Hello,
2 weeks ago I started with my first batch of what is supposed to become 10 liters of mead.
The ingredients I used (its in SI metrics, hopefully thats not a problem...):
- 3kg of honey (linden)
- 5L water
- 8 tsp citric acid
- 4 tsp tartaric acid
- 2/3 tsp tannin
- 4 1/2 tsp yeast energizer
- 1 package of Wyeast sweet mead
I stirred the honey in the cold water and heated it a little (still below 50 degrees Celsius, to make it easier for the tannin to dissolve) and added all the additives.
I let it cool down for one night till it was at room temperature, then I racked it into a 10L bottle. I poured the liquid yeast into the must after the yeast energizer and before the package (smackpack) swelled up. From then on I put a clean towel on top of the bottle and shaked it a couple of times a day to aerate it. After 4 days bubbles became visible and I kept (I know, my mistake) shaking for 1 day.
After 4 days I measured some stuff: temp 22.5 degrees celsius, ph below 3 (inaccurate paper) and the SG was 1.120. So I added one tsp of Calcium carbonate to increase the ph.
From then on I put an airlock on the bottle and it kept bubbling. Now, 14 days after the start, it bubbles with approx one bubble per 30sec so I thought I rack it into a new bottle. There is also approx 2.5 cm of sediment at the bottom.
I measured it again and the SG is 1.051 and the smell of alcohol is very clear. The pH however is 2.7 !! From what I read this is very low and will disable the yeast. I also tasted it and the taste is also very acidic (and not nice), but it doesn't smell or taste like vinegar.
So my question is what I should do to let the yeast complete its task and to remove the bad taste of it.
Thanks in advance.
Jasper
2 weeks ago I started with my first batch of what is supposed to become 10 liters of mead.
The ingredients I used (its in SI metrics, hopefully thats not a problem...):
- 3kg of honey (linden)
- 5L water
- 8 tsp citric acid
- 4 tsp tartaric acid
- 2/3 tsp tannin
- 4 1/2 tsp yeast energizer
- 1 package of Wyeast sweet mead
I stirred the honey in the cold water and heated it a little (still below 50 degrees Celsius, to make it easier for the tannin to dissolve) and added all the additives.
I let it cool down for one night till it was at room temperature, then I racked it into a 10L bottle. I poured the liquid yeast into the must after the yeast energizer and before the package (smackpack) swelled up. From then on I put a clean towel on top of the bottle and shaked it a couple of times a day to aerate it. After 4 days bubbles became visible and I kept (I know, my mistake) shaking for 1 day.
After 4 days I measured some stuff: temp 22.5 degrees celsius, ph below 3 (inaccurate paper) and the SG was 1.120. So I added one tsp of Calcium carbonate to increase the ph.
From then on I put an airlock on the bottle and it kept bubbling. Now, 14 days after the start, it bubbles with approx one bubble per 30sec so I thought I rack it into a new bottle. There is also approx 2.5 cm of sediment at the bottom.
I measured it again and the SG is 1.051 and the smell of alcohol is very clear. The pH however is 2.7 !! From what I read this is very low and will disable the yeast. I also tasted it and the taste is also very acidic (and not nice), but it doesn't smell or taste like vinegar.
So my question is what I should do to let the yeast complete its task and to remove the bad taste of it.
Thanks in advance.
Jasper