skeptical first timer, did i ruin it?

[firstymer]

Long story short, I tried a mead at a micro brewery and loved it. Thought if my brother could brew beer and my friends can brew wine, I should be able to make something too. I started a batch, everything went well (or so i thought) it bubbled and stopped and i tasted it, and it was aweful. I finished the process and it was still aweful. I did some research, found a recipe that looked a little more beginnerish, and now I'm wondering if I missed steps that were implied to a novice but easily over looked by a beginner. (hence the "skeptical" portion of the title)

So here it is, the exact recipe I used.

-2.5 gallons of cherry juicy juice (instead of water)
-7.5lbs of honey
-1 packet of lalvin 71-B yeast
-1/2 pound of cherrys halved and pitted (i bought a bag of frozen already pitted so i just halved them and dropped them in the carboy)
-1 table spoon of cinnamon

I warmed one gallon of juicy juice to 110f, and stirred in the honey.

I then used the other gallon and a half chilled in the fridge to cool the must back to 75ish degrees f (whatever the yeast packet said, i dont recall now)

i then added everything else, the yeast, cherries, and cinnamon.

3 weeks went by, the first 2 weeks were a consistent bubble, nothing too crazy. i did not use any additives, what I mentioned is what is in it. The last week was pretty slow, no bubbling through the air lock and tapered off drastically toward the end of the third week to nothing. (still nothing has been added)

I tasted it after the 3 weeks and it was pretty good, how i would have expected it to taste, based on my beginner mead tasting skills. tasted like cherries and honey, with alcohol. (im very happy with the taste)

My instructions then said to rack once a week. My first rack after the 3week rack will be wednesday afternoon. doing random research though, im wondering if i screwed up by not using any sort of additives (campden tablets, potassium sorbate, acid (which i think is just flavor....) or what have ya)


I suppose my question is, will this mead (melomel?) still turn out? or did I make a rookie mistake somewhere and my recipe was intended for a more advanced brewer that knows what goes on behind the scenes.


Also, if i did screw up. Is it fixable?



Thanks in advance for the input, I appreciate all constructive criticism. =)


Oh also, its in a 5 gallon carboy =/

 

[snuesen]

An entire tbsp of cinnamon seems a bit high for a 3 gallon batch..

First things first is you need to get a hydrometer and see if you're done fermenting. Once you determine that it's finished, then you can worry about Campden and sorbate. Acid is probably not something to worry about for this one.

One thing to worry about is keeping only 3 gallons in a 5g carboy. That can lead to a cardboard taste over time, or worse. The other thing is your yeast needs to be racked from periodically. Maybe not every 3 weeks but whenever you see sediment on the bottom, don't let it sit there for more than a month or two.

As far as tasting bad now, that's not something to worry about right now. You may have to give it a year before it comes into its own.

 

[firstymer]

I have a hydrometer, forgot to take a original measurment as I got distracted with something else.

According to my instructions im supposed to rack rack tomorrow. Can I take a reading then and match it to my next rack reading to tell if fermentation has stopped?

Also, would it be wise of me to purchase a 2ish gallon carboy on my way home to rack into?

 

[ACbrewer]

I have a hydrometer, forgot to take a original measurment as I got distracted with something else.

According to my instructions im supposed to rack rack tomorrow. Can I take a reading then and match it to my next rack reading to tell if fermentation has stopped?

Also, would it be wise of me to purchase a 2ish gallon carboy on my way home to rack into?

you can rack tomorrow. the idea of racking after 1 or 2 months maks sense after the first racking. Right now you probably have a lot of sediment already - mostly cherry skins and such. But in generally rack ever 1 to 2 months as you get a bit of sediment.

yes get a 2 gallon carboy on the way home. Anything that doesn't fit you can A drink or B fridge and then A drink

Take a hydro reading. We might beable to backfigure the OG, but to determine if it is finished, you want to take several readings and see if there is any change - these readings (if it were beer) would be a few days apart, but since Mead can stop and restart, you might need more time between them.

based on your ingredients I've got about 100 points from the juice (typically about 40 points per gallon) and another 277.5 points from the honey (typically 37 per gallon) for about 378 in a little over 3 gallons (I've got it at 3.125ish) not including the frozen cherries.

Ballpark OG in the 120 range.

Make sure you sanatize anything that touches the mead (well the hydro sample can be drunk so no need there).