12# Honey (Silverbow Clover)
32oz Maple Syrup (pure)
2C Cranberry Juice Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
64oz Apple Cider (Albertson's)
Filtered Water to 5 gallon mark
5 Campden tabs (crushed)
3t yeast energizer
3t tannin
3t acid blend
I put the honey bottles in a pot of warm water to warm it up for easy pouring. Added all ingredients to a 5 gallon glass carboy, liquids first, then powders. Then I capped the carboy (with my sanitized hand), set it on it's side and rocked it vigorously to mix. Then I added 70F filtered water up to the 5 gallon mark, letting it splash a bunch for aeration. Then I put it back on it's side for another dose of vigorous rocking. I had re-hydrated the yeast in room temp filtered water and pitched after 20 minutes. My fermometer reported a temp of 68F. Fermentation is not vigorous but has been active since "brew" day - 5/7/07.
I plan to let it do its thing for 60 days and add yeast nutrient at the 21 day mark if fermentation looks to be slowing. I'll check gravity at 45 days. Once I reach an FG of something around 1.015, I'll bottle with priming sugar and age for at least six months and crack one.
This is my first ever mead batch. I read up a little on mead in a few books I have but didn't find much, so am shoot'n from the hip.
If you have any suggestions, please share. I will post back with updates and changes as they occur.
32oz Maple Syrup (pure)
2C Cranberry Juice Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
64oz Apple Cider (Albertson's)
Filtered Water to 5 gallon mark
5 Campden tabs (crushed)
3t yeast energizer
3t tannin
3t acid blend
I put the honey bottles in a pot of warm water to warm it up for easy pouring. Added all ingredients to a 5 gallon glass carboy, liquids first, then powders. Then I capped the carboy (with my sanitized hand), set it on it's side and rocked it vigorously to mix. Then I added 70F filtered water up to the 5 gallon mark, letting it splash a bunch for aeration. Then I put it back on it's side for another dose of vigorous rocking. I had re-hydrated the yeast in room temp filtered water and pitched after 20 minutes. My fermometer reported a temp of 68F. Fermentation is not vigorous but has been active since "brew" day - 5/7/07.
I plan to let it do its thing for 60 days and add yeast nutrient at the 21 day mark if fermentation looks to be slowing. I'll check gravity at 45 days. Once I reach an FG of something around 1.015, I'll bottle with priming sugar and age for at least six months and crack one.
This is my first ever mead batch. I read up a little on mead in a few books I have but didn't find much, so am shoot'n from the hip.
If you have any suggestions, please share. I will post back with updates and changes as they occur.