2nd Batch Plans: General recipe

[Chilkat]

I'm planning to make a second batch when I get back from my trip. This is my first draft of this since I don't know exact ingredients that I have at home. I'll modify it later as I have them in front of me and as I get comments.

General recipe:

Two gallons of spring water.
5 lbs of Clover honey.
1 Package of 1116.
1 tsp DAP (start of fermentation)
1 tsp K
Star San sterilizer
2x3 gallon carboy for fermentation/racking

Aerate/Mix with whisk in 1/2 gal water. Combine with remaining H20 to end product of 2 gal. Take SG reading.
Add Campden tablets to must. 24 hour wait.-
Rehydrate yeast with goferm. Add to must with K and DAP. Aerate and combine with must using whisk.-
Degassing and aerating twice a day by shaking carboy and venting for five minutes or so.-
Take SG in 4 day increments.-
Add nutrients (K) at start and every day until the 1/3 sugar break.-
Degas until FG.-
Leave on Lees until clarified.-
1st; Rack to second carboy. Airlock.-
Leave to clarify.-
2nd; Rack to clarify. Airlock.-
Add metabisulfite to stop as much fermenting as I can.-
Rack to bottle.-

I don't know how long things will take or I'd post that. Once I find a good baseline, then I'll experiment with fruits, so for now, it's going to be all traditional.

So there it is ladies and gentlemen.

 

[Chilkat]

Ok, so I'll stagger the nutrients. After posting this I questioned myself on doing it everyday. I have a job where I can research a lot as it's not yet the busy season for us.

 

[darigoni]

Don't use the DAP. Spread it around in your garden instead.

You should check out the Meadmaderight.com website and use the suggested re-hydration protocol and the TOSNA staggered nutrient feeding schedule.

TOSNA is specific to using Fermaid O, but there is also something called iTOSNA, which uses Fermaid K.

Once you've had a change to look it over, then jump over to: https://www.meadmakr.com/tosna-2-0/

This a TOSNA calculator and will actually give you all the directions for re-hydrating your yeast and a feeding schedule. It's specific to TOSNA, but if you use 1/2 the amount of Fermaid K (i.e. if it tells you to use 6.4 grams of Fermaid O, use 3.2 grams of Fermaid K) and you should be all set.

You'll need to know that K1-V1116 has LOW nitrogen requirements.

You'll need to also know what your starting gravity is, so measure it. But for 2 gallon (total batch size) batch with 5 lbs of honey, your SG should be approx. 1.089, with a potential ABV = 11.85%.

dave

 

[Squatchy]

Why do you want to add Camden tabs up front? You don't need it. But you can use it if you want I guess.

You won't stop a fermentation that is active with sufilte/sorbates. That's mostly bad misinformation from people who don't have any real experience

 

[Chilkat]

Why do you want to add Camden tabs up front? You don't need it. But you can use it if you want I guess.

You won't stop a fermentation that is active with sufilte/sorbates. That's mostly bad misinformation from people who don't have any real experience

It'll help stop bottle bombs right? I know the yeast is still active it just wont start producing babies again right?

 

[darigoni]

It'll help stop bottle bombs right? I know the yeast is still active it just wont start producing babies again right?

Your recipe/protocol states that you are adding Campden tablets 24 hours before pitching your yeast. Unless you are using fresh fruit or water that has chloramines, this is not needed. If it's because the water has chloramines, then I would rather use bottled spring water, as it's cheap, especially if you buy your supermarkets generic version.

 

[Chilkat]

Your recipe/protocol states that you are adding Campden tablets 24 hours before pitching your yeast. Unless you are using fresh fruit or water that has chloramines, this is not needed. If it's because the water has chloramines, then I would rather use bottled spring water, as it's cheap, especially if you buy your supermarkets generic version.

I've realized that I'm not using fruits and dont need Camden pellets.

My tap water really is from a spring. It's the cleanest water. But the sulfite/sorbet is to prevent bottle bombs.

My brew was at 1.040 last night.

 

[Chilkat]

Don't use the DAP. Spread it around in your garden instead.

I've read some post's about over feeding - is this why you keep telling me to pour DAP on the garden instead? Why not use it? I know the recipes are old that I've been reading and following but what's the reason for the ANTI-DAP? I must not have found the post that explains this yet. I remember in the First Batch post I was told that a lot of the recipes and ingredients are in a phase-out and I'm jumping right into a big learning curve.

Also, taking the SG incrementally every four days, I can pour that back into the must if I use Star San on the beaker and hydrometer right? The first couple times I didn't on the First Batch I started. My wife and I just drank it, up until this last reading, there was no alcohol in the nose yet.

 

[darigoni]

I've read some post's about over feeding - is this why you keep telling me to pour DAP on the garden instead? Why not use it? I know the recipes are old that I've been reading and following but what's the reason for the ANTI-DAP? I must not have found the post that explains this yet. I remember in the First Batch post I was told that a lot of the recipes and ingredients are in a phase-out and I'm jumping right into a big learning curve.

Also, taking the SG incrementally every four days, I can pour that back into the must if I use Star San on the beaker and hydrometer right? The first couple times I didn't on the First Batch I started. My wife and I just drank it, up until this last reading, there was no alcohol in the nose yet.

While DAP is still used by a lot of mead makers, some of whom are VERY good mead makers, it does seem to be being phased out. DAP is described as being like giving candy to your kids; they like it, but it's not a very healthy part of their diet. It can cause overly fast fermentations, which can then cause temperature spikes, both of which can then lead to fusels and off tastes that will need to be aged out. Also, there's the possibility, if you add too much or at the wrong time that it will not be completely used by the end of your fermentation. The taste from leftover DAP is not desirable.

Fermaid K (which has some DAP in it) and Fermiad O (organic) give a more balanced diet of nutrients and seem to be what mead makers are all moving to. I have a large bag of DAP, in my refrigerator, which I also need to spread around in my grass or gardens.

Yes, as long as you sanitize your beaker and hydrometer, there is no reason why you can't pour it back into your main batch of must.

 

[Chilkat]

Ok. So now I've got the same as before but 6 pounds of raw honey. I was going to follow the original recipe with exceptions for the extra volume.

I've also acquired wine tannins and citric acids.
Yeast Energizer.