Strawberry mead

[CaptainCoJo]

I'll be making a 1 gal batch and I was wondering if lalvin 71b would ferment it dry. I like my meads somewhat sweet but not overpowering. Here's what I was gonna use.
3 lbs clover honey
3 lbs strawberries
Lalvin 71b (has been sitting in my room for about 7 months, don't know if yeast goes bad or not)
I also have some nutrient and energizer about the same age but don't know how much to use. Any suggestions to alter the recipe would be appreciated. Thanks!


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[MarshmallowBlue]

I like to ferment everything dry, then back-sweeten it to my liking. It's much easier to control that way.

Nutrients: Add 1/2 Tsp at the start and another half a couple days later if you don't want to be picky about it (if you do, google Staggered nutrient addition)

I'd add the strawberries in secondary to save some aroma for the finished product as primary will blow it out the airlock.

 

[Arpolis]

71b will ferment that dry but most wine yeast would ferment it dry. That being said 71b will make a fine melomel for you. I did a strawberry melomel using strawberry jam rather than fresh strawberries and with using 71b yeast it turned out great. I think adding the strawberries up front is not bad. But saving some strawberries to add to secondary will improve the berry flavor and aroma. Just when it ferments dry and you let it clear mostly. Mix in a crushed Camden tablet and 1/2 tsp of potassium sorbate. Wait 24 hours then add your additional strawberries and a little honey to bump up the gravity. Let that sit for at least another 30 days and then you can siphon off the clear liquid and either bottle or bulk age from there.

 

[CaptainCoJo]

I like to ferment everything dry, then back-sweeten it to my liking. It's much easier to control that way.

Nutrients: Add 1/2 Tsp at the start and another half a couple days later if you don't want to be picky about it (if you do, google Staggered nutrient addition)

I'd add the strawberries in secondary to save some aroma for the finished product as primary will blow it out the airlock.

Thanks for the advice. I'm guessing energizer won't be needed?

71b will ferment that dry but most wine yeast would ferment it dry. That being said 71b will make a fine melomel for you. I did a strawberry melomel using strawberry jam rather than fresh strawberries and with using 71b yeast it turned out great. I think adding the strawberries up front is not bad. But saving some strawberries to add to secondary will improve the berry flavor and aroma. Just when it ferments dry and you let it clear mostly. Mix in a crushed Camden tablet and 1/2 tsp of potassium sorbate. Wait 24 hours then add your additional strawberries and a little honey to bump up the gravity. Let that sit for at least another 30 days and then you can siphon off the clear liquid and either bottle or bulk age from there.

I'm interested in using some up front since I'll be using a blow off tube so would you suggest 1 lb strawberries at the start and 2 lbs after the fermentation or the other way around?

Thanks again for the advice guys.





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[Leithoa]

The handful of meads I've made never needed a blow off tube. I've used 71b, D47 and bakers yeast and all three were fairly subdued ferments. I made a blackberry melomel with 71b last year with 3lbs berries 3 lbs honey. I added the berries in primary and got IMO the perfect balance of berry and honey flavor in the finished product. I've heard strawberry flavor doesn't last so you might want to consider adding more berries or drinking young

Also be careful. My ferment stalled and started back up after I bottled. I didn't get any bottle bombs but I found out the hard way when I launched a zork +20ft high and gushed half the bottle all over some patio furniture.

 

[Arpolis]

1lb up front and 2lb afterwards sounds good. I also agree a blow off tube may not really be needed. But I usually siphon off enough must to fit a pop bottle and place that in the fridge. After a week I top up the carboy with what is in the fridge. That way I have plenty of headspace during violent fermentation.

I always use energizer in meads. I mix up 1tsp nutrient and 1/2 tsp energizer. I split it into 3 parts with one part added up front and the other two added over the first week.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

The handful of meads I've made never needed a blow off tube. I've used 71b, D47 and bakers yeast and all three were fairly subdued ferments.

This batch needs a word with you. JAOV with strawberries and a Lemon (bread yeast)

 

[Leithoa]

Wow! that's impressive. Did you use any energizer/nutrient? I normally do staggered additions and my yeast seem slow and steady. Is that what you did?
Maybe I'm under feeding?

 

[Arpolis]

Hahahaha. That's why I take some must out prior to yeast pitch regardless of style or yeast used.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Hahahaha. That's why I take some must out prior to yeast pitch regardless of style or yeast used.

I did Oh, and the foam that was seeping out of it (not pictured) tasted really effin' good.

Nope, Just like JAOM style I didn't add any nutrients. I even skipped the raisins. I think it may have to do with yeast and the acid level.

But to get this back on topic. If you're really scared of an eruption and cleaning your walls, and ceiling, and looking for your airlock in your pantry... Just use a bucket.

 

[CaptainCoJo]

Okay so I made it and I added 1/2 tsp of nutrient and 1/4 energizer at pitch and it was taking off really nicely. I aerated everytime I passed it and after two days or so I aerated it and added 1/4 tsp nutrient ad around 1/8 tsp energizer ( I really just eyeballed it and tried to half a 1/4 spoon) and gave it another good shake. Around an hour later I happened to walk past it and saw it was about to erupt and take the airlock off so I rushed around sanitizing a stopper and some tubing and stuck it on there. The next morning ( which was about 10 hours later) the fermentation rate is nowhere near as lively as it was before I had the threat of overflow. Good or bad?
Also I do intend to top it off after my last addition of nutrient to decrease headspace.

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[Arpolis]

Wait a couple days after that last nutrient addition before you top it off. You want the fermentation well died down befor you top it off. But really active mead is healthy mead so you look good.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Yup, wait til fermentation is really died down to top off. It will start to ferment again but be much more subdued. Also looks like that blow-off tube payed off in dividends.