I want to make my first mead after several batches of beer and cider. I
have read the faqs, as well as the article about mead in Zymurgy (Spring,
1995). I need some help with addition of nutrients and acids.

Many of the recipes for simple mead recommend addition of yeast energizer
and nutrient, as well as acid blend. I don't have access to either of
these here in Israel. One reference mentioned addition of malic and
tartaric acids, but the amounts were in milliliters, and therefore dealt
with some solution of unspecified concentration. I have access to Difco
Yeast Nitrogen Base, with and without ammonium sulfate, as well as
crystalline citric, malic, and tartaric acid. Could someone recommend
amounts of these compounds for a 5 gallon batch. Thanks.

Lenny Garfinkel

_________________________________________________________________

Dr. Leonard Garfinkel | Internet: lenny@zeus.datasrv.co.il
Bio-Technology General | Office Phone: 972-8-381256
Kiryat Weizmann | Home Phone: 972-8-451505
Rehovot, Israel | FAX: 972-8-409041

In MLD #417, Warren A. Ransom writes:

>i just tasted a mead that has been fermenting for a while, and it kind of
>tastes more like mouthwash than what i heard it would. perhaps i should
>give some background…

• snip the rest –

Information about the yeast that you used and the final gravity is very
important in trying to diagnose what is happening. Some yeasts ferment
cleaner and mellow out faster than others. If you have a very dry mead,
SG < 1.000, it can taste very harsh if you used lots of ginger. I hope
that you used fresh ginger root and not powdered ginger, that also makes
a big difference.

When I was first learning to brew beer, someone brought some Barshak
Ginger Mead to a party. I tried it and thought that it was horrible.
It was alcoholic hot, dry, and very bitter to my naive taste buds.
This turned me off to meads so that I didn't make one of my own until
more than 5 years later. Such a fool I was. Now I realize that I don't
care for very dry meads, I want some honey sweetness that I can taste.

My advice: do not dump it out! Be patient and let it age some more.
Continue sampling it once a month until you find it drinkable.

Next time aim for a still, medium sweet mead, 1.010 < SG < 1.020. This
range of sweetness is the easiest for most people to drink.

Gordon

> does anyone have any suggestions?

Patience. Give it another year.

• -R

In MLD #417 rcd@raven.eklektix.com (Dick Dunn), wrote the following in
answer to a question about why meads take a long time to clear:

>In my experience, they don't take all that long. I've had some laggards,
>but mostly they're pretty quick if the acid and nutrients are right.

Do you mean that you test/adjust the must Ph prior to pitching your yeast,
or are you testing/adjusting Ph on-the-fly, ie. after the yeast has dropped
the Ph? In Dan McConnell's and ? mead article in Zymurgy, they suggest
fermenting without adding acid in the beginning, rather waiting until
fermentation is complete and then adjusting with acid to taste Any comments?.

also, I see occasional references to the use of pectic enzyme with fruit to
improve clarity. Would anyone care to comment as to the proper uses of this
enzyme, it's benefits and drawbacks. Also, which fruits it should be used with.

TIA,

Chuck

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Chuck Wettergreen
chuckmw@mcs.com
Geneva, Il

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