Well, I am happy to be here and think I have found a new and exciting twist to my wine making hoby. I have only made a one gallon batch of JAO last year which turned out okay. After reading everything athat I could get my hands on and asking many questions on two other forums I found a recipe that got me excited, so on September 17 of this year I finally got going on my first melomel. That recipe came from one of your own, Wayneb and this is what I did with it.
12 pounds of frozen Elderberries
12 pounds of frozen blueberries
5 pounds of frozen black currants
22 pounds of honey (12 orange blossom, 10 clover)
starting gravity 1.130
Lalvin RC 212 yeast 10g
Day one (9-17) I put fruit in stainless 10 gal. pot and covered with 1 gallon H2O and added .25 grams Kmeta, 2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme and let it sit overnight.
Day two (9-18) Warmed 22# of honey in 2 gallons of warm H2O and added to ferminter. I stirred and aireated extremely well. Rehydrated 10g Lalvin RC 212 in 85ml H2O at 104 degrees and pitched yeast. I used the propper amounts of DAP and Fermid K as detirmined by the Hightest Calculator and used the Staggared Nutrient addition. Kept in high 60's to low 70's as far as temp goes.
Day four (9-20) Ph was at 3.4, SG 1.080.
Day 33 (10-20) Fermentation seemed to have stopped at 1.005. Racked to clean carboy and started ageing process.
Today 11-12-09 I checked SG and it is still at 1.005. A couple of weeks ago I added 2 Oz. of medium toast French Oak. Taste is bitter but good. I hope the bitterness is to be expected and will fade. My two questions are this. Is the bitterness normal and secondly, there seems to be 1/4 inch of sediment on the bottom of the carboy. Shouldn't I rack it again NOW and how often should I rack in the future ageing process. I plan to bulk age for one year. I don't think that I need to add k-meta or do I? I think that I would like for it to be slightly sweet and was wondering if I shouldn't hang on to a little of the Orange Blossom honey to back sweeten with? I guess I had more questions than I thought.
I owe much to Wayneb for his help up to this point. I might also mention that I have chosen my next project which will be Christmas Spice Metheglyn. I have already ordered all of the spices that I will be needing to do this from Penzeys. When I decided to do this recipe I didn't know that it too, belongs to Wayneb. Thanks again......... (pwillie)
12 pounds of frozen Elderberries
12 pounds of frozen blueberries
5 pounds of frozen black currants
22 pounds of honey (12 orange blossom, 10 clover)
starting gravity 1.130
Lalvin RC 212 yeast 10g
Day one (9-17) I put fruit in stainless 10 gal. pot and covered with 1 gallon H2O and added .25 grams Kmeta, 2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme and let it sit overnight.
Day two (9-18) Warmed 22# of honey in 2 gallons of warm H2O and added to ferminter. I stirred and aireated extremely well. Rehydrated 10g Lalvin RC 212 in 85ml H2O at 104 degrees and pitched yeast. I used the propper amounts of DAP and Fermid K as detirmined by the Hightest Calculator and used the Staggared Nutrient addition. Kept in high 60's to low 70's as far as temp goes.
Day four (9-20) Ph was at 3.4, SG 1.080.
Day 33 (10-20) Fermentation seemed to have stopped at 1.005. Racked to clean carboy and started ageing process.
Today 11-12-09 I checked SG and it is still at 1.005. A couple of weeks ago I added 2 Oz. of medium toast French Oak. Taste is bitter but good. I hope the bitterness is to be expected and will fade. My two questions are this. Is the bitterness normal and secondly, there seems to be 1/4 inch of sediment on the bottom of the carboy. Shouldn't I rack it again NOW and how often should I rack in the future ageing process. I plan to bulk age for one year. I don't think that I need to add k-meta or do I? I think that I would like for it to be slightly sweet and was wondering if I shouldn't hang on to a little of the Orange Blossom honey to back sweeten with? I guess I had more questions than I thought.
I owe much to Wayneb for his help up to this point. I might also mention that I have chosen my next project which will be Christmas Spice Metheglyn. I have already ordered all of the spices that I will be needing to do this from Penzeys. When I decided to do this recipe I didn't know that it too, belongs to Wayneb. Thanks again......... (pwillie)
