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Linkultra13

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Hi, this is my first time brewing mead at home. I got all the equipment and fruits and flavors. I wanted to make two gallons in 4 1/2 gallon mason jars. I wanted to make different meads in each jar. Can I make the traditional mead base then add flavors after pouring in mason jars ?
 
You can certainly add fruits, etc. to the fermenter. In fact, that's typical.

But 4 1/2 gallon jars isn't going to be enough volume to ferment 2 gallons of mead. You need some head space to avoid blowoff.
 
Agree with @VikeMan. You'll need at least one more 1/2 gallon jar. 2 might be better.
If I'm gonna use different recipes per half gallon do I put the yeast after pouring the half gallons and mixing the fruits ans flavors? Or do I do it in the beginning while mixing the honey with water
 
If you have a vessel, a bucket can suffice, that will hold all of it with at least 2 inches of head space, it will work better to pitch your yeast into the total batch for primary fermentation. Once fermentation slows, likely a week or more, then you can separate it into smaller vessels and add the fruit. Make sure you have sufficient head space in your secondaries and let them work off for a couple weeks then taste them. More time will improve your meads that will then be melomels.
 
If you have a vessel, a bucket can suffice, that will hold all of it with at least 2 inches of head space, it will work better to pitch your yeast into the total batch for primary fermentation. Once fermentation slows, likely a week or more, then you can separate it into smaller vessels and add the fruit. Make sure you have sufficient head space in your secondaries and let them work off for a couple weeks then taste them. More time will improve your meads that will then be melomels.
Oof I don't have a bucket top. I was gonna mix everything and pour into mason jars then ferment there with the fruits and flavors in the first fermentation. Then after put into new second jars for the second and racking maybe aging in there as well
 
Do you have lids for your jars with a hole to attach an air lock? If not you will have to leave the lids slightly loose so Co2 can escape. While that will work, you will need to keep at least an inch of head space for krausen. Other wise you will end up with bottle bombs.
 
Do you have lids for your jars with a hole to attach an air lock? If not you will have to leave the lids slightly loose so Co2 can escape. While that will work, you will need to keep at least an inch of head space for krausen. Other wise you will end up with bottle bombs.
Yes four of them I have airlock the other 2 I closed them with plastic wrap cause I've looked up that that works. I've left around 4 fingers of head space which I think it might be too much cause of the oxidation am I correct? I might add some fermaid o tonight.
 
I've left around 4 fingers of head space which I think it might be too much cause of the oxidation am I correct?

That would not be too much headspace in a primary fermenter. At the beginning of fermentation, the yeast need the O2.
 
That would not be too much headspace in a primary fermenter. At the beginning of fermentation, the yeast need the O2.
Ok awesome when I made the traditional mead in the bucket I added around 3.5 grams of red star rogue and about 3grams of fermaid o is that enough? Then I poured the mix in the half gallon mason jars then added fruit and one I added vanilla extract and cinnamon then shook it. I only read the hydrometer for the mead in the bucket should I have read it individually too?
 
Yeast need oxygen for the initial stage of fermentation, so headspace is not a problem. You could start your 2 gallons of mead in a 5 gallon bucket. Cover it with a thin dish towel and tie it on with a piece of string. Stir it twice a day for the first few days.

Then when fermentation is mostly finished, usually in about a week, siphon it off into your 1/2 gal jars and add airlocks. At that point, you want to have as little headspace as possible. Mason jars are not ideal because they have a wider neck, which means a greater surface area of the mead exposed to oxygen. If you could get two 1-gal glass jugs you could use those and add airlocks.
 
Yeast need oxygen for the initial stage of fermentation, so headspace is not a problem. You could start your 2 gallons of mead in a 5 gallon bucket. Cover it with a thin dish towel and tie it on with a piece of string. Stir it twice a day for the first few days.
I'll add to this and say that anything targeting 12% and higher should be considered as mandatory to use oxygen through a .5 micron stone. You want something in the area of 8-10 PPM of O2 in your must.

Method of Aeration for 5 gallonsOxygen PPM
Shaking for 5 minutes2.71 PPM
Pure 02 for 30 seconds5.12 PPM
Pure O2 for 60 seconds9.2 PPM
Pure O2 for 120 seconds14.08 PPM
The above O2 numbers are with ½ micron aeration stone at 75F. This is from test data by White Labs.

If harvesting yeast for use again, higher O2 levels are desired as low O2 levels will increase the lag phase.
Repeat 12-18 hours after yeast pitch. This will increase fermentation speed and yeast attenuation. This second dose can speed fermentation by as much as 33%.
 
I'll add to this and say that anything targeting 12% and higher should be considered as mandatory to use oxygen through a .5 micron stone. You want something in the area of 8-10 PPM of O2 in your must.

Method of Aeration for 5 gallonsOxygen PPM
Shaking for 5 minutes2.71 PPM
Pure 02 for 30 seconds5.12 PPM
Pure O2 for 60 seconds9.2 PPM
Pure O2 for 120 seconds14.08 PPM
The above O2 numbers are with ½ micron aeration stone at 75F. This is from test data by White Labs.

If harvesting yeast for use again, higher O2 levels are desired as low O2 levels will increase the lag phase.
Repeat 12-18 hours after yeast pitch. This will increase fermentation speed and yeast attenuation. This second dose can speed fermentation by as much as 33%.
I'm not gonna lie idk what half of that is and I don't have an aerating thing so I just shake the half gallons and maybe add more yeast 🤷
 
I'll add to this and say that anything targeting 12% and higher should be considered as mandatory to use oxygen through a .5 micron stone. You want something in the area of 8-10 PPM of O2 in your must.

Method of Aeration for 5 gallonsOxygen PPM
Shaking for 5 minutes2.71 PPM
Pure 02 for 30 seconds5.12 PPM
Pure O2 for 60 seconds9.2 PPM
Pure O2 for 120 seconds14.08 PPM
The above O2 numbers are with ½ micron aeration stone at 75F. This is from test data by White Labs.

If harvesting yeast for use again, higher O2 levels are desired as low O2 levels will increase the lag phase.
Repeat 12-18 hours after yeast pitch. This will increase fermentation speed and yeast attenuation. This second dose can speed fermentation by as much as 33%.

I'm not gonna lie idk what half of that is and I don't have an aerating thing so I just shake the half gallons and maybe add more yeast 🤷
Yep, it is certainly best practice but we all have our limitations - time, financial, comprehension, energy, etc. Hit as many best practices as you can, and don't sweat those that you can't.

And enjoy your mead, which should turn out great.
 
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