Hi all!
I made my first batches of mead yesterday (7-22) - one gallon batches of wildflower honey and hibiscus mead. The wildflower is bubbling away beautifully, but I'm concerned about the hibiscus.
Recipe:
app. 270 grams of dried hibiscus
1 gallon spring water
3 lbs Clover Honey
1 tsp Yest Nutrient (divided)
1 packet Lalvin 71b-1122
Method:
I heated 1/3 of the water to 160 degrees and dumped the hibiscus in to steep. I steeped the flowers for 1 hour, during which the liquid cooled to 120 degrees. I strained the flowers from the water, added the honey, and added the rest of the water, bring the overall temp down to 100. I then poured my mixture into my fermenting bucket and took a hydro reading (1.190). I then added the yeast nutrient, aerated the must, and pitched in my (hydrated) yeast).
Of course sanitizing everything.
Looking at the wildflower mead, the airlock is bubbling away wonderfully. I aerated the must and added 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient. There was foaming, but it died down quickly.
The hibiscus's airlock, however, is not bubbling. When I opened the bucket, it had a solid 1" of foam on top. Stirring made it foam even more. I added the yeast nutrient, but there was nothing I could do to lower the foam level beyond an inch. I tried a whisk and a long handled spoon (sanitized).
Is this normal? Should I be worried that the airlock isn't really bubbling even though there is a boatload of foam?
HELP!
Please and thank you.
I made my first batches of mead yesterday (7-22) - one gallon batches of wildflower honey and hibiscus mead. The wildflower is bubbling away beautifully, but I'm concerned about the hibiscus.
Recipe:
app. 270 grams of dried hibiscus
1 gallon spring water
3 lbs Clover Honey
1 tsp Yest Nutrient (divided)
1 packet Lalvin 71b-1122
Method:
I heated 1/3 of the water to 160 degrees and dumped the hibiscus in to steep. I steeped the flowers for 1 hour, during which the liquid cooled to 120 degrees. I strained the flowers from the water, added the honey, and added the rest of the water, bring the overall temp down to 100. I then poured my mixture into my fermenting bucket and took a hydro reading (1.190). I then added the yeast nutrient, aerated the must, and pitched in my (hydrated) yeast).
Of course sanitizing everything.
Looking at the wildflower mead, the airlock is bubbling away wonderfully. I aerated the must and added 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient. There was foaming, but it died down quickly.
The hibiscus's airlock, however, is not bubbling. When I opened the bucket, it had a solid 1" of foam on top. Stirring made it foam even more. I added the yeast nutrient, but there was nothing I could do to lower the foam level beyond an inch. I tried a whisk and a long handled spoon (sanitized).
Is this normal? Should I be worried that the airlock isn't really bubbling even though there is a boatload of foam?
HELP!
Please and thank you.