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st batch

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Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Hello to everyone; This is my first post but I have been looking at this great site for a while.
My 1st batch has just been started
2lbs tupilo honey
2lbs wildflower honey
1 gallon spring water
Lalvin 1116 yeast
1/2 oz yeast energizer
I started this batch last night at 8 pm, when I checked it this morning to airate it was bubbling like crazy. Looked like the fermentation tank at Jack Daniels. Is this normal or did it start too quickly.
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Well I may have goofed, got a 1 gallon carboy over the weekend and transfered the fermenting must to it with a proper air lock. Did this because I was not happy with the mister beer set up. Must bubbled away happily for about two days now seems to be slowing. Don't know what the abv is as I broke my hydrometer. There was a lot f sediment that did not get transfered. Will keep you posted
 

fatbloke

good egg/snappy dresser.....
GotMead Patron
See if the Mr Beer container is bigger then when you transfer to a 1 gallon jug you will often leave the sediment and maybe even a bit of the liquid, especially if you added the honey then the water.

4lb of honey is about 1/3rd of a gallon. So its easier to mix it all up, transfer all that will fit in the jug and then put the rest in a soda/pop bottle and put that in the fridge.....

The sediment is nutrients, yeast, dead yeast and so on. At least its good for adding back later etc to be removed in the usual way later.....
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Well it's been a week and 3 days and the bubble rat is down to one per minute. At three days hydrometer reading was 1.024, did not take one at start as
I did not have a hydrometer, will take another reading tonight.
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Just a quick question; I did not have a hydrometer when I started this batch is there any way to figure out the potential starting og?
 

joemirando

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Just a quick question; I did not have a hydrometer when I started this batch is there any way to figure out the potential starting og?

You can approximate it by using rule-of-thumb (if you are an old hand at making mead) or by using the mead calculator in the yellow box over on the left side of this page.

Did you make a 1 gallon batch, or did you make a batch of 4 lbs of honey plus a gallon of water? That will change your SG.

If it is a one gallon total batch, the mead calculator says that your OG was approximately 1.144.

So given your current SG of 1.024, your current calculated ABV would be 15.54%.

Of course if you "left some behind" when you switched containers, your ABV would be lower.

1.024 is a little bit on the sweet side, and 1116 has a tolerance of 18% according to the manufacturer, so you're not done yet unless you want to be.

If you're happy with it as is, you can cold crash it rack it, stabilize it and let it clear and bottle it. If you want it drier, it'll probably still chug along for another couple of percent (you have enough honey for 18%). I can tell you from personal experience that very dry mead is fairly yucky when young. The cool thing is, its really up to you and your tastes.


Good luck,

Joe
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
You can approximate it by using rule-of-thumb (if you are an old hand at making mead) or by using the mead calculator in the yellow box over on the left side of this page.

Did you make a 1 gallon batch, or did you make a batch of 4 lbs of honey plus a gallon of water? That will change your SG.

If it is a one gallon total batch, the mead calculator says that your OG was approximately 1.144.

So given your current SG of 1.024, your current calculated ABV would be 15.54%.

Of course if you "left some behind" when you switched containers, your ABV would be lower.

1.024 is a little bit on the sweet side, and 1116 has a tolerance of 18% according to the manufacturer, so you're not done yet unless you want to be.

If you're happy with it as is, you can cold crash it rack it, stabilize it and let it clear and bottle it. If you want it drier, it'll probably still chug along for another couple of percent (you have enough honey for 18%). I can tell you from personal experience that very dry mead is fairly yucky when young. The cool thing is, its really up to you and your tastes.


Good luck,

Joe

Made a batch with 4 lbs honey and one gallon water and yes I did have some left nover and it's in the fridge now.
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
A+ on that I just hope I did not foul thing up by transfering to soon. As I said before down to one bubble per minute and must is still cloudy no sign of it starting to clear. More info on progress tomorrow. Thanks for the help
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Ok took hydrometer reading last night 1.005. Stopped fermentation and will transfer to aging jug tonight, may have to add some more honey to sweeten up cause right now it's real dry. Thanks to all for your help, will be starting new batch with d47 soon.
 

kchaystack

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 26, 2013
174
0
0
Lansing, MI
Are you planning to stabilize? If not and you add more honey, the fermentation will kick back up. Your yeast was rated for 18% ABV and you are not close to that, from reading the posts.
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
What I did was put the batch in the bottom of the fridge to stop fermentation as the yeast will not work below 50. Don't know if it will restart if warmed up.
 

kchaystack

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 26, 2013
174
0
0
Lansing, MI
From the NewBee guide:

Potassium Metabisulfite or Sodium Metabisulfite. Potassium metabisulfite is added to wine to inhibit bacteria and yeast growth, as well as slow down oxidation. It may leave an unpleasant aftertaste in wine if the dose is too high. This chemical is also used in a water solution as an antiseptic rinse to sanitize equipment. It is identical to, but better than, Sodium Metabisulfite, because it does not add sodium to one’s diet. CAUTION: Some people, particularly asthmatics, can have a severe allergic reaction to this substance.

Use: For wine: 1/8 teaspoon (1 gram) of powder per gallon of wine provides 150 ppm free SO2. A little bit goes a long way, so be careful! Generally speaking, the target free SO2 for red wines is 20-30 ppm and 25-40 ppm for white wines.

Potassium Sorbate (stabilizer). Potassium Sorbate prevents renewed fermentation in wine that is to be bottled and/or sweetened. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon per gallon.

You should also search the forums for the 2 chemicals above to double check the amounts and such.
 

Grsyghost

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2013
10
0
0
Want to thank you for your responce. After I asked the question I did a google search and got most of what I needed
 
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