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Mead in 6 months?


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#1 Corbin

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 07:03 PM

My SIL sent me a message last night to inform me that she is having a surprise birthday party for my brother in November. She wants me to brew beer for the party. No problem. Then she asked a special favor. Her and my brother while in Australia had a very nice bottle of mead and asked if I could make a batch of that for him for the party. 6 months seems like a quick turn around. I have heard the JOAM recipe while unorthodox could be ready in that amount of time. Does anyone have a recipe for a "quick turn around"  mead or is six months just not enough time? I know this wont be an award winner but I also don't want to give him rocket fuel.

 



#2 MyaCullen

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 09:01 PM

My SIL sent me a message last night to inform me that she is having a surprise birthday party for my brother in November. She wants me to brew beer for the party. No problem. Then she asked a special favor. Her and my brother while in Australia had a very nice bottle of mead and asked if I could make a batch of that for him for the party. 6 months seems like a quick turn around. I have heard the JOAM recipe while unorthodox could be ready in that amount of time. Does anyone have a recipe for a "quick turn around"  mead or is six months just not enough time? I know this wont be an award winner but I also don't want to give him rocket fuel.

Denny and others have stated, that with proper SNA, a Mead can be very good in 6 months



#3 pods8

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 09:06 PM

All my meads are fully fermented in 3-4 weeks, a full 14% is warm for a while, I like over a year the best. But if you go lower alcohol and stabilize/backsweeten you can turn stuff around faster. I did a cranberry cyser melomel (whatever that classifies as) at 12% back sweetened to 1.016 that started in jan that is quite presentable now.What are you going for is a big question?

#4 Corbin

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 09:35 PM

All my meads are fully fermented in 3-4 weeks, a full 14% is warm for a while, I like over a year the best. But if you go lower alcohol and stabilize/backsweeten you can turn stuff around faster. I did a cranberry cyser melomel (whatever that classifies as) at 12% back sweetened to 1.016 that started in jan that is quite presentable now.What are you going for is a big question?

I have only made one batch before so don't have a lot of knowledge. Just looking for a dry mead 


Edited by Corbin, 24 April 2014 - 09:37 PM.


#5 Genesee Ted

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 10:05 PM

Moonlight mead wry turns their stuff around in a month to critical acclaim. It's all aboutMaking it properly. Oxygen, pitch rate, nutes. If itTakes 6 months, you did something wrong. That being said, age does wonders. It just shouldn't take that long for an drinkable product.

#6 pods8

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 05:15 AM

I have only made one batch before so don't have a lot of knowledge. Just looking for a dry mead

I would likely make something more in the 8-10% range if going dry and stay open minded to potentially going semisweet if needed. Do you have access to any fun honey varieties?

#7 Corbin

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 05:26 AM

I would likely make something more in the 8-10% range if going dry and stay open minded to potentially going semisweet if needed. Do you have access to any fun honey varieties?

just from the normal online brewing sources

#8 neddles

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 06:06 AM

71b is a common yeast that people use for their mead. One reason for that is because it's reputed to make a more drinkable mead sooner. It's the yeast Moonlight uses for all its meads.



#9 Corbin

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 06:14 AM

71b is a common yeast that people use for their mead. One reason for that is because it's reputed to make a more drinkable mead sooner. It's the yeast Moonlight uses for all its meads.

great info. Thank you! Looks like I need to pick up an oxygen tank and stone before I start

#10 neddles

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 06:21 AM

great info. Thank you! Looks like I need to pick up an oxygen tank and stone before I start

Wouldn't hurt.

 

Also, there are several great podcasts on the subject you can listen to. Basic Brewing had Ken Schramm on about 3-4 months ago. Kurt Stock on Beersmith.  Google "Meadmaking podcast" you'll get several.

 

I would second the suggestion to keep it a little lower abv. The higher the abv you make this the longer it will take to mellow out. There are other factors too but that's a big one.



#11 Genesee Ted

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 07:18 AM

Agreed

#12 pods8

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 07:30 AM

71B is my normal yeast.  I do use an O2 stone on pitching (same with beer) but I don't bother during the ferment.  I do shake/rock the fermentors regularly though to help drive out the CO2 and agitate the yeasties.  What are the prices for the online places you are looking at?  I could check in with the packer I get stuff from here to see if anything is ready if you want, he's usually ~$29-35/gal depending on what it is.  I mention it cause you'll need nutrients as well, I could meter you off some.



#13 realbeerguy

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 07:30 AM

71B yeast, staggered nutrients, TEMP CONTROL 60-62dF.  O2 helps, but you will get plenty of O2 during the degassing phase.  Orange Blossom at a standard strength 10 % or so, will give a nice drink that will go dry.  I did one that was ready in 5 weeks, and at 3 month old, placed in the Domras Cup.



#14 Corbin

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 07:34 AM

71B is my normal yeast. I do use an O2 stone on pitching (same with beer) but I don't bother during the ferment. I do shake/rock the fermentors regularly though to help drive out the CO2 and agitate the yeasties. What are the prices for the online places you are looking at? I could check in with the packer I get stuff from here to see if anything is ready if you want, he's usually ~$29-35/gal depending on what it is. I mention it cause you'll need nutrients as well, I could meter you off some.

I usually order from Midwest and they are a little high right now. I'm going out of town but I will research some and get back to you Sunday. Thanks for the help guys.

71B yeast, staggered nutrients, TEMP CONTROL 60-62dF. O2 helps, but you will get plenty of O2 during the degassing phase. Orange Blossom at a standard strength 10 % or so, will give a nice drink that will go dry. I did one that was ready in 5 weeks, and at 3 month old, placed in the Domras Cup.

would you be interested in sharing your recipe?

#15 pods8

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 07:53 AM

would you be interested in sharing your recipe?

 

Mead is mainly ratios unless you're adding other fermentables.  So if you're starting with a gallon on honey (~12lb) and want a 10% dry product then you'd use about 4.5gal of water.  The staggarded nutrient is in the FAQ, there are variations but that one works for me.

 

So for me its mix to the ratio you want (I use a gal or two of hot tap water to dissolve in the honey and then top off with cold to dilute/cool it, my tap water tastes fine), proof 2 packs of 71B for a ~5gal patch and pitch, add in the first nutrients and oxygenate.  Monitor for nutrient additions 2 and 3 and agitate once or twice a day till near the end.

 

I ferment in the basement at mid 60s, sounds like I should give a little cooler a try though.


Edited by pods8, 25 April 2014 - 07:55 AM.


#16 pods8

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 08:07 AM

I usually order from Midwest and they are a little high right now. I'm going out of town but I will research some and get back to you Sunday.

 

I'll ping the guy in general to even see what's available.  FYI I quick priced a fedex box to your turf, ~$15 for a assumed 15lb shipment.



#17 realbeerguy

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 09:10 AM

Mead is mainly ratios unless you're adding other fermentables.  So if you're starting with a gallon on honey (~12lb) and want a 10% dry product then you'd use about 4.5gal of water.  The staggarded nutrient is in the FAQ, there are variations but that one works for me.

 

So for me its mix to the ratio you want (I use a gal or two of hot tap water to dissolve in the honey and then top off with cold to dilute/cool it, my tap water tastes fine), proof 2 packs of 71B for a ~5gal patch and pitch, add in the first nutrients and oxygenate.  Monitor for nutrient additions 2 and 3 and agitate once or twice a day till near the end.

 

I ferment in the basement at mid 60s, sounds like I should give a little cooler a try though.

Pods is spot on recipe.  Would just agitate for degas to 1/2 sugar depletion, usually 4-5 days.  62dF is the key if you have access to a fermentation chamber.  Less fusels created.  Get it off the lees when you reach terminal gravity, usually in about a month for dry mead.  I don't back sweeten, but sorbate if I want a semi-sweet finish.



#18 pods8

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Posted 25 April 2014 - 11:12 AM

He said he's got sage, light clover, and dark alpha in stock right now.  He didn't say pricing but those were all $32-35 last fall so I'd expect basically the same.



#19 Corbin

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Posted 30 April 2014 - 07:41 AM

He said he's got sage, light clover, and dark alpha in stock right now.  He didn't say pricing but those were all $32-35 last fall so I'd expect basically the same.

Thanks Pods. I told my SIL roughly what I need and she went to the farmers market and picked up some clover honey. I have some of the nutrients so I will just need to pick those up and the yeast. Thank you for the help you guys!

#20 pods8

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Posted 30 April 2014 - 08:20 AM

DAP and fermaid K? 




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