Mead Lover's Digest #0518 Tue 17 December 1996

 

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

 

Contents:

Re: label stick-er (Dieter Dworkin Muller)
Re: Sticking Labels (MKoop1@aol.com)
Re: mead virgin (Steve Lamont)
RE:stick-ers (DFusion@aol.com)
Re: mead virgin (Peter Miller)
Attaching labels (William Chellis)
Re:Yeast Hulls and Repitching (Furthur24@aol.com)
bottling (George Smith)
label stick-er (Mike Munson)
RE:Label sticker ("Jonas Wetterlundh")
Labels ("Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)")
Re: label stick-er (Gary Shea)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #517, 14 December 1996 ("Dione Wolfe, Dragonweyr, New Mexico")

 

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Subject: Re: label stick-er
From: Dieter Dworkin Muller <dworkin@village.org>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 10:38:38 -0700

Brian Ehlert <behlert@host.cass.net> wrote:
: I am giving mead as a few gifts this christmas and I have gottn a friend to
: do some origional artwork for the label and now I have to figure out how to
: get it to stick and still reasonab;y reuse the bottles.

I've had good luck using glue sticks (UHU is one such brand).

Dworkin


Subject: Re: Sticking Labels
From: MKoop1@aol.com
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 15:42:02 -0500

In the last issue B. Elhert asked about adhesives for labels. I have found
"glue sticks" of several brands, available at office supply stores, to work
very well. Just put the label on carefully and smooth any air bubbles out.
Even the products which said "permanent" on the packaging seemed to remove
easily in hot soapy water.

Mark Koopman


Subject: Re:  mead virgin
From: spl@szechuan.ucsd.edu (Steve Lamont)
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 96 12:49:23 PST


> I'm brand new to meading and preparing to ferment my very first batch.
> I have what is likely a silly question….what is "pitching" the yeast?
> It sounds like I just mix the yeasts in with a spoon or something.

Basically, yes, though generally you want to start the yeasties going
in a starter medium a few days in advance so that they hit the must
running, as it were. Sort of like 'proofing' the yeast when making
bread. Wiser heads than mine can probably give you more explicit
instructions.

> Can I use regular bread yeast, or must I use wine yeast?

You could use bread yeast but the mead will tend to taste *very*
yeasty (I've done it as an experiment and was not particularly pleased
with the results).

I've used Montrechet yeast and it worked out the best for me. I've
also used plain ale yeast (one of the Wyeast British ale yeasts, as I
recall) and the product turned out okay.

spl


Subject: RE:stick-ers
From: DFusion@aol.com
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 16:17:43 -0500


Greetings everyone.

This is in response to Brian Ehlert's query about label stickers.

I usually have the labels on disk and then have some store (such as Kinko's)
print them out on sticker paper. It is a little costly, but the quality of
the printing is worth it.

Dave
DFusion@aol.com

*check out our lables and recipes -Underwurld Brewers ltd.-*
http://www.wizard.net/~bbates


Subject: Re: mead virgin
From: Peter Miller <ocean@mpx.com.au>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 04 16:07:44 -0000

>From: Shakespearean Epithet <evilgrin@sover.net>
>Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 18:44:52 -0500

>I have what is likely a silly question….what is "pitching" the yeast?
>It sounds like I just mix the yeasts in with a spoon or something.

Pretty much! I find that the most reliable way to do it is to start the
yeast first in a bottle with a little tepid water (a cup or so), some
sugar (tablespoon) and a pinch of yeast nutrient. Plug the bottle with
some cotton wool and leave for a day (less if it's a warm day). When it
gets frothy add it to your honey liquid. I've never had anything fail to
go like a rocket with this method. (Some people just chuck the yeast
straight in and it works fine for them – each to his/her own!)

>Can I use regular bread yeast, or must I use wine yeast?

Oooooo! Don't use bread yeast unless you like a _very_ "earthy" effect
(….and _not_ "authentic" if that's what you're thinking…) For
something that you will enjoy drinking (as opposed to gulping it down
with a peg on your nose in the mistaken belief that this is the way
Shakespeare et al would've had it) my suggestion is to use a white wine
yeast – maybe a champagne-style (but any general purpose white-wine yeast
will probably be OK for starters). You can use ale yeasts if you like a
rougher "ale" type mead, but if you do that I would suggest keeping the
alcohol low and making a quaffing mead ale (ale yeast will not give you a
very polished mead).

>I am armed with a one gallon thick walled glass cider jug and an
>airlock, not to mention a respectable amout of microbiology experience

That should do it! Good luck!

Peter.

Perpetual Ocean Music & Sound Design
http://www.mpx.com.au/~ocean/


Subject: Attaching labels
From: William Chellis <wchellis@gwi.net>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 19:07:23 -0500


For reusable attachment of labels: Must of us use Wide(2") scotch tape.
The clear tape used for packages.
bill


Subject: Re:Yeast Hulls and Repitching
From: Furthur24@aol.com
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 21:30:48 -0500


> I'm nearly positive that yeast extract == yeast hulls.

Yeast hulls are the yeast's cell walls that are separated from the cells
contents by centrifugation after lysing (rupturing) the cells. Yeast extract
is the cytoplasmic material (the innards of the yeast) that remains after the
hulls are removed. I think that yeast extract is much more of a nutrient
than the hulls. Some 'yeast nutrients' that are sold in stores/catalogs
contain yeast extract (plus ammonium nitrate and/or other vitamins) others
are just crystals of am. nitrate et. al. (also known as yeast energizer). If
a yeast nutrient is mostly a tan colored light powder then it's mostly yeast
extract.

> I am trying to use the yeast left over from my secondary fermenter to
ferment another batch of mead.

Usually it's not good to repitch yeast from a high gravity ferment because
yeast are in very poor condition after being in such a polluted environment
(yes, alcohol!). Yeast should be able to be repitched after fermenting a
beverage of up to 1.060 gravity, but thats not usually a starting gravity for
mead. Has anyone made such a low gravity mead? I'd be interested to hear
about it.

This is my first post to the MLD although I've been lurking for a long time
(over a year w/o posting!) I've made 3 meads in that time, two dry and the
last one a sweet raspberry melomel. That one was fermented from an O.G. of
about 1.120 with a wine yeast at 65F to 75F for 4 months and then bottled.
It's been in the bottle for 4 or 6 months and is my favorite so far, except
that it has a very hot (fusel?) alcohol character that detracts from the
honey and berry (all of my meads have). Will age round out these alcohol
flavors or is there something special I can do when I make my next mead?

Thanks for all the good postings so far.

David Reynolds


Subject: bottling
From: George Smith <smithg@panama.phoenix.net>
Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 06:22:40 -0800


It appears that the melomel mead I was brewing has cleared. Do I bottle
it or do I wait for the S.G. to reach as certain point.


Subject: label stick-er
From: Mike Munson <otar@inetnebr.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 22:52:57 -0600 (CST)


So far my best way of sticking labels is "Elmer's Glue All" (the white
stuff). It seems to stick good and removes reasonably easy under hot water.
I had been using self sticking labels, but they wouldn't remove too good
when soaked.

Mike Munson

>Subject: label stick-er
>From: Brian Ehlert <behlert@host.cass.net>
>Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 16:48:08 -0500
>
>I know we have discussed this in the past (or was that on HBD?) anyway…
>
>I am giving mead as a few gifts this christmas and I have gottn a friend to
>do some origional artwork for the label and now I have to figure out how to
>get it to stick and still reasonab;y reuse the bottles.
>
>I remember milk being mentioned at some time, but I can't recall if this is
>correct. I was hoping the wisdom of MLD could help out.
>
>BTW, Joyce, did you ever do anything with the Digby stuff that you spent all
>that time transcribing for us?
>
>Thanks,
>Brian


Subject: RE:Label sticker
From: "Jonas Wetterlundh" <jowe@hotmail.com>
Date: 16 Dec 1996 12:18:14 -0000


I glue all my bottles with a mixture of water and potatoflour brought to a boil
and made to a gluiey consistence. It's organic and cheap!

Jonas Wetterlundh


Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com



Subject: Labels
From: "Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)" <a-branro@MICROSOFT.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 08:36:19 -0800

> I am giving mead as a few gifts this christmas and I have gottn a friend to
> do some origional artwork for the label and now I have to figure out how to
> get it to stick and still reasonab;y reuse the bottles.

The way i have always done labels is to simply use a glue stic tpe
adhesive available from any office store. the labels stay attached and
are easy and not as messy to apply as some of the other methods i have
seen. also when you are done with the bottle, and want to reuse it,
simply soak the bottle for a quick minute, or even under running hot
water and it comes right off. Easiest method i know of, and i have done
case of beer, and several bottles of mead this way. hope this helps..

Brander Roullett badger@nwlink.com www.nwlink.com/~badger/

Filled with mingled cream and amber
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chambers of my brain —
Quaintest thoughts — queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
Who cares how time advances?
I am drinking ale today.

  • Edgar Allan Poe


Subject: Re: label stick-er
From: shea@xmission.com (Gary Shea)
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 12:28:36 -0700


This was about sticking labels on bottles.

My perspective on this comes from making books. When gluing
paper onto fabric one often uses wheat starch dissolved in water.
It dries fairly slowly, but adheres nicely. Whether that would
work on glass I don't know, but probably. Wheat starch may be
found at most any large oriental supermarket.

Gary


Gary Shea Salt Lake City, Utah
shea@xmission.com http://www.xmission.com/~shea


Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #517, 14 December 1996
From: "Dione Wolfe, Dragonweyr, New Mexico" <DKEY@MEDUSA.UNM.EDU>
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 01:19:11 -0700 (MST)


Concerning labels and removal after the bottle is opened: brew supply stores
sell label paper in 8 X 10 sheets that are gummed with a water soluble glue.
It soaks off very easily. Your art work transfers readily to the label paper
with a Xerox copier. I think milk might be a bit harder to soak off.

Never Thirst,

Dione



End of Mead Lover's Digest #518