Greetings,
I started 2 1-gallon batches of Mead on April 28. I only found this forum after I started the batches. However, I had some understanding of wine, beer and spirit making, as well as being a pretty good cook, so I figured I'd dive in. I've been reading these forums, observing the batches, and making tweaks along the way. Here is a log of how things are going:
Both batches started from the same must: 3 kg of grocery store generic honey, disolved into water and held at 140 degrees for 20 minutes.
Batch 1 - Orange and Spice - Initial SG: 1.140
Batch 2 - Hot Peppers - Initial SG: 1.130
April 28, 2014
April 29, 2014 - Day 1
April 30, 2014 - Day 2
May 1, 2014 - Day 3
I started 2 1-gallon batches of Mead on April 28. I only found this forum after I started the batches. However, I had some understanding of wine, beer and spirit making, as well as being a pretty good cook, so I figured I'd dive in. I've been reading these forums, observing the batches, and making tweaks along the way. Here is a log of how things are going:
Both batches started from the same must: 3 kg of grocery store generic honey, disolved into water and held at 140 degrees for 20 minutes.
Batch 1 - Orange and Spice - Initial SG: 1.140
- Cut up 1 naval orange and add to jug
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/2 pkg Lavlin EC-1118 yeast (rehydrated)
- 1/4 tsp yeast enhancer
- Cut up 1 jalapeno pepper and 1 scotch bonnet pepper and add to jug
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 pkg Lavlin EC-1118 yeast (rehydrated)
- 1/4 tsp yeast enhancer
April 28, 2014
- Pitched the yeast at approximately 7pm
- Bubbling/CO2-production started within 2 hours
- Stirred once before bed
April 29, 2014 - Day 1
- Bubbling a lot
- Agitated jugs several times during the day
- Stirred at 2:30 pm to add some extra oxygen for the yeast
- Took SG measurement of the Orange-Spice batch: 1.130 (started at 1.140)
- After stirring, Orange-Spice was bubbling more frequently than the Hot Pepper. However, the Hot pepper started at lower SG, and I think the orange peels might be giving the yeast more nutrients
- During stirring the orange-spice batch foamed a lot, while the hot pepper barely foamed
April 30, 2014 - Day 2
- Agitated a few times during the day
- Stirred at 2:30 pm to add some extra oxygen
- Tasted the hot-pepper batch - sweet and a bit spicy
- SG of the Orange-Spice batch: 1.118 (dropped 0.012 in 24 hours) - If fermentation continues at this rate it will hit the 1/3 break in the next 24 hours
- Still bubbling frequently
May 1, 2014 - Day 3
- 9am - SG of the Orange-Spice batch: 1.102 (dropped 0.016 since yesterday afternoon)
- 10:30 am - added 1/8 tsp of yeast energizer to each batch, stirred, and topped up slightly with water
- 1:00 pm - Fruit was trying to bubble out of the airlock. Decided to change tactics for the Orange-Spice batch
- The orange taste was way too much, and I didn't think I'd like it later
- Removed fruit from Orange-Spice (strained into a sanitized pot, cleaned the jug and then re-added the ferment)
- Topped up with water and added a handful of raisins. Left the cinnamon stick in the jug
- Removed the water from the airlocks to help O2 exchange. Will put the water back in on day 7 (May 5, 2014)
- The Orange batch is still foaming a lot with the fruit removed. Hot pepper batch not foaming at all
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