i tried this one on the mead feed, here it goes here.
I have started a 5 gallon batch of mead ( new to brewing ) and was concerned about a few things. The Ingredients include 15 lbs of honey, 1 gallon off blueberry wine base and 16lbs of fruit toped of to 6 gallos with spring water. Starting OG was 1.118. I used lavlin EC 1118, Added yeast, yeast nutrient and yeast energizer the first day, then after 24 hrs I added peptic enzyme ( meant to add the first day) and another dose of yeast nutrient/yeast energizer and bentonite (thought would be a good idea). 24 hrs after that I added the last does of yeast nutrient/energizer. I steered the batch for 6 days total to break the cap and off gas/ aerate the melomel. Little nervous about what I did? Did I do anything wrong? The room up until now the mead was in in smelled good, like berries. Now it smells strong, what does/will it smell like if it is a bad batch? Can there be something done if it is? Should I have done anything different? Help I need reassurance lol
That’s a whole lot of fermentables. How does it taste? I don’t think you did anything wrong, but I expect it will be really strong. I would give it plenty of time in the fermenter before racking it.
As with the gasses that come from our bodies, ‘better out than in’!
I think your melomel should be fine, but you need to be REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY patient with these.
I made a braggot with a similar OG to yours in OCTOBER and its still on the yeast. The guy I brewed with had his ‘ready’ a month later and served it. While his was ok, I think these high gravity conconctions take a really long time to mellow out, settle out, and have their flavors develop. Like double what you think. I used 2 packs of Nottingham in mine, so I would think a champagne yeast like yours will chew through anything. did you use a pitch rate calculator? I don’t have a lot of experience with wine/champagne yeasts, but maybe they have higher sulphur output than other yeasts.
hey its been 14 days now and its all done fermenting. i did not use a pitch calculator i just added a packet of the yeast (dry) it bubbles about every two minutes and the smell has gone away. Should i rack it now? if not what is the advantage of waiting until secondary ferment? If it is ready, then should i add anything to it? chems? more fruit to enhance the fruit flavor? how long should it sit in the secondary?
Just because there is no airlock activity doesn’t mean its done fermenting. I would leave it on the yeast for at least another 30 days after you have reached the final gravity.
When you pull the sample to test the gravity, taste it. If you think it needs more fruit, consider adding it, but it will likely ferment out.
These can sit and age for quite a long time. I am not much of a winemaker, but unless you need to rack it for the same reasons you rack wine (to add clarifying agents), I would leave it in the primary.
just took a SG reading and it was 1.010. is it done fermenting? i would like to rack it and add clearing agents, then let it rest in the secondary for a few months? what do you think? I tasted
it and it was super strong, like vodka. How can i calm this down, reduce etoh content? or will time be the key to a better tasting melomel?
Let the thing sit for a minimum of 3 months. Forget about it but to add liquid to the air lock.
I had a mead with an OG higher than yours sit on the primary yeast for 6 months (71b). Then another pack for 2 months. Then a pack of EC1118 for another 6+ months. No off flavors detected.
happy brewing