Mead Lover's Digest #0262 Tue 1 February 1994

 

Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Coordinator

 

Contents:

Re: Slow fermentation (Jay Hersh)
lots more qwuesitons (Jim Sims)

 

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Subject: Re: Slow fermentation
 From: Jay Hersh <hersh@x.org>
 Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 12:01:45 EST
 

Relax don't worry. I have a batch that I started March 13, 1993!!!
It has 12 lbs of honey and enough water to make a total volume of 3 gallons.
My hydrometer didn't measure up that far, but according to Tom Gorman's
specific gravity chart the starting gravity of this puppy was 1.157
I have racked it a few times and it has been fermenting steadily for 10.5
months now and is still going at a nice even clip, not ripping but
still steady. Someday soon I'm gonna take a hydormeter reading again.
The last one over 2 months ago was 1.070 but I'm trying to get it to go to

1.040….

JaH

 

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Subject: lots more qwuesitons
 From: sims@scra.org (Jim Sims)
 Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 14:48:50 EST
 

A friend brought me a botlle of "Chaucer's Mead" from the Bargetto
Winery in Soquel, CA. It was SUPBERB! <insert std disclaimer>

It brought a whole bunch of question up, though.

Chaucer's tasted very much of honey, and slightly sweet. Mead's
that I have made were (carnonated and) much drier. How do they
do that? My guesses would be:

Use a yeast that poops out at the stated 11% alcohol level and more
than enough honey for 11%, thus leaving some unfermented.

"nuke" the yeast with campden tabs or <something> when fermetned far
enough.

My meads are typically 5 gal H20, coupla lemons, yeast nutrient – boil
10 minutes. Add honey & steep 20 min. Cool & pitch yeast. Suggestions?
Sometimes I add fruits after racking (plum, raspberry, blackberry).

Any idea what yeast the comemrcial meaderies use?

Any pointer to commercial Meaderies?

Does anyone else use Irish Moss for fining in the boil? How about gelatin
after the first racking?

Someone asked me about supplying a (mass) quantity of Mead for an upcomi
event. Any hints on scaling from 5 gallon recipe to 100 gallons? No, I
dont wanna make 20 batches 😉

Do any commercial meaderies produce sparkling meads? Do they 'naturally'
carbonate and thus have yeast in the bottle (like mine) or do they carbonate
like commercial Champagne producers? How do they do that, so as to not have
'yeast dregs' in the bottle?

tia,

jim

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End of Mead Lover's Digest #262

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