First mead - need input on additives

[jas3019]

Ok so I posted this over in gotmead and didn't get much response. Plus I'm not sure how much those guys use additives to really be able to answer my questions. I'm going to start my first batch of mead this coming weekend. Recipe as follows:

3 gallon batch
9 lbs orange blossom honey
Water (enough to get up to 3.5 gal so after post-fermentation racking I'll have ~3 gallons left)
D47 yeast rehydrated with goferm protect
3/4 tsp DAP after lag
3/4 tsp Fermaid K at 1/3 sugar break

I think this is a fairly typical batch thus far for a dry/off dry (TBD) mead. I plan on aging it on some vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and hungarian oak.

But my real question comes in the form of additives. I have opti-white, booster blanc, and ft blanc soft all laying around. Since I'll be treating this like a white wine to begin with, using all 3 seems like a good idea to get the most of this mead. Does anyone have any comments on using these? Stick with the recommended doses?

Any help I can get on this (or if you see something funky altogether) would be great!

 

[BernardSmith]

I plead ignorance. What are these "additives" used for? Why would you add them to a mead? What will they do for your orange blossom honey mead? Perhaps the lack of response by the others on the other forum is because using such additives may be something they would not do. But you write that you plan on using D47. Is that the best yeast for your mead? Isn't that a nutrient hungry yeast?

 

[jas3019]

Quite a few people on here have recommended treating mead like white wine. Those additives are from Scott Labs and are used to help during fermentation. Mainly I'm expecting them to help with flavor and mouthfeel. Below is a description from either Morewine's website or the Scott Labs handbook.

"Booster Blanc is a Specific Inactivated Yeast (SIY) developed from an ICV strain used for white and rose wines. Booster Blanc helps to increase fresh varietal fruit aromas and mid-palate intensity while helping to diminish bitterness and chemical/vegetal characteristics. Booster Blanc is very useful for maintaining the aroma and freshness of wines that go through MLF and helps lower the production of off sulfur compounds during fermentation. Add to the juice at the beginning of the fermentation. Recommended for whites, roses, meads and fruit wines."

"When added to the juice at the onset of fermentation, Opti-WHITE enhances smoothness, helps avoid browning from oxidation and protects fresh aromas during aging. Opti-WHITE may also be added in the last stages of alcoholic fermentation to help bring out flavor profiles often associated with lees aging."

"When used at the beginning of the fermentation, FT Blanc Soft helps provide protection from oxidation so more of the wines delicate aromas and flavors are preserved. In addition, FT Blanc Soft's continual bonding going on throughout the fermentation improves mouthfeel and help significantly reduce or eliminate vegetal/herbaceous characters and bitterness. FT Blanc Soft imparts a perception of sweetness without contributing any sugars, along with a low-level, beneficial minerality."

As for the yeast, I'm starting to second guess D47 because it's finicky with temperature and I don't have a good set up for keeping it cool. I also have on hand GRE and 71B and am leaning toward the 71B.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

I have been using all 3 within the ranges suggested by the webpage of the manufacturer, works well on meads and really well in cysers! We also use them on our country wines. Havent used them postferment yet as they did such a good job during the ferment that it didnt seem to be needed. We make most of our stuff on the dry side so people who like dry can have their drink and people who like it sweeter can add a few drops of honey if they wish. WVMJ

 

[wineforfun]

All I can add is that I have made 4-5 different meads and never used any of those products or anything like that.
I use honey, fruit(if adding any), nutrient(stepping it in) and yeast and have never had any issues.

 

[jas3019]

Thanks for the input! It seems like there are two camps..those who don't know/want to use the extras and then those who use any tool available. I'm in the latter camp. Anything I can do to improve the wine I want to try unless others really don't recommend it.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

One of the most recent controversies in meadmaking was to boil or not boil the honey. Modern meadmakers now tend not to boil to preserve all the flavors in the wine. Then there is the fine or not fine group. The make the mead fast to drink it fast or the you have to wait a year before you even get to taste it groups. I personally am in the try everything I can group, from whole hive with everything from the hive in it to add all three of the above to a melomel with lots of fruit. Aint no right or wrong, just fun!!!!!!! I even am getting ready to BOIL up a big batch, boil the aromatics right out of a couple gallons of honey on purpose. WVMJ

Thanks for the input! It seems like there are two camps..those who don't know/want to use the extras and then those who use any tool available. I'm in the latter camp. Anything I can do to improve the wine I want to try unless others really don't recommend it.

 

[jas3019]

Well, I started this mead today! I agree about trying everything but my physical resources are a bit constrained currently so I'd rather hedge my bets as much as I can to make something good. I ended up using the manufacturer's suggested doses for each of the opti-white, booster blanc, and ft blanc soft.

I also decided to stick with the D47 and have the whole batch in a cooler with water and some of those freezer block things (the blue things..no idea what they're called). Hopefully that'll keep the must from getting too hot as I've heard D47 doesn't like hot ferments.