my first mead

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Here is the recipe

2# Orange Blossom Honey
1/2c packed Light Brown Sugar
3 medium oranges (zest only)
Yeast Energizer
1tsp bread yeast (from yoopers ancient orange mead thread)

not too sure what to expect from this... does anyone think I need to pick up yeast nutrients also, or is it too late for that now?

edit: I am not trying to follow any style I just went with what I thought sounded tasty

 

[malkore]

I think you need to keep the brown sugar OUT of this.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I think you should use a wine yeast, bread yeast is for bread.

 

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I think you should use a wine yeast, bread yeast is for bread.

If anything I would use mead yeast.... but you can use bread yeast

 

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I think you need to keep the brown sugar OUT of this.

what does brown sugar do in mead? I am not trying to follow any style but is there something I should know about?

 

[SpaceInvadingMonkeys]

I believe honey already provides plenty of sugar for the yeasties to ferment. Also just using honey will give you a good idea of what mead really tastes like. This taste will allow you to expand and experiment with mead to serve your own pallet.

I also would add in yeast nutrients. I could have this backwards but yeast energizer == stuff needed to aid in replication and yeast nutrients == vitamins. Someone more knowledgeable could correct me. But every recipe I've read requires you to use both at certain intervals.

I would also suggest using wine yeast instead of bread yeast. Use something simple like Montrachet yeast or maybe if you like dry stuff Champagne yeast or Pris de Mousse. The last two will give you something like Champagne but definitely sweeter (especially if you carbonate it). Or if you want something sweet, try out Wyeast's sweet mead yeast.

 

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Wyeast's sweet mead yeast would be my next option for yeast. The only reason I used bread yeast is because I saw if for yoopers post on ancient mead... as far as seeing that true mead tastes like, this was only 1 gallon and I plan on making 3 or 4 1 gallon batches this weekend with different flavors.

I mainly used the brown sugar for gravity points, also I like the way it tastes in certain beers so I thought why not

edit: it smell delish though!!!