Interested in making a 'session' mead

[boswell]

Searched around, didn't see a definitive answer. I am interested in making a 5.5-6% session mead to keg and carbonate. Considering fruit as well, perhaps a berry blend. Was thinking of fermenting now and 'lagering' to have it clear by summer time. Thoughts, suggestions or experiences?

 

[poptarts]

I would say add less honey to get that abv but outside of that should be fine. At that abv i wouldn't think it would last years though like most meads.

 

[bob1852]

Hydromel is what you seek. Using that term should help with your searches.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Hydromel is what you seek. Using that term should help with your searches.

Yup, hydromel is the word.

If you're force carbing, this will do nicely http://hivemindmead.blogspot.com/2013/03/spiced-hydromel-mead-recipe.html Bottle carbing won't be an option.

 

[boswell]

Any tips or tricks? I've made a few batches of traditional dry. I'd like this to keep a little residual sweetness. Would it be better to use an ale yeast or use a mead yeast and back sweeten?

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

With ABVs under 7%, you can use a beer yeast and ferment it well below 1.000. Sweet hydromels almost always need backsweeteniing unless you want them dry.

That will require you to stabilize the mead with sulfite and sorbate, then add honey in a few days to a week after that. Carbonation on any sweet mead will need to be through force carbing lest you risk bottle bombs..

 

[boswell]

7% is the top for me, looking for an alternative to cider for the warmer months and I do plan on kegging and force carbing. I figured I would have to back sweeten, I've had some fruited ciders that finished very dry and they were not pleasurable at all. Has anyone done something like this and can give some insight to the flavor profile? At 5.5-7% it won't be too thin in flavor?

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

ABV and body aren't related. As you're backsweetening, those unfermented sugars should help in the body department quite a bit. If you want to have a big fruit flavor you can backsweeten solely with the fruit juice / fruit of your choice. It takes a little more time, but the flavor can't be beat.

 

[fatbloke]

Any tips or tricks? I've made a few batches of traditional dry. I'd like this to keep a little residual sweetness. Would it be better to use an ale yeast or use a mead yeast and back sweeten?

Don't use any yeast that uses "mead" in the title/name......

Most of them seem mediocre to crap......

Have a search (here and over at Gotmead forums) for a respected wine yeast.

Also don't try and make a mead like its a beer. That route leads to torturous stress.....

Mead is as dry or sweet as you want it to be. Its about making it to achieve a strength, then finishing it as you want it to be......

 

[boswell]

Noted. Not trying to emulate a 'beer' just looking for something quaffable with all the taste and aroma of honey, perhaps fruit. I'll do more searching regarding yeasts to use, I've only used the EC 1118 yeast, but I'd like a more expressive yeast without overpowering the honey.

 

[bob1852]

D47 and 71b-1122 are my favorite mead yeasts.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Cotes De Blancs is a good go to for me. But I think I may have found a new love in Pasteur Red (it gave my Strawberry Currant Hydromel a mild winey tinge, which is pretty refreshing)

 

[BruceGrossman]

Acoustic Draft Mead, available in Michigan, currently has 10 varieties of small "methemels" out on the market. They are deliciously clean and refreshing!

 

[fuelish]

Session mead? Pour a half glass of mead and top up with whatever - Sprite, juice, honey/water mix, whatever....more sessionable, and the variety of flavor is limited by your imagination (and whatever you have on hand)

 

[BruceGrossman]

Nice suggestion, however, don't be foolish fuelish. What separates the amateurs from the pros is the ability to produce, batch after batch, consistent, clean, crisp, quaffable small/session meads. It's called Quality Production Management. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed!

 

[tuumi]

How about some tips then Bruce?

 

[BruceGrossman]

The Amazing thing about home-Mazing is that you needn't follow any Fed Rules/Regs/Codes. For example, many a homebrewer/mazer will often negatively surmise that Acoustic Draft Meads are nearly flat and have a head that vanishes quickly. Little do they know that the taxes per gallon soar beyond a certain carb level and that due to Mead's lack of protein (as appose to beer) there will be little, if any, head. Another code is that honey cannot be diluted below 13P, which, incidentally will yield a fine Session Mead. Temperature control during fermentation and conditioning, coupled with a rigid discipline of sanitation, are keys to a finished product devoid of off characteristics.

 

[tuumi]

Tips for retaining residual sugar? Do you backsweeten?

 

[BruceGrossman]

Retaining residual sugar on a consistent basis requires a great deal of conditional/environmental control and regular/daily (at times hourly) measurements of a batch and a great deal of discipline in keeping logs. Ingredients must also meet certain standards and or require calculation/formulation to achieve consistency and quality from batch to batch. The Equipment necessary and the minimal batch size to achieve this are not often possessed by the home zymyrgyst. Therefore, it is often advisable, if not preferable and easier, to back sweeten. Here's where you need to experiment to-taste as you keep measurements and log preferred values. (Always take a gravity reading of the finished product!)

Here are some simple steps:

Ferment out
Remove lees or rack off
Kill yeast with Camden or PMS in secondary
Fine and
Crash temp no more than 10*F/day (drop to 32-34*F)
Condition (according to finings usually~1wk)
Rack off lees
Back sweeten
Fine and Condition
Rack or filter into Tertiary vessel (bottling or carb tank/keg) onto pre-measured amount of Potassium Sorbate.
Carb and/or bottle
Cheers!

Note: you won't be able to carb in bottle due to sorbate. Please don't inquire about your measurements; Do the research for your own formulas.

 

[boswell]

Bruce, what are some yeasts that you prefer and why? Specifically topic specific, sessionable meads and their varieties?

 

[BruceGrossman]

I use a "house" strain. It's a trade/formulation "secret". All the varieties I currently produce are small "methomels" at 6%abv. That is, I employ honeys, fruits, herbs and spices in each one, so Acoustic meads are fruit forward save one, which, in turn, retains some fruity notes. I have 10 varieties out in the market place tho I've had several dozen formulas approved. That's right, a commercial producer needs A Certificate of Formula Approval from the Federal govt PRIOR TO commercial production of that "Formula Wine" or "Other Than Standard Wine" (Standard Wines are traditional grape varietal wines such as Merlot or Chardonnay). You can read some descriptions for Acoustic Draft Mead at www.drinkacoustic.com

 

[boswell]

Shame I can't them in PA, you're doing what I'm planning. Yeast omitted, can you elaborate on your process.

 

[boswell]

FWIW, not looking to go 'pro', just an amateur looking for a proven process.

 

[BruceGrossman]

The process is pretty much spelled out above. The rest would be formula/equipment specific to your needs and your goals.