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It's time ... I'm doing it!

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Squatchy

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That will work. You could just make a trad out of the WF too. Or better, both
 

TractorMan

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Mar 19, 2018
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... If you go to the "Gotmeadlive" radio podcast and start on 9/5/17 I walk you through the entire process and explain why we do what we do and how to use the best science available to us to make award winning mead that drinkable right out of the carboy.

I listened to the first 30 minutes or so of that podcast a while back. Now that I'm getting serious, I'm going to listen through it and take some notes.
 

TractorMan

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Mar 19, 2018
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Time to give this project a kick in the behind. I've listened to most of the Sept 5 podcast and I have 4 pages of notes. Haha! I'm going to order the honey, mostly so I'll quit pondering on it! Help me out with a sanity check on the quantity, please.

I'm using the calculator for the first time. I'm looking at a 3-gallon batch and I want to shoot for about 12% ABV (like a white wine, is this a good idea?) and bone dry. The calculator says I'll need 7.5 lbs of honey, does that sound about right? BTW, does anyone know where I can find the equations used so I can run the numbers myself? I'll get familiar with the workings that way.

Sounds like I can get a gallon and have some left over for backsweetening, quite a bit for me to eat (YUM!), and even give some away to some friends!
 

TractorMan

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Mar 19, 2018
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So I can get some meadowfoam honey and from what I've read it sounds interesting. Marshmallows and vanilla. I think I'd like to try it. I searched through the Scott's handbook and didn't find anything for marshmallow or vanilla in any yeast commonly recommended for meads. I plan to ferment dry and backsweeten. Is D21 the way to go? 71B? K1V? What do you all think?
 

TractorMan

NewBee
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Mar 19, 2018
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OK. Meadowfoam honey on the way.
I'm shooting for 3 gallons fermented dry at about 12%. I then plan to backsweeten with the same honey.
Here's what I'm planning:

OG 1.090
Honey = 7.5 lbs
Temp = 70-74
Yeast = DV10 (low nitrogen)
TOSNA 2.0
Fermaid O = 9.72g
Yeast = 6g (are they 5g packets? I'll pitch 2 of those)
GoFerm = 7.5g
Rehydrate and Four step schedule per TOSNA 2.0

Does that look about right?

Thanks for all the help so far. I'm ready to play!
 
Last edited:

Squatchy

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I would add enough to get to 14%. That yeast will easily eat it dry. The higher ABV will work better for a sweeter mead. As you will be able to add more of the honey to it because it will need more to counter the higher ABV.
 

TractorMan

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Mar 19, 2018
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I would add enough to get to 14%. That yeast will easily eat it dry. The higher ABV will work better for a sweeter mead. As you will be able to add more of the honey to it because it will need more to counter the higher ABV.

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. So let's go with:

3 Gallons
14% ABV
OG 1.107
Honey = 8.9 lbs
Temp = 70-74
Yeast = DV10 (low nitrogen)
TOSNA 2.0
Fermaid O = 11.39g
Yeast = 6g (are they 5g packets? I'll pitch 2 of those)
GoFerm = 7.5g
Rehydrate and Four step schedule per TOSNA 2.0

I'm starting to feel the excitement. I think fermentation is going to be fun!
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
35
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0
The DV10 package I got is 8 grams. I plan to use all of it, so should I stick with the 1.25x factor and go with 10g GoFerm?
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
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0
Oh my gosh ... this meadowfoam honey! You can smell strong vanilla. I think it smells like a cake baking. Rich tasting honey that everyone picked out the vanilla aftertaste easily. We made a bunch of toast with a bit of butter and generously added this meadowfoam honey to each piece. It is heaven in your mouth and that is not an understatement. I need to make this mead before my kids eat it all!

So I got to thinking about those flavors playing together. The toasted bread brought toasted oak to my mind. I have not studied oaking meads yet, but maybe it is something I should look into? I think there are pod casts about it, but it takes me a while to get through each of those. Haha! What do you think? I also know all honey tastes good on toast!!!
 

darigoni

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Jun 4, 2016
945
63
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Brookline, NH
Oh my gosh ... this meadowfoam honey! You can smell strong vanilla. I think it smells like a cake baking. Rich tasting honey that everyone picked out the vanilla aftertaste easily. We made a bunch of toast with a bit of butter and generously added this meadowfoam honey to each piece. It is heaven in your mouth and that is not an understatement. I need to make this mead before my kids eat it all!

So I got to thinking about those flavors playing together. The toasted bread brought toasted oak to my mind. I have not studied oaking meads yet, but maybe it is something I should look into? I think there are pod casts about it, but it takes me a while to get through each of those. Haha! What do you think? I also know all honey tastes good on toast!!!

Check out Squatchy's post on Wood Management. I highly recommend the pdf by MoreWine. Also, there's a podcast (August 29th, 2017, I think) about the subject.

http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php/26346-Wood-management/page3?highlight=wood+management
 
Last edited:

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
Oh my gosh ... this meadowfoam honey! You can smell strong vanilla. I think it smells like a cake baking. Rich tasting honey that everyone picked out the vanilla aftertaste easily. We made a bunch of toast with a bit of butter and generously added this meadowfoam honey to each piece. It is heaven in your mouth and that is not an understatement. I need to make this mead before my kids eat it all!

So I got to thinking about those flavors playing together. The toasted bread brought toasted oak to my mind. I have not studied oaking meads yet, but maybe it is something I should look into? I think there are pod casts about it, but it takes me a while to get through each of those. Haha! What do you think? I also know all honey tastes good on toast!!!

How about a link to the honey supplier
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
35
0
0
Well, there's no turning back now. I'm following the latest recipe I posted above and TOSNA 2.0. I aerated, rehydrated and pitched late this morning. I checked back after about 8 hours and could tell lag was over because there were lots of the little pin prick bubbles popping on the surface. So I aerated again and added the first batch of nutrients.

Wish me luck!
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
35
0
0
I fed the third feeding tonight. Before degassing there were bubbles pop pop pop popping all over the surface and it smells amazing. With fingers crossed, I think its going well.

I have realized I'll never be able to make a 5 gallon batch using this, what? 6.5 gallon, bucket. Not with the way I stir it. Haha!
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
35
0
0
Still lots of activity tonight. I degassed and SG was about 1070. I say 'about' because I had some foaming and I also tried using my wine thief, which still had some starsan foam in it. I guess I'm in the 7 of 4 people that have trouble reading their hydrometer. Haha! To my calculations, that is right at the 1/3 break, so I added the 4th and final feeding of fermaid o.

Still smells good, but changed a bit. I don't smell alcohol, I think it might be yeast smell coming through?

How much longer do you all degas? Until there's absolutely no more foam?
 
D

Devin Petry-Johnson

Guest
Guest
In my experience, the mead typically smells great throughout the fermentation and then changes/lessens at the end of fermentation. And sometimes it tastes good right away but sometimes I need to age it or add some additional tweaks to it.

As for degassing, I'm not an expert but I typically stop degassing around the 1/3 sugar break or the halfway mark. I still gently stir things daily, in order to keep the yeast in suspension. I do that through the end of fermentation and sometimes for another week or two before I rack. But you want to avoid adding oxygen toward the end of fermentation. So vigorous stirring is no longer needed.
 

TractorMan

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 19, 2018
35
0
0
I'm at 1050 tonight (accurate reading Haha!). That's the half-way point, a bit under actually. I did degas tonight, but that will be the last time. I plan to get it out from under the towel and under an airlock at 1030. If this DV10 eats through another 20 points tomorrow, I'll be there!
 
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