My First Attempts at Mead

[bwhupp]

Well, I started it today after reading tons and then slowly acquiring the equipment. Now let's see if I did it alright!

I made two 1gallon jugs of an orange spiced mead with a variable of one having raisins and the other not having any (due to my father being allergic to raisins). After 2 hours, the one with raisins is fermenting real nicely but the one that doesn't is not doing anything. My recipe:

1 Gallon Glass Carboy
Roughly 3lbs of honey
1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of nutmeg and all spice
1 whole clove
topped off with spring water
One has 25-30 raisins, the other has 1/2tsp of fermK and 1/2tsp of DAP
1 packet of fleishman's yeast
OG - 1.09


The main batch I wanted to make and reason why I got into mead making was the following recipe. Smells great so far but not sure if it is fermenting or not. I am guessing it is but I have only pitched it couple hours of ago and do not have it on an airlock. I just have it loosely covered with the fermenter bucket lid at this point. I fear a foamy mess will occur so will wait a few days before covering it tight.

The recipe for this one

7 Gallon Fermenter Bucket
2 packets of Lalvin 1122
12# Frozen Strawberries from Walmart crushed into a fine mesh bag
18# wildflower autumnal honey
2 Quarts Welch's White Grape Cherry 100% Juice
1tsp of fermK and 1tsp of DAP
Filled up with spring water
OG was 1.1


I plan on stirring once or twice a day and adding 1/2tsp of each fermK and DAP for next 2 days. That sound about right?

Your comments and suggestions would be very much appreciated!

 

[bwhupp]

Here are my meads moving away.

Just racked into secondary with the big one. 6 gallons of the berry one. Tasting pretty nice and smells great! The color was unexpected to me.

 

[fatbloke]

Have you had any mead eruptions with the JAO batches and the jugs being so full ? Or did you top them up once theyd settled down ?...

 

[bwhupp]

I had a bit of leakage but nothing much to worry about. I left it as is and so far no problems.

 

[snuesen]

I may be wrong but if you get enough sugar in the airlock, that may create a path to allow infection to work its way in if there's a suck back. I'm hoping that "left as is" still means you cleaned up a bit!

 

[bwhupp]

Yes, I cleaned my airlocks but didn't top off higher. It foamed a small amount but not much. FIrst time making JAOM... I just racked it probably early, but it had a thick layer of lees. I went ahead and racked it because I racked the big one which had about 3/4" of lees already. Topped off with honey water on all 3. The JAOM tastes wicked strong and not too appealing right now. I made one with raisins and one without... the one without because my father is allergic to raisins but not grapes. Strange! Seeing if that works.. I did feed it with nutrients and energizer in replacement of the raisins.

Hoping that the JAOM relaxes as it will age long term now in the carboy until probably April/May. Will try it then and hope for the best! (I don't think the oranges were the greatest tasting prior... so I did use inferior ingredients so I will get what I deserve I am sure).