Okay so I started my first batch and have no clue!!!

[DrummoRC]

I took a couple of lbs of honey back in September and started a batch of mead - my first!! So I did what I was told shake it once in a while add yeast nutrient in the the beginning!

Now I want to understand I need to do to finish the batch out properly?

Anyway

 

[buzzerj]

What kind of mead and what is the finishing gravity? Is it cleared up nice? Did you rack it to a new cleaned and sanitized container? If so, is it dropping any more lees? Are you planning to sweeten this batch up before bottling or do you want it dry? Is it tasting good now or does it need any acid blend or tannin? What yeast did you use? there's no real rush to bottling this or are you wanting it for some event? Let us know more to advise you further.

 

[loveofrose]

Read this to learn what you are doing:

Current Mead Making Techniques
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html

Then fire away questions.


Better brewing through science!

 

[DrummoRC]

Sorry put this out there and then forgot about it! Very sorry!

This being my first batch I just bought 3lb container from the store - nothing fancy! One gallon batch

I started it in sept have not transferred it or racked it.

It is very clear!

Yeast US-05

I have not opened it to check FG! Don't want wastes any by checking gravity 😄 need a refractometer

I used nutrients in the beginning days and shook it once and a while for the first weeks!

I thought I understood that mead should ferment for a year or so? Did I miss understand and it should be AGED for a year?

So my question I guess is what should I do next ? Bottle or Move to a secondary for a few more months?

Any feed back is appreciated!

 

[loveofrose]

All your questions are answered in the article posted above. Enjoy!


Better brewing through science!

 

[DrummoRC]

never mind. thanks anyway

 

[Psylocide]

gee thanks for all the feed back

I just read the article... really explains things nicely, and I've never made mead (probably will now, hello empty 1 gal glass jugs).

I would try that, might help.

No more. With the current understanding of fermentation requirements, there is no reason why fermentation shouldn't be complete in 7-14 days. Fast, clean, healthy fermentations are the key to mead that is drinkable quickly. How quick to drinkable largely depends on the yeast you use. Wine yeast-based meads tend to be on the order of 6+ months while ale yeast can be quite tasty in a few months. Some extreme cases like my Bray's One Month Mead are drinkable in a month!

Drop a sanitized hydrometer in for gravity readings. I often leave it in the jug!

Racking is the transfer of your mead off the gross lees (yeast cake at the bottom) after primary fermentation. The gross lees are prone to giving off flavors to mead if left in contact with the mead too long. Some yeasts are worse than others at producing these off flavors. Rack to be safe!

 

[DrummoRC]

This answered the question for me:

"Not Racking the Mead - Racking is the transfer of your mead off the gross lees (yeast cake at the bottom) after primary fermentation. The gross lees are prone to giving off flavors to mead if left in contact with the mead too long. Some yeasts are worse than others at producing these off flavors. Rack to be safe!"

 

[DrummoRC]

Okay so check the gravity and I hope it is not Final = 1.032! The Mead has been fermenting since late September and as mentioned previously. I thought I was following the process with the first weeks as described in the link mentioned above ! So I transferred it to secondary fermentation vessel instead of racking it.

I am curious if I should re-pitch some yeast or will this ferment on it own if I leave it long enough?

If I should re-pitch some yeast - do you have any suggestions? Currently I have a Belgian Double fermenting - Testing out the Safale T-58. I was thinking of wasting that yeast out after it is done and using that since it should be fairly tolerant to the alcohol in the mead.

 

[buzzerj]

If you started the mead in September using S-05 yeast, the mead is done. The residual sugars are not going to be metabolized by that yeast any further. You didn't follow the recipe for a BOMM with your yeast selection so now you have a very sweet beery mead. Based on the amount of honey and the fact you don't wish to waste any mead taking a S.G. reading, I'm assuming you have a one gallon batch going. What was your Original Gravity for this batch? For the sake of argument let's say your O.G. was 1.100. If so then your mead is currently about 9% ABV. If you do wish to repitch and dry it out, you could pitch an activate champagne yeast like EC-1118 (plus Go-Ferm) provided you have space for the added volume. But the O2 is out of the mead at this point, so it would be a bit difficult for this yeast to get started and the final mead may still take 6-12 months to finish. I'd rather you rack your current beery mead as it is and hold it for later blending with another larger batch or drink it sweet as it is and chalk it up to a good first experimental batch. But don't be discouraged. You can only go up from here. You have every chance for success in your next batch. What you do is follow Bray's instructions to the letter, use the right yeast, good nutrition and proper management. Alternatively, make a traditional mead using a wine yeast and drink it in a year. Either way, study on how to make a final product you can reliably make and be proud of. You came to the right place. Read and learn all you can.

 

[DrummoRC]

Thanks for the reply! Very helpful! You actually reinforced what I had assumed was the situation.

The choice of yeast was purely a question of what I had on hand at the time - kind of a from the hip attempt not well planned. I think I will attempt to dry it out because it is currently undrinkable in my opinion since it is SOOOO sweet! I will get some EC-1118 as suggested. If it does not work the only thing I really lost was little time - and a few $$s but nothing ventured nothing gained.

One last point:
Now that I moved the Mead to secondary I see airlock activity. Albeit slow but activity none the less - not sure if I should be too hopeful that I may get a little attenuation by letting it sit a while longer?

Either way this will not be the last batch I attempt and I might even follow the recommended process are laid out so well in the the link previously listed in this thread.

 

[buzzerj]

Yes it will attenuate if you see airlock activity. I've not had problems with S-05 in beers. But the EC-1118 if you get it activated and better if you can make up a starter with more honey and let that go awhile to build up the cell population, I'd say you have a good chance to dry it out. Keep positive!