1st Time Pyment Questions

That1Guy4Ever · Nov 3, 2018

Looking at my gravity readings, it appears the yeast did not begin active fermentation until somewhere between 24 hours and 72 hours post-pitch. I was sick on the 2nd post-pitch day, so I chose not to mess with the must.

Based on what you are saying, it appears I made my 24 hour addition of Fermaid O too soon. I took it to mean 24 post pitch, where in reality it sounds like what you are saying is 24 hours after the lag period ends.

Squatchy · Nov 3, 2018

That is what I do because otherwise you're feeding the bad guys and promoting their health and not your desired yeast strain

That1Guy4Ever · Nov 3, 2018

I just finished listening to your yeast podcast. It sounds like my lag period lasted a little long (not sure why) going off of what you said in that podcast (you felt it should exit lag no later than 48hrs in).

At this point since I already added my 24hr addition early by your methods, do you feel I need to make 1 more addition today even though I already made what I thought was the 24hr, 48hr, and 72hr additions, or just let it go until 1/3 sugar break/7th day post-lag?

Also, at what point during my fermentation should I stop stirring, and at what intensity?

Squatchy · Nov 3, 2018

YOu mike consider a higher cell count at pitch. My bare minimum is 2 grams per and I go up from there. At my place, I feel 8 hours is pretty long. I would not add more food than what your original protocol asked for. So again. Stir rigorously for the first 3 days and politely after that

That1Guy4Ever · Nov 12, 2018

That1Guy4Ever said:
10/30 Added 4.5g Fermaid O and stirred vigorously for a couple minutes

10/31 Was running a fever today and was feeling pretty crappy. So, I decided not to risk messing with the mead.

11/1 Feeling better - wore gloves and mask to be safe. Learned a big lesson the hard way...DON'T STIR VERY ACTIVE FERMENTATION FULL BLAST WITH DEGASSING ROD. Needless to say I had a hell of a mess to clean up in my chest freezer. Added my next addition of Fermaid O and stirred in.

11/2-11/3 stirred politely

11/4 1/3 sugar break, added last addition of 4.5g Fermaid O

11/5-11/9 Stirred politely

11/10 Down to 0 BRIX. Racked into carboy making sure to stir lees and yeast into suspension to ensure I took it all with it. PH 3.37, so added 3.28g metabulsulfite (50ppm).

11/11 stirred yeast into suspension

Is the PH ok? Should I adjust?

Squatchy · Nov 12, 2018

No leave the pH unless you need to do some acid additions to make it taste better. But that is done to taste and not to a numeric value.

That1Guy4Ever · Dec 12, 2018

I'm planning to rack tonight (due to surgery tomorrow it's tonight or in 2+ months). I understand my sulfite additions. But I don't understand sorbate. I believe the talk show said to sorbate 24 hrs after. But it did not say in what amount.

That1Guy4Ever · Jan 14, 2019

I did more reading since my last time writing on this board. I misunderstood Sorbate. It sounds like this is only added at the very end before bottling to stabilize.

By the way, I did a side-by-side comparison of 2 of the same batches of this mead - 1 I made laissez faire with no additions, doing basically nothing beside pitching yeast and letting go; and the other I did everything by the book as you instructed me to do. At only 1-1/2 months of age the difference is astounding. First the laissez faire batch took exactly 9 days longer to ferment to dry. Second, the batch I did as instructed already tasted fantastic at just 1-1/2 months (not yeasty, not hot) while the other is very hot still.

My meads are just aging at this point. I believe you all advise racking every 2-3 months, is this correct? How will I know when it's done and ready to bottle?

Squatchy · Jan 14, 2019

You want to add the sorbate at the same time you add your sulfite to stabilize.

Rack until it's clear. You can use a fining agent to speed that up if you want

That1Guy4Ever · Jan 14, 2019

So I should add sorbate everytime I rack just like sulfites?

What fining agent do you suggest? Or perhaps you don't prefer to use them at all.

I'm patient, but I am curious when I'll truly know it's done. Other than the condition of becoming clear, I was just planning to wait until late spring/early summer to bottle.

Squatchy · Jan 14, 2019

Sorbate is a one time only add
Superkler is one. There are many different ones. Some will work when others won't. It depends on what is making your mead hazy. I usually wait till it's clear enough to filter. But it still needs to be pretty clear to do that. I won't serve a mead that isn't clear enough to read a newspaper through the bottle. For me, it's a pride thing. I take pride in what I make and think it's not respectful to serve dirty mead. It also won't taste as good if you have dust in the bottle

That1Guy4Ever · Mar 25, 2019

Hey Everyone,

I really haven't done anything to my mead since December as I got a second job and just bought a house...no time. But, I'm finally able to get back at it.

I'm having a problem with my pyment - it's still pretty cloudy unlike the meads I've made before despite following all of you guy's wonderful steps and advice. What would you advise I do? Bentonite?

Squatchy · Mar 25, 2019

That1Guy4Ever said:
Hey Everyone,

I really haven't done anything to my mead since December as I got a second job and just bought a house...no time. But, I'm finally able to get back at it.

I'm having a problem with my pyment - it's still pretty cloudy unlike the meads I've made before despite following all of you guy's wonderful steps and advice. What would you advise I do? Bentonite?

What things have you tried?

That1Guy4Ever · Mar 25, 2019

Squatchy said:
What things have you tried?

I haven't tried anything yet. I do nothing without first consulting all you guys

Squatchy · Mar 26, 2019

Go buy some Superklear

That1Guy4Ever · Apr 4, 2019

3/30/19 I racked adding my adjusted 50ppm of sulfites. I added Superclear fining agent

4/1/19 The fining agent worked WONDERFULLY. It's perfectly clear now!

Now that it's clear, I feel like it's pretty much time to take steps to prep for bottling as it tastes and looks great. Do you agree?

It's my understanding I'll sorbate the batch, wait 24-48 hours, rack to bottling bucket, backsweeten, then bottle. Does this sound correct?

Farmboyc · Apr 4, 2019

If you have not yet added sorbate you should do some immediately. Remember sorbate is a one time thing.

I would suggest that you wait and bulk age before back sweetening and bottling. Often after a period of time the honey taste and sweetness will come back and can leave a too sweet final product.

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That1Guy4Ever · Apr 4, 2019

I appreciate the tips. I'm gonna wait to see what squatchy says. He's been helping me throughout the whole thing. It's been aging for about 6 months. So based on all the podcast it sounds like it's been enough time.

Squatchy · Apr 5, 2019

Farmboy is correct in what he told you. The only problem is that when you add your honey to backsweeten it will create a haze. So you will need to refine again. Next time wait to fine until then you have back sweetened before you do that

That1Guy4Ever · Apr 5, 2019

Squatchy said:
Farmboy is correct in what he told you. The only problem is that when you add your honey to backsweeten it will create a haze. So you will need to refine again. Next time wait to fine until then you have back sweetened before you do that

Ok, I'll keep that in mind about using fining agents after backsweetening. I guess I need to re-listen to the podcasts. I thought you backsweetened right before bottling. But, it sounds like you guys are saying I should sorbate, wait 24-48 hours, backsweeten, age for longer, fine if necessary, and then bottle. Does that sound about right?

It took a lot of churning with the drill gun to fully break down the honey into the must originally. How do I backsweeten without introducing loads of oxygen into my mead?

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