So I wanted to see if some of you guys wanted to join in and do a test with me. I have been having continued success as I add, piece by piece, sound building blocks of modern mead making techniques.
I'm still learning all the time. Speed is by no means the best metric to judge good fermentation practices. No one gives a damn if you can make crap in break neck time. But with that said, I'm blown away with how fast things now happen, and how good things taste so quickly.
Here's an example. I just started a 4 gallon batch (to end up ageing 3 gallons) On the eve of the 5th. It's now the 12th and I have eaten 134 points since I pitched and the last day I have only eaten 6 points. So I am now at that stage where the yeast just barely crawl because of the alcohol toxicity, but I was moving 20 points a day. If I were to cold crash it for a week and then filter out the yeast it would be drinkable as soon as I finished filtering it. There is zero faults and barely, if any fussels. ( I would like to say no fussels but I know I would get scoffers). I should also add this was a pyment with Cab sauv grape concentrate, and it seems the added grape particulates always seem to help the process for sure.
Any way, I think there are several pieces one can employ these days that make this a true turning point in mead making history. I don't claim anything. Everything I have learned has been from reading and trying out what I read. Tossing out the crap and holding on to the things that have given measurable results. By putting these things all together, it now seems to work flawlessly and as fast as anyone could hope for.
I would like to see if any of you guys would want to participate in a group test to see if everyone has close to the same results. I know not everyone has on board the things this test would need you to have. I'm sure some of you do.
I believe the very best mead making happens by honoring a few different parameters. And, these parameters all need to be managed simultaneously. I believe if we do all the different things as best one can you will be making your best mead ever. I also believe that likewise, if you fail in any of the protocols you will pay for it.
Without going in depth in all the protocol let me start by listing the things we will manage, and the items you would need to join in the test.
These are the 5 must haves we need to manage to make great mead quickly.
We start by understanding yeast rehydration and using Goferm. So you will need to purchase Goferm and some sort of thermometer. I use the floating candy making/cooking type. We will agree to follow as close to we can a given protocol. It's important to understand these things to get your yeast off to the best start. Rehydration consist of a working understanding of water hardness, temp control, timing and the goferm protocol. The next thing to manage is O2 control. This also includes aerating/degassing. Third is at least some attempt to control fermentation temps. Followed by SNA protocol. You can use DAP/K if you want to, but I would hope if your not, now would be a good time to try Fermaid-O. Either way will work as we will all feed the same amount of YAN. We/I will help you if you need help understanding YAN values. In any case we will all start with the same gravity and will all feed the same PPM of YAN.
Next is O2 management. Not everyone has bottled O2. This is not a must. You can still take part but we definitely want everyone who does have/use a sentered O2 stone/pure oxygen to jump in. You can still join without. You just won't have that car in the game. We will make 3 different batches, all with the same must. So ,,, make a 3 gallon batch of any type of mead you want to make. We will how ever do this. One batch we will shake or use a lee's stirrer ( or what ever you use) to aerate prior to pitch. Another gallon will be infused with bottled O2 for those who have it. The next batch will be aerated how ever you do it prior to pitch and then followed up 24 hours later.
So here is what we will try to manage
1 Rehydration
2 O2 management
3 Temp control
4 Feeding protocol
5 aeration/degassing
6 racking.
I want to prove/disprove that you will see a better fermentation graph with O2 management than without. I want to prove/disprove Goferm and rehydration priciples out preform Noferm.
We will not do anything to make bad mead. We will only measure good vs best practices. By plotting your ferment on a graph we can see different metrics, such as: Lag times, what I call "fast ferment" times, (what this consist of is from the first feeding to the place where the fast drop starts to tail off on the bell curve). This happens when you see the point where the alcohol toxicity levels start to buffer the progress of the ferment. Monitor on the graph the slower time from the buffer point to the final resting place where the ferment is over. We will try to run everything dry as this will show us the most definitive info. Later you can either add more honey/fruit ect, or stabilize and back sweeten if you don't want it dry.
You can make anything you want. The idea is we all agree to do the same things as far as management. This will show us which practices yield the best results.
We will be able to see if O2 stone is faster for lag times, finishes to zero faster and gets to better attenuation, than shaking does. This would require managing 3 separate vessels.
And we can see if Goferm is faster than noferm. This would require 2 separate vessels
You would make up the same must and only employ different management techniques.
If you were to join in I can almost promise you will be a much better/more informed mazer, and you will walk away understanding what I believe is the best proven management techniques currently available.
Lots of the science is left out at this point. I gave you the skeleton and will add the meat later as you guys obtain what ever you would need to join in this group adventure.
Any takers???
I'm still learning all the time. Speed is by no means the best metric to judge good fermentation practices. No one gives a damn if you can make crap in break neck time. But with that said, I'm blown away with how fast things now happen, and how good things taste so quickly.
Here's an example. I just started a 4 gallon batch (to end up ageing 3 gallons) On the eve of the 5th. It's now the 12th and I have eaten 134 points since I pitched and the last day I have only eaten 6 points. So I am now at that stage where the yeast just barely crawl because of the alcohol toxicity, but I was moving 20 points a day. If I were to cold crash it for a week and then filter out the yeast it would be drinkable as soon as I finished filtering it. There is zero faults and barely, if any fussels. ( I would like to say no fussels but I know I would get scoffers). I should also add this was a pyment with Cab sauv grape concentrate, and it seems the added grape particulates always seem to help the process for sure.
Any way, I think there are several pieces one can employ these days that make this a true turning point in mead making history. I don't claim anything. Everything I have learned has been from reading and trying out what I read. Tossing out the crap and holding on to the things that have given measurable results. By putting these things all together, it now seems to work flawlessly and as fast as anyone could hope for.
I would like to see if any of you guys would want to participate in a group test to see if everyone has close to the same results. I know not everyone has on board the things this test would need you to have. I'm sure some of you do.
I believe the very best mead making happens by honoring a few different parameters. And, these parameters all need to be managed simultaneously. I believe if we do all the different things as best one can you will be making your best mead ever. I also believe that likewise, if you fail in any of the protocols you will pay for it.
Without going in depth in all the protocol let me start by listing the things we will manage, and the items you would need to join in the test.
These are the 5 must haves we need to manage to make great mead quickly.
We start by understanding yeast rehydration and using Goferm. So you will need to purchase Goferm and some sort of thermometer. I use the floating candy making/cooking type. We will agree to follow as close to we can a given protocol. It's important to understand these things to get your yeast off to the best start. Rehydration consist of a working understanding of water hardness, temp control, timing and the goferm protocol. The next thing to manage is O2 control. This also includes aerating/degassing. Third is at least some attempt to control fermentation temps. Followed by SNA protocol. You can use DAP/K if you want to, but I would hope if your not, now would be a good time to try Fermaid-O. Either way will work as we will all feed the same amount of YAN. We/I will help you if you need help understanding YAN values. In any case we will all start with the same gravity and will all feed the same PPM of YAN.
Next is O2 management. Not everyone has bottled O2. This is not a must. You can still take part but we definitely want everyone who does have/use a sentered O2 stone/pure oxygen to jump in. You can still join without. You just won't have that car in the game. We will make 3 different batches, all with the same must. So ,,, make a 3 gallon batch of any type of mead you want to make. We will how ever do this. One batch we will shake or use a lee's stirrer ( or what ever you use) to aerate prior to pitch. Another gallon will be infused with bottled O2 for those who have it. The next batch will be aerated how ever you do it prior to pitch and then followed up 24 hours later.
So here is what we will try to manage
1 Rehydration
2 O2 management
3 Temp control
4 Feeding protocol
5 aeration/degassing
6 racking.
I want to prove/disprove that you will see a better fermentation graph with O2 management than without. I want to prove/disprove Goferm and rehydration priciples out preform Noferm.
We will not do anything to make bad mead. We will only measure good vs best practices. By plotting your ferment on a graph we can see different metrics, such as: Lag times, what I call "fast ferment" times, (what this consist of is from the first feeding to the place where the fast drop starts to tail off on the bell curve). This happens when you see the point where the alcohol toxicity levels start to buffer the progress of the ferment. Monitor on the graph the slower time from the buffer point to the final resting place where the ferment is over. We will try to run everything dry as this will show us the most definitive info. Later you can either add more honey/fruit ect, or stabilize and back sweeten if you don't want it dry.
You can make anything you want. The idea is we all agree to do the same things as far as management. This will show us which practices yield the best results.
We will be able to see if O2 stone is faster for lag times, finishes to zero faster and gets to better attenuation, than shaking does. This would require managing 3 separate vessels.
And we can see if Goferm is faster than noferm. This would require 2 separate vessels
You would make up the same must and only employ different management techniques.
If you were to join in I can almost promise you will be a much better/more informed mazer, and you will walk away understanding what I believe is the best proven management techniques currently available.
Lots of the science is left out at this point. I gave you the skeleton and will add the meat later as you guys obtain what ever you would need to join in this group adventure.
Any takers???
