Help building lemon batches

  • Thread starter Thread starter Devin Petry-Johnson
  • Start date Start date
  • 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.
D

Devin Petry-Johnson

Guest
Guest
I'm a few weeks away from racking my first 5 batches into secondary, so I'm planning my next 2 betches. My wife loves lemon so I told her I would attempt a lemon mead. And since I'm still very new, I want to do 2 batches side-by-side in order to improve my understanding of the process and final products. So I have 2 lemon batches in mind and I would like help making sure I'm starting on the right foot to end up where I'm planning. So here goes:

Lemon sipping mead: 1 gallon of approx. 13 % ABV, with some sweetness
I'm learning how to use the Got Mead Batch Calculator. I assume I'll end up diluting the batch when I add lemon juice, lemons, etc in the secondary. And I may have to add some honey to raise the sweetness. So I think I am aiming for 17% ABV to start. According to the calculator that puts me at 1.133 SG and 3.7 gallons of honey. I'm planning on using Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast and special lemon verbena honey from my supplier. Once the ferment runs dry on the honey, I plan to rack to secondary and add my lemons, lemon juice, lemon extract, extra honey, etc. and tweek it until I like it.

Lemon gulping mead: 1 gallon of approx. 7% ABV, dry
I think I will still dilute with lemon stuff but I don't plan on adding honey at the end. So I think I need to aim for 8% ABV which would be about 1.06 SG with 1.7 pounds of honey. I'm planning on using Lalvin D47 yeast and the same lemon verbena honey. Once it ferments dry I will add the lemon juice and lemons. Will this end up watery with only 1.7 pounds of honey?

(By the way, I tried posting this in the general recipe discussion area a couple of days ago but either my computer glitched or it's still waiting on moderator approval to post, not sure.)

A few questions:
1. So am I going at this in the right way?
2. Based on your experience, will these turn out the way I'm planning?
3. Has anyone else had success with lemon mead? I've seen some recipes and some threads here on the forums but I don't generally see how they turn out.