wine / mead

[Ster]

What if I made a gallon water/honey, and maybe a fruit juice. Pitch yeast, and just let set for a very long time in my ferm chamber?

Note: the chamber will also be used for several beers, so the mead will fluctuate from 60F to 34F every couple of weeks.

Also... I probably would really just let it sit. Id probably only rack it once.

 

[Chuckd76]

I make t'ej (Ethiopian mead) and letting it sit for a long time with a continuous fermentation is basically what I do.
I stick the fermenting t'ej in a fermenter (usually a gallon size) and taste it every week or so. When it gets to the level of sweetness I want it I rack it into an empty soda bottle and put it in the fridge.
The coldness of the fridge slows down the fermentation but the yeast continues to work and eventually the t'ej loses it's sweetness. Because it's in the fridge it takes a while and I just drink it as it continues to ferment and until it becomes too dry.
Then I start over.

 

[neo71665]

I'd be impressed if you made a gallon of water/honey. I own bees and know the work it takes them just to make honey alone.


Why not just use a proven recipe? Seems like you are just doing this to kill time. Might as well have something worth your wild in the end instead of just wasting some honey.

 

[Ster]

I mean a gallon recipe of a honey/water mixture (based on the recipe)

 

[tacks]

Temp fluctuations can and will kill or put yeast into dormancy, so if you're planning on having the temp drop more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit in a 24 hour period, you can most likely encounter complications. Especially if you're talking about dropping the temp below 40F. Below is a link to wine yeast data including temperatures that the yeasts will work best at. You may have more luck posting this in the mead forum as those who specialize in mead may have more information on fermenting that cold. I'm doing my second batch and it's fermenting at a steady 64F, and I intend on leaving it there for at least another 2 months (3 total in primary) before transferring.

Here's that link, best of luck! - http://winemakermag.com/component/com_yeasts/Itemid,165/view,chart/