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Amount of must for a batch

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edacsac

NewBee
Registered Member
May 18, 2005
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This will be my second mead, but I don't know where else to ask this. When making my first mead, I probably made exactly 5 gallons of must. Made sense at the time, but my first racking to the carbouy brought me to less than 5 gallons, and stupid me, I topped off the carbouy with water - weakening my mead I suppose.

This time, I'm making four 1 gallon batches to try four different honeys, but I'm thinking I'm smarter this time. For each one gallon batch I'm going to make 1.25 gallons of must, so when I rack of the lees or sludge, I'll still have 1 solid gallon for the carbouy. Is this right? or should I make the 1 gallon of must, and mix more honey and water to top of the carbouy? The problem with this decision, is even in Ken Schramms book, he never says to make more than (in the case of a 5 gallon batch) 5 gallons of must in his recipes, and I certainly don't want to waste honey.

Just another question before I start my next batch. I've made my yeast starter just a few hours ago, so I need to clean up the loose ends of any questions before tommorrow.

Thanks alot!!
 

WRATHWILDE

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Mar 19, 2005
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This will give you a good idea of some of the current thoughts.

http://www.gotmead.com/smf/index.php/topic,1075.msg8199.html#msg8199

I like to make more, then rack down, but then I don't have a cellar to draw from so I keep tasting (a bottle at a time) for mead to drink while I'm waiting, goes quick, I have been refilling with must so as to keep my quantities from dropping too much it just means it's going to take me longer to ferment but I can live with that.

Wrathwilde
 

lostnbronx

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Dec 8, 2004
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edacsac,

Some people make a lot more than the quantity in their large primary, for both topping off purposes as they rack, and for tasting. Having a variety of different sizes of fermenters (that is, jugs) on hand, can make this easy to do.

And always remember -- honey is never wasted if it's made into mead!

-David
 

edacsac

NewBee
Registered Member
May 18, 2005
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Thanks for the replies!

In the case of making extra, would a batch and 1/4 be too much extra? The reason I say I don't want to wat honey, is that whatever isn't used to top off a couple rackings will be wasted, as I'm nost sure what to do with it. I want to make just enough extra so I can top a couple times and thats it. I suppose a whole quart extra for a gallon batch is pushing it.
 

JoeM

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Jan 9, 2004
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Usually what i do is prepare 5.5-6 gallons of must and primary ferment in a 6.5 gallon carboy. At the end of the primary i rack to a 5 gallon carboy and fill it all the way to the top leaving me 0.5-1 gallon left over for tasting and/or experimentation. Or sometimes i'll just bottle the extra.
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
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I'm with Joe. I start in a 6.5 gallon carboy and rack down to a fiver.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 
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