2010 hhhc

[jayich]

In the no-mix technique, do you oxygenate with an air stone so that you avoid stirring the must to do the same?- or do you add honey after stirring or otherwise aerating the must? Also, would you want to avoid stirring the must early in fermentation(before the 1/3 break) in order to aerate?

 

[AToE]

I'm sure my aeration technique for no-mix ferments wouldn't work well for large batches, but what I did with a 1 gal was simply pour the must off the honey (out of the jug) into an empty jug through a funnel, aerate the tar out of that, then pour it back into the original on top of the honey. I was pretty gentle and found that this method actually mixed in very very little extra honey (I made marks on the jug).

Aeration stone makes more sense though!

 

[mmclean]

With my 5 gallon cyser, I oxygenated the must by stirring the top with a lees stirrer hooked up to a cordless drill.

Worked out fine for me.

 

[DaleP]

My aeration technique.....empty honey into carboy. Fill honey container 1/2 full of water, shake the devil out of it, repeat till no more honey is in container. I rehydrate the yeast, no go-ferm. One gram of Fermaid-K per gallon at the beginning, then do nothing till the honey layer disappears. I use the standard little packs of Lavlin yeasts that the typical home brew store carries.
When the honey level vanishes, my first addition of fruit goes in, then more fruit in secondary.

 

[jayich]

Thanks everyone. I will have to try this interesting, but simple technique- it makes a lot of sense.

 

[DaleP]

Thanks everyone. I will have to try this interesting, but simple technique- it makes a lot of sense.

It is said (on the home page here even) that mead is the simplest to make.