Wrathwilde's Chocolate Aphrodisiac

[pugsquasher]

The basic recipe is given on this site already, though I forget where I saw it. The questions I have are really assanine perhaps, but still need to be asked. Here goes:

1) The recipe calls for wildflower honey, no substitutions allowed?
2) The little nuances of nutrient additions being staggered and
3) The instruction to "rack under the oils" means to leave the oils behind and not transfer them?
4) One other thing, upon bottling, are sulfites or other preservatives needed?

I know I need to learn how to walk, before learning how to get behind the wheel and run someone over, but....

I'm feeling ambitious, and everything I really put my mind to, I do well at. (also, there's this wom...uh, I mean, never mind )

Update: found the recipe.

Wrathwilde's Chocolate Aphrodisiac

This is for a 6 gallon batch of Chocolate Acerglyn (Semisweet). I Recommend using 6.5 gallon carboys.

In Primary Bucket (do not use a glass carboy during the first 3 days or you'll have a Chocolate Geyser!!!)
1.3 gallons (16lbs) GloryBee Wildflower Honey (Excellent for Wildflower) other wildflower honeys questionable
10oz Ghirardelli's unsweetened cocoa powder. http://www.foodlocker.com/95341-9.html
4 gallons of bottled spring water
Lalvin D254 (Rehydrated in goferm) I absolutely love what this yeast did for this batch!!!!
2 tsp (total) DAP - staggered additions over 1st 3 days during oxygenation
2 tsp (total) Fermaid K - Staggered additions over 1st 3 days during oxygenation
At end of 3rd day pour (using a sterilized funnel) into a glass carboy - this pour is your final aeration

Ferment in a 6.5 gallon Glass Primary
Rack into secondary at 1 blip every 15 seconds, Rack Under the Oils

In 6.5 gallon Secondary -
Gently degas before adding 1/2 gallon Grade B Dark Maple Syrup
Stir Well but do not aerate.
Add approx. 1 gallon Bottled Spring Water, stir gently.

When fermentation is complete rack into a 6 gallon Carboy and bulk age for at least one year. Enjoy!!!

Wrathwilde

 

[WRATHWILDE]

You can substitute Honeys, it's just that Wildflower was used for the original. Wildflower may help with the complexity of the Mead, which may not be the case with some single variety honeys.

Yes, Leave the oils behind.

Using Nutrients

New Advice -

Use 1 tsp of DAP up front during your initial stirring of the must, then follow up with Fermaid K additions after you start getting airlock activity.

Fermaid K is highly recommend. It will benefit your yeasts greatly and help protect against stuck fermentations. I recommend 1/2 tsp for every gallon of must. To keep things simple... add 1/2 tsp when initially mixing your batch and a 1/2 tsp (until you reach a total of 3 tsp for a 6 gallon batch) each time you stir/aerate your batch during the first three days. For those of you who are more advanced, additions are best made at the tail end of the yeast lag phase, the 1/3rd sugar break and 2/3 sugar break.

Nothing Else is needed as long as you let it ferment completely before bottling.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde