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Introductions and Appreciation

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Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
Greeting everyone!

I’ve been lurking for a little while here. I’ve downloaded and read the NewBee guide a few times (though I often reference it as thoughts and questions pop up). I’ve created a mead binder that’s tabbed out. It’s already filling up with charts, recipes, the NewBee guide, and all manner of things that appear useful or that I’d like to incorporate as my new mead hobby progresses. I have also purchased Ken Schramm’s book and re-read things over and over.

With that said, I’m still trying to wrap my arms around some things. I’m not going to fib … the mead calculator is intimidating to me. Perhaps other newbees don’t feel the same. The initial SG perplexes me somewhat. The way I understand things, the SG depends on the type of mead you are making which also includes the type of yeast and how sweet you want the end result to be? There seem to be sooooo many variables with the SG that I’m fearful recipes won’t work well.

Since I’m baring my soul, I’ll also admit that I’m not a huge grape wine affectianado, but there are a few that I like. They’re mostly sweet. My current favorite is called Jam Jar from South Africa. Is there any way I can Mr. Spock the stuff to find out what its qualities are so I can try to emulate ‘em in my own mead?

On a final note:

I have two one-gallon batches underway. The first was an impatient conglomeration of a recipe that I have no idea if it’ll turn out OK. I was so impatient and anxious to start that I didn’t even have a hydrometer to take an initial SG. I’ve racked the first batch and it’s been sitting in the new carboy for almost a week. I’m sure I’ll be posting more about it in the future.

My second batch is a gallon of JAO. What can I say … when in Rome! It’s churning quite nicely and smells great! I wanted to make something else, but I’m going on a road trip vacay to KY to experience (and sample) the bourbon trail so I wouldn’t be home to monitor anything that requires attention.

Well everyone … thank you for your time! Your posts from the past are encouraging and appreciated from my newbee status. I hope to continue to sponge up the knowledge you’re spilling daily!

Regards,
Paul
 

PitBull

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 25, 2009
640
4
0
Pittsburgh, PA
Welcome aboard!

Wecome to GotMead!

Your first post AND a shiny new patron badge to boot!

Since you've been lurking awhile, you're aware that if you have any questions, the members here will be more than happy to help you out!

We eagerly await your second post!
 

wayneb

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Let me add my "Welcome to Gotmead," too, Paul! Glad that you're now a poster, rather than just a lurker!! ;D

Let me ask you a question about your wine preferences before I suggest a mead recipe that you might like. Which Jam Jar are you partial to, the red or the white?
 

veritas

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 7, 2007
294
2
0
Wisconsin BEER Capitol USA
Welcome!!

And don't be anxious its just mead. All the information can be overwhelming that's for sure. But in no time at all you will find things that work and don't work for you and be happily making things you enjoy!
 

Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
Wayneb,

I'm partial to the red, but only because I haven't been able to locate the white locally to sample it!

Regards,
Paul

Let me add my "Welcome to Gotmead," too, Paul! Glad that you're now a poster, rather than just a lurker!! ;D

Let me ask you a question about your wine preferences before I suggest a mead recipe that you might like. Which Jam Jar are you partial to, the red or the white?
 

Deacon Aegis

NewBee
Registered Member
Howdy Paul and welcome from another newbee as well. I did things kinda the same way that you did in that I spent quite a bit of time lurking here, sucking up as much information as I could, while also reading Ken Schramm's "The Complete Meadmaker". I also joined the mead making group on facebook, etc. All that said, I would also agree with you that the mead calculator is not the most intuitive thing to use nor do I really get all the functions of it, though my focus currently is more geared towards the chemistry and yeast types available while contemplating my next batch.

That said, there are a couple of things you might want to do to "Spock" that wine that you do like. I'd pull some of the specifics from it, like the specific gravity, maybe run a titration test, and get some baseline numbers that will give you an estimate of how sweet verses how dry the wine you like is, and what it's acid levels are. Then you can try to ferment a mead out to those numbers and see if it is something you like. You can also backsweeten and add acid or an acid blend to your mead to adjust those flavors. One thing that you'll really want to do is let most of your meads age a good year or more before you really start to judge them for their flavors.

Oh and as far as not liking a bunch of the different types of wine, man I understand. I'm not a fan of most beers and many varieties of wine. Give me Gentleman Jack and I'll drink it like a fish, but beer is outta here. Just saying... ;D
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
With that said, I’m still trying to wrap my arms around some things. I’m not going to fib … the mead calculator is intimidating to me. Perhaps other newbees don’t feel the same. The initial SG perplexes me somewhat. The way I understand things, the SG depends on the type of mead you are making which also includes the type of yeast and how sweet you want the end result to be? There seem to be sooooo many variables with the SG that I’m fearful recipes won’t work well.

Let's see if I can help you out with the concept: the SG is a measure of how much sugar is in your must (sugar's more dense than water so the more sugar, the higher the reading, the baseline of 1.000 is water). At the start of a fermentation, there's lots of sugar for the yeast to eat, at the end, there is little to none, and if you measure the start and end points you can calculate how much alcohol has been produced based on how much sugar has been consumed.

Of course your initial SG is directly affected by the type and amount of fruit and honey you add to your must, and how far it goes is determined by fermentation conditions and yeast selection...

There are a couple of approaches and you can either decide "I'm going to use 3 lb honey per gallon and record whatever SG it gives me and go with it, and maybe I'll use the Mead Calculator to make sure my SG reading isn't out of whack" OR you can decide, "I don't want it TOO alcoholic so I'm going to aim for a SG of 1.090 (which the Potential Alcohol Conversion calculator tells me is going to be around 12%) and just add honey until I get there, so I will use the top setion of the mead calculator to figure out approximately how much honey I should need."


Since I’m baring my soul, I’ll also admit that I’m not a huge grape wine affectianado, but there are a few that I like. They’re mostly sweet. My current favorite is called Jam Jar from South Africa.

Hey, don't think you're alone in that. I got into homebrewing in the first place because I find grape wine boring, when you compare it to all the other fruits and things that can be fermented!! We can probably help you identify the elements you like in the wine you like so you can aim for those elements with your own batches, but just don't expect to be brewing something identical to a grape wine without using those grapes. You may also find out you prefer meads in a completely different style from your favourite wine, you might prefer dry meads and sweet wines, or you might like tannic red wines but not be so hot on it in your meads. Bottom line is make lots, drink lots :) (now if only I could follow my own damn advice I'd have room to store everything I need to bottle! ;D)
 
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Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
Thank you for the explanation Chevette Girl! I think I may have just had an epiphany! The SG 1.090 part especially helped. I'm not saying I completely understand it all ... but I believe I thought the SG reading was a much more exact part of the overall mead-making process. Not to imply that it's not, because it is in every individual batch. I mean that there are many variations and options within the SG to be considered depending on what I’m going for in the end result of a recipe. Good heavens I HOPE that made sense!


"I don't want it TOO alcoholic so I'm going to aim for a SG of 1.090 (which the Potential Alcohol Conversion calculator tells me is going to be around 12%) and just add honey until I get there, so I will use the top setion of the mead calculator to figure out approximately how much honey I should need."
 

Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
Thanks Deacon! It’s nice to know I’m not standing alone in my newbeeness! Your suggestions to Spock the Jam Jar wine were precisely what I was looking for. Unfortunately I’m not quite sure what a titration test is, but I’ll consult the forums and the almighty Google to see what I can uncover. Wayneb seemed to be familiar with the wine I’m talking about and said he might be able to recommend a recipe to try so I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say as well.

I’ll be sure to do my best to enter my attempts into the forums so others can help guide me and stop me from making too many mistakes.

Regards,
Paul


That said, there are a couple of things you might want to do to "Spock" that wine that you do like. I'd pull some of the specifics from it, like the specific gravity, maybe run a titration test, and get some baseline numbers that will give you an estimate of how sweet verses how dry the wine you like is, and what it's acid levels are. Then you can try to ferment a mead out to those numbers and see if it is something you like. You can also backsweeten and add acid or an acid blend to your mead to adjust those flavors. One thing that you'll really want to do is let most of your meads age a good year or more before you really start to judge them for their flavors.
 

TAKeyser

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 4, 2012
1,228
3
0
50
Detroit, MI
The projected SG is also important because in addition to letting you know how strong of a mead you'll have it'll help you determine which yeast you'll want to use. For example if you have an SG of 1.140 and you want to create a dry mead you'll know not to use something like D47 or 71B as they won't be able to go at all the sugars to take it down to dry.
 

HunnyBunz

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 29, 2011
178
2
0
Salem, OR
Oh and as far as not liking a bunch of the different types of wine, man I understand. I'm not a fan of most beers and many varieties of wine. Give me Gentleman Jack and I'll drink it like a fish, but beer is outta here. Just saying... ;D

I'm not trying to criticize, but beer is a gift from God!
Remember Friar Tuck in the 'Robin Hood Prince of Thieves' movie? "This here is grain, which any fool can eat. But for which the Lord intended a much more divine consumption."
Actually, I understand because I'm not a big fan of wine myself. I'll drink it sometimes but I have to be in the mood for it, and it really doesn't knock my socks off or anything.
I do believe in trying to develop a taste for things though, whether it's food or anything else. - Just a thought. :)
 

Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
Oddly enough I just found out about them yesterday. I'm sampling a bottle of their semi-dry mead but I purchased it from a local store. I fully intend to visit the meadery as soon as possible!

Welcome to the board!

Have you been to New Day Meadery in Indianapolis? Just curious as you are probably near them and I got try some of their stuff about 18 months ago.
 

Deacon Aegis

NewBee
Registered Member
I'm not trying to criticize, but beer is a gift from God!
Remember Friar Tuck in the 'Robin Hood Prince of Thieves' movie? "This here is grain, which any fool can eat. But for which the Lord intended a much more divine consumption."
Actually, I understand because I'm not a big fan of wine myself. I'll drink it sometimes but I have to be in the mood for it, and it really doesn't knock my socks off or anything.
I do believe in trying to develop a taste for things though, whether it's food or anything else. - Just a thought. :)

Oh I really do understand and even spent a great deal of time from the college days on trying to develope a taste for beer, but I really just don't care for the stuff. I have a friend who is a home brewer and makes some spectacular beers as well, from IPA's to dark ales, and the only one of his that I really care for are some of his most complex lagers. Don't dare compare them to coors or any of that junk. His Lagers I do greatly enjoy. Six hours running an enhanced double decoction mash from prep to chiller, etc etc... That's the good stuff. But in general, I'm not a fan of hops and never really cared for the lightly hopped ales. Now don't get me wrong, I am certainly not knocking these brews. I'm glad my friend and billions of others enjoy beer. It's just not my thing. Fortunately God is a forgiving God and so he provides me with Gentleman Jack and Mead. For this, I am truly happy and Friar Tuck can find some small sympathy for me as I was not graced with the blessing of beer-taste...

Alas, whoah I say to my brethern who share my bane in lack of beer-taste! For we are the ones who must seek further to find a blessed libation with which to get ver-shnickered on. Oh the humanity! Hehehe
 

Mr. P

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 22, 2012
20
0
0
Central Indiana, USA
TAKeyser,

Is there a compiled list or chart that shows which yeast prefers certain SGs? I’ve look at the chart in the NewBee’s guide as well as the table in “The Complete Meadmaker" and an additional list I printed off from somewhere. They all state the temp range and ABV but I couldn’t see where any of the indicated a preferred SG.

Regards,
Paul



The projected SG is also important because in addition to letting you know how strong of a mead you'll have it'll help you determine which yeast you'll want to use. For example if you have an SG of 1.140 and you want to create a dry mead you'll know not to use something like D47 or 71B as they won't be able to go at all the sugars to take it down to dry.
 
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fivecats

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 12, 2012
272
1
0
Outside Raleighwood
I'm not trying to criticize, but beer is a gift from God!
Remember Friar Tuck in the 'Robin Hood Prince of Thieves' movie? "This here is grain, which any fool can eat. But for which the Lord intended a much more divine consumption."

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin
 

TAKeyser

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 4, 2012
1,228
3
0
50
Detroit, MI
It's all based off of the ABV potential so you have to convert it to gravity. They are ballpark figures, because I believe the yeast companies use around an 85% attenuation rate, so you'll see many of use who use oxygenation and staggered nutrient additions (SNA) get higher than these numbers and after you do a couple batches you'll start noticing a pattern on what you'll get, but it's a good starting point to know what the companies say.

Here are the numbers for common Lalvin yeast strains
D47 and 71B .105 drop (since starting SNA's I get a .115 drop)
RC212 and DV10 .120 drop (since starting SNA's I get a .130 drop)
EC1118 and KV1116 .135 drop (since starting SNA's I get a .140 drop, but I did manage to coax the hell out of 1 batch using EC1118 and managed a .160 drop)

But like I said it gives you an idea of which to use, so if you have a must with a gravity of 1.140 and you want it fairly dry you'd want to go with the EC1118 or KV1116 and not something like the D47.
 

wayneb

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Paul, take a look at your private messages (PMs); I believe I have a recipe that will give you what you're looking for. However, it is a bit beyond the typical newbee recipe, so let me know when you feel up to the challenge, and I can talk you through it in more detail.
 

TAKeyser

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 4, 2012
1,228
3
0
50
Detroit, MI
Paul, take a look at your private messages (PMs); I believe I have a recipe that will give you what you're looking for. However, it is a bit beyond the typical newbee recipe, so let me know when you feel up to the challenge, and I can talk you through it in more detail.

Super secret top secret recipe that the rest of us can't be privy to :(
 
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