Cherry Mead Cap

[SeanD]

Started making a simple cherry mead on Sunday (6lbs clover honey, 10ltrs water, 12lbs dark sweet cherries and two packets of 71b-1112). Popped the lid on Monday evening and the shredded cherries had formed a thick detritus cap on top of the must so no gas was escaping. I've been stirring it twice daily since to release copious amounts of gas and heat. Will this effect the fermentation or taste in any way if I keep on keeping on disturbing it ? How long do you think I should keep doing this routine or should I rack off earlier ? Not sure on time scales here (and there was me thinking this would be a fire and forget one)

I might as well take the air lock off as no gas seems to be bubbling through the fruity cap.

Thanks for your input.

 

[4give]

I disturb the heck out of my mead during fermentation. O2 2x a day for the 1st three days, nutrients per SNA, and stir once per day until fermentation is over for the most part.
I think you'll be OK if you keep managing the cap. You didn't say anything about how/if you rehydrated the yeast, or if you're using nutrients, but they should be part of the process. I'd think these things will impact the flavor (positively) along with a bit of stirring and cap management.
If you haven't already, you might want to consider investing some time in checking out the podcasts here on GotMead starting at Sept 5, 2017 for modern mead making protocols.

 

[Squatchy]

The cap can't trap the gas so none gets out unless it plugs your airlock. Most of us ferment in buckets or trashcans. You definitely need to punch down the cap. After two weeks get rid of it. If you plan to rack off the cherries make sure to stir it good first to take the biomass with you

 

[SeanD]

Thanks for all the advice.

Re hydrated the yeast at 40C. Must was 21C so I added a few spoonfuls over the course of a minute or so until the yeast was down to 24C then pitched into a bucket. Didn't plan on doing staggered nutrients this time.

I think I'll err on the side of caution and rack off after a couple of weeks and not be so worried about letting a bit of the lees through. Wasn't sure of the timing between racking off the cherries and losing a substantial part of the cherry flavour or leaving it too long and the shredded cherries going off and tainting the taste.

 

[Squatchy]

So like I said. Make sure to stir it first and then rack transfer ALL the yeast into your other vessel

 

[Seána]

Hi, I'm new here. (Second ever post infact) but when I did my cherry mead I found it handy to freeze first and defrost in hot water and squeezed everything to a pulp, I then sieved the pulp through a strainer with the hot water and did it over and over and actually poured the water into the DJ's through the pulp in a large strainer until the added spring water ran pretty clear (light blueish infact!)... So there wasn't much pulp at all, but the liquid was incredibly cherry coloured... And no major blow-offs or scum buildup..
And the mead tastes absolutely a-mazing.
X

 

[Seána]

Hi, I'm new here. (Second ever post infact) but when I did my cherry mead I found it handy to freeze first and defrost in hot water and squeezed everything to a pulp, I then sieved the pulp through a strainer with the hot water and did it over and over and actually poured the water into the DJ's through the pulp in a large strainer until the added spring water ran pretty clear (light blueish infact!)... So there wasn't much pulp at all, but the liquid was incredibly cherry coloured... And no major blow-offs or scum buildup..
And the mead tastes absolutely a-mazing.
X

Sorry, that was incredibly badly written..
I hope you can get the drift of what I was doing....
I essentially strained the cherries through a sieve and purged them of flavour and colour before starting to brew with it and it turned out great.

 

[Laura_Tallo]

Hi, I'm new here. (Second ever post infact) but when I did my cherry mead I found it handy to freeze first and defrost in hot water and squeezed everything to a pulp, I then sieved the pulp through a strainer with the hot water and did it over and over and actually poured the water into the DJ's through the pulp in a large strainer until the added spring water ran pretty clear (light blueish infact!)... So there wasn't much pulp at all, but the liquid was incredibly cherry coloured... And no major blow-offs or scum buildup..
And the mead tastes absolutely a-mazing.
X

I am new here too. I am working on a persimmon melomel and a muscadine pyment. They are just finishing primary, and I am racking to a carboy tomorrow.

 

[Seána]

I am new here too. I am working on a persimmon melomel and a muscadine pyment. They are just finishing primary, and I am racking to a carboy tomorrow.

Permission?
Wow! What does that taste like?
How did the racking go?
X

 

[Laura_Tallo]

Permission?
Wow! What does that taste like?
How did the racking go?
X

Well, I accidentally racked the Persimmon into a 6.5 gallon carboy and had too much headspace, so I added my traditional to it. I figured that it wouldn't hurt. I have Japanese Persimmons that are huge. When they ripen, they are like jelly. You either eat them with a spoon, or bite into the skin and suck. They are like nectar.

The muscadine went into a 5 gallon carboy that I thought was a three gallon carboy. Yes, I am such a newb. I had a 6.5 gallon one that is tall. The one that the persimmon went into was shorter and fatter, so I thought it was a 5 gallon. However, I got it done.