Noobie Mead Questions

[SpiffyStump]

Hi all, I wanna start making mead, I enjoy mead very much, I have begginer questions and maybe some not so begginer questions.



After fermentation is it ok to store it in cold places? is it bad for the fermented mead to sit in a cold basement during the winter time? As of right now my plan is to let it ferment upstaris in the room temp and once done fermenting ill store it down stairs to age, will this be a problem?

Whats the best yeast to use for mead? I know that I really like using bread yeast for whiskey mash, I think nothing it better for a mash then bread yeast in my opinion.

When mead is done fermenting and racked does it need an air lock or could it just be capped?

I watched a video were a fellow heated the water added the honey and continued to boil the water with the honey in it, it looked like he was doing this to skim off impurites, is that what I will want to do boil the honey and water together?

What is the best typer of honey? Is there honeys that dont make a good mead? should I avoid certain types or brands?

Ive have read and heard in youtube videos that you do not want to use distilled water or chlorine water, I use well water for all my booze but it contains sulfer and smells like a fart slightly, will the sulfer be and issue?

What about letting it sit in the glass carboy and age makes it better? I know after fermentation you want all the dead yeast to settle at the bottome and siphon the mead into a different container, but what about letting it sit makes it better, and how long should it sit?

Do you have any good recipies or videos to share?

Thanks everyone!

[NZChris]

I would get rid of the sulfur, or get better water. It's probably only SO2, which is used in winemaking. Unless it's really strong, you might get away with it. If you intend to distill any of it, the sulfur might be a pest.

I tastes of the honey you used, so if you don't like the honey, don't use it.

I don't rack mine, but I'm left with a lot of dregs that I have found a use for.

This is the method I've used:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3A ... nt=gws-wiz

[Yonder]

Yikes! You really want the whole class,d on’t you? Step feed your mead during the fermentation process, as honey doesn’t have what yeast need to live and thrive. DAP and energizer/nutrients. Rack it when the fermentation is done. Back sweeten and add your adjuncts as you like. Potassium sorbate to stop further fermentation. Leave it sit. clarify it and rack it off again. Bottle it. Ignore it for a while. Enjoy it as nature intended. Many variations on a theme be look thru some of the mead posts here and you’ll get a good start.
Good luck!

[NZChris]

I don't go to any of that trouble, Yonder. Joe Mattioli's no fuss method worked very well for me seven and eight years ago and they are both ageing very nicely. I've just put down 28l using his method.

[greggn]

Whats the best yeast to use for mead?

"Best" is subjective since we're talking about taste and aroma but I doubt anyone will suggest something that is not a wine yeast. I trend to use D47, 71B, or Premier Cuvee.

[TwoSheds]

Get yourself a copy of The Compleat Meadmaker by Ken Schramm, will thoroughly and correctly answer most of your questions including a good list of yeasts and talk about nutrients and water.

I like D47. Have used others.

Honey? Whatever you like that you can stand the price of. Fresher and more local is better. Grocery store stuff is frequently processed to a point where it's barely recognizable next to fresh, local stuff.

Better yet, find some beekeepers and ask if they have older honey they can't bottle (it naturally crystalizes and becomes more difficult to process) or any other honey they'll cut you a deal on.

[greggn]

Get yourself a copy of The Compleat Meadmaker by Ken Schramm, will thoroughly and correctly answer most of your questions including a good list of yeasts and talk about nutrients and water.

I've read Schramm but I think that Steve Piatz's "The Complete Guide to Making Mead" is a better guide for first-timers.

[subbrew]

another good source is homebrewtalk.com. There is an entire section on mead. I know some commercial mead makers which use 71B for yeast. I use that and D47. D47 seems to be more tolerant of low Ph, something you need to watch for with mead.

And do NOT boil honey, unless you are making brochet. The guy that was boiling and skimming should not be allowed near honey.

[jward]

If you want to go down the mead rabbit hole I would start with Got Mead (gotmead.com).

[opus345]

Gotmead, Homebrewtalk, and Winemakingtalk all have great mead making info:

Here is a recipe for my Capsicumel Mead (you would be skipping the stabilization and long term aging:

6 Gal Batch

Ingredients
16 lbs. of Clover honey
5 Anaheim Peppers (Sliced, Seeds and Stems Removed)
5 Jalapeno Peppers (Sliced, Seeds and Stems Removed)
10 Serrano Peppers (Sliced, Seeds and Stems Removed)
5 tsp yeast nutrients
2.5 tsp yeast energizer
7 grams Fermaid K
GoFerm
1/4 tsp. Potassium Metabisulphite
1 packet of Lalvin K1V-1116 yeast.

Target OG = 1.095
Target FG = .994 = ~13% ABV
Primary 12 Days @ 68F

Mead Day - 12-23-17
16 lbs of honey - Warm honey containers in hot water
Slice Peppers (Remove Seeds and Stems)
Use 7.9 gal+ open top fermentation vehicle
Thoroughly mix 16 lbs Honey with 2 gallon of hot water for 5 minutes.
Add Potassium Metabisulphite
Add water (~ 3 Gallons of water to equal 6.5 gallon total). Shoot for a starting temp of 68 F
SG = 1.096
Add the peppers to the Must and cover with a sanitized cheese cloth for 24 hours.

Mead Day + 1 - 12-24-17
Add 1 tsp nutrient, .5 tsp energizer
Stir and whip
Make a yeast starter using GoFerm (follow directions)
Pitch the yeast into the fermenter after 30 minutes and then stir to suspend.
Mead Day + 2 - 12-25-17
Add 1 tsp nutrient, .5 tsp energizer.
Mead Day + 3 - 12-26-17
Add 1 tsp nutrient, .5 tsp energizer.
Mead Day + 4 - 12-27-17
Add 1 tsp nutrient, .5 tsp energizer.
Mead Day + 5 - 12-28-17
SG = 1.036
Add 7 g Fermaid K
Mead Day + 8 - 12-31-17
SG = 1.007
Racked from Fermentation Bucket to Big Mouth Bubbler with air lock
Air Lock is burping

1-7-18
SG = .994
Rack off into secondary glass carboy without peppers
Stabilize with 1/4 tsp Potassium Metabisulphite
Degas with Vacuvin
Put on the airlock.

Plan to rack on 2-7-18 and start bulk aging 8-12 months.
Rack and Stabilize with Potassium Metabisulphite every 3-4 months.

[lurch chaos]

another good source is homebrewtalk.com. There is an entire section on mead. I know some commercial mead makers which use 71B for yeast. I use that and D47. D47 seems to be more tolerant of low Ph, something you need to watch for with mead.

And do NOT boil honey, unless you are making brochet. The guy that was boiling and skimming should not be allowed near honey.

Agreed. I never take mine past blood temp 98.6 deg. Just warm enough to incorporate the honey into the water.