NewBee with some Quick Meads

[TwinMustang]

Hi all, I'm new here and in essence new to brewing in general. Here's my main question for the time being:

I have a 3 imperial gallon bucket for use as a primary fermenter. I don't really like the idea of shaking the life out of (or rather, into) 20 some odd pounds of liquids especially considering the lid HATES me. Can I just stir vigorously instead? I've heard I can use something called a bar mix but I have no idea what I'm looking for or where I should be looking.

Now, second question though for a different mead (that was a straight quick mead, this will be for a coffee metheglyn): I want to make myself a coffee mead. Should the water I use be replaced with cold brewed coffee? How do I go about adding after the primary is done? Instead of simply racking into a new container, would I rack into a container that already contains new coffee?

Any tips or tricks or suggestions for a low budget n0ob brewer?

Thanks!!

TM

 

[mmclean]

Welcome to GOTMEAD.

I don't shake anything but one gallon jugs.

For a 3 gallon batch, I would put it in a 5-10 gallon bucket and stir twice a day, for maybe 5 minutes, with a paint paddle on a small electric drill.

 

[kudapucat]

Yep. I agree. Use an industrial stirrer on a drill in a 3 gal bucket. Just go REALLY easy on it to begin each stir, unless you like your mead foaming all over the floor like an agitated coke can.

Make sure you have nutrient for your coffee batches. I've had sulphur in all my attempts at coffee. One tasted like old cabbage, and smelled about the same :-(

I think you should cold brew coffee, and add it to the water. My guesstimate was 2-4 cups of coffee worth per gallon. You want it coffee flavoured, not honey flavoured kahlua. Well maybe you do... YMMV
Good luck and welcome to GotMead.

 

[mmclean]

There is a tread around here somewhere on coffee mead. The search tool is your friend.

 

[TwinMustang]

Okay, so I think I might use the bucket to brew the coffee then, and keep the 1 gal jugs for the mead haha.

I'm looking into acquiring some carboys, but I'm short on space and money at the moment. I do happen to have enough tea and coffee to throw another Boston Tea Party , hence the coffee mead . I'll likely make one straight mead, one coffee mead, and the third will be for experimenting with cinnamon and other lovely ingredients. I like 1 gallon batches. They're simple, fast, and multipliable .

And you can store them almost anywhere.

TM

 

[TwinMustang]

Yes, but this particular search tool/friend is being a plain old tool and telling me I have to wait 2 seconds, even though I've let it sit for a number of minutes. Anyway, moving on! I read the coffee mead thread, but I needed some clarification. Also, having a heck of a time remembering that this forum isn't like the others in that the newest posts are always at the beginning, not the end. Driving me bonkers.

I was intending to use raisins to provide the nutrients. I have been using about 30-50 raisins (two solid handfuls) per gallon. Do you think that will suffice? I'm trying to avoid commercial chemicals in order to remain relatively affordable and because I want to stay as "natural" as I can. Obviously yeast is the exception to the natural rule.

TM

 

[Honeyhog]

If you want to go the all natural route for nutrients boil a packet of bread yeast and add that as well as the raisins.

 

[TwinMustang]

Won't boiling kill the yeasties?

 

[MourneMead]

Yes - it's the yeast hulls that are the nutrient source.

 

[kudapucat]

I like to boil the same yeast as which I am pitching. That way I know it's good for sur lee and if I don't kill it all, it'll be fine to have alive.
But then I buy my yeast in pound bags, which is 10% the cost per pound of the sachets.