RegarRenill
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2013
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Don't need more yeast, just more honey and water
More yeast wouldn't hurt but really not needed. If you're concerned about time, adding more yeast may help out.
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Alright, it's been 5 weeks - it's very nicely cleared up, fruit/raisins have not fallen - is that what I should be waiting for to know it's ready to bottle?
Also, I'd like recommendations on when to drink it? I am very anxious to try this so, as much as I've read, it's fantastic after 6 months.....not sure I can make it - when do you guys drink yours?
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What is the approx OG or ABV on this? I followed the recipe to a T. I just racked it to another bottle and it tested at 1.050. I never thought about testing OG when I made it at beginning of November.
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Mine is at 1.050 now and is way too sweet. Anyone else know their estimated fg? I would think 1.020+ would be more like it.
Mine tastes like medicine after 6 months. Let's hope it gets better.
Question... I brewed a 5 gallon batch of JAOM on 09/28/13 and racked it into secondary on 12/21/13 and as of today it's still pretty hazy. However I have another batch I brewed on 12/28/13 and it's already clearing up.
For the cloudy batch did I possibly rack it over to soon and not let the yeasties finish up? Should I toss another shot of Fleischmann's in there to let it clean up?
Great thread. Made it through over 50 pages and then gave up.
I decided over the weekend to start my first batches of mead (before I was directed by a friend to this thread/forum). So I started two batches of a "beginner" mead on Saturday. The recipe I was given called for between 2 and 3 pounds of honey per gallon, so I bought 5 pounds and split it into two batches - you guessed it, one with two pounds and one with three pounds.
But the recipe did not include the oranges, cinnamon, and clove. I was thinking about just adding these ingredients now, 48 hours into the fermentation. Can't think of a reason why this would be a problem at this point?
I am using the one-gallon plastic bottles that the spring water came in. Glass one-gallon jugs show up tomorrow (bought them to rack the batches after primary fermentation).
So maybe just wait until the jugs show up tomorrow and transfer everything, including the fresh ingredients, into the glass jugs. Will this be a problem? Seems that a fair amount of oxygen would get introduced.
I could just add the ingredients to current the plastic bottles, but there isn't a whole lot of room left in there to allow for the oranges.
Also, I really don't want to end up with the bitter taste that people have talked about. So do I add the zest and the orange itself, and leave out the pith?
Is the fermentation already going well? I would assume it is. If so your yeast are into anabolic fermentation so you really don't want to add oxygen at this time. So I would just add the fruit to the plastic jugs.
I just bottled my first batch last night after 6 months of bulk aging and it did not have pith flavors. I took the jest off the orange and put it in the batch. Then peeled off the pith, discarding it and just putting the oranges in.
You will have a head space issue if you plan to rack to secondary in a jug of the same size as your primary. By the time you leave behind the fruit and yeast cake you will be a quart low from filling your secondary. I had two batches. One was about 2 gallons in a 3 gal carboy. Since I didn't have anything smaller for secondary I let it go about 6 weeks and just put it directly in bottles. It was pretty hot (jet fuel) when I bottled it. I have not tried it since. The second batch was a bit over three gallons in a 5 gal carboy which I racked into the 3 gal carboy and bulk aged until last night. It was also hot at the time of racking but very nice by last night.
If you really want to rack to secondary you could get some glass beads and put in your secondary jugs to take up the extra head space.
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Tried my 3+ month old mead last night. Definitely better than it was when i bottled it, but still I find the spices a tad overpowering, and my buddy agreed. I'll probably put this away for another 3 months and try again.
Hi, I'm new to the site and new to making Mead. I like the looks of this recipe and wanting to try it, but I would like to try a two-gal. batch. I know I need to double up on pretty much everything, but would that include the yeast? From my past experience with Mr.Beer (yes, I really am a newby), I know a little yeast goes a long way. What would you advise?
Hey there, welcome to the site. And, welcome to this crazy fermenting addiction!
In my experience with larger batches, I've basically doubled the ingredients except for the cloves (only because they can overpower the flavor) and the yeast.
Have you had a taste of this stuff? It may be worth making a one gallon batch according to the original recipe just to get a baseline.
Either way, take good notes of any changes or methods you use, take pics and be sure to keep us updated on your first batch. Lots of interested people here and lots of helpful readers.
Hey there, welcome to the site. And, welcome to this crazy fermenting addiction!
In my experience with larger batches, I've basically doubled the ingredients except for the cloves (only because they can overpower the flavor) and the yeast.
Have you had a taste of this stuff? It may be worth making a one gallon batch according to the original recipe just to get a baseline.
Either way, take good notes of any changes or methods you use, take pics and be sure to keep us updated on your first batch. Lots of interested people here and lots of helpful readers.
Mine's been in the growler for four months now. Completely forgot about it. Hope it's still ok. Good news is it's super clear.
Forgetting about it was probably the best thing you could do for it. This brew just takes time.
"Sometimes Im right half of the time..."
Nice! Thanks for the confirmation. Planning to bottle it tonight after work. Might take a little sip to see how it tastes.
I know the general consensus is to let it age for a few months but I'm wondering how this tastes when bottled?
Bottled mine today, though its been sitting for over four months. Tastes not bad.
Gonna be hard to leave this until christmas.
Ok I'm just wondering because I brewed this for a "viking feast" because I saw it takes two months and it was exactly two months until the feast when I found out. Got it in the fermenter ASAP before reading on that most people let them sit months at a time. Now I'm worried :-/
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