Sweet Meed from finevinewines recipe index

[DirkDiggler]

Hello all,
This is my first post. I started making beer recently and thought I would try my hand at making mead from the recipe list from FineVineWines. Thus far, there is no activity.

Here is my readings:
(all SG readings have been corrected for temp)
Start (03/27) 1.122SG 66F
(03/28) 1.122SG (pitch yeast) 73F
(03/29) 1.121SG (tad lower -maybe false reading?) 71F
(03/30) 1.122SG 68F

What I did:

I went to the LHBS with recipe (http://www.finevinewines.com/Honey_wine_sweet_Recipe.htm) in hand and asked for some help! I couldn't find the Sauternes Wine yeast so I went with Red Star Pasteur Champagne Yeast as recommend by the nice people at the store. Also, a real nice woman went down the list and suggested that I just add 3 tsp of an acid blend for all the acid. I used Deer Park Spring water and clover honey. I followed the instructions noting that I am not to add the yeast until 24 hours later! Things went together fine. I shook up the contents in a 1 gal carboy to mix everything with the 1/2 gal of water. There was plenty of foaming at the top and I did my best to cram the rest of the 7 pints of water in! I had some foam spill over in the sink as I was doing this. I took my SG reading after mixing and it was 1.12 @ 73F (1.122 corrected). I did all this wine activity around 4:00pm on Saturday. Sunday, I started at 11:00am and activated the yeast in 2oz of 104F water and let set for 30 minutes. There was some nice bubbling going on after that time and I stirred the rest of the contents before pitching. (I did breach the 24 hour mark by 7 hours!). Every morning, I check my readings and stir. On Monday, I did add 1/4 tsp extra of the Yeast Energizer. However, I really don't want to do too much and am trying to be patient. I have a 1 gallon carboy with an airlock. I am not understanding why there is no activity since step 5 says to siphon after 5 days when reading is 1.040.

I did try combing the forum looking for tips/hints/issues with this recipe since it is from the finevinewine site but couldn't find anything (lots of posts to go through!). Is what I am observing reasonable? Or should I see the SG lower daily? Perhaps I killed my yeast by waiting 19 hours instead of the 24? The yeast was very active before I pitched.

Thanks all!

 

[vcasey]

Welcome to the forum. I think you'll find working with meads a lot of fun, but yes just like making wine you really need to have lots patience.
Lets tackle this a bit at a time and get your mead on the right track
The SG level is a bit high and you should dilute it down to about 1090-1100. The yeast they suggested will be good to about 15% and could go higher or get shocked by the alcohol and stop short. On smaller, 1 gallon batches, they tend to go the distance + a bit and right now you are looking at about 17%, which will take a long time to become drinkable. Also when I am proofing my yeast I keep the water temp at about 80, much higher and the yeast don't survive, others had had more success and yours was bubbling nicely just letting you know you've got some leeway.
Now the next thing is the hardest for everyone - you have to give the yeast time to start and you will not always see a lot of action such as foaming. Look and listen for other signs fermentation has started. Is the airlock pegged? Put your ear down close and listen for popping (you may even see this) like soda.
Once active fermentation starts then you'll start to see a drop in the SG. One thing that may help you out is to get a fermentation bucket, fermenting in a glass jug is fine but yeast do need oxygen and honey is hard to ferment so all the help it can get the better. As it is you may need 2 glass jugs to give it enough room with out bubbling out the airlock. You may want to hold off racking until the SG is down a bit lower anywhere between 1000 - 1020 will be fine and again you will be less likely to have mead bubbling in the airlock.
Once this baby is dry you'll stabilize it and then back sweeten to taste, its just easier this way instead of hoping the yeast to stop early and leaving some sweetness. Larger batches you have a better chance they will stop, smaller ones not so much and you can control the sweetness level.
Next time make a 3 gallon batch, use 71B yeast (one of the best for meads). Once its finish and stabilized, split it into 3 1 gallon batches. Keep 1 dry, the next make semi-dry, and the last sweet. Then you'll have 3 completely different meads from the same batch.

 

[DirkDiggler]

Thanks Vcasey for your help!

I did as you suggested and diluted the solution. I have the SG down to 1.090 @66F (1.091 corrected for temp).

I now have an extra 750ml bottle of honey water. I am not sure what to do with it yet so I just put a cap on it and stuck in the fridge. I didn't feel right pouring the mead down the drain so that I can dilute it.

As for the yeast, I simply followed the package instructions. I don't recall, but think the suggested range was 100-109 degrees.

The fermentation bucket idea may be a good one as the 1 gallon carboy is pretty full -just to the neck. I don't have a bucket that small. I do have 3 glass 1 gallon carboys so I could split the two to help. I have been stirring every day with a drill attachment.

I love your idea about starting in a 3 gallon batch. I think I would do this next time. The semi-dry and sweet would require back sweetening. One question about back sweetening. I wonder if I could sweeten by using my hydrometer and letting it tell me when it is sweet enough?

Last, I assume you aren't too concerned about me not waiting 24 hours until I pitched the yeast? I was concerned about the campden tablets I used may of killed my yeast.

Thank you for taking the time to help me

 

[vcasey]

I don't think you'll have a problem with the yeast starting, but it will be something to watch. I personally do not use campden tablets or kmeta until after fermentation is complete, but only for meads. Once the honey is diluted it is vulnerable and I like fermentation to start fast to prevent any potential problems, but thats just me.
You may want to stop by that LHBS and pick up a stopper for wine bottles or even attach a balloon on top and let it ferment out. Capped bottles with live yeast make me nervous. You could pick up some extra yeast just to have on hand also. Personally I would click on the link at the top of this page for most of my supplies. Most LHBS are beer folks that also sell wine stuff. They know the basics but George and his staff are terrific and another outstanding source of fast info.
As far as back sweetening goes, there are many ways to do this also. I happen to know what SG I am shooting for when it comes to meads so I use the hydrometer to sweeten them, but I would recommend going a bit under because you can always add more ..........

 

[vcasey]

Something I forgot to add is an outstanding mead book all about mead. It is well worth the investment and I have adapted several of his ideas in my wine making.

<table ="Catalog" id="products" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><t><tr><td ="table" align="default" width="2%"><div align="center">7313
</td>
<td width="5%"><div align="center">
</td>
<td width="20%">

The Compleat Meadmaker (Ken
Schramm)</td></tr></t></table>

 

[DirkDiggler]

Thanks for the link. Sounds like a good idea to also ferment my surplus in a couple of 750ml bottles. I still need to dilute those to 1.090. I didn't put a hard cap on it or anything, it is one of those wine saver caps just set on top and stuck in the fridge. As for the campden tablets, I didn't even know what those were. I do now though

.

Also thanks for the link to that book! Need to make another trip to the LHBS to pick up some small $$ stuff!

 

[DirkDiggler]

One thing that may help you out is to get a fermentation bucket, fermenting in a glass jug is fine but yeast do need oxygen and honey is hard to ferment so all the help it can get the better. As it is you may need 2 glass jugs to give it enough room with out bubbling out the airlock.

I took your advice on the 2 glass jugs! Yesterday I ended up with 2 bottles 3/4 full of surplus mead and I was trying to dilute those too. I decided just to combine everything in a sterile stock pot, and get the overall SG to 1.090 @ 61F. Now I have two glass carboys filled a little more than half way with airlocks.

One thing to note, while my SG readings appear not to change, I did see sediment in two 750 ml bottles and 1 gal carboy indicating the yeast is doing work. I would attribute the lack in change of readings to the accuracy of being able to read the hydrometer (i.e. air bubbles in suspension, bubbles on the surface obstructing a clear view of the scale, and human errors).

I really appreciate your help guiding me!

 

[Bert]

DirkDiggler welcome to the forum....I was just following along on this post and had a question...How many campden tablets did you use????

 

[vcasey]

Good catch the recipe calls for 2 and never says 1 is for pre-fermentation and the other is for post fermentation.

 

[DirkDiggler]

I added 2 Campden tablets crushed as per step 2.

..stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT yeast.

 

[vcasey]

Well, It'll be tuff to start, but maybe not impossible. I would use 2 jugs since you've got them and shake the snot (I believe that is a technical term someone else used) out of them and add rehydrated yeast to each. Unless of course its already started fermentating, then please ignore me, I'm a bit nuts or I just need more coffee.
Seriously it may very well start - look and listen closely. If not use the other yeast really shake them well.

 

[DirkDiggler]

ok I will keep an eye and ear on it!

 

[Bert]

Keep an eye and ear on it....

....And have another pack or two of yeast on hand, may need to give this mead another start....GOOD LUCK..

 

[smurfe]

I'd add another pitch of yeast. Even at your original SG it should of started no problem. Dunno if the extra campden slowed you down. When I make the Ancient Orange mead my SG is as high as your original and normally higher. I use the bread yeast and just dump it in. Never had one not start within 5-6 hours.

 

[DirkDiggler]

Do you guys think I should just start over? I understand that there could be problems as the yeast haven't taken hold like I though and other bacteria may have? I was careful with being sanitary, but that doesn't always matter. I want a traditional mead with just honey and am kind of worried of trying this recipe again. I think I would not use the campden tablets up front.

 

[vcasey]

Just following the process through is a good learning experience, and you've already started. Get more yeast with a little starter going and toss it in, you could also add a few berries. And while its doing its thing pick up that book from the earlier link because it is like gold when it comes to mead. Also while you are waiting look for a good source of honey. Clover honey is fine to use, and I use it as well. But if you are looking for a traditional mead, you really need a good honey because there is no fruit or spices for the honey aromas to hide behind so it needs to be good. One of the best and easiest to find is Orange Blossom Honey. The National Honey Locatorhttp://www.honeylocator.com/ is a very good source for locating honey in your area.

And before I forget another good book is:

<table ="Catalog" id="products" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><t><tr><td ="table" align="default" width="2%"><div align="center">7342
</td>
<td width="5%"><div align="center">

</td>
<td width="20%">

Making Wild Wines &amp; Meads - 125
Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers and More by Vargas &amp;
Gulling, 169 pp.</td></tr></t></table>
Oh and its 1 campden tablet per gallon to start and 1 per gallon along with the sobate to stabilize.

 

[DirkDiggler]

ok. I will follow the process through! And, I will ask my wife if I can get this book!

 

[Bert]

Any sign that fermentation has started?????

 

[DirkDiggler]

Any sign that fermentation has started?????

No. I just check the reading. It is 1.090 at 67F. Really no different from Wednesday when I last checked.

I am going to the LHBS and getting more yeast to pitch. I did taste the honey water and didn't notice any off flavors. Taste like sweet honey water, with a pleasing subtle tartness from the added acid blend --or maybe from bad bacteria?

I am going to purchase some starter ( I have Yeast Energizer -not sure if it is the same thing), and some 71B Yeast. As for berries, I am not sure if it really matters what type I use. I have some blue berries in the freezer.

 

[vcasey]

Blueberry meads (mels) or very nice!
For the starter take a 1/2 - 1 cup of your must add the yeast &amp; energizer add back to the rest of the must in a couple of hours. Since its a 1 gallon batch you just need to get it a little jump start. You may want to get the temps to 70 that will help as well.