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still no good..

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arnaud

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jun 20, 2009
40
0
6
Hi!
some time ago i found your forum and was whining about that all my batches go wrong, no matter how thorough i clean everything, and have replaced kettels and containers.
I tried a lot to make it work, even new methods! everything tasts like a dustbin fell into it, an oxidated taste...
Some other have an unpleasant sour side-taste..
I don't knwo why it doesn't work out in the same way when everything did work out, even in the time i took the cleaning not so serious!!

I never expereinced any difference between adding dry yeast of hydratet yeast.
I figure the hydrating comes with another container, and another not boiled ingredient(sugar) so a much bigger chance of contamination..
Even a batch where my 2 playfull ferrets took a swim in, worked out to be good mead!

Can it be the imported honey?

For the same reason i quit making fruit-wine out of boiled and filtered marmelade..
I like to brew but the only thing that works out okay is adding 2/3 water(from tap) with 1/3 of strawberry lemonade and champagne- or super yeast...

I know it is hard to judge upon this over such a distant. but any critic or advise is welcome..
B.R.
Arnaud,
Netherlands
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
It might be helpful if you give us the details of your recipe and process for your latest batch with problems. We might have a little more insight with that. Please include your process for protecting against oxidation during aging.

If you use different honey from batch to batch, you will get markedly different results - like night and day. The honey is is biggest factor in how the mead turns out. What type of honey have you been using? If you used the same honey and different yeast or other ingredients, you can also get some very different meads.

Of course, it could just be that you like ferret flavor? :eek: lol.

Medsen
 

arnaud

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jun 20, 2009
40
0
6
it may be a long story, but i did post it all previously, i will look for a way how to retreive these posts.
In the duration of time i tried lots of stuff, also the same way when it turned out okay..
in short;
kettel on fire,
heat water and add honey(supermarket stuff, no other options)
boil it and scoop off foam, add yeast nutrition
( i still dont knwo the function of it, since yeast feeds on sugar??)
cool down(with lid on, takes several hours)
pour in glass fermenter and add yeast( every batch that worked out okay was with dry yeast)

variation1 with open yeasting stage for 3 days, a (boiled)sheet over the opening. this should start the process sooner, but more risk of contamination and getting sour..

2 no open yeasting, water lock it right away; no risk of contamination, but the yeast needs oxygen so again a risk of getting sour!!
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
Perhaps the honey is the issue. You might get a better result if you try a different honey. But before you make any other attempts please tell us are you wanting to make it sweet or dry? and how much alcohol are you looking for?

If you want to try again, we may be able to help you, however, there's some information we still need. What type of yeast are you using with the mead? What was the starting gravity? What was the final gravity? After it was done, did you store it in container that was full (topped up). How long did you age it? Do you still have some bottles of it?
 

arnaud

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jun 20, 2009
40
0
6
Perhaps the honey is the issue. You might get a better result if you try a different honey.

I tried several, maybe all sorts available in the supermarket..
No change.. I used to buy the cheapest stuff that worked fine..

I always tried it to make it dry.. about 2,5 kg on 10 liters water.
But before you make any other attempts please tell us are you wanting to make it sweet or dry? and how much alcohol are you looking for?

If you want to try again, we may be able to help you, however, there's some information we still need. What type of yeast are you using with the mead? Campagne (good favour, fine bubbels and goes on and on with a modest pace) or superyeast.
What was the starting gravity? What was the final gravity?
No idea, i never used these measurments..After it was done, did you store it in container that was full (topped up).

Filled it in pet-bottles(cola etc) the same as original filling. Some air allows building pressure and make it bubbly.How long did you age it?
untill it was bubbly, som over a year, but that doesn't do the flavour any good..
Do you still have some bottles of it?
maybe, i can remember storing some against reason, maybe it will et better.
I poured away 100ed of litres waisted must..
 

JayH

Worker Bee
Registered Member
May 9, 2006
355
3
18
Corrales, NM
Also, think outside of the box, through the years of brewing I've seen things such as:

One friend's wife took up Cheese making, never got another good batch till he quit trying to work in the kitchen, just couldn't seem to keep the molds and stuff from the cheese out of the beer.

A little while ago a friend tried a couple of batches of JAO, couldn't get them to work. He emailed me what he had done, it all seemed OK. However the first time when he said he used filtered water it didn't ring any bells. The second time I had him check, it was RO (distilled) water, doesn't work well.

So if it used to work OK, try looking at the environment and seeing what has changed, it may be something that you wouldn't normally think of.

Lastly, lurk here for a while and read all the posts. Then you will really start to understand what yeast nutrients are for and how to oxygenate your musts.


Good Luck
Jay
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
Okay, one thing I can see is the PET bottles. They will not prevent oxidation during long aging - Oxygen is a small enough molecule to work its way through the sides of the bottle. Dry meads usually need to age for 1-2 years before you pass judgment on them, so storing them in PET bottles may not be the way to go as they may end up oxidized.

Do you like still wines? If so, you might want to try making a still mead, and aging it in glass and bottling it in glass. If you only want to make sparkling mead, you can do so, but you need to be careful in the amounts of honey you add for priming so that you do not cause exploding bottles.

In order to accomplish this, you will need to use a hydrometer. Brouwland has them for € 6,50.

Which Champagne yeast are you using (there are several)?

Oh, and the nutrients - the yeast need the nitrogen to build proteins, DNA, and cell wall components as they grow and divide. Just like humans, they cannot survive on carbohydrate alone (though I have a teenager who is trying ;D)
 

akueck

Certified Mead Mentor
Certified Mead Mentor
Jun 26, 2006
4,958
11
0
Ithaca, NY
I agree, the "dustbin"/oxidized character is probably showing up after fermentation due to storage conditions. Try bulk or bottle aging in glass and see if that fixes the problem.
 

dr9

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 12, 2009
386
2
0
athens ga
Ay lifed one piza and crondogs and with ccola cola win it i was tenage and i am just as fine now then and why then beer when a 21 birthday and tobacco is good i lik 2 smok and then so why

Arnaud... where are you posting from?
 
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