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alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
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Total NewBee here.

1. Michael Fairbrother recommends using 1gram of Lalvin 71B 1122 per gallon.
I started one gallon of regular mead (honey, water, yeast) with OG - 1.148
Do you think it is enough to use just 1 gram of yeast with 2 grams of Go Ferm?
Is there something wrong if you put more, except wasting the yeast?

2. He recommends nutrition schedule:
3/4 tsp of the blend immediately after pitching the yeast
3/4 tsp of the blend 24 hours after fermentation begins
3/4 tsp of the blend 48 hours after fermentation begins
3/4 tsp of the blend after 30% of the sugar has been depleted
My “problem”: when I started with OG - 1.148 when is 30% of sugar depleted?
Please, do not yell at me. I told you I am total newbee. :)
 
A

alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
6
0
0
What is going on?
So far 16 people looked at this posting and no response?
Do I find expert here? :cool:
 
loveofrose

loveofrose

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Nov 9, 2012
2,582
21
38
Texas
Hi alex2020. Most of use in the states are at work! You gotta be a bit more patient.

Now to your questions: lots wrong here.

71B has a tolerance of 14% ABV. IF you fermented 1.148 to 14%, it would end stupidly sweet at 1.04. I said IF because you wouldn't get that far. The gravity is too high; it would stall out instead.

Start with a more reasonable gravity of 1.1 and add back honey after it goes dry. Less stress on the yeast, less fusels, better mead faster without stalled fermentation. Also, be religious about racking 71B. It will throw off flavors if you don't.

The nutrient addition should be based on gravity readings. I've explained all that in the article in my signature as well as pH buffering.

You can also go to my site for examples of tried and true recipes.

Hope that helps!

Bray


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html
 
Last edited:
S

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
Hey Alex

Here's just another suggestion.

If you can , maybe you should make a 3 gallon batch. When all is said and done you won't have much to drink after waiting so long. Lots of help here. Just ask. Many great people here with lots of experience, and everyone is very generous with their time and experience.
 
Chevette Girl

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
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Ottawa, ON
No, adding more yeast than the recipe suggests will not hurt anything. We usually recommend one packet for anywhere from 1 gal to 5 gal, but I often put 1/2 to 1/4 of a packet in if I'm only doing a gallon.

Doing your nutrition schedule by hours is not the best appoach, you never know how fast your yeast will work and you don't want to be late with an addition. Check out loveofrose's article for more details, but in short, the way you figure out the sugar breaks (we go by when 1/3 of sugar is depleted) is you take how much you figure your gravity will drop, and make sure you've added everything by the time that first third has been used - for example, if you have a must that starts at 1.090, you will expect it to finish at 1.000 (when it's out of sugar), so 1/3 of the way through that will be 1.060.

If you have indeed started a must at 1.148, you may want to dilute it a bit, even if you make an acclimated starter (adding must to your rehydrated yeast a bit at a time to get them used to such a high-sugar solution), most yeast aren't so happy about anything over about 1.125.
 
A

alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
6
0
0
Squatchy said:
Hey Alex

Here's just another suggestion.

If you can , maybe you should make a 3 gallon batch. When all is said and done you won't have much to drink after waiting so long. Lots of help here. Just ask. Many great people here with lots of experience, and everyone is very generous with their time and experience.
Click to expand...

Squarchy I already made about 25 gallons of mead in last two months, but as I said I am all the time "learning newbee".
Would you like to come and help me to drink it? :)
 
A

alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
6
0
0
loveofrose said:
Hi alex2020. Most of use in the states are at work! You gotta be a bit more patient.

Now to your questions: lots wrong here.

71B has a tolerance of 14% ABV. IF you fermented 1.148 to 14%, it would end stupidly sweet at 1.04. I said IF because you wouldn't get that far. The gravity is too high; it would stall out instead.

Start with a more reasonable gravity of 1.1 and add back honey after it goes dry. Less stress on the yeast, less fusels, better mead faster without stalled fermentation. Also, be religious about racking 71B. It will throw off flavors if you don't.

The nutrient addition should be based on gravity readings. I've explained all that in the article in my signature as well as pH buffering.

You can also go to my site for examples of tried and true recipes.

Hope that helps!

Bray


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html
Click to expand...

Am I lucky or what?

My first post on the forum and I get response from the real expert?
BTW Bray I am your big fan, and I learned lot from you.
Yes, I already made BOOM, and I am just waiting for last stage – bottling.

I already know that I have to back sweeten BOOM because European ladies like it sweet.
You American guys have it easy. You call your wife’s honey, honey, honey all the time, so they prefer dry mead.
We Europeans are just interested what’s for dinner, and have to compensate our no-romance with some sweets. :)

My question about Michael’s recommendation came from one of his mead. I tried his Sensual Mead, and it was very close to what we like to drink. It should finish around 14%. Or maybe he is using EC-1118?

I made other mead according to Curt Stock's recipe and came out very good.

Super Berry Melomel
21 lbs Wildflower Honey
12 lbs Triple Berry Mix (Blackberries/Raspberries/Blueberries)
6 lbs Strawberries
96 oz Black Currant Juice (free of preservatives)
2.3 gal Water
3 tsp Yeast Energizer/Nutrient Blend (Fermaid-K and DAP)
10 g Lalvin Narbonne Yeast (71B-1122)
Approximate OG: 1.158
Target FG: 1.030 – 1.040
Estimated ABV: 15.8%

He is using 71B with OG 1.158 and his estimated ABV is 15.8%
I know Lalvin states that it is good for 14% ABV.
Do you understand my confusion? :confused:

Anyway, what about - 3/4 tsp of the blend after 30% of the sugar has been depleted?
How do you figure out that? With my math, it should be around 1.132 if I start at 1.148. Correct?

Sorry for double posting.
Bray I live in the USA. I was not impatient, I was just kidding after I saw that 16 guys had no guts to answer.
I am glad that we have you. :)

BTW, we should not be working. We should be making mead!!!

Thank you very much for your help, and congratulation on you website. Super info.
Alex
 
A

alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
6
0
0
Chevette Girl said:
No, adding more yeast than the recipe suggests will not hurt anything. We usually recommend one packet for anywhere from 1 gal to 5 gal, but I often put 1/2 to 1/4 of a packet in if I'm only doing a gallon.
Click to expand...

Chevete Girl.
Thank you very much for your help. Now I got it. Almost. ;)
 
S

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
alex2020 said:
Squarchy I already made about 25 gallons of mead in last two months, but as I said I am all the time "learning newbee".
Would you like to come and help me to drink it? :)
Click to expand...
I would love to come drink with you as I am a newbee as well. What state do you live in? I'm in Colorado :)
 
A

alex2020

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 19, 2014
6
0
0
Squatchy said:
I would love to come drink with you as I am a newbee as well. What state do you live in? I'm in Colorado :)
Click to expand...

Well I am in Florida. You are welcome to come. Just be sure to bring little bit of that legalized stuff! ;)
 
loveofrose

loveofrose

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Nov 9, 2012
2,582
21
38
Texas
Regarding Curt Stock's recipe, I imagine the starting gravity is much lower than 1.158. The copious amount of fruit will dilute the gravity considerably. Also, notice it ends with a very high gravity. That may work well with a massive fruit mead, but a traditional mead would be pancake syrup. I'm sure it's a good recipe (award winning in fact), but not an example recipe for newbees.

You will see recipes that break the "rules" all the time. Some of the best recipes do. I try to steer new Meadmakers towards reproducible meads first, then they can rule break and experiment at their own discretion.

I missed the yeast amount question before. I add 1 pack (5 grams) for 1-5 gallon batches with a gravity below 1.1. Gravities above this, I pitch 2 packs (10 grams). For uber gravity (like Curt Stocks) 3-4 packs. It's easy to under pitch and difficult to over pitch. It's better to pitch more in my experience. Also, I know Curt rehydrated his yeast first as we all should.



Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html
 
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