The first mead I drank was made from a beekeeper I met in St. Louis. ( I am a beekeeper.). It was wonderful. Of course, I got everything to make mead and made my first batch. That was almost two years ago. A year ago I tried tasting it and it was like, well, rocket fuel. My health got in the way of mead making, but I wanted to make some raspberry mead, and when feeling better I got everything together. In gathering bottles (swing-top beer bottles) I had to taste the mead again. It was ok. Not as fine as the St. Louis beekeeper’s, but ok. With that said, I got everything together to make raspberry mead. I sanitize everything every time I mess with it.
I started with 2 gallon bucket. I had marked it with a line every quart. I set my sights on a semi-sweet mead. I gathered up things I had packed away. My hydrometer dropped out of its case. I ordered another and continued putting things in the kitchen.
While I gathering all the bits and pieces the new hydrometer came. I careful put it aside where no one would bump it. Later that evening, I reached for my knife to make a stir fry. The tip of the knife hit the hydrometer which I had not yet put back into case. Next day I took trip to local place selling brewing things and bought another hydrometer.
Finally with everything together. I used 1 tsp. Of Carlson Yeast Energizer when I started the yeast (a whole pack(5 grams). I had a pack of Lalvin 71 B-1122 that expired in 08/18. (Yeah, I probably should have got new yeast when I got the new hydrometers.). I started mixing the brew. Temperature of water was 105 F. I used filtered water to make the must. I added 1 tsp. of Carlson Acid Blend and a 1 tsp. Of Carlson Pectic Enzyme.
I added a gallon of water to my bucket. I then added 4 pounds 5 ounces of honey. To this I added all of the raspberries that I had in my freezer. This was about 2 quarts. The OSP was setting at 1.080. My bucket was filled to one quart below 2 gallons. I decided that was not enough space in bucket for yeast expansion.
I removed a part of the mixture and put it in a gallon jug. I then added water to below the curve at the top of the jug. I added honey until the OSP was 1.050.
I then added yeast mix spilt into two batches and tempered the yeast temp to the water temp. This was 12/2.
Things went well. Next morning both batches were bubbling away. I mixed everything up.
On 12/5 I added 1/4 tsp of Carlson Yeast Nutrient and mixed everything up good. The bucket and gallon jug are at 70 degrees F. The bucket was measuring 1.020. The jug was 1.028.
I mixed everything up yesterday (12/6). Both the jug and bucket read 1.010.
Now my concerns. I don’t have enough honey left to complete the primary stage. I’m not too worried about the bucket, but the jug doesn’t have any honey left and it doesn’t have enough alcohol to not spoil.
Should I add honey? I could also rack the jug and put it in the refrigerator to finish. Tonight was going to be the last time I added yeast nutrient. Now I just don’t know what to do. I don’t mind it finishing dry I can back sweeten later.
Any help would be appreciated.
Mary
Thank you.
I started with 2 gallon bucket. I had marked it with a line every quart. I set my sights on a semi-sweet mead. I gathered up things I had packed away. My hydrometer dropped out of its case. I ordered another and continued putting things in the kitchen.
While I gathering all the bits and pieces the new hydrometer came. I careful put it aside where no one would bump it. Later that evening, I reached for my knife to make a stir fry. The tip of the knife hit the hydrometer which I had not yet put back into case. Next day I took trip to local place selling brewing things and bought another hydrometer.
Finally with everything together. I used 1 tsp. Of Carlson Yeast Energizer when I started the yeast (a whole pack(5 grams). I had a pack of Lalvin 71 B-1122 that expired in 08/18. (Yeah, I probably should have got new yeast when I got the new hydrometers.). I started mixing the brew. Temperature of water was 105 F. I used filtered water to make the must. I added 1 tsp. of Carlson Acid Blend and a 1 tsp. Of Carlson Pectic Enzyme.
I added a gallon of water to my bucket. I then added 4 pounds 5 ounces of honey. To this I added all of the raspberries that I had in my freezer. This was about 2 quarts. The OSP was setting at 1.080. My bucket was filled to one quart below 2 gallons. I decided that was not enough space in bucket for yeast expansion.
I removed a part of the mixture and put it in a gallon jug. I then added water to below the curve at the top of the jug. I added honey until the OSP was 1.050.
I then added yeast mix spilt into two batches and tempered the yeast temp to the water temp. This was 12/2.
Things went well. Next morning both batches were bubbling away. I mixed everything up.
On 12/5 I added 1/4 tsp of Carlson Yeast Nutrient and mixed everything up good. The bucket and gallon jug are at 70 degrees F. The bucket was measuring 1.020. The jug was 1.028.
I mixed everything up yesterday (12/6). Both the jug and bucket read 1.010.
Now my concerns. I don’t have enough honey left to complete the primary stage. I’m not too worried about the bucket, but the jug doesn’t have any honey left and it doesn’t have enough alcohol to not spoil.
Should I add honey? I could also rack the jug and put it in the refrigerator to finish. Tonight was going to be the last time I added yeast nutrient. Now I just don’t know what to do. I don’t mind it finishing dry I can back sweeten later.
Any help would be appreciated.
Mary
Thank you.
