First timer

For those making mead and related drinks
Post Reply
Jules T

First timer

Post by Jules T » Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:27 pm

Hi all,

Been brewing AG and wine for a fair few years with 40+ brews to my name so know a bit about brewing but 4 weeks ago attempted my first mead. Just a gallon in a Demijohn to start with, as of today the thing is still bubbling slowly. Never had anything that's stayed fermenting for that long[FLUSHED FACE]. Any comments from the experienced mead players?

oldbloke
Under the Table
Posts: 1371
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:29 am
Location: Todmorden, Wet Yorks

Re: First timer

Post by oldbloke » Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:25 am

It takes ages. Quite a few country wines can take a month or more, but mead laughs at them as it goes on and on and on.
And then it takes ages to mature as well.

Leave it to itself, it'll get there.

fatbloke

Re: First timer

Post by fatbloke » Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:07 am

Depends on yer recipe/method.

Slow is a show mead (honey, water, yeast). Finish sweet and take forever.

Go with a traditional, as above but with nutrients, maybe some potassium carbonate, and it can speed up a fair bit.

OB's spot on though, let it do its thing. Like "British Rail", it gets there eventually.....

Jules T

Re: First timer

Post by Jules T » Mon Nov 03, 2014 2:11 pm

Thanks Guys or should I say "blokes"

The recipe I used was something like;

500g honey
Yeast
8 raisins :!:
top up to 1 gallon with water

I shall sit back and embrace the bubbles :D

User avatar
snowbeast
Piss Artist
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: South Africa

Re: First timer

Post by snowbeast » Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:12 pm

What yeast do you use for mead?
FV1:
Nothing
FV2:
Nothing

Conditioning:
Guava Wine Batch 1

Drinking:
Gin

oldbloke
Under the Table
Posts: 1371
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:29 am
Location: Todmorden, Wet Yorks

Re: First timer

Post by oldbloke » Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:41 pm

I tend to use GV4 coz I think mead should be strong, so I push it as high as I can.

But with 500g honey in a gallon, his recipe is only coming out about 5% anyway, so I'd probaby use an ale yeast.

Honey lacks many of the nutrients yeast likes so I always add some, this will be partly why this recipe is slow.

fatbloke

Re: First timer

Post by fatbloke » Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:09 pm

oldbloke wrote:I tend to use GV4 coz I think mead should be strong, so I push it as high as I can.

But with 500g honey in a gallon, his recipe is only coming out about 5% anyway, so I'd probaby use an ale yeast.

Honey lacks many of the nutrients yeast likes so I always add some, this will be partly why this recipe is slow.
I like K1-V1116 (if Montpellier strain was good enough for Brother Adam.....). Also D21. There's a few others I use for specific types.

If you've got a HBS that does the Wyeast liquid ones, the Belgian 1388 one gets good reviews for "quick" meads (Bray a.k.a. "loveofrose" over at gotmead and homebrewtalk, has his BOMM mead that gets a very favourable mention with it - drinkable in a month apparently).

Seems a lot of it is about the yeast and good nutrition, so more than the OP's few raisins. Some tronozymol will suffice........

oldbloke
Under the Table
Posts: 1371
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:29 am
Location: Todmorden, Wet Yorks

Re: First timer

Post by oldbloke » Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:16 pm

Had a bottle of my syrup melomel a couple of nights ago.
If you are put off by the cost of decent honey, I definitely recommend trying a melomel instead of a straight mead, the fruit hides any deficiency in the honey flavour.
And if you're a real cheapskate like me and enjoy a hint of toffee back note, use golden syrup instead of honey.

Jules T

Re: First timer

Post by Jules T » Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:22 pm

It's still bubbling!!!!!!!

fatbloke

Re: First timer

Post by fatbloke » Sun May 24, 2015 3:22 pm

Jules T wrote:It's still bubbling!!!!!!!
Well it will be won't it. With only a small number of raisins for nutrition, it's like a show mead - i.e. yeast, water and honey. Which is fine if you want it very sweet and taking a very, very long time to ferment.

Yeast doesn't only need the sugars, it needs all the other usual micro nutrients you find in wines and beers (honey is famously deficient in those).

A good few tablespoons of boiled bread yeast should help, if it's still fermenting away now.........

Post Reply