strong smell

[j.postema]

Hi all,

I made another batch (1 gallon) of mead. It is fermenting well, gravity drops about 18 (s.g.) per 48 hours. Starting gravity is 1100.

I used wild-flower honey, tap water and 2 liters of (red) grape-juice from the supermarket.

After one week I noticed slightly a smell, and at this moment, 2 weeks after pitching the yeast, the smell has become stronger. I already added some raisins a few days ago, and today I added some extra yeast nutrients.

I measured pH (using pH strokes) but I lack a good pH meter (still have to buy one), the strokes suggest that pH is lower than 3.8 (3.8 is lowest readable value).

I was wondering if the smell is normal / okay for mead with (red) grapes? My other meads without grapes don't have this smell. It is strong but not really bad, in my opinion it doesn't smell like rotten eggs, maybe slightly...

 

[sandman]

Sulphur odors normally mean (to me at least) that your mead is in need of nutrient dosing. If you post the exact amounts of each ingredient we might be able to be more specific about what nutrients additions that might be needed.

 

[j.postema]

Hi Sandman,

thanks for your reply. I already added some more yeast nutrient and today I think the smell is not as strong as yesterday. I asked a friend and she told me that it smelled like wine, nothing strange. So I think it is okay!

 

[Medsen Fey]

If you are still in the first half of fermentation you may want to aerate it some more as well to help it clear that smell.

 

[j.postema]

Hi Medsen,

every day it seems that the smell decreases so I think it is okay. Gravity is 1.024,far below 1/3 sugarbreak, so I don't aerate it.

By the way, for my first batches I used to aerate only the first 3 days, but for my current mead I want to aerate till 1/3 sugar break. I pitched the yeast 4 days ago and today I saw some co2 bubbles for the first time in this mead. I measured gravity but it was almost equal to the starting gravity.

When I stirred the wort vigorously, there was a lot of white foam forming at the top of the wort. Just to be sure: is there no risk of oxydation if I aerate before 1/3 sugarbreak? (despite fermentation seems in progress)

 

[j.postema]

Hi Medsen,

every day it seems that the smell decreases so I think it is okay. Gravity is 1024,far below 1/3 sugarbreak, so I don't aerate it.

By the way, for my first batches I used to aerate only the first 3 days, but for newest batch of mead I want to aerate till 1/3 sugar break. I pitched the yeast 4 days ago and today I saw some co2 bubbles for the first time in this mead. I measured gravity but it was almost equal to the starting gravity.

When I stirred the wort vigorously, there was a lot of white foam forming at the top of the wort. Just to be sure: is there no risk of oxydation during this stage if I aerate before 1/3 sugarbreak? (despite fermentation seems in progress)

 

[Medsen Fey]

You can do entire fermentations in an open vessel and not have it oxidized as the yeast and lees are very good at providing reductive power. As long as active fermentation is going, aeration is unlikely to cause negative results, but even so, I generally stop after the 1/3 fermentation point and protect it from air expose after that time.

If the smell has cleared then I wouldn't aerate. If it is still present, I would.

Medsen.

 

[j.postema]

Hi Medsen,

thanks for your reply. After 5 days the mead started fermenting, so that's my 4th 1-gallon batch I'm very curious how the different meads will taste, but first I have to be patient...