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[bedlam101]

I am an obvious newbee at the mead making process. I just started my first batch this weekend and have a few concerns. I am using an open food container with a towel over it for my primary fermenter, and the fermentation appears to be going well. My concern is the amount of brown sludge that is forming at the top of my must. What is that stuff? Is it a problem? Is it supposed to be there? What?

Please help

Thanks

 

[Oskaar]

That's krausen/foam from the yeast doing their thing and chowing down on the ambient sugars while converting them to alcohol and CO2.

Would you post your exact recipe please.

Also, be aware that you'll need to seal the top on day three, and place an airlock to keep any air from getting into the fermentation vessel and queering your batch.

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[bedlam101]

This is a Cyser mead
10 pounds of honey
2 1/2 gallons of apple juice
2 tbls yeast energizer
4 1/2 tbls acid blend
3/4 tsp wine tannin
lalvin ICV-D47 yeast
water to reach 5 gallons

I wrote down my initial specific gravity reading, but don't have that with me. I do remember that my potential alchohol was about 12. I capped the batch today with an air stopper and counted about 10 bubbles per minute. I plan on taking another reading with my hydrometer this weekend, to see how things are coming along. But, from what I can tell, she's brewing nicely and I'm in the sit and wait stage of the game.

 

[Oskaar]

Dude,

You're way over boat on the energizer you should be using about 2 teaspoons.

You don't need acid blend up front and four tablespoons is too much, especially since you're putting grape tannin in there too.

You'll definately have taste from the energizer and a pronounced bite from the acid. Did you use any nutrient?

Where did you get this recipe? You may want to rack this in half after primary is completed and top up with a couple gallons each of apple juice and some more honey to cut that acid and energizer taste that will be in it.

Hope that helps, keep us in the loop,

Oskaar

 

[Jmattioli]

Ditto That.
Apple juice is already high in Malic acid. It would have taken off like gangbusters without the acid. It is going to be mighty tart and it might stall early cause PH is dropping fast. I hope you just mispelled tps as tbls, otherwise you have in over 13 teaspoons of acid. Your tannin for a 5 gallon batch won't cause any problems but the acid sure will. If it wasn't a speeling error, I would take Oskaars advice and dilute it with more apple juice.
Joe

 

[bedlam101]

I got this recipe from the eckraus website. I thought it was a little much myself, but hey, I'm new at this. Now, if I split this batch in half and top it with honey and applejuice at the second stage fermentation, what will that do to my alcohol content, and how far will it lengthen my fermentation process? Should I split while it's still in the primary fermentation?
To be honest, I'm considering just riding the damn thing out and chaulking the batch up to a beginners mistake. Something I can feel nostalgic about later.

Do you guys have a good Cyser recipe for a 5 gallon batch?

 

[jeebeel]

Bedlam,

The folks on this forum have tons of good recipes, including cyser. Check the recipes section both on the forum and on the general site. I also recommend that you use the search engine for "cyser" in the forum to see both recipes and very helpful comments on making it.

 

[toolboxdiver]

Bedlam,

The folks on this forum have tons of good recipes, including cyser. Check the recipes section both on the forum and on the general site. I also recommend that you use the search engine for "cyser" in the forum to see both recipes and very helpful comments on making it.

Good advice Jeebeel ...... I have found the folks here to be really helpful and the information here is awsome for us mead folks ..... Thanks all for your hard work ... ;D

 

[Oskaar]

Split your batch now, top up, sweeten to an SG of 1.120 - 1.130 and repitch with K1V-1116. Make sure you re-hydrate exactly as instructed by Lalvin. See link below:

http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/lalvinrehyd.html

I've had very good results with K1V beginning in that SG range, actually, when I use K1V-1116 I go for an OG of 1.130 (which is about 30.15 brix) if you multiply the brix number by .06 you'll get a PABV of about 18.1(18.09)% which is the alcohol tolerance of K1V. It will have a bit of residual sweetness and should be fine. Hopefully all of the additives shouldn't throw it off.

Also, if you are pitching yeast into a must with a brix rating above 26 I would recommend pitching 10g (2 packets of 5 g each) of whatever yeast you are using and rehydrate as above.

Hope that helps.


Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[Aggie4You]

Also, if you are pitching yeast into a must with a brix rating above 26 I would recommend pitching 10g (2 packets of 5 g each) of whatever yeast you are using and rehydrate as above.

In this situation, would you rehydrate the packets separately or together... or does it matter?

 

[Oskaar]

I'm a big believer in doing seperate batches. I have the glassware to burn, so I rehydrate separate batches. It also goes to damage control in case I screw one up, I don't blow both musts away. Never had it happen, but always vigilant just in case.

cheers,

Oskaar