New to mead brew.

[mjwj12]

Now I'm very excited to what I'm creating right now but I'm not sure what to do after fermentation.
Right now I've got a 4.5 gallon batch going
10lbs of honey
2lbs of brown sugar
8 oranges squeezed juice
6 or 7 cinnamon sticks.
D47 yeast for the fermentation.

Now I know mead takes a good minute to brew. But I'm not sure how long. Now I didn't go off a recipe, I just had a few ingredients in mind and I winged it.
It's fermenting right now after the first day. The steady temp is sitting right below 70 degrees.
What I really need is length of chilling time, and secondary racking. Also bottling time.
Thanks everyone!


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[mjwj12]

Also I added a yeast nutrient to it.
A whole cap full, dissolved it with some water and added it to the beginning mixture.


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[IJesusChrist]

You'll want to be adding yeast nutrient - about a tsp 24 hrs after active fermentation, 48 hours after, and then probably 6-7 days after - I would assume D47 goes quicker than ec-1118.

Its better to go by hydrometer readings though - every 1/3 mark add 1 tsp nutrient.

All the time frames are really case-specific. It will depend on when you hit the FG and what it is, whether you plan to use clearing (fining) agents, and whether you plan to use sorbate/metabisulfate for stabilizing. All of these will quicken your time to bottling.

 

[mjwj12]

You'll want to be adding yeast nutrient - about a tsp 24 hrs after active fermentation, 48 hours after, and then probably 6-7 days after - I would assume D47 goes quicker than ec-1118.

Its better to go by hydrometer readings though - every 1/3 mark add 1 tsp nutrient.

All the time frames are really case-specific. It will depend on when you hit the FG and what it is, whether you plan to use clearing (fining) agents, and whether you plan to use sorbate/metabisulfate for stabilizing. All of these will quicken your time to bottling.

Thanks for the advice.
Question though. When i do add the nutrients do i need to dissolve it in some water? it comes in a lil bottle, kinda chunky.
I know noting about the clearing agents or if i plan to use sorbate/metabisulfate. I guess i need to do more research..

 

[mjwj12]

Let me also let it be known, i know that mead takes a while for it to be good. Questions are what is a round about time for it to stay in primary and then rack to secondary?

 

[fuelish]

You really can't say it's going to take X amount of days/weeks/whatever, as the yeasties work on their own time, depending on a multitude of factors. I leave mine in primary until fermentation "appears" to have finished (which doesn't mean it has) and shows the beginnings of clearing, then rack to secondary and let it finish clearing, then take the few gravity samples several days apart to verify it's done fermenting, and then bottle when it's truly done.
It would be oh so convenient, but there is no timetable you can assign to this....I've had mead in secondary after a few weeks, I've had mead in primary for months...I'm not motivated enough to do multiple rackings so I try to keep it to prim and sec......"It depends....." is the only answer I can give.

It's like a recipe for cooking/baking something - you put all the ingredients together, but just because the recipe says "put in 375* oven for 35 minutes, turning once" doesn't mean it's going to be done in exactly 35 minutes ... you have to monitor and adjust accordingly, if you get my drift. Surest way to know when meat is done is to use a good meat thermometer and cook it to desired internal temp, just like using a hydrometer to ascertain when the mead is done fermenting. It's not cut and dried easy, but it ain't hard, by any means....it just varies with yeast choice, ingredients, environment, etc, etc

I would assume D47 goes quicker than ec-1118.

Can't comment on the D47 as I've not tried it yet, but 1118 is a runaway train beast of a yeast They'll chew through anything, it seems

 

[mjwj12]

You really can't say it's going to take X amount of days/weeks/whatever, as the yeasties work on their own time, depending on a multitude of factors. I leave mine in primary until fermentation "appears" to have finished (which doesn't mean it has) and shows the beginnings of clearing, then rack to secondary and let it finish clearing, then take the few gravity samples several days apart to verify it's done fermenting, and then bottle when it's truly done.
It would be oh so convenient, but there is no timetable you can assign to this....I've had mead in secondary after a few weeks, I've had mead in primary for months...I'm not motivated enough to do multiple rackings so I try to keep it to prim and sec......"It depends....." is the only answer I can give.

It's like a recipe for cooking/baking something - you put all the ingredients together, but just because the recipe says "put in 375* oven for 35 minutes, turning once" doesn't mean it's going to be done in exactly 35 minutes ... you have to monitor and adjust accordingly, if you get my drift. Surest way to know when meat is done is to use a good meat thermometer and cook it to desired internal temp, just like using a hydrometer to ascertain when the mead is done fermenting. It's not cut and dried easy, but it ain't hard, by any means....it just varies with yeast choice, ingredients, environment, etc, etc

Can't comment on the D47 as I've not tried it yet, but 1118 is a runaway train beast of a yeast They'll chew through anything, it seems

I did some research on the D47 and people like it and my local brewery shop had it so i went with it.
Thanks for all your help. im going to monitor it. Like i said, this is more of an experiment than anything. Im more of a beer guy, but there is a first time for everything.
Question on the nutrient though. Is it ok to just pour it in the fermenting mead? do i need to dissolve it?

 

[fuelish]

I did some research on the D47 and people like it and my local brewery shop had it so i went with it.
Thanks for all your help. im going to monitor it. Like i said, this is more of an experiment than anything. Im more of a beer guy, but there is a first time for everything.
Question on the nutrient though. Is it ok to just pour it in the fermenting mead? do i need to dissolve it?

Main reason I haven't used D47 (besides my LHBS not carrying it) is that it isn't meant to be fermenting at higher temperatures, and here in TN, I've only got a few months window for proper temps in the basement (and I haven't gotten around to a proper temp controlled fermentation chamber)...I usually use Lalvin's 1116 or 1118 - consumes everything and usually has enough oomph left to bottle carb - my better half loves her mead sparkling
As far as adding nutrients to fermenting mead, yeah, it can be done.....carefully - you can get a very messy "explosion" in the process, losing mead and a mess to clean. I've always just used a tiny amount of boiled/cooled water and dissolved it in that and then added and swirled....never had a problem with infections, and the amt of water isn't enough to alter the gravity, realistically....may not be the correct way, but....works for me...so far. I try to keep it is simple, mess free, and low budget as possible, to be honest....I ain't in this to make award winning mead, necessarily, just want to easily make an enjoyable adult beverage for me and mine with the least hassle possible....I only brew the occasional beer anymore, mainly mead - the exact opposite of years ago...heh

 

[mjwj12]

I decided to check the gravity while I add some nutrients after 48 hours.
Now I didn't check the og idk why so don't ask. But does this look about right?


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[progmac]

i am not in a position to offer advice on mead but i will share the progress of my gravity...

OG - 1.105
After 7 days - 1/3 sugar break
After 10 days - 1/2 sugar break
After 30 days - 1.015
It's still chugging along
I did staggered nutrient additions

 

[RegarRenill]

Your OG should have been around 1.100, so 1.090 after 48 hrs seems reasonable. What are the ambient temps like? D47 likes it below 70, low-mid 60s are best...lower temps usually mean a slower ferment. SNA would state your 2nd nutrient addition would be at 1.072 and your last at 1.036...

 

[mjwj12]

Your OG should have been around 1.100, so 1.090 after 48 hrs seems reasonable. What are the ambient temps like? D47 likes it below 70, low-mid 60s are best...lower temps usually mean a slower ferment. SNA would state your 2nd nutrient addition would be at 1.072 and your last at 1.036...

It is in a closet in a room sitting right below 70 so the closet is slightly lower. It's bubbling away right now. My blow off is no stop


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[mjwj12]

It's been a week now and I added nutrients at 48 hours and today at 7 days. All week it has been fermenting! Getting ver excited


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[IJesusChrist]

How does it smell? Taking some gravity readings?

 

[mjwj12]

How does it smell? Taking some gravity readings?

I will tonight


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[mjwj12]

took reading to after 7 days.



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[mjwj12]

Took a two week reading today.


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[mjwj12]

It's still bubbling here and that there. Going to check it again in another week.


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[IJesusChrist]

tasted any of it?
Smells ok?

 

[mjwj12]

tasted any of it?
Smells ok?

It's very sweet. Basically a honey wine. Got a lot of settling to do but it's getting there slowly.


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[IJesusChrist]

At 1.000 its too sweet??!

 

[mjwj12]

At 1.000 its too sweet??!

What is really too sweet?


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[IJesusChrist]

1.000 should be dry. 1.01 is around a tolerable sweetness for most, 1.02 is pushing it, and 1.03 is candy

 

[mjwj12]

It's still fermenting on its third week


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