Nutrients and other additives

[Stout Man]

I'm having a hard time figuring out how much nutrients to add to my must. I have fermaid-k and some DAP. My 5 gallon batch will have 20 lbs of honey. From instructions it looks like I need only 1 tsp of Fermaid-k and 1 tsp of DAP. Is this right? Some websites are saying to use 4 of 5 tsp of each nutrient for a 5 gallon batch.

Gotmead.com said "Use between 0.5 – 1 tsp. of both Energizer and Nutrient per gallon of Must. They can be added during the boil, or directly to the fermenter if the no boil method is used." I also have some campden tablets but I am going to pasturize my mead.

I also have some irish moss, acid blend, and tannin that I thought I might need later on. Should I go my taste as far as adding these or more by ph. I'll just be using ph paper.

 

[Stout Man]

Anyone know where I can get some pectic enzyme? Is it absolutely necessary to add when using fruit?

 

[malkore]

i think the pectic enzyme is if you're heating the fruit up first...I could be wrong though.

I used nothing 10 years ago in my raspberry mead and it came out fine.

 

[Yooper]

Pectic enzyme keeps the fruit pectins from gelling up. It's not absolutely necessary but I always use it. I like my wines and meads clear and if you have a pectin haze, it's not very attractive.

I don't know how much nutrient to add. I'd start with a low amount and gradually add more if needed.

No reason to use Irish Moss at all- that's a clearing agent use during a boil to precipitate proteins. (I use it in my beer). Using PH paper isn't really helpful in wine or mead making. So, I'd say go by taste. Tannin is potent stuff and I only add it in apple wines usually, and like 1/8 tsp. I use acid blend more often- I think it's mostly citric acid so sometimes I might use a lemon instead. Acid blend usually has a concentration like 50% citric acid, 25% tartaric acid, and 25% malic so if your wine/mead seems flat it might help depending on what kind of fruit and recipe your using.

These are all very general tips, since you didn't say exactly what you're making! If you're making a show mead with just honey and no fruit, the recipe would be different as to what to add.

 

[mgayer]

I agree with YooperChick. Depending on what your making makes a big difference. You don't need pectic enzyme unless your using fruit then I always add it, just to help with clearing!

Be very careful with Tannin and Acid additions to meads. Most meads don't need this and a little goes a very long way. Remember you can add a bit later if you need it but you cannot take it out. I would not worry about the PH strips unless you add acid blend and/or it sticks. The best range is about 3.4 to 3.8 Ph. This will change as different stages of fermentation happen.

As far as nutrients goes it all depends on the yeast you use. Champagne, 1118, and others don't need very much but do work better with some available. Lalvin D47 which is what I like in my meads requires a lot and would be around the 5 tsp range. What every you you really should do in three stages. Begining, right before secondary and then when racked to secondary carboy. I can guesstimate on second addition at 5 days and the 3rd addition on the 10th to 14th day when I rack. The yeast will improve the speed and cut down on off flavors.

Use the Campden and skip the boil! These are doing two different thing to the must. Pasturizing the must just kills the possible things that might hurt you and there is very few things in honey that would do that except for the refining process equipment. The Campden kills the wild yeast so it won't take over. Crush the Campden and add it 24 hours before adding your yeast. Lots of people have differing opions on the boil part but if you have processed this has been done already. The reason the boil was necessary was to remove bug parts and particles straight from the hive.

 

[Stout Man]

the honey i'm using is raw unfilterd grade a honey, according to the label. I guess I'll go ahead and use the campden tablets. i'm not going to add and fruit at first, later on and then I'll add some pectin, which I saw is 1/2 tsp per gallon. When I do add all my spices, lemon zest, and herbs should I do it first off or in the secondary? Because I will be adding fruit later to the secondary, should I put more/less water in the primary? I understand if I'm adding juice to just compensate for that but otherwise I'm unsure.

 

[mgayer]

the honey i'm using is raw unfilterd grade a honey, according to the label. I guess I'll go ahead and use the campden tablets. i'm not going to add and fruit at first, later on and then I'll add some pectin, which I saw is 1/2 tsp per gallon. When I do add all my spices, lemon zest, and herbs should I do it first off or in the secondary? Because I will be adding fruit later to the secondary, should I put more/less water in the primary? I understand if I'm adding juice to just compensate for that but otherwise I'm unsure.

Your has already been pasturized! Any honey that uses the grading scales must be pasturized to be grade A, AA, or AAA. It is just not pressed through a filter. The difference will be how fresh you want the spices and zest to be in the end. I like adding them to the secondary now. I didn't do this years ago but I do believe it gives a fresher flavor from the secondary.

I would use the required amount to the primary as you can ferment what you pull off when adding the fruit and then can top off when the fruit is removed during the racking.

 

[malkore]

I'd do spices in the secondary, or late in primary.

you can make a 'tea' with spices, and then add the tea to secondary. makes it easier to mix, adjust the spice flavors, and you don't have to mess with removing sticks of cinnamon (or whatever) from teh carboy.

zest of citrus fruits, I'd add the zest directly to secondary...like rack on top of it. and do make sure you really clean the hell out of them before zesting to reduce potential contamination. however by secondary, you'll have a fair amount of alcohol to fight off some infections.

 

[Stout Man]

Ok. I think I'm ready to start the primary. If the honey is pasturized, do I still need the campden tablets?

 

[mgayer]

I always use it to insure the wild yeast that might be present is killed.

 

[sloppy]

you can make a 'tea' with spices, and then add the tea to secondary. makes it easier to mix, adjust the spice flavors, and you don't have to mess with removing sticks of cinnamon (or whatever) from teh carboy.

zest of citrus fruits, I'd add the zest directly to secondary...like rack on top of it. and do make sure you really clean the hell out of them before zesting to reduce potential contamination. however by secondary, you'll have a fair amount of alcohol to fight off some infections.

For zests, you can soak 'em in a distilled spirit (e.g. vodka, rum or whatever) for a few days (or maybe even the whole duration of the primary, if you like) and it will do an excellent job of extracting the delicious essential oils. But best of all, you can dump it all into your secondary, without any worries, because nothing's gonna be living in your 80-proof 'tea.'