New to making mead

[Ashlee Pool]

Hello! I am very new to making mead, and this is my first attempt. I sterilized the jar, added a whole packet of wine yeast, a bunch of honey, some raspberries, and warm water. After two days, there’s this stuff at the bottom of the jar and I’m not sure what it is. Any suggestions or tips? Thanks.

 

[DBhomebrew]

That's the beginning of a "yeast cake". The "lees".

 

[Ashlee Pool]

That's the beginning of a "yeast cake". The "lees".

What is “lees”?

 

[DBhomebrew]

Mead being honey wine...quoted from the first random Google hit...

"In basic terms, lees are the dregs or sediment that settle in the bottom of a wine making vessel. They are made up of dead yeast cells, the cell membranes of pulp, stem and skin fragments, insoluble salts and macro-molecules. Basically all of the things that are deposited during the making and ageing of wine."

https://corelliwines.com/blogs/gree...ic terms, lees are,making and ageing of wine.

 

[D the Catastrophist]

Lees are essentially dead yeast cells. It's normal and expected. What will also happen is the fruit will lose It's color and sink as well.

How is the top of that jar sealed? Make sure it has a way to release pressure so you don't have a bottle bomb or mead fountain.