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Additive Preference

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Norskersword

NewBee
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May 19, 2004
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Just wondering if there is any additive other than nutrient that anyone is particularly fond of. Is there anything that you use on pretty much every batch? Tannin? Acid blend? Why?

I'm asking this for reference but also to improve on my own personal skill. It's also interesting to hear about everyone's different styles and techniques.
 

Oskaar

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Dec 26, 2004
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Oxygen during the first 72 hours of fermentation. I'm learning more about it and how to optimize the oxygenation during that time. I'll post more as I learn more.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 

Talon

NewBee
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Jul 8, 2004
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I agree with Oskaar and I'm kinda learning about it too...

However, I've used raisins with great success and it adds an interresting hint of complexity that you can barely taste and it drives you nuts trying to figure out what it is... *grins* Also saves the need for adding tannins as the mead gets them straight from the raisins.

As for acid additions, I personally prefer citric acid over acid blend simply because it adds a nice hint of orangy-lemmon to your mead.

Talon.
 

Dan McFeeley

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Oct 10, 2003
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Oskaar said:
Oxygen during the first 72 hours of fermentation. I'm learning more about it and how to optimize the oxygenation during that time. I'll post more as I learn more.

Oxygen during the inital phases of yeast growth is important in building up the cell walls and ensuring a strong fermentation. Take a look at this URL, there's some discussion on yeast and oxygen by Clayton Cone:

http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/fortnightyeast.html
 

CosmicCharlie

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Nov 15, 2004
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Right now, I use only nutrient - but I'm thinking about using citric acid and/or vitamin C. Before I do that, I may invest in a ph meter.
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
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Dec 26, 2004
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Actually I've been emailing back and forth with Clayton about this very subject and he has some very keen insights about nitrogen dosing and lipid profiles in the cell walls during primary fermentation. Great information!

cheers,

Oskaar
 

Dan McFeeley

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Oct 10, 2003
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CosmicCharlie said:
Right now, I use only nutrient - but I'm thinking about using citric acid and/or vitamin C. Before I do that, I may invest in a ph meter.

A pH meter may or may not be a good idea, depending on how you go about using acid (this is probably a hasty reply since I haven't looked at Oskaar's post on pH meters yet).

It doesn't hurt to check the pH of a honey must but I think, for the most part, you're going to find the pH to be right about where it should be, so long as you don't add acid at the start of the fermentation.

In general, honey responds differently to acid addictions or corrections as compared to the wine grape. In winemaking, acid serves more as a means of adjusting balance. In meadmaking, because of the different acidic properties of honey, acid works better as a means of contributing to flavor profile. In other words, it's best to taste the finished mead first and then decide how the taste might be improved with the addition of a little acid.
 

Dan McFeeley

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Oct 10, 2003
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Oskaar said:
Actually I've been emailing back and forth with Clayton about this very subject and he has some very keen insights about nitrogen dosing and lipid profiles in the cell walls during primary fermentation. Great information!

I thought Clayton was more or less retired -- glad to hear he's still fielding questions!

Let us know what he passes on to you, once you're at a point where it can be summarized. From what I've read, at first he was recommending O2 additions 10 to 12 hours after the start of the fermentation, now the research seems to be supporting areation over a 48 to 72 hour period?
 

Oskaar

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Dec 26, 2004
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It was funny because I wrote to him about yeast attenuation in wine and mead, and he wrote me a reply back the same day with a lot of great information in it. I fired of another one about the yeast tests and the use of nutrients and he basically core dumped a bunch of great information.

I'm still writing stuff back and forth with him and he is interested in how the yeast tests turn out.

More as it develops,

Oskaar
 
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