Making Mead

[shadow47]

I got a 1/2 gallon Demi from Freecycle, so I started a batch of simple mead to try it out.

How much Yeast Nutrient should I add?

I have added...

750 Grams Honey
1 tspn Tronozymol
1/2 tspn Youngs Nutrient
1/2 tspn Youngs Super Wine Yeast
Water

Estimated alcohol % is to be around 12% (from SG reading).

Will that be OK? I started two other wines at the same time yesterday and they're both bubbling at around the same rate, but the Mead isn't bubbling yet, I can see bubbles on side of Demi so there's definitely yeast activity (and it bubbles when I shake demi).

Does Mead take a little longer to get going because of the lack of nutrient? (even though I added some).

: :drunk:

 

[Tony]

I think for that size of brew what you've added is fine. I've made a 4 gal batch using my grandfather's recipe... search for Col RN Harrison

Mine took a little while to get started .. I think all that honey scares the **** out of the yeast until they get the upper hand.

 

[shadow47]

I think all that honey scares the **** out of the yeast until they get the upper hand.

LOL!

Yeah I've read that recipe, sounds nice, I'll give it a try if I like this Mead I'm making, it's bubbling away nicely now, should be around 13% when it's done.

 

[Tony]

Keep me informed, I'm really getting into the mead. My grandfather used eucalyptus honey most of the time - it really is worth buying good stuff. My brother drank 3 bottles (pint bottles) day before yesterday (18%). Don't think he's recovered yet!

Good luck with it!

 

[shadow47]

Keep me informed, I'm really getting into the mead. My grandfather used eucalyptus honey most of the time - it really is worth buying good stuff. My brother drank 3 bottles (pint bottles) day before yesterday (18%). Don't think he's recovered yet!

Good luck with it!

Have you tried with expensive honey, and without?

I've seen these in ASDA reduced to £1 a jar from time to time (I think it's when they start to set).

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/s ... tid=177776

Any other sources of good honey going cheap?

 

[Tony]

I've been searching but nothing 'cheap'.

I've only tried using sainsbury's cheapo honey (except for a batch on the go at the moment), but I've recently found some notes of his which pretty much say that the better the honey - the better the final result.

I think it's probably a good idea to perfect technique using the cheap stuff and then move onto the good stuff when you're happy. I really need to find out now how much the hop addition makes a difference.

 

[shadow47]

I like my little 1/2 gallon demi, means I can ferment expensive stuff to see if it's worthwhile. Would still cost £6 for 1/2 a gallon though

Best listening to the experts, but expensive honey is usually 3 times the price as the cheap stuff :shock:. Let us know if it makes a huge different to the end result using the expensive stuff though .

Looks like the yeast has gotten over the initial shock of being stuck with all that honey, was probably like "omg, we expected grapes and this is all we get! What do you expect us to do with this?" Fermenting like mad now!

 

[Tony]

Good stuff!

I wouldn't go for the "OMG you expect me to pay how much?" honey ... the Orange Blosson and Aussie Eucalyptus are both reasonably priced. I did find one place selling honey in bulk that seemed relatively competitive but I'm at work at the moment and bookmarked it at home. I'll check when I get home!

 

[Adiecain]

I'm going to do a batch tonight prob... I got Tescos value honey 67p for 340g or £2.10 a kilo.. Also a pack of blueberries in the bargain bin.... Should be niiiiiiiice :party:

 

[oldbloke]

Glad to hear somebody's using eucalyptus honey, that's what I used in my first ever gallon: in the airing cupboard now, beginning to clear.
It's the "Joe’s Ancient Orange and Spice Mead" recipe from gotmead.com (except I used a champagne yeast and added nutrient, and de-pithed the orange)

 

[greencheapsk8]

I might try some Manuka Honey, that type nomally goes under the OMG priced honey, but i can get it locally for a few beers :party:

 

[phettebs]

I'm picking up 12 pounds (about 5.5kg?) of honey from a local beekeeper tonight so I can make my first batch of mead this weekend. I am using Lalvin D-47. This is a 5 gallon batch so I estimate it to be of OG around 1.080. I have yeast nutrient too. I've read I should add 5 teaspoons (for 5 gallons) before pitching the yeast. Then another 5 at 24 hours, 5 at 48, and then 5 at 72. Is that correct? I plan to oxygenate with pure oxygen before pitching but should I also do it for the first couple days as I add nutrient?

Baz

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I'm going to do a batch tonight prob... I got Tescos value honey 67p for 340g or £2.10 a kilo.

I've not long since finished a batch of mead made with that type of honey. I was a bit dubious about whether I'd made the right decision - you get what you pay for - but I bottled it up a couple of weeks ago and took a bottle for early drinking while leaving the rest to mature. First impression was that it's pretty good.

I used 4 of those jars of honey, a big dollop of orange marmalade and a single clove, plus some Young's super yeast compound (and a pinch of nutrient to help the yeast along, as I'd heard that mead can be a bit slow to get started).

Suprisingly easy in fact, and kind of got me interested in trying another batch but using a more exotic type of honey.

 

[metalmickey]

Just a note on the honey type, ive got a mate whos a beekeeper who said i can have the "cappings" which are the tops of the wax combs with honey in them.

is there anything i need to add to break down the wax?

 

[tankard]

You could add soap...!

Alternatively, get the honey out and dissolved in water then skim off any wax that comes with it.

 

[greencheapsk8]

Make some yummy, yummy candles :grin:
I know some have a spinner that forces the honey out

 

[YogiB]

I've never made mead before and never drank it so, keen to try, I bought the ingredients for 'Ancient Orange and Spice Mead', per the recipe on another forum, here [not sure what forum etiquette is so quoted source!] as the ‘Col RN Harrison’ recipe HERE looks a little more intricate, then, jumped in.
The plan: Mead for Christmas (unless it proves too tempting!).

I have a question or two or …, a little late I know :whistle:

1] I have used " Allinson Dried Active Yeast (natural yeast for traditional hand baking)” as I couldn’t find “Fleishmann’s bread yeast” as detailed in the recipe at the supermarket. Will that be ok? :pray:

2] How volcanic, if at all, would the initial fermentation be? My first WOW has orange and was volcanic; the recipe allowed for this and recommended filling the DJ to shoulder level only before topping up later on. [ :lol: as I am typing this my Blueberry and Grape, put on yesterday, just blew its lid :lol: ]

Just for the record, I used, for 1 DJ:-
1500g of honey, which was slightly less than the recipe called for (Marlene Summer Blossom Honey = 3 x 500g jars at £1.99 each)
1 large orange (28p)- scrubbed, diced, stuffed into DJ
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon all spice
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
30 raisins (!)
Cold water (up to neck of DJ)
Bread Yeast.
½ teaspoon Youngs Yeast Nutrient

Any thoughts?

 

[Kirk]

Yes, don't use bread yeast. You're not making bread, you are making mead.
Could end up cloudy as bread yeast does not settle as well, could smell of bread.
Will probably come out sweetish and low alcohol, bread yeast doesn't survive well in alcohol.

 

[YogiB]

Greetings Kirk
Whilst new to forums and forum etiquette, I feel your response is a little curt Kirk.

Yes, don't use bread yeast. You're not making bread, you are making mead.

I know, I followed the recipe (see link on OP)[edit:-not OP my first post on thread[!!]]; what else is a Newbie Mead Brewer/Drinker to do but follow the recipe?

Could end up cloudy as bread yeast does not settle as well, could smell of bread.

Could or would? As a Newbie I welcome quantitative evidence and/or information from experienced brewers; Kindly expand on this clause of your post!

Will probably come out sweetish and low alcohol, bread yeast doesn't survive well in alcohol.

I don't know about that either, my first observations would be " why would the recipe recommend bread yeast rather than a brewing yeast?", and, "would a brrewing yeast ferment to a dryer mead?" As it stands, I'm brewing this recipe now and I will let you know what happens! I will start one with brewers yeast to compare.

YogiB

 

[Moley]

Will probably come out sweetish and low alcohol, bread yeast doesn't survive well in alcohol.

I don't know about that either, my first observations would be " why would the recipe recommend bread yeast rather than a brewing yeast?", and, "would a brewing yeast ferment to a dryer mead?" As it stands, I'm brewing this recipe now and I will let you know what happens! I will start one with brewers yeast to compare.

I think your answers are already in the original topic you linked to, if you read Fatbloke's replies. For example:

I think that Joe actually produced a very cunning recipe. To use bread yeast so it reduces the alcohol content and gives a sweet mead with the residual sugar, while counteracting the sweetness with a hint of bitterness from the pith, at the same time, with the orange and honey sweetness, the addition of the spices to enhance it.

Very cleverly thought about recipe that one.

The fact that it's a good starter recipe by the nature of the "chuck it in a DJ" approach and giving pretty good, consistent results is a bonus. It's certainly not a "hit and miss" thing, well I don't think so.

Your Allinson's yeast will probably have a higher alcohol tolerance than Kirk seems to predict. Fermentation won't be volcanic and will probably be long and steady, as there's not much in there for the yeasties to get excited about, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't clear properly, especially as you already appreciate this is a medium to long-term wine.


PS: I'm not going to merge topics, but you ought to read in conjunction with this one.