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Advice on recipe

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WildPhil said:
What yeast should I get? I've been doing some research and am now thinking D47.
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If you can't control temps I would avoid D47. It's a great yeast, but it's probably the most temperature-sensitive one out there. It throws a ton of fusels and off flavors if it gets above 68F. K1V is another great yeast that's really tolerant to higher temps. If you want to be adventurous, try a saison yeast. ;)
 
Thanks for that advice, chief.
I'll be able to control temps a bit better when Autumn/winter finally kicks in in New Orleans. I'll get to the brew store and buy some cubes. I'll check out the yeasts too. Maybe I should limit myself to making booze to Autumn/Winter and early spring in future. Summer is kicking the shit out of my various batches! On the plus side, I'll have a bunch of stuff to age once it's ready!!
 
WildPhil said:
Thanks for that advice, chief.
I'll be able to control temps a bit better when Autumn/winter finally kicks in in New Orleans. I'll get to the brew store and buy some cubes. I'll check out the yeasts too. Maybe I should limit myself to making booze to Autumn/Winter and early spring in future. Summer is kicking the shit out of my various batches! On the plus side, I'll have a bunch of stuff to age once it's ready!!
Click to expand...

So here's what I do in regards to temperature and making meads during the winter and during the summer. Obviously there are some yeast that can work at a much higher temperature. These are what I call summer yeast. These are what I use when I'm making mead in the summertime and don't feel like messing with temperature control. Then obviously the other yeast, that require a cooler temperature to not produce off flavors are your "winter yeast" So I make my mead with these types of yeast during the winter when I can keep the temperatures
controlled at a lower level.
 
Squatchy have you measured your temp swings before? Ie, found the min and max temps of your mead and time it takes for that swing to take place?

I mentioned it in a earlier post, but Scott Labratories believes greater than 10 degree swing in less than an hour (so 1 degree per 6 minutes) is a super cool/super heat--where temp swing becomes a problem.

I recently got a chest fridge and thermowell that creates temp swings of 6 degrees over the course of a couple hours. I just made a blueberry melomel with RC212 that fermented completely dry from 1.120 in about 10 days in such conditions (cold crashing now). So while I'm not really worried out that 6 degree swing, Im always looking to improve upon it, and was just curious about what yours were if you have measured them before.
 
I bought an STC 2000 off ebay a while ago. It's just $7.32 including shipping. It could have a range of temps as low as 0.1C which is INSANE so I'm actually trying to figure out what the maximum temp swing should be, rather than how to minimize swings. At that price and functionality I can't imagine how other temp controllers are worth it.
However, let's actually answer the question. I think that setting the probe outside the fermenter could be better regarding swings. While you're not reading the actual temp of the must, you're usually still pretty close, especially if you're using small fermenters. Even if you have larger fermenters, unless you're using a very finnicky yeast (*maybe* D47, but not even that I think) I don't think reading the EXACT temp is such an issue. For example, 71b has a fermentation range from 15C to 30C. If you were to set the termostat at 17C but instead the temp of the must is at 18C or even 19C (I think it won't) the ferment is still going to be clean as a whistle. If you want to be more precise check the temp inside the must and maybe reduce the termostat to be a bit lower to compensate for the positioning
 
So as you guys know different size vessels and what they are made of makes a difference. Also, and here is where my thing works so well a large body of water will respond much slower to a temp change will than a smaller body.

I'm not as cool as you guys are so I'm still making my stuff in trash cans submerged in a bathtub in a spare bathtub in the basement. I have learned (pretty quickly actually) that the size of the trash can, combined with the temp of the room (air conditioning) and the water in the tub, and the depth of the water in the tub all combine to a very stable ferment once you get it dialed in. I have candy thermometers in my buckets. When I have such a large portion of the trash can submerged to the cold water the surface to volume ratio is very good for keeping the temps down. I stir 2 times a day so if I have a fruit cap it doesn't even get warm under the cap. I haven't ever had more than 2 degrees of drift from the time I start until the time I rack over to glass. I have 3 trash cans and generally make 3) 10 gallon batches at a time. I'm not sure how much larger of a trash can I can use and still have such a stable set up. I have a hunch that 15 gallons in a 20 gallon can will still work pretty well but I imagine any more than that and this ghetto system won't work.

I plan to open a meadery so I am not really wanting to purchase a small jacketed vessel because anything I can fit out in the garage will be too small when I get a commercial space. I could actually add one more trash can which will allow for 40 gallons at a time. That's a lot of mead for family and handouts. I just did a batch that big and will start up another go round after I get back from Yellowstone. By then the fall temps will drop down enough I will hardly even have to use the air con in the basement.

Pretty basic but it has worked exceptionally well with very little investment in gear.
 
What're your trash cans made from Squatchy? Metal will always be the best for temp management, plastic is a bloody nightmare because it's a great insulator, glass is good if you're able to keep it away from the light.
Weve just bought a chest freezer for the kitchen, which means I'll be able to regulate the temps better, drop the thermostat as 'warm' as it will go and do some 1 and 3gal batches in there, for 5 gallons though, I'll have to look at better yeast management and usage. I think the majority of my current batches will have to spend a bit of time ageing. Although the the Cyser is bloody delicious and the JAOM likes a bit of warmth and is ticking along nicely.
 
I use an STC temp controller to regulate my rig too. Very cheep and gives tight control. Also is dial circuit so you can do both heading and cooling simultaneously if needed. Well worth it if you're the DIY type and don't mind putting the controller together yourself.
 
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