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3 Users Voted
7 oz Buckwheat honey (do not substitute)
.6t Grape Tannin (needed for taste and clearing)
1/8t Fermax (more will not be better)
1 5g K1V-1116 (must use this yeast)
Balance tap water to make 1 gallon (don't use distilled)
4 Liter Carboy if you have one otherwise use 1 gal
I call it CW sweet mead because I use a buckwheat percentage blend and yeast combination that I received as a tip from Chuck Wettergreen (CW) and have been experimenting with for many months.
I use a procedure different than he does but am grateful for his unselfish sharing of his experience with natural mead making.
If you want the exact same results as I describe, please do not alter the ingredients or procedure. There is a reason to this madness. Here goes from my notes the latest batch ready:
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Batch #25
CW Mead Experiment
1 gallon recipe 68F fermentation temperature
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August 8, 2004
No boil, no skim, no sulfite. Dissolve honey in quart of warm water (tap water).
Dissolve tannin and 1/8t Fermax in 8 oz warm tap water.
Add honey mixture and tannin mixture to carboy and fill to 3 inches from top with cold tap water. Shake well to mix and aerate all ingredients.
Must OG = 1.100
Rehydrate K1V-1116 in 4 oz of tepid water for 15mins in dark place according to instructions on packet. Must temperature should be between 68-80F degrees. If so swirl yeast and gently pour yeast in carboy.
Install airlock and place in dark place or basement with temperature as close to 68F as possible. Will start bubbles in one hour.
After 2 days add a little honey/water mixture to bring to 2 inches from top
August 15th - SG 1.045 (1 week)
August 22nd - SG 1.020 (2nd week) and still working well - Taste great - Gotta stop here
August 23rd - Racked (all must except lees and approximately 5 oz of liquid) into clean 1 gallon carboy containing 1/8t potassium metabisulfite and 1/2t Potassium Sorbate. No need to top off since used 4 Liter carboy for primary and it is almost done.
August 24th - Already Clearing well
August 26th - can read newsprint already
Finished 3 days early. Wait 3 days if you can but it is one fine mead to drink now while you are waiting for something a bit stronger in Alcohol to age. Enjoy.
Cheers, Joe
-- submitted by Joe Mattioli
S.G. READINGS:
12/3/10 1.078
12/9/10 1.060
12/14/10 1.049
12/19/10 1.036
12/28/10 1.022
At this point i racked onto the chemicals stated, but the fermentation continues, and no clearing as of 1/4/11. This yeast is capable of 18% easy; I hope that isn't where it stops. FYI, i made a 5 gallon batch and scaled everything up. If i hit 18%, I'll be adding 3 gallons of must to get it down to 12% :( After I'm done, I'll evaluate the taste.
