Toggle sidebar

First Batch - May have issues?

  • PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • 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.
Barrel Char Wood Products
A

A_Crow

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 30, 2014
3
0
0
Hello all,

I started making my first mead on 12/16/14 and I think I made a rookie mistake (at least one I know of) right off the bat because I didn't use my hydrometer to get a starting SG. I brought 2 gallons of water and 12.5 pounds of honey to 160 degrees for 20 mins, then put it in a glass carboy, topped up with cold distilled water, stirred the heck out of it, and used an ice bath to bring down to about 74 degrees. I rehydrated my yeast according to the package for 15 mins starting with 100 degree water. Then I added it to the honey & water and then stirred again. I installed a rubber bung with an air lock and placed in a dark room that was between 68-70 degrees constantly. After a day I could see little bubbles going up the side of the carboy and they haven't stopped. Today (12/30/14) I pulled a sample, it smelled good, and it looked like champagne with a SG of 1.058.

Receipe was simple:
12.5lbs - Clover Honey
1 Packet - EC-1118 Lavin Yeast
5 Gallons - Distilled Water

Am I on track or should i be farther along two weeks in? I bought yeast nutrient but I never used it, should I have put 6 teaspoons (bottle says one tsp per gallon) of that in at the beginning?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
You should be done. Your yeast are hungry and tired. Please take pity on them. If your nutrient looks like tannish colored powder, adding it will be very helpful. If it looks like white crystals, it won't be as good and I'd add a lot less (like ½ as much)
 
Thank you! I have white crystals - Yeast Nutrient (Contains food grade UREA and Diammonium Phosphate) LD Carlson Company. Should I mix it in or just toss it in?
 
Late in fermentation, the yeast cannot assimilate DAP effectively, but adding 1 or 2 tbsp won't hurt. If you can't quickly get some Fermaid O, you can take a couple of packets of bread yeast and drop them into some boiling water then add them in to the must.
 
Awesome science experiment :-)

Medsen Fey said:
Late in fermentation, the yeast cannot assimilate DAP effectively, but adding 1 or 2 tbsp won't hurt. If you can't quickly get some Fermaid O, you can take a couple of packets of bread yeast and drop them into some boiling water then add them in to the must.
Click to expand...

I added a tablespoon and didn't have to worry about stirring. It went off like a volcano science experiment.

Is that normal?
 
When you add dry powders you need to mix it in a sanitized dish/cup with some must and then stir it in gently a little at a time. Also, if you degass your must before you add your slurry that will also help by degassing your must.

I read in your OP another thing that I think was a major mistake. You did well by making your rehydration water 100 degrees. But, you then pitched it into 74 degrees must. You killed tons of your yeast when you did that and probably wounded the remaining yeast. You need to bring your Yeast slurry to within 10 degrees of the temperature of your must, by gradually a small portion of must to your slurry every 15 minutes untill you are within 10 degrees. If you do that you won't shock the hell out of them by tossing them into much coolder must. Think of diving into a hole in a frozen lake. If you had done that your little guys would not have been killed/crippled and your ferment would have been over a good while back
 
Is that normal?[/QUOTE]

You have now officially entered into the dark side :)
 
You will do good to study "stagered nutrient additions" (SNA). Rehydration protocols for dry yeast. Aration/degassing. You will also do well to understand "cap management" when you want to add fruits to your mead.

Here is a very good link that covers most, if not all, of the above. There are many in this forum but I don't have quick acces to them like I did to the Hightest info
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns

Top Bottom