So everybody come huddle over here for a minute

jeffvenuti · Feb 23, 2017

Hi Squatchy,

I come to these forums to learn about everything in the categories you listed, and can often find what I'm looking for by searching without posting, but I read the current threads also to help make myself think about the things I haven't thought of yet. I truly appreciate the detailed postings and responses you contribute here. Don't give up on us! I'd love to contribute at the level and length you do, but personally I just don't know where to find the time. I rarely find myself in front of an actual computer with time to devote to a lengthy response, despite sitting in front of one all day! Often my responses are a function of available time and what I have the patience to type on my phone since that's usually what I have near me when those opportunities arise, and I don't have any of my mead resources or notes near me at those times so that limits the depth of my response. When those times do arise I try to help answer some budding mead maker questions and set someone on the right path, basically in an effort to give back to the forums in some small way what I have gained from reading them.

I hope we can talk more about this in a couple weeks as I'm sure we'll meet at the Mazer Cup 2017. I'll be there for the AMMA conference starting on the 8th and volunteering the rest of the days.

Jeff

Squatchy · Feb 23, 2017

jeffvenuti said:
Hi Squatchy,

I come to these forums to learn about everything in the categories you listed, and can often find what I'm looking for by searching without posting, but I read the current threads also to help make myself think about the things I haven't thought of yet. I truly appreciate the detailed postings and responses you contribute here. Don't give up on us! I'd love to contribute at the level and length you do, but personally I just don't know where to find the time. I rarely find myself in front of an actual computer with time to devote to a lengthy response, despite sitting in front of one all day! Often my responses are a function of available time and what I have the patience to type on my phone since that's usually what I have near me when those opportunities arise, and I don't have any of my mead resources or notes near me at those times so that limits the depth of my response. When those times do arise I try to help answer some budding mead maker questions and set someone on the right path, basically in an effort to give back to the forums in some small way what I have gained from reading them.

I hope we can talk more about this in a couple weeks as I'm sure we'll meet at the Mazer Cup 2017. I'll be there for the AMMA conference starting on the 8th and volunteering the rest of the days.

Jeff

Awesome Jeff.

I'll be there the whole time as well volunteering as a Judge.

Thanks for the input

Bryan Karns · Feb 25, 2017

Hey Squatchy.

I to have been lurking in the forums and I have to say your inputs are great! I love getting these rusty gears a good excesses reading what I can. I have to say like others above that most questions I have have been answered thus far. Being that I will be starting my first batch of mead Monday or Tuesday, my biggest question is that of how my dosage and how much will go. Will be using TIONSA with a nutrient called Super food Plus. I will be pretending it's Fermaid K. I just have to figure out how to read the dosing equation.

1.5 gal traditional. (.5 gal is just for taste and to have enough to top off in secondary.)
SG 1.115 to 1.12
FG 1.010
Orange Honey around 5 lbs.

Thanks for all the hard work and input. Without it I'd feel lost and not ready to start such a hobby.
I'm sure I'll have more questions as soon as the yeast start their journey.

MrMooCow · Mar 6, 2017

#11. I want to get laid.

*cough* What? No seriously. When I was first starting out, I accidentally made a couple of fantastic meads. And quickly found that well made, well presented (labels, wax bottles, etc) mead was an amazing aphrodisiac. Same with cooking, home repairs, lifting heavy objects, etc. I swear to god, it's better than rohypnol and Stockholm syndrom. And legal! So here I am, trying to learn everything I can for terribly ignoble reasons because I have no soul.

But hey, you asked.

Dadux · Mar 6, 2017

MrMooCow said:
#11. I want to get laid.

*cough* What? No seriously. When I was first starting out, I accidentally made a couple of fantastic meads. And quickly found that well made, well presented (labels, wax bottles, etc) mead was an amazing aphrodisiac. Same with cooking, home repairs, lifting heavy objects, etc. I swear to god, it's better than rohypnol and Stockholm syndrom. And legal! So here I am, trying to learn everything I can for terribly ignoble reasons because I have no soul.

But hey, you asked.

Just laughed so hard. Specially at the part of rhoypnol and stockhom syndrome ;D
Design a T-shirt that says "I make fancy honey wine, wanna f**k?". It might be a hit with mazers!

Swn Gwyrdd · Mar 7, 2017

The Cow-Man has a point. Mead is pretty damn popular among metalheads and nerds, and the lass I've been seeing recently was well impressed when she saw all the random colourful bottles in my kitchen haha

philodice · Mar 10, 2017

I'm going to have to go with all of the above. I've used this site to save a mead that was in progress, and then kept reading and learning.

Sadcheese · Mar 11, 2017

Thanks Squatchy you have been helpful to me as well.

I initially lurked and eventually started posting some stuff. Initially I needed to gain a lot of newbie knowledge and so had a lot of questions (and infection?s).

After a couple years I now look for specific, successful recipes as the ferment and bottling processes are down. I've learned not to trust random recipes but prefer well vetted ones. Also I've seen the value in bulk aging so I let my 5 gallons go 6-12+ months and that slows down the frequency with which I do batches.

I'm now learning about filtration as I got a wine filter for xmas. I'd say my biggest barrier is that about half the people out there still think my mead doesn't taste good, I think partly because I have started enjoying the subtleties of traditionals over melomels. It seems like people need an openness or a developed mead pallet to really "get" these. Or my mead is just shit.

I'd comment a lot more but my work finally banned gotmead so I can't login there, and the web access for this forum is hard bc I have to relogin each time from my phone. This is my first one using the Tapatalk app which I may have to develop a taste for, if you will.

Thanks!
-scott.

Squatchy said:
So it's hard to get a finger on the pulse of this group sometimes because so many here never say anything.

I wonder why! I wonder what the general population wants to understand and what your struggles are.

I wonder if you guys realize how much good info is here compared to other places on the web?

So I was thinking it would be good to hear from some/all of you as to what your struggles are. What your biggest needs are? ANd if you're finding help here?

So what if I number some things and then if you guys would pick a few numbers in order to reflect what your needs are. And also what things we can do to improve things around here.

I will list several pieces and you can just post the number associated with your desires.

#1 I want to learn the science of HOW to manage good fermentation practices.

#2 I need help rescuing something I already started and messed up.

#3 I want to learn how to make adjustments as my ferment progresses to land where I am heading.

#4 I want to know how to tweak my stuff once fermentation is over to make a good flavor profile.

#5 I want to learn how to make short meads (low ABV)

#6 I want to understand how to bottle things correctly and what final additions I need to add so my stuff will age gracefully.

#7 I need to learn how/what flavors compliment each other.

#8 I need to know more about how to pick the right yeast for the style I want to make.

#9 I want to know how to plan, so I can intellectually place all the pieces together even before I go shopping for my ingredients.

#10 I want to know how to taste meads better, and how to dissect them into smaller pieces to know why it's not so good. Or why do I like it so much.

Surely there is tons more. But if you have a specific that doesn't fall into one of the above then list it.

It would be so nice to hear from you lurkers. Make this place yours by getting involved.

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Foothiller · Mar 12, 2017

Hi Squatchy -- First, thanks very much to you and other regulars for your contributions in the forum. They are actually the reason for low posting by me. I am not a newbie, having won my share of awards to date, so I have not had very many questions, but learn a lot from the discussions that others start. On the other hand, I am still very much on the learning curve, so compared to other contributors, I still have more to learn than experience that I could share. I do hope to reach that point.

Squatchy · Mar 12, 2017

Foothiller said:
Hi Squatchy -- First, thanks very much to you and other regulars for your contributions in the forum. They are actually the reason for low posting by me. I am not a newbie, having won my share of awards to date, so I have not had very many questions, but learn a lot from the discussions that others start. On the other hand, I am still very much on the learning curve, so compared to other contributors, I still have more to learn than experience that I could share. I do hope to reach that point.

Nice to hear from you. Thanks for your reply!!

stephanie.palmatier · Mar 19, 2017

I don't log in here nearly as often as I did when I first joined and that is mostly due to being lazy about brewing and taking forever to find the time to start or bottle a batch (I've only bottled 3 batches since joining). I blame my husband and he blames me. Such is life. Anyway, this is my goto place to find info since it's sometimes hard to tell how outdated other info on the web is (I think I would have a good idea from all the reading I did in earlier days, but it is more convenient to come here). Also, everyone is always super helpful. I always do some research before doing something with my mead.

Actually all of the numbers you mention sound super useful, Squatchy. I've been really interested in the posts on different yeasts (especially the experiment comparing different yeasts with BOMM style, since I can't find Wyeast 1388 without ordering online - hoping that will change soon, though as one of my LHBS is getting in a bigger yeast selection). Short meads are also of interest. I like getting recipe ideas - either based on what others are doing or suggestion on what should I do with this particular honey. Dissecting mead profiles is also interesting.

Search

So everybody come huddle over here for a minute

jeffvenuti

Worker Bee

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron

Bryan Karns

Guest

MrMooCow

Got Mead? Patron

Dadux

Worker Bee

Swn Gwyrdd

NewBee

philodice

NewBee

Sadcheese

NewBee

Foothiller

Got Mead? Patron

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron

stephanie.palmatier

NewBee