Minimalist brewing. Without a hydrometer. I brewed a lot of beer in the past. I had a hydrometer then but never used it. I always made very drinkable light ales and stouts.
I've got two 5gal batches of mead started.
Both musts were heavy on the fresh ginger and fresh holy basil. Boiled the ginger twice to bring out max flavor.
One batch has 6 kilo wildflower, and the other 6 kilo of longon honey.
I made up some nutrient out of bread yeast and pitched a pack of lalvin ec1118 yeast in each.
I'm using 8 gallon pails as primary fermentors.
I added the honey first into the pail, and poured in warm must. I didn't mix it too well at first allowing an amount of honey to remain on the bottom.
The fermentation started imediately with gusto. Stirred and aereated for the first three.four days. Threw in a fistfull of fresh rosemary to each.
Tasted each and they are very pleasant to the taste and smell.
My questions:
1. Can I just let the fermentation run out sitting on the ec1118 lees?
2. Can I tell just by taste and visually when the fermentation is more or less complete.
3. I'm thinking on letting the fermentation go for two months on the lees, then racking, blending the two batches and bottling in 22oz beer bottles. Does this sound logical?
4.The two different honeys are fermenting very differently, the longon honey is darker and getting an ale like krausen. The wildflower is lighter colored and is sparkling like a club soda. They are coming along so nice I have a hunch blending the two will work nicely.( not really a question)
5.I was going to use fruit but I think I'll keep these first batches simple.
Can I bottle after two months if the fermentation seem complete?
What sort of natural carbonation might I expect doing it this way?
6. It been about two weeks now. Should I continue to aereate?
I've got two 5gal batches of mead started.
Both musts were heavy on the fresh ginger and fresh holy basil. Boiled the ginger twice to bring out max flavor.
One batch has 6 kilo wildflower, and the other 6 kilo of longon honey.
I made up some nutrient out of bread yeast and pitched a pack of lalvin ec1118 yeast in each.
I'm using 8 gallon pails as primary fermentors.
I added the honey first into the pail, and poured in warm must. I didn't mix it too well at first allowing an amount of honey to remain on the bottom.
The fermentation started imediately with gusto. Stirred and aereated for the first three.four days. Threw in a fistfull of fresh rosemary to each.
Tasted each and they are very pleasant to the taste and smell.
My questions:
1. Can I just let the fermentation run out sitting on the ec1118 lees?
2. Can I tell just by taste and visually when the fermentation is more or less complete.
3. I'm thinking on letting the fermentation go for two months on the lees, then racking, blending the two batches and bottling in 22oz beer bottles. Does this sound logical?
4.The two different honeys are fermenting very differently, the longon honey is darker and getting an ale like krausen. The wildflower is lighter colored and is sparkling like a club soda. They are coming along so nice I have a hunch blending the two will work nicely.( not really a question)
5.I was going to use fruit but I think I'll keep these first batches simple.
Can I bottle after two months if the fermentation seem complete?
What sort of natural carbonation might I expect doing it this way?
6. It been about two weeks now. Should I continue to aereate?