05 fermentation were very beer like. There were no crystal malts in his recipe, but his comments about this yeast made me want to try adding some. Anyway, that's what I meant by 'ale-like', and if I hadn't tried his BOMM recipe first, I probably wouldn't have picked up on it.