Best Nutrients

[mhenry41h]

Im about to make my 1st mead this weekend and Im trying to find out which nutrients you guys/gals recommend. Fermaid K? DAP? What do you recommend?
The mead will be a dry using 13.5 lbs of 100% Oragne Blossom Honey with Lalvin K1V-1116 (2 dry packs for 5 gallons?) & 4 gallons of water.

[fatbloke]

A lot of us use both.

I allow for 2 parts fermaidk to 1 part DAP, so about 1 tsp of fermaidk and half a tsp of DAP.

That, in turn, is split into 2. I hydrate my yeast with GoFerm, pitch that, then once there's visible signs of active fermentation (bubbles) I use the first half of the nutrient mix.

I then aerate the batch at least once a day and take a gravity reading.

When the batch has reached the 1/3rd point, I mix in the rest of the nutrients, aerate then airlock it off to finish..

You can be more precise, a quick forum search will give you the YAN values for both. Plus for staggered nutrient additions you can split it into more than 2 parts.

If you only want to use 1 nutrient type FermaidK or fermaidO would be optimal. The DAP is to provide additional nitrogen.......

[mhenry41h]

Originally Posted by fatbloke

A lot of us use both.

I allow for 2 parts fermaidk to 1 part DAP, so about 1 tsp of fermaidk and half a tsp of DAP.

That, in turn, is split into 2. I hydrate my yeast with GoFerm, pitch that, then once there's visible signs of active fermentation (bubbles) I use the first half of the nutrient mix.

I then aerate the batch at least once a day and take a gravity reading.

When the batch has reached the 1/3rd point, I mix in the rest of the nutrients, aerate then airlock it off to finish..

You can be more precise, a quick forum search will give you the YAN values for both. Plus for staggered nutrient additions you can split it into more than 2 parts.

If you only want to use 1 nutrient type FermaidK or fermaidO would be optimal. The DAP is to provide additional nitrogen.......

When you say 1 tsp fermaid k & 1/2 tsp DAP, do you mean per gallon? or total?

[AlphaGenetics]

Originally Posted by mhenry41h

When you say 1 tsp fermaid k & 1/2 tsp DAP, do you mean per gallon? or total?

Fairly certain he means per gallon (or else I've been over-feeding my yeasts to obesity)

[fatbloke]

Originally Posted by AlphaGenetics

Fairly certain he means per gallon (or else I've been over-feeding my yeasts to obesity)

Yes, but that's because I make mostly 1 gallon batches.

To give you some idea, there's info about staggered nutrients etc in many places.

So rather than just suggest that you read the NewBee guide, I'll link a nice straight forward guide produced by Hightest. I don't know if he posted here, but he's well regarded in a number of places that are to do with home brewing.

A bit of a search will tell you how much YAN is normally required, and how much is provided by 1 gramme of FermaidK, DAP, etc. Yes, it's fair to point out that those of us who like accuracy, have got hold of a set of cheap "druggie scales", that measure down to a tenth of a gramme (or smaller).

I just basically use the method/technique as above, because it hasn't caused me any problems, I was using teaspoon and part thereof measures before I got druggie scales and my mead making is too haphazard to be of any great recommendation.

You can make it as complicated as you want, or as accurate as to be accused of being anal - it that's what presses your buttons.

Some more digging around the forums will give you a more exact guide (I've read them, but I'll be buggered if I can find them at the moment), from the guidance to use GoFerm to rehydrate the yeast, to a guide for the amounts and timings of the additions.

What I do know, is that you've picked a variety of honey that is well regarded, and your choice of yeast is well known as a good yeast for traditionals. It's not limited like D47 (another popular choice that carries at least one caveat).

Yet at the same time, when you've successfully completed your first ferment, don't be surprised if it tastes bloody horrible. Young meads often do, but IMO, K1V traditionals age beautifully.

If I find the thread(s) I'm thinking of, that outline how much YAN (yeast available nitrogen), you get from 1gramme of FermaidK, the same of DAP etc, I'll link it for you......

Oh, and the main reason people hereabouts seem to like Lallemand/Lalvin products, isn't because they're necessarily the best, but they do provide more data and info than any other producer. Which is generally very, very helpful.....

[mediaguru]

I use NutriFerm (I believe that's what it's called), which I bought from Northern Brewer...

It is mostly yeast cells/ghosts along with some DAP and a small amount of magnesium as well.

That's all I used in my 5 gallon batch with D-47 -- no energizer, no additional nutrients -- and the yeast seemed pretty happy. I put 3 teaspoons just prior to pitching, and then added 2 teaspoons at 1/3 sugar break, and closed the lid and crossed my fingers. 3 weeks later, fermentation is done and seems to be between 13-14% ABV.

[Chevette Girl]

You're not going to find one overriding "correct" answer on this, just a whole lot of what works for who... I'm currently using 1/2 tsp of DAP and 1/2 tsp of energizer per gallon, half the energizer at pitch, half the DAP after lag, and I try to portion out the remaining rations at each aeration so it lasts just until the 1/3 sugar break when I stop aerating anyway, but that's getting a little more fancy than your original question...