First batch advice

1aj · September 16, 2013, 3:30am

This weekend I will start my first batch of mead. I am making 1gal of mead no fruit or anything to start with. I wanted to personally talk to someone who has made mead before but I don’t know any body and there is not a wine or beer making store near me.

I plan on using 3lbs of local wildflower honey and I have red star dry champagne yeast to use along with yeast nutrient and energizer I bought off of this site. does anbody have any tips or advice I should need. also what kind of time line am I looking at in between primary-racking racking-bottling and bottling-drinking

any help what so ever is appreciated

dmtaylo2 · September 16, 2013, 11:41am

That recipe will make a good mead. Ferment below 70 F. Rack after about 3 weeks. Bottle after roughly another 3 weeks or after it is done fermenting. You can drink it immediately – it does not need carbonation or a lot of aging.

1aj · September 16, 2013, 8:11pm

Awesome thanks a lot that’s exactly what I wanted to know!!!

1aj · October 18, 2013, 2:52am

Well I think my first batch got too hot I tried it today had it had a acetone flavor I’m going to try again but it was also very dry. I would like a sweet mead and suggestions?

dmtaylo2 · October 18, 2013, 3:49am

Yeah… next time get the Wyeast 4184 Sweet Mead yeast! Champagne yeast will dry out the mead pretty severely, but a sweet mead yeast will leave a little bit of sweetness.

1aj · October 18, 2013, 7:22am

Awesome thanks again! Should I stick with 3lbs of honey or should I use a little more? Also i could only find a large size of that yeast I’m only making one gallon any suggestions?

dmtaylo2 · October 18, 2013, 11:47am

I would use even less honey. Try just 2.5 lb. You will still get >10% alcohol but the mead will be sweeter and easier to drink.

If you sanitize a mason jar or other small container, you can keep extra yeast in the refrigerator for about 4-5 months. Or… if you would decide to make a 3-5 gallon batch then you can use the entire pack!

Good luck on your next batch.

1aj · October 18, 2013, 4:55pm

Thanks alot

1aj · December 9, 2013, 4:55am

The mead is doing good. Smells and tastes great the only issue is that’s it’s been 6 weeks and I’m still at 8.42% ABV. it has been increasing but slowly. I think it’s because it has been around 64 degrees. I put the unused wyeast in a sanitized Mason jar as he recommended could I activate it and pitch that in to the mead to speed up the fermantation?

dmtaylo2 · December 9, 2013, 11:59am

I don’t think you need to add any more yeast. Warming it up will help though. Now that it is almost finished fermenting you can warm it up to 70 F or higher to help the remaining yeast cells to do their job quicker. Keep it warm for another week or two then see where you’re at.

1aj · December 9, 2013, 6:51pm

Okay perfect any advice how to warm it up a few degrees?

belgianalien · January 12, 2014, 6:26pm

If your batch tastes too hot, let it sit for several months (at least 6). Mead will get better with age.

As far as your mead turning out dry, dmtaylo2 is right about the fact that champagne yeast will do that. If you prefer to use champagne yeast, look into backsweetening your mead (adding honey after fermentation has ended to adjust the sweetness of the final product). If you like sweeter meads, this might be something for you to play around with.

Best of luck!