First off, thank you all for the great insights on the mead making process. Tomorrow, I will begin my first mead making experience (first home brewing experience for that matter) It might be slightly ambitious, but the plans are for a 1 gallon Wolf Moon mead, and a 5 gallon Redstone Cinnamon/vanilla clone. Very excited to start this.
Another NewBee
- Thread starter Rotafire
- Start date
-
Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
-
We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
Hi Rotafire.
Welcome to GOTMEAD.
I hope you are planning to post mead logs for those. I am looking forward to following your process.
Cheers,
ccasion14:
-M-
Welcome to GOTMEAD.
I hope you are planning to post mead logs for those. I am looking forward to following your process.
Cheers,
ccasion14:-M-
First update. 2 Days after starting, and the Wolf Moon is bubbling away merriliy. Most times, I would rather watch it bubble than watch TV.
Recipe for Wolf Moon is on here somewhere, so I won't repost that. Brew date, 1/10/14, SG/OG 1.144. The recipe called for 4# of clover honey, but I only had 3#, so I topped up with 1# of alflafa honey I had left over from the Vanilla/cinnamon.
Now the Redstone clone....
Redstone Meadery Vanilla Bean / Cinnamon Stick Mead clone
(5 gallon/19 L, honey and spices)
OG = 1.102 FG = 1.012 ABV = 12%
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) alfalfa honey
4 lbs (1.8 kg) wildflower honey
1 tbsp. yeast nutrient
(or 1 tbsp. extra light malt extract)
3-4 whole vanilla beans
3–4 cinnamon sticks
Red Star Montrachet yeast
Step by Step
Bring 4 gallons (15 L) of water up to 180 °F (82 °C) in your kettle and then add 12 lbs. (5.4 kg) of honey. Cover for 20 to 30 minutes at around 150 to 160 °F (66–71 °C).
Now is a good time to start your yeast. For mead, I like to use dried yeast. Take a few packets of Montrachet yeast. Mix with a tablespoon of extra light malt extract. Stir vigorously so as to introduce oxygen.
Primary fermentation most likely will take three to four months. Try to keep the fermentation temperature between 70 and 78 °F (21–26 °C) if possible. After primary, transfer to a 5-gallon (19 L) carboy that already has the vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks in it. Just toss the cinnamon sticks in whole. Cut the vanilla beans into thirds before adding. The vanilla beans in particular need the alcohol in the mead to help extract the flavor. Let it sit for three months or so. Transfer off the spices. Keep racking until you are pleased with the clarity of the mead. Bottle still (without bottling sugar).
Followed the recipe to the letter, but the SG/OG only came out to 1.072 instead of the 1.102 it said it would be, and I think the must was too warm when the yeast got pitched. Very little activity in the airlock. I was thinking of chucking in an extra package of yeast, and hoping that it activates the yeast and nutrient thats already in there.
Recipe for Wolf Moon is on here somewhere, so I won't repost that. Brew date, 1/10/14, SG/OG 1.144. The recipe called for 4# of clover honey, but I only had 3#, so I topped up with 1# of alflafa honey I had left over from the Vanilla/cinnamon.
Now the Redstone clone....
Redstone Meadery Vanilla Bean / Cinnamon Stick Mead clone
(5 gallon/19 L, honey and spices)
OG = 1.102 FG = 1.012 ABV = 12%
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) alfalfa honey
4 lbs (1.8 kg) wildflower honey
1 tbsp. yeast nutrient
(or 1 tbsp. extra light malt extract)
3-4 whole vanilla beans
3–4 cinnamon sticks
Red Star Montrachet yeast
Step by Step
Bring 4 gallons (15 L) of water up to 180 °F (82 °C) in your kettle and then add 12 lbs. (5.4 kg) of honey. Cover for 20 to 30 minutes at around 150 to 160 °F (66–71 °C).
Now is a good time to start your yeast. For mead, I like to use dried yeast. Take a few packets of Montrachet yeast. Mix with a tablespoon of extra light malt extract. Stir vigorously so as to introduce oxygen.
Primary fermentation most likely will take three to four months. Try to keep the fermentation temperature between 70 and 78 °F (21–26 °C) if possible. After primary, transfer to a 5-gallon (19 L) carboy that already has the vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks in it. Just toss the cinnamon sticks in whole. Cut the vanilla beans into thirds before adding. The vanilla beans in particular need the alcohol in the mead to help extract the flavor. Let it sit for three months or so. Transfer off the spices. Keep racking until you are pleased with the clarity of the mead. Bottle still (without bottling sugar).
Followed the recipe to the letter, but the SG/OG only came out to 1.072 instead of the 1.102 it said it would be, and I think the must was too warm when the yeast got pitched. Very little activity in the airlock. I was thinking of chucking in an extra package of yeast, and hoping that it activates the yeast and nutrient thats already in there.
