I haven't made any mead yet, but I plan to begin in the very near future once I have gathered all the supplies.
I hope I can be a part of your community!
I hope I can be a part of your community!
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Hi from Kansas :)
- Thread starter MetalJulie
- Start date
Welcome!!!! You don't really need too much to get started making gallon sized batches. Just jump in and make a JAO batch. Simple and fool proof if you follow the directions.
Welcome!
A couble of hints from a fellow newbee who is running
through his first batches:
1) I suggest you read the newbee guide and try a JAO.
I should have done this myself but haven't come around
to it yet. I really feel I should have.
2) Dont add acids. If you want them for taste, add them
post-fermentation. Honey has its own acids, and yeast dies
when it gets to acidic.
3) If your brew shop does not have an auto-siphon, find one
elsewhere. I lacked one my first batches, once you have one,
you wont look back.
4) Boil the water for 20 min, but dont heat the honey.
Honey degrades a bit when heated, and honey has its own
anti-bacterial enzymes.
5) Be patient. Mead takes time. LOTS of time.
A couble of hints from a fellow newbee who is running
through his first batches:
1) I suggest you read the newbee guide and try a JAO.
I should have done this myself but haven't come around
to it yet. I really feel I should have.
2) Dont add acids. If you want them for taste, add them
post-fermentation. Honey has its own acids, and yeast dies
when it gets to acidic.
3) If your brew shop does not have an auto-siphon, find one
elsewhere. I lacked one my first batches, once you have one,
you wont look back.
4) Boil the water for 20 min, but dont heat the honey.
Honey degrades a bit when heated, and honey has its own
anti-bacterial enzymes.
5) Be patient. Mead takes time. LOTS of time.
Yeah. I figure I'll start small and do it this way with a one gallon and the JAO batch. I spent the majority of yesterday reading as much info as I could about everything.
Thanks for the tips! Trying to get all the info sorted and deciding on what I need to buy to get started.
Thanks for the tips! Trying to get all the info sorted and deciding on what I need to buy to get started.
There's a recent thread on what consumables you might want to stock in your "kit" once you decide that meads and wines are something you want to keep doing seriously, but if you're at the JAO stage, a 1-gal container, an airlock and a racking hose are all you REALLY need. And you don't need the hose until 8 weeks down the line, and even the airlock can be replaced with substitutes, I still regularly use a double layer of plastic wrap with an elastic band to hold it in place when I run out of airlocks or don't have a stopper that will fit the opening of my fermentation vessel. The next step will be proper cleanser and sanitizer, racking cane, bottling tip, corks and a corker, more carboys and airlocks because you're always going to want to start a new batch before the last one's finished...
The next step will be proper cleanser and sanitizer, racking cane, bottling tip, corks and a corker, more carboys and airlocks because you're always going to want to start a new batch before the last one's finished...
This is the part I'm most worried about. I'm afraid I'm going to have a house full of carboys and no where to sit!
i am new my self. i have a gallon of cider, 3 gallon JAO, and a 1 gallon of ,, basically JAO less the orange. i used a clove and a cinn. stick, but my plan is to "back flavor" at bottling time with black walnut extract. i am going to add that at bottling time because i want to taste it as i do. i dont know how much it will take.
anyway............... they are all in my closet. it may take a bit of readjusting, but a closet is a great spot for them.
welcome kansas!!! from another noob in michigan.
anyway............... they are all in my closet. it may take a bit of readjusting, but a closet is a great spot for them.
welcome kansas!!! from another noob in michigan.
if you have so many carboys you have nowhere to sit?!?!?
PARTY AT JULIES PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.................................(next year)
PARTY AT JULIES PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.................................(next year)
i am a troll. (i live under the bridge) metro det. area.
but i loves me my u.p. time!!!! its beautiful up there. tell your friends i said "eh"
but i loves me my u.p. time!!!! its beautiful up there. tell your friends i said "eh"
if you have so many carboys you have nowhere to sit?!?!?
PARTY AT JULIES PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.................................(next year)
Heh. My place isn't quite big enough for a party, but heck, yeah. Come on over!
OK. So I started my first mead on 11/13.
I followed the JAO recipe exactly from here -- http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1938&Itemid=14
Everything seemed to be ok. The night of the 13th, I could hear the airlock bubbling at a pretty good rate, but by the time I had gotten out of bed in the morning, there was no activity.
I could still see bubbles rising in the carboy and when I take the towel off the carboy I can still see little bubbles rising on the sides, but I'm not seeing any activity at all in the airlock. I was under the impression that it would be bubbling pretty good for a few days, at least...?
I'm guessing this is because I have trouble keeping my house warm enough for the yeast to really get going. I'm thinking of getting a small space heater to see if that helps.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
I followed the JAO recipe exactly from here -- http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1938&Itemid=14
Everything seemed to be ok. The night of the 13th, I could hear the airlock bubbling at a pretty good rate, but by the time I had gotten out of bed in the morning, there was no activity.
I could still see bubbles rising in the carboy and when I take the towel off the carboy I can still see little bubbles rising on the sides, but I'm not seeing any activity at all in the airlock. I was under the impression that it would be bubbling pretty good for a few days, at least...?
I'm guessing this is because I have trouble keeping my house warm enough for the yeast to really get going. I'm thinking of getting a small space heater to see if that helps.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
My first thought? Check that your airlock's stopper makes a good seal. If you see bubbling in the must, you're fine.
