New to Mead

[rwinzing]

Hey All,

I am a brewer and I have a decent setup but have never made mead. I have a couple of stainless steel 3.5 gallon buckets by ss brewtech I was going to ferment a batch of mead in. They have a cone bottom (not a full on conical but close) Is there any issues in using them to ferment in?

Also I have an electric brew kettle. Is there any issues I should be aware using that as well?

Thanks!

 

[gunhaus]

Your fermentor will be fine - no issues. You don't really need the brew kettle under most circumstances with mead. I would personally start with a recipe and honey that does not necessarily require cooking and skimming.

 

[rwinzing]

Thank you!

 

[bernardsmith]

Yeah... in 2018 in industrialized countries I don't know that you need heat to make a simple mead. Water is generally potable - so no need to boil the water - and spring water is best (IMO), and if that is considered potable in your neck of the wood then there is absolutely no need to boil off all the O2 in the water.

Today, honey is extracted in ways that do not require the end user - ie the mead maker - to heat the honey to remove wax and other adulterants. Heating honey simply removes the aromatics and can destroy the flavor. (There is one type of mead that does require heat - and that is a bochet but bochets involve caramelizing the honey to bring out caramel flavor and so you destroy the native flavors... ) But bottom line: mead making ain't brewing, honey ain't grain and mead ain't beer.
Last point: the thing is that whereas with beer, fermentation is measured in a few weeks , so having a secondary fermenter (or a primary used as both primary and secondary) with a wide diameter top may not be an issue. In mead making where OFTEN - but not always - fermentation is measured in months (occasionally longer) you need a secondary fermenter with a narrow neck to inhibit oxidation. Your SS fermenter may have a narrow neck (I am not familiar with your set up) but if it doesn't and you have a glass or plastic carboy that might be a better choice to use after active fermentation has ceased...What is good for brewing is not always so good in mead making and what is good in mead making often raises eyebrows among brewers...

 

[rwinzing]

Yeah... in 2018 in industrialized countries I don't know that you need heat to make a simple mead. Water is generally potable - so no need to boil the water - and spring water is best (IMO), and if that is considered potable in your neck of the wood then there is absolutely no need to boil off all the O2 in the water.

Today, honey is extracted in ways that do not require the end user - ie the mead maker - to heat the honey to remove wax and other adulterants. Heating honey simply removes the aromatics and can destroy the flavor. (There is one type of mead that does require heat - and that is a bochet but bochets involve caramelizing the honey to bring out caramel flavor and so you destroy the native flavors... ) But bottom line: mead making ain't brewing, honey ain't grain and mead ain't beer.
Last point: the thing is that whereas with beer, fermentation is measured in a few weeks , so having a secondary fermenter (or a primary used as both primary and secondary) with a wide diameter top may not be an issue. In mead making where OFTEN - but not always - fermentation is measured in months (occasionally longer) you need a secondary fermenter with a narrow neck to inhibit oxidation. Your SS fermenter may have a narrow neck (I am not familiar with your set up) but if it doesn't and you have a glass or plastic carboy that might be a better choice to use after active fermentation has ceased...What is good for brewing is not always so good in mead making and what is good in mead making often raises eyebrows among brewers...

Thanks for all the information. I will move to a glass carboy after primary is done. Thanks again.