Straight mead yeast tests - Pewter
ROOM TEMPERATURE: approximately 70F
TEST YEASTS: (may be referred to by these numbers in the future)
1. D47
2. RC-212
3. 71B-1122
4. Pasteur Red
5. Montrachet
MUST MIXTURE:
12 lbs Goldenrod Honey (1 gallon)
6 lbs Clover/Black Locust (1/2 gallon)
2 Lemons
3 Oranges
1/2 cup Raisins
Water (bottled)
OG: 1.200
NOTE: This OG is capable of supporting about 16 percent ABV and should allow all yeasts to ferment to completion. So at least until something unexpected occurs, I should not need to use chemicals at all.
12/2/04
Heated 2 gallons of water to 140F. Added citrus fruit and raisins in steeping bag after chopping raisins and cutting oranges and lemons in quarters. Removed heat and allowed to set 24 hours. Mixture was in 6 gallon aluminum pot with lid.
12/3/04
Removed steeping bag and squeezed contents back into must, especially raisins which had swollen because of water.
OBSERVATION: The mixture had a nice citrus smell to it but also had an indescribable deep earthy smell to it that almost had me tossing it and starting over. Eventually I convinced myself that I had kept everything sterile and that the smell was because of the raisins.
Pulled out 2 cups of mixture into each of 5 quart canning jars and added yeasts to the surface of each jar while mixture was still at room temperature. Put canning lids on jars loosely and allowed to set while working on must.
Reheated remaining mixture to 140F and added honey. Used hot bottled water from another vessel to help get honey out of containers. Split into 5 equal batches in gallon jugs while mixture was still at 140F. Sealed with jug lids and began to air cool.
Swirled each of the 5 yeast mixtures to immerse yeast. Noticed that must was not cooling and so I put each jug into a cold water bath for 15 minutes to bring it to room temperature. Set jugs to side and swirled yeasts a second, then third time.
When all jugs felt cool to the touch, I pitched the yeasts and shook the jugs for a few seconds to mix things. I put in bubble traps filled with cheap vodka. Lined the 5 jugs up on the back of the kitchen table and went to bed.
Next morning all 5 were bubbling merrily... I will post some observations in my next update on the visual differences between the yeasts/batches...
ROOM TEMPERATURE: approximately 70F
TEST YEASTS: (may be referred to by these numbers in the future)
1. D47
2. RC-212
3. 71B-1122
4. Pasteur Red
5. Montrachet
MUST MIXTURE:
12 lbs Goldenrod Honey (1 gallon)
6 lbs Clover/Black Locust (1/2 gallon)
2 Lemons
3 Oranges
1/2 cup Raisins
Water (bottled)
OG: 1.200
NOTE: This OG is capable of supporting about 16 percent ABV and should allow all yeasts to ferment to completion. So at least until something unexpected occurs, I should not need to use chemicals at all.
12/2/04
Heated 2 gallons of water to 140F. Added citrus fruit and raisins in steeping bag after chopping raisins and cutting oranges and lemons in quarters. Removed heat and allowed to set 24 hours. Mixture was in 6 gallon aluminum pot with lid.
12/3/04
Removed steeping bag and squeezed contents back into must, especially raisins which had swollen because of water.
OBSERVATION: The mixture had a nice citrus smell to it but also had an indescribable deep earthy smell to it that almost had me tossing it and starting over. Eventually I convinced myself that I had kept everything sterile and that the smell was because of the raisins.
Pulled out 2 cups of mixture into each of 5 quart canning jars and added yeasts to the surface of each jar while mixture was still at room temperature. Put canning lids on jars loosely and allowed to set while working on must.
Reheated remaining mixture to 140F and added honey. Used hot bottled water from another vessel to help get honey out of containers. Split into 5 equal batches in gallon jugs while mixture was still at 140F. Sealed with jug lids and began to air cool.
Swirled each of the 5 yeast mixtures to immerse yeast. Noticed that must was not cooling and so I put each jug into a cold water bath for 15 minutes to bring it to room temperature. Set jugs to side and swirled yeasts a second, then third time.
When all jugs felt cool to the touch, I pitched the yeasts and shook the jugs for a few seconds to mix things. I put in bubble traps filled with cheap vodka. Lined the 5 jugs up on the back of the kitchen table and went to bed.
Next morning all 5 were bubbling merrily... I will post some observations in my next update on the visual differences between the yeasts/batches...
