Ok, so I want to make certain I didn't screw this up, because it was starting to make me feel really good about mead making until this morning. First things first, recipe and steps by date.
Sept. 15th 2012
Recipe:
10 lbs Sue Bee White Clover Honey (went cheap on honey due to fruit idea)
24oz pureed blackberry
24oz crushed blackberry
1 vanilla bean
water to 3 gallons
1 pack K1V-1116 yeast
1 strong cup scottish blend breakfast tea
This time through the only heat to the honey was sitting it in a hot water bath for pouring. Re-hydrated the yeast per instructions and put all the ingredients above in.
I have another 48oz of Blackberries that I am reserving for secondary.
Given the potential of "explosive" reactions I have read about here I went with the 6 1/2 gallon brewer's bucket for plenty of head room during ferment.
Once all ingredients were combined I sealed the lid on the bucket and plopped on the fermentation lock. Initial hydrometer reading: 1.116
Aerated for first 2-3 days, twice daily (for cap management and aeration).
Sept. 19th - Hydrometer reading: 1.090
Sept. 20th - Skimmed blackberries and vanilla out of brew bucket, due to leaving town and no ability for cap management.
Sept. 23rd - Hydrometer reading 1.070
Sept. 24th - New addition of fruit and honey. Boiled another ~48oz of blackberries and let water/berries cool. Added mushy fruit to mesh bag with another vanilla bean. Racked the current batch of mead to get it off the seeds, etc from first fruit addition into a 5 gallon glass carboy. The batch only reached about 3 and a 1/2 gallons so I decided to add more honey / water to the mixture so the head room wouldn't be an issue.
Thinking I was being smart I added the honey to the blackberry "tea" I had created and mixed that up. While that was continuing to cool I shoved the mesh bag into the carboy, fruit and all (that was a heck of a challenge). At this point I was wishing I had a second brew bucket handy instead of a glass carboy. I added the blackberry tea + honey (about 2lbs honey and maybe close to a gallon and a half of water).
At this point I have been checking the mixture daily and doing cap management at least 3 times a day. The fermentation is going crazy and the mixture has a lovely deep red color to it. I didn't think any problems had surfaced at all until this morning.
Sept. 25th - Went down for cap management this morning and stuck my sanatized spoon in to push the bag down. Pulled the spoon out and took a smell (no tastes yet) and was confronted with the smell of sulphur. So of course I freaked out, immediately yanked the mesh bag out (having already avoided one overflow scenario I was concerned the particles at the top of the carboy were causing issues without exposure to the alcohol) and swirled the contents of the carboy to cover all surfaces for a about 10-20 seconds and now the top of the carboy is clear of foam and fruit particles. Sulphur smell was still there, but possibly not as strong.
As I had to head to work I wasn't able to verify that fermentation restarted to previous very active levels, but I will check at lunch. What I am worried about is if I screwed this up and/or what may have caused the sulphur smell?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Sept. 15th 2012
Recipe:
10 lbs Sue Bee White Clover Honey (went cheap on honey due to fruit idea)
24oz pureed blackberry
24oz crushed blackberry
1 vanilla bean
water to 3 gallons
1 pack K1V-1116 yeast
1 strong cup scottish blend breakfast tea
This time through the only heat to the honey was sitting it in a hot water bath for pouring. Re-hydrated the yeast per instructions and put all the ingredients above in.
I have another 48oz of Blackberries that I am reserving for secondary.
Given the potential of "explosive" reactions I have read about here I went with the 6 1/2 gallon brewer's bucket for plenty of head room during ferment.
Once all ingredients were combined I sealed the lid on the bucket and plopped on the fermentation lock. Initial hydrometer reading: 1.116
Aerated for first 2-3 days, twice daily (for cap management and aeration).
Sept. 19th - Hydrometer reading: 1.090
Sept. 20th - Skimmed blackberries and vanilla out of brew bucket, due to leaving town and no ability for cap management.
Sept. 23rd - Hydrometer reading 1.070
Sept. 24th - New addition of fruit and honey. Boiled another ~48oz of blackberries and let water/berries cool. Added mushy fruit to mesh bag with another vanilla bean. Racked the current batch of mead to get it off the seeds, etc from first fruit addition into a 5 gallon glass carboy. The batch only reached about 3 and a 1/2 gallons so I decided to add more honey / water to the mixture so the head room wouldn't be an issue.
Thinking I was being smart I added the honey to the blackberry "tea" I had created and mixed that up. While that was continuing to cool I shoved the mesh bag into the carboy, fruit and all (that was a heck of a challenge). At this point I was wishing I had a second brew bucket handy instead of a glass carboy. I added the blackberry tea + honey (about 2lbs honey and maybe close to a gallon and a half of water).
At this point I have been checking the mixture daily and doing cap management at least 3 times a day. The fermentation is going crazy and the mixture has a lovely deep red color to it. I didn't think any problems had surfaced at all until this morning.
Sept. 25th - Went down for cap management this morning and stuck my sanatized spoon in to push the bag down. Pulled the spoon out and took a smell (no tastes yet) and was confronted with the smell of sulphur. So of course I freaked out, immediately yanked the mesh bag out (having already avoided one overflow scenario I was concerned the particles at the top of the carboy were causing issues without exposure to the alcohol) and swirled the contents of the carboy to cover all surfaces for a about 10-20 seconds and now the top of the carboy is clear of foam and fruit particles. Sulphur smell was still there, but possibly not as strong.
As I had to head to work I wasn't able to verify that fermentation restarted to previous very active levels, but I will check at lunch. What I am worried about is if I screwed this up and/or what may have caused the sulphur smell?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!