First Sweet Mead

[Jeff02]

This is going to be my First Sweet Mead
Water for one gallon
3lbs of Orange Blossom Honey
2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend
1 Teaspoon Nutrients
2 Campdon Tablet
½ Teaspoon Tannin
1 Package of Lavin EC-1118

Yeast Starter
½ Cup of sugar
½ Cup of Honey
3 Cups o water
1/8 Teaspoon Nutrients

Yeast starter started off quite nicely with lots of bubbles, pitched starter after 24hr and so far not much action, hopefully by tomorrow.

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[nursebee]

What was your original specific gravity?
What is the alcohol tolerance of EC-1118?
Why campden and at what point in time was it added relative to the yeast?

[Jeff02]

Sorry, I dont know the Specific Gravity but I do have a hydrometer on order for the next try.

EC-1118 is ust what I had at the time.
http://www.homebrewers.com/product/3...8-5-grams.html
The Campden was per the Recipe, to kill any bad yeast added 24hrs before the yeast was added.
http://scorpius.spaceports.com/~goodwine/mead.htm

Remember this is my first try and I am still learning so It’s going to be a loooong 6 to 12 months.

[BeeCurious]

I haven't made a mead but I made small boards batch of cyser that is fantastic. A pound of honey and organic apple juice to make a half gallon... using EC-1118.

The fermentation was very slow and at cool / low temps in my attic this past winter. It's sweet with nice apple and honey flavors, and a very respectful alcohol level.

I'll need to do a small amount of mead in the Fall/Winter when it's cool again. I prefer a slow fermentation. I have recently started to bottle some keeved cider that I started in late November.

[Jeff02]

Thanks BeeCurious, you just gave me an idea.

Simple Cyser
from More Homebrew Favorites, by Lutzen & Stevens



Ingredients:




•1 Gallon Apple Juice, organic


•2 lb Clover Honey


•3 Cloves


•2 Sticks Cinnamon


•Yeast of choice (Use a much smaller amount, appropriate for one gallon)


•Yeast nutrient of choice (Same rule as above, use in moderation!)


Remove enough juice from the jug to allow for the addition of honey. Place the jug in warm water, and increase temperature to 150 degrees F. Pour honey into jug, using a funnel if needed. It can help to warm up the honey in warm water before pouring. Hold the temperature of the must at 150 degrees for about 5 minutes, then cool to 80 degrees or below.
Add the yeast nutrient and the yeast, and ferment at room temperature. Fermentation should slow after about three weeks. At six weeks, rack into a second jug in which you have placed the cloves and cinnamon (It does not say whole or crushed, but I would assume crushed?) Continue to rack every few weeks, whenever a layer of sediment appears on the bottom of the jug.
Bottle when the cyser clears.

[BeeCurious]

I would assume that the spices are whole... but I would prefer the simple tastes of the apple and honey.

I start by pouring some juice in a half liter water bottle and setting it aside.

I gently warmed a small quantity of apple juice in a sterilized pan with the honey while a quarter pack of yeast is bathed in about an ounce of water to wake it up. I stir some juice into the yeast/water and pour it all back into the jug. The honey and juice in the pan will only need to be warmed slightly to get the honey into solution. Then add that to the jug. Top off with the reserved juice as required and add your airlock.

I haven't used any yeast nutrient.

The keeving process for making cider removes nutrients to slow and limit the fermentation.

[Jeff02]

I would assume that the spices are whole... but I would prefer the simple tastes of the apple and honey.

I start by pouring some juice in a half liter water bottle and setting it aside.

I gently warmed a small quantity of apple juice in a sterilized pan with the honey while a quarter pack of yeast is bathed in about an ounce of water to wake it up. I stir some juice into the yeast/water and pour it all back into the jug. The honey and juice in the pan will only need to be warmed slightly to get the honey into solution. Then add that to the jug. Top off with the reserved juice as required and add your airlock.

I haven't used any yeast nutrient.

The keeving process for making cider removes nutrients to slow and limit the fermentation.

Thanks for the reply, sounds like a project for this weekend.

[Vance G]

Using that yeast, I don't think it is going to end up sweet mead. I be it turns out fairly hot and dry. If it does, no worries, just keep the air lock filled and it might be getting good for next Christmas or the one after that it will be awesome! If you want a sweet mead, may I suggest using Lavlin 71B-1122 I think it is. It finishes in a few months.

[WVMJ]

For us we got bees so we could not only grow our own fruit but make mead from our own honey. Get a notebook to go with your hydrometer and record your gravities along the way so you dont have to guess if its done. You can always use a strong yeast like EC and let it go dry then backsweeten with some honey and let it clear. I think adding some honey at the end to backsweeten it makes for a better honey taste in the end. Good luck, WVMJ

[nursebee]

Following a recipe that another has provided can help with success. But, if aiming for a sweet mead, there is some important science to follow. A sweet mead is sweet because the yeast gives out and stops fermenting available sugars while there are still sugars in the wort. These then make it taste sweet, as opposed to dry where all the fermentables are made into alcohol and Co2.

EC 1118 has an 18% alcohol tolerance per Schramm. This is a very high amount of alcohol. In order to make a sweet mead, honey must be added above this 18% level, lets say a 19 or 20% potential alcohol level in the starter.

[Jeff02]

After Fermentation has ceased, is it recommended to add something like “Potassium Metabisulfite” so that when I add more honey the Fermentation does not start back?
Thanks to all for your Help!

[BeeCurious]

I cold crash it.

And while I haven't done so yet, I will add some potassium sorbate so I can share my cyser. For now, it is cold, and "on call" in our fridge.

[Ben Brewcat]

The typical regimen is to sulfite and then add the sorbate stabilizer. As Vance and Nursebee also said, I prefer to use recipe design and yeast strain selection so that it finishes where you aimed it.

[Jeff02]

Going back to the drawing board
Which of the Yeasts listed would be best for a Sweet Mead?
WLP720
ACT4184
Cote des Blancs
Pasteur Champagne
Also what SG should I be looking for?
Thanks again for all the help given

[Ben Brewcat]

Any of them and none of them . Please take a look at the stickied thread Introduction to Meadmaking for a primer on how to calculate gravities (even starting gravity without a hydrometer) and yeast strain alcohol tolerance to end up with desired sweetness/dryness. It will clear up most of these questions and is am important "next step" for those interested in recipe development. After that, there are the flavors and other considerations. I personally would not prefer a 19% sweet mead; the ethanolic character would detract (to me) from the sweetness. So the champagne strains I only use for dry meads. Actually, I make few panty-looseners at all and enjoy my meads at 12-14% most of the time. Strains like Lalvin's 71-B is a consistent performer in this range. D-47 and RC-212 are other go-to strains for me, along with some White Labs. But you'll need to check references from the yeast producer or places like Jack Keller's Winemaking pages for each yeast's tolerance and characteristics.

And by "back to the drawing board" I hope you mean for your next batch?

[Jeff02]

And by "back to the drawing board" I hope you mean for your next batch?[/QUOTE]

Yes Sir, another batch.

[Jeff02]

So today I decided to rack, and I also now have a hydrometer which gave my a 12% 1.09 reading, Does this sound correct???
One thing for sure it tastes GOOD!
Have not started my second batch yet, but will soon.