First mead - input on my recipe/procedure?

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Need for Mead

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 11, 2018
57
0
0
I'm soon ready to start my first mead - a traditional. I'll do it as a side by side, so I can see the influence of oxygenation at different levels. Oxygen needs are reduced with proper nutrition, stirring will max give 8 ppm O, but O is used in 30 minutes, so it's viable to stir once more after that for a maximum total of 16 ppm added. Values relate to 1 gal, have used GotMead calculator for amount of honey needed.

3*1,5 gal batches, fermentation temperature 20C, living room with a bit unstable temperature. SG 1108, ABV 14 %, dry.
Honey and water to reach 1108 SG.
1 g EC118 per gal - rehydrated with GoFerm (1,25 g GoFerm mixed with 20 times amount of water at 110 F, cool to 104 F, add yeast, try to maintain at 104 F for 20 minutes).
SNA: After lag phase 1/8 tsp DAP 1/2 tsp Fermaid K, after 24 h 1/8 tsp DAP 1/4 tsp Fermaid K, after 48 h (before 1/3 sugar break) 1/4 tsp Fermaid K.
Oxygenation: Stirring twice at pitch, twice after 12 h, twice after 24 h - duration of each stir will be 2, 4 and 6 minutes respectively for the three batches.
Stirring daily just to degas and agitate lees every day until 2/3 sugar break, stopping at that point to avoid oxygenation.

How would you change this protocol, except for better temperature control?
 
Looks OK to me.

To be frank, I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaay looser when it comes to making mead. I'm not knocking your strict protocol AT ALL. I think it will result in a nice trad. 20C is a perfect temp, your starting gravity is good especially for your chosen yeast (a bully of a yeast) will have no problem chewing through your sugars and your feeding/stirring looks good.

Let us know how it goes!
 
Pitch the whole 5-gram packet. Yeast is cheap and doesn't store well after you open it. It will make a better ferment anyway.