I've put up my first batch of mead, actually metheglin, and I have a couple questions. I've been out of home brewing for many years, so I don't have equipment, and I'm missing a hydrometer. Initially I was just going to try the Youtube thing with honey, orange wedges and raisins in a plastic bottle, but although the basic idea sounded nice to me - orange and clove flavored sweet mead with the raisins as a base, like a sherry - it just sounded like a recipe for failure without at least some attention to technique and a proper wine yeast. So, I went and got some Campden tablets and Fermax, and a proper primary and secondary fermenter as well as some wine yeast and a hose.
My recipe kinda evolved from the original; I like spices a lot, and I thought it's be nice to have a more spice-oriented brew, with the citrus in the background:
3 lb clover honey
4 quarts spring water
4 pieces candied ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lime juice
2 strips lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
2 allspice berries
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp Fermax
1 packet Lalvin D47
I boiled the spices and lemon zest in 3 cups water, then dissolved the honey in the hot water. Mixed in the rest of the water in a sanitized 2-gal primary. Yeast pitched about 12 hours later, properly hydrated in 106F water. It started bubbling at about 18 hours, right now I'm getting 4-5 bubbles/minute, day 3. I stirred once day 2, to release CO2.
My plan from here is to add another 1/2 tsp Fermax day 5 or 6 with another stir; rack to secondary when the rate slows to 1 -2 bubbles/min, bottle after it clears; consumption starting a couple months after that.
My questions:
1. I'm aiming for semi-sweet, about Riesling sweetness. If I have to, I'll add some white grape concentrate at bottling. So, I'll need to inhibit the remaining yeast - I'm thinking Potassium sorbate 1/2 tsp with a single Campden tablet for a gallon of product. Will these amounts work? I've had a lot of trouble finding exact instructions, there's a lot of different amounts I've come across.
2. Would a half cup of Everclear (151 proof) or a cup of brandy (80 proof) boost the alcohol content enough to kill the yeast? I came across this in a very casual recipe; I'd prefer this over sulfiting the mead but I'm not convinced I won't get bottle bombs this way.
3. Bottling - would 0.5 liter EZ-cap bottles be OK for up to a year of storage? I like the idea that too much pressure in the bottle could theoretically get out before an explosion.
Any answers, critique or suggestions appreciated!
My recipe kinda evolved from the original; I like spices a lot, and I thought it's be nice to have a more spice-oriented brew, with the citrus in the background:
3 lb clover honey
4 quarts spring water
4 pieces candied ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lime juice
2 strips lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
2 allspice berries
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp Fermax
1 packet Lalvin D47
I boiled the spices and lemon zest in 3 cups water, then dissolved the honey in the hot water. Mixed in the rest of the water in a sanitized 2-gal primary. Yeast pitched about 12 hours later, properly hydrated in 106F water. It started bubbling at about 18 hours, right now I'm getting 4-5 bubbles/minute, day 3. I stirred once day 2, to release CO2.
My plan from here is to add another 1/2 tsp Fermax day 5 or 6 with another stir; rack to secondary when the rate slows to 1 -2 bubbles/min, bottle after it clears; consumption starting a couple months after that.
My questions:
1. I'm aiming for semi-sweet, about Riesling sweetness. If I have to, I'll add some white grape concentrate at bottling. So, I'll need to inhibit the remaining yeast - I'm thinking Potassium sorbate 1/2 tsp with a single Campden tablet for a gallon of product. Will these amounts work? I've had a lot of trouble finding exact instructions, there's a lot of different amounts I've come across.
2. Would a half cup of Everclear (151 proof) or a cup of brandy (80 proof) boost the alcohol content enough to kill the yeast? I came across this in a very casual recipe; I'd prefer this over sulfiting the mead but I'm not convinced I won't get bottle bombs this way.
3. Bottling - would 0.5 liter EZ-cap bottles be OK for up to a year of storage? I like the idea that too much pressure in the bottle could theoretically get out before an explosion.
Any answers, critique or suggestions appreciated!
