Toggle sidebar

Mead making timings for each stage.

  • 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
You critical time for a traditional is the first 3-4 days. That is when you need to pitch yeast, add nutrients, check and adjust pH and aerate (you don't need pure oxygen). Once those things are done, you mostly need to leave it alone. After it finishes, you can rack it right away, or a few weeks later - there's no hurry.

Even if you make an 11 or 12% ABV mead, count on aging at least a year before it starts to be really good.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
So with all of this in mind, can someone check my recipe and tell me if it looks good.

So trying to use the calculator.... I put in the following values.....

Target Volume: 6 US Gallons
Target Gravity: 1.01 SG (Medium)

This gives an ABV of 1.44 and Honey Qty of 1.869 pounds

If I want my target ABV to be around 12% - I do

12 / 1.44 = 8.3

So 8.3 x 1.869 pounds = 15.51 pounds of Honey (which is about 1 and 1/4 Gallons)

Am I doing this correctly? If so, is it not possible to do that last part of the calculation for me, since it already knows all of the information... I was a little confused as to why it gives me 1.44 instead of the final figure using the ABV?
 
UKTony said:
So with all of this in mind, can someone check my recipe and tell me if it looks good.

So trying to use the calculator.... I put in the following values.....

Target Volume: 6 US Gallons
Target Gravity: 1.01 SG (Medium)

This gives an ABV of 1.44 and Honey Qty of 1.869 pounds

If I want my target ABV to be around 12% - I do

12 / 1.44 = 8.3

So 8.3 x 1.869 pounds = 15.51 pounds of Honey (which is about 1 and 1/4 Gallons)

Am I doing this correctly? If so, is it not possible to do that last part of the calculation for me, since it already knows all of the information... I was a little confused as to why it gives me 1.44 instead of the final figure using the ABV?
Click to expand...


I think maybe an easier route to take would be from the new Bee Guide:

3 mass ounces of honey= 1% ETOH (in 1 gallon)

So, for you:

12(3)=36 mass ounces/gallon

6 gallons= 186 mass ounces (11.625 lbs) - for dry

For Medium:

I come up with 12 lbs 7 ozs, or just over a gallon.
 
If you want 12% ABV, start with a gravity of 1.090. For 6 gallons that will take roughly 15 pounds of honey, but that varies with the moisture content of the honey so go by the starting gravity. Then ferment it dry. If you want it a little sweeter, stabilize and backsweeten. That will be the easiest way to get it to the exact level of sweetness that suits you.
 
You don't make much (any) reference to nutrients Tony........

Without something you'd be looking at a long, slow fermentation that will likely finish sweet.

Personally I just mix the honey and water, then check gravity. As long as the yeast will take it dry, I just run with it.

I start my brews at 1.100 to 1.110 and most regular wine yeasts will get it dry.

Once the yeast is in (just rehydrating with water as per the instuctions) and I see some sign of ferment (bubbles), then I give it a stir and add nutrients (mix of 2 parts energiser, the tan cloloured powder and 1 part nutrient/DAP, the white, sugar like crystals) at 1 teaspoon per gallon.

I then stir it at least once a day to get some air/O2 in, and check gravity to see where its at.

Once I see a 1/3rd drop in the gravity, I give it a last stir and then ad a further 1/2 a teaspoon at the same mix as above, then airlock and let it finish.

Once it stops bubbling, I check gravity to see where its at. If its done, great. If it still has room for further fermentation, then I test pH.

For sweetness (I don't enjoy too dry or overly sweet), I just stabilise the finished brew (sulphites and sorbate), then I add increments of honey, testing and tasting after each increment. The test of sweetness being my gob!

I find 1.010 to 1.015 being about right.

Your quest for timings can only ever be a guesstimate. Like the time from pitch to the 1/3rd sugar break, it could be just a day or two it could be a week to 10 days etc.
 
Last edited:
Hiya,

With regards to nutrients, my local brew shop supplied me with an Energizer and a DAP Nutrient by LD Carlson, so I have them, I just didn't mention them because I assumed they were a "given" so to speak.

The yeast I plan to use is a White Labs WLP720 http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp720-sweet-mead-wine-yeast?s=home because it's liquid (so I can pitch it with minimal chance of screw up), it's good for up to 15%, and it suits the ambient temperatures where I live better than some of the others I've looked at.

I'm really sorry for all the dumb questions, every time I think I have a handle on this thing, something else throws me for a loop. I really want to get this started, and I think if I can get the honey on Friday, I might be able to get it started this week, where I have a weeks break in my work schedule.

Cheers


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.......:D

Pretty much the best yeast to cover possible ambient temperatures is Lalvin K1-V1116. If it was good enough for Brother Adam (Buckfast Abbey, bee breeding and mead making) up to his death in the mid-90'sthen Is fine for me........

And yes its a good yeast for meads, espespecially traditionals.......
 
Looks like it's all academic for me again anyway; looks like I'm off to Far East soon, so maybe I can try again to get one started in July or something.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
And now I'm back from China and Hong Kong, I feel a brew coming on!!

I've ordered a bunch of extra chemicals and stuff, not because I like spending money, but more because it takes 3 to 5 days to receive any stuff thru the mail, and I'd rather have it and not need it, than be in a pickle without it.

Ordered the yeast today; decided to try the White Labs Mead Yeast (720), I bought two vials in case I need double the trouble.... Which leads me to the next question.

Is it better to pitch both vials at the beginning in order to mega-yeast the brew (as I've seen some on the forum do...) or better to hold one back in case fermentation sticks?

Cheers

Tony.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns

Top Bottom