Second mead started

[Jug3049]

I started a batch of JAOM following its exact recipe just over 2 weeks ago, and decided to use the rest of the honey I had and start another batch with a lower alcohol percent and using only honey.

Here's basically how I did it:
1) Sanitize absolutely everything
2) Mix warm water with honey until it's liquid enough to pour
3) Keep mixing warm water with honey until the SG is 1.050 (Ended up being 1.051)
4) Pitch 1 tsp of EC-1118 yeast once temperature is low enough

I have it just covered with a cloth and rubber band right now and will airlock it after 5 days or so, whenever it settles down.

No recipe was followed but hopefully it will provide a nice tasting, easy drinking mead. I'm fearing that my JAOM will end up as rocket fuel with its SG of 1.132.

How long would a 5%-6% mead like this take to age? I've seen things saying something along the lines of my JAOM will take a year or more.

 

[Leithoa]

Unless you used non-bread yeast the JOAM is designed to the alcohol tolerance of the yeast and have enough residual sweetness to not require more than 2-3 months from pitch to consumption.

 

[Jug3049]

Yeah I used bread yeast for the JAOM, but still thought it required a long aging time. It would be great to drink it that soon!

17% alcohol though seemed a bit high, which is why I wanted to try a weaker one also, i'm looking to have a nice drinking one that won't get me wasted after 1 glass.

 

[Leithoa]

JAOM is ready as soon as it clears which according to the recipe is as early as 2 months

 

[fatbloke]

JAOM is ready as soon as it clears which according to the recipe is as early as 2 months

Whereas, there are many of us, me included, who enjoy JAO but feel it needs ageing further...

I like a minimum time scale of 6 months from pitch to first drink.....

 

[Arpolis]

The JAOM will not be 17% ABV. That is why bread yeast is used and no commercial yeast nutrients. It will peter out around 12%-13%. Even still I agree with the 6 month minimum on aging for you to be really happy with it but it is consumable at 3 months.

The mead you just made may still need at least a good 6 months of aging. Ec-1118 is a bit aggressive for mead so there may be some lost honey character too. Use a crushed Camden and sorbate with this new mead when done fermenting and back sweeten it to at least 1.01 and it will help shave some time off of required aging.

 

[Jug3049]

Here's a quick update:
Simple Mead (Honey, water and yeast only) has been at 1.00 for a few days now and airlock has stopped bubbling. Final ABV: 6.69%

Racked it, it's a little cloudy but see-through, i'm going to let it sit and clear for a while.

The smell is not what I was expecting, it's off-putting, like sour smelling honey. I've never smelled a real mead before so I don't know if this is what it should smell like. My JAOM smells like Blue Moon Beer, but that has several other things in it.

Tried a small sample and it has almost no flavor, and the flavor it does have is surprisingly good, considering the smell.

One last thing, the left over honey and water mixture that wouldn't fit in my starter (only about 6 oz) I put in a smaller jug as an experiment. I didn't add any yeast to it, just honey and water, and it's fermenting. Wondering how this one will turn out.