/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.328716]

>tfw you bottle your first mead.

I did the 1 gallon mead recipe from stormthecastle, and it turnout pretty good. I made more than a few mistakes and it was a little spur of the moment so my ingredients weren't perfect.

[Anonymous No.328717]

>>328716
I used a regular gallon jug of cheap spring water as my fermentation vessel, and I used 4lbs of honey instead of 3 because I wanted to have that sweetness I'd always imagined mead to have(I know it's wine, but damn it I want it sweet!). I added two full cinnamon sticks, copious amounts of nutmeg and allspice, about thirty raisins, and a lime(I had an orange but inside was some nasty black growth so I tossed it.). I was EXTREMELY careful about sterilization and cleaned my work area thoroughly. Since I hadn't thought to order anything online, I used Hodgson Mills Whole Wheat Yeast.

After preparation I took off about two or three cups of spring water from the gallon and added my ingredients. I used a regular balloon with holes in it for an airlock(I also secured it with duct tape).

[Anonymous No.328718]

>>328717
I left it alone for about 5 weeks then racked into a new gallon jug(I just poured the water into a carafe for later and kept the jug). I also took this opportunity to have the first taste of my mead(It was nothing like I expected. It wasn't really wine-like. In fact it was almost flowery and really...just good). Because of the extra honey my ferment was still going strong at this point, but I needed to bottle it in two weeks( For my wedding and later to save for thanksgiving.) I was hoping a miracle might happen.

[Anonymous No.328720]

>>328718
It didn't. After a bit of research I wound up bottling it anyway. I know what your thinking now “BOTTLE BOMBS!” and you would be right. My mead is very sweet and at this point it still had a good ferment going. My solution was leaving in my refrigerator for a few days prior to bottling to let the yeast 'sleep', then running my mead through a cheap Brita Pitcher. This was fine for the wedding mead(it only needed to not explode for a few days), but the Thanksgiving mead was a different story. Those bottles(I had about 3 and a half from the gallon) I pasteurized in the sink.

[Anonymous No.328721]

>>328720
The pasteurization method is especially tricky here. Heat it up too fast and the glass explodes, too slow and the yeast go a little crazy and spoil things. I lined the bottom of my sink with a couple of kitchen towels and slowly raised the temperature with boiling water until I got it up to 140-150 degrees. I kept it here for 30min. Then I let the bottles cool. The end result was that my mead cleared very quickly leaving sediment at the bottom of the bottles. The mead itself tasted better than the non-pasteurized at this point(for obvious reasons), and with careful pouring I was able to enjoy an amazing glass.

If you haven't made your first mead yet, do it. It's a great experience, and even though I made more than a few mistakes(I lost a cork on one of my bottles just after pasteurizing). It was a lot of fun.

[Anonymous No.328725]

why do you kids call this mead? i feel it is closer to prison wine. i make true mead, 5gal batches with the proper yeast and properly aged for at least 6 months. if you are actually interested in making a quality product, and not just booze that you can choke down, you should check out some homebrewing forums for true mead making guides

[Anonymous No.328740]

>>328725
cute.

>What do you kids call mead? I feel it is closer to prison wine.
You've already started off like a true champion of knowledge by insulting someone and trying way too hard to sound like an adult. I already believe everything you're about to claim.

>i make true mead, 5gal batches with proper yeast...
I'm sure you do. You're a real master mead maker you are.

>If you're actually interested in making a quality product, and not just booze...check out some homebrewing forums for true mead making guides
Wow. ok, well you're right, but still...you're coming off as a total dick.

ONCE MORE from the top. IF YOU ARE JUST GAINING AN INTEREST in mead making(Not looking to spend a ton of money and start a massive operation) You should really try it. It's a lot of fun and you can start cheap...just watch out for dicks.

[Anonymous No.328753]

I make a lot of mead and there is nothing wrong with the method used by the OP. "True" mead is honey, water and yeast and that's what they used. If you want to get picky then it's technically a Metheglin because of the added spices.

I strongly recommend using a 2 or 3-piece airlock over a balloon. Also look into some brewing specific yeasts. The common Lalvin wine yeasts 1116 and 1118 will make something bone dry. It costs a bit more but Wyeast Sweet Mead will leave 2-3% residual sugar for a semi-sweet mead.

[Anonymous No.328773]

>>328753
OP here.

For my next batch I'm buying a 5gal carboy, and really doing it right. I had a blast with the whole experience, and can't wait to go again. I was thinking of trying red star champagne yeast, but I really like the sound of that Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast.

[Anonymous No.328839]

1116/1118 are champagne yeasts too. They will fucking destroy any fermentables sugars in your must and beg for more. Good if you want something really dry or really high ABV.

Unless you have a local brew shop you'll have to order sweet mead online. White Labs should have a similar strain. One thing I really like from using it so far is that it clears up really fast.

Some other handy things to have: hydrometer that measures specific gravity, hydrometer sample stand tube thingy, wine thief or other sample taker, easy siphon and some starsan. Mix that starsan shit up in a spray bottle with distilled water and it keeps for months. Spray on clean stuff to sanitize and no need to rinse.

[Anonymous No.328842]

I like to do my primary fermentations in a 6.5 gallon bucket like you would use for beer. They are a lot easier to clean than carboys and you can just dump in fruit and do "secondary" fermentation in the same bucket. Carboys are good for bulk aging. Just be careful with the glass ones.

If you do use a carboy be sure to leave plenty of head room. You can't do a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy. Pic related.

One other tip with meads: the musts are very deficient in free amino nitrogen. The main reason your first recipe included raisins is for the yeast nutrients. Get some DAP and some yeast nutrient. DAP is just nitrogen, looks kinda like white sugar. Yeast nutrient is more beige and much finer powder and has other micronutrient shit. As soon as you see activity after pitching the yeast add 1g per gal nutrient and 2g per gal DAP. 2-3 days later and the same amounts again. This will keep the yeast healthy and give you a faster cleaner fermentation with less chance of off tastes and less time to age off any harsh alcohol tastes. It helps to stir up the lees for the first week or two. Use a long sanitized metal or plastic spoon.

If you want to get really crazy with it you can rehydrate your dry yeast with some Fermaid-K, but it's not strictly necessary.

MoreWine has a good short manual on making mead on their website if you want more details.

[Anonymous No.328855]

>>328842
>pic

Oh god, this is why I use blow off tubes now that can't get clogged and keep my brews in the tub for the first 72 hours.

[Anonymous No.328978]

>>328839
this is all really good advice.

[Anonymous No.328979]

>>328842
Thanks. I can't wait to try new recipes. I'm super excited now. Mean and wine making in general is just a great hobby.

[Anonymous No.328983]

God I love mead. Why don't more people? I feel I have to learn how to brew my own cuz its so fucking rare/expensive.

[Anonymous No.328994]

Can this be a homebrewer's general thread? My wife and I just bottled our 5 gallon carboy of cider, yielded 28 22oz bottles and two regular beer bottles. Tomorrow going to start a fresh batch in the carboy we just emptied and bottle the second one. They have been going since July 1st and will be ready to drink in a few weeks.

Planning on picking up a six gallon carboy on monday and starting a batch of mead, I made a gallon sized batch of apple cider using wildflower honey from the local brew shop up here in Anchorage, thinking it will make a great base for mead.

[Anonymous No.329023]

Anyone got any still schematics?

[Anonymous No.329143]

>>328994
That's looking nice. What recipe did you use? Sparkling or still?

[Anonymous No.329181]

>>329023
try homedistiller.org

[Anonymous No.329206]

Do any /diy/ brewers have ideas on a cleaners/sterilizers other than specialty bought stuff? I don't want to get anything nasty growing, or stunt the yeast growth.... but the only home-style sterilization methods feel a bit overkill and would require a ton of rinsing.

[Anonymous No.329227]

>>328740
Wow. The guy's a little abrasive, but that doesn't mean you have to be a little bitch. Doing things like using a shitty yeast when good quality montrachet or champagne yeast is less than 2 dollars at any reputable brewing supply store and not even planning to age it properly doesn't mean you're a beginner, it means you didn't bother to do your research. I've got my first three batches upstairs ready to be bottled right now (not in any hurry because it ages just as well in the carboy as it does in a bottle) and I can at least say that I didn't throw fucking wheat yeast in with X pounds of honey and hoped for the best.

tl;dr You're both assholes, but at least he is adding something constructive by pointing out OPs mistakes so others don't repeat them.

[Anonymous No.329229]

>>328994
A cider made with honey is called a cyser.

[Anonymous No.329269]

I've been wanting to pick up a new hobby with my job now being 5pm-9pm with nothing to do during the day. I might pick up trying to make a mead or a cider depending on what I can yield. Any tips for a complete beginner? I know I will check out homebrewtalk just to get started, but any beginner tips? Flavorwise I may want something to do with cinnamon and apple flavor perhaps. I feel like that would be cider correct?

[Anonymous No.329349]

>>329229
Yeah, my wife corrects me on that too

>>329143
I will report back later with the recipe, I do not have the link on this computer and google is failing me hardcore.

[Anonymous No.329481]

Get a big bottle of StarSan. When you mix it up with distilled water and spray it on with a spray bottle it will last you forever. All you need is 30 seconds contact with the foam and no rinsing.

[Anonymous No.329485]

I tend to think of cyser as mead made with cider (apple juice) instead of water, rather than cider made with honey, but either way it tends to be really strong and good, hurray!

[Anonymous No.329529]

>>329269
Just poke around google for a while and check out some forums. Get a feel what you want to try then gather your ingredients and other materials.

If you just want to get a small taste for mead making a simple small scale ferment can done for cheap like OP. Despite what you might hear from assholes like >>328725
it doesn't make prison wine. It makes a little less than a gallon ferment that will become mead given enough time. As far as the yeast goes, some will obviously be better that others(and yeasts can behave VERY differently from each other), but there's nothing explicitly wrong with using bakers yeast. (If you do decide to just use ingredients from your local grocery store, Whole Wheat yeast will be your best bet.)

As a last tip Mead takes some TIME. Lots of it in fact. It will takes months to properly ferment and the longer you wait the better it tastes. Don't expect to be drinking your mead in a couple of months(though you probably can).

[Anonymous No.329531]

>>329227
>I didn't read the thread, but I feel like I can comment on these thrilling posts with my razor-sharp wit.

[Anonymous No.329544]

It does take time. Using the nutrients as mentioned above can help the fermentation finish in a few weeks and it take less time to age out any harshness since the yeast are healthier. Time is also really good for settling out and clearing up. I'll rack once after primary finishes, maybe 2-3 months after pitching and then let it sit until clear, anywhere from 6-9 months.

[Anonymous No.329577]

How can you people justify spending this, honey is outrageously expensive.

[Anonymous No.329586]

>>329577

Costco is around $2.50/pound for clover honey. You can get varietals around $3/pound if you go to a distributor like silverbow.

On the high end I'll use 3 pounds honey per gallon so $45 for a 5 gallon batch that makes about 2 cases (24 wine bottles) plus a little for yeast, nutrients and corks and it works out to less than $2-3/bottle. Another $1.50/bottle if you're buying new bottles.

[Anonymous No.329667]

>>329531
I read the thread, neckbeard. The guy's still a self-important little bitch, but feel free not to contribute anything. Your little reaction image makes you look so cool, after all.

[Anonymous No.329863]

>>329586
Cost's stabilize once you get the hang of it(expect unexpected expense to pop up here and there with your first few batches), but I wouldn't lure people in with the "cheap booze" angle. Booze can be purchased for a lot cheaper than the time and effort it takes for Mead. That said hell yes it's cheap delicious booze!

If you're a beginner though you really need to start with gallon batches. They're cheaper and they give you more control(just a size thing). Also there's nothing worse than fucking up a large batch late in the game.

[Anonymous No.329961]

>>328839
I've been using Vodkastar turbo yeast in an experimental apple vodka batch of mine, and it works incredibly well at eating through sugar in days. 20% in 5 days, and that's before distilling.

[Anonymous No.329965]

>>329206
I use baby sterilizer tablets, then wash out with freshly boiled water. This is an incredibly cheap method, and it works well for me.

[Anonymous No.330204]

>>328740
i made prison wine mead when i was 16. couldnt buy booze so i made it. was ok. drinkable. fast forward 10 years. i have 4 beehives. i'm going to make some mead, and honey flavored beer this winter when i get around to it.

[Anonymous No.330228]

I made some Mead about 10 weeks ago. I've got three gallons of Mead and a Strawberry Melomel.

The first Mead I used about 1.3kg of honey, adding a whole orange and a handful of mixed dried fruit. I used the same Honey for two more meads, one of which (now the Melomel) I added 900g of chopped Strawberries to and the other I added some real Vanilla pods.

The fourth Mead I used a more expensive honey made from Orange Blossoms.

I put them in glass demijohns and used a proper air lock. The yeast I used was for white wine, nothing special.

Anyway, I've let them finish fermenting naturally although I have bought some Potassium Sorbate to ensure they don't start fermenting again when I bottle them. I racked them after 6 weeks and just left them.

I want to use Bentonite clay to clear them which improves the colour and taste, but has anyone used this? It's hard to get here so I wondered if I could just use wine or beer finings instead.

I am also wondering if I should try to add more ingredients to improve the flavours? The first batch tasted horrible when I sampled it at 8 weeks so I don't know if I should sweeten it, clear it, leave it to age 6 months or all of the above?

Any input appreciated.

[Anonymous No.330315]

>>330228
OP here. In what way did it taste bad? Off flavors or too dry? You really have to be careful not to stress the yeast. Because I used a bakers yeast I tried to be very gentle, and kept my temperature at the yeasts lower optimal range to reduce stress. Too hot or too cold and the yeast will start to produce off flavors.

It already sounds like you're off to a better start than I was. The forums all say time heals most meads. Give it a few more months of quiet fermentation(rack when necessary) and those harsh notes should mellow out. It sounds like you went a little light on the honey though.

I tried some mead an old professor of mine had made not too long ago. It was much dryer than mine(obviously) but tasted fantastic. He said he always added bentonite but he said he adds it to the initial fermentation so that it clears the mead during the ferment. As far as the Potassium Sorbate, I hear its never a bad idea, but hopefully you won't need it.

What surprised me the most about my mead was the smell. At first I couldn't place it. It was sweet and a little...green. Then I remembered that I'd used clover honey, and it was the clover I was smelling! I think I've found a new favorite hobby. I'm already making plans to turn a corner of our basement into my personal Meadery. It's a good thing my wife is understanding. :)

[Anonymous No.331381]

>>330204
>A gallon-sized ferment of mead is 'prison wine'.

whooooooaaaaa.....It's like I'm really being trolled here.

[Anonymous No.331383]

>>330204
>i made prison wine mead when i was 16

Prison wine is called "pruno" and normally uses old bread for the yeast source. What you made was probably "hobo" mead. Which is just normal mead made in any random container normally with baking yeast.

I had 5 hives. Just combined one with another since it was split off but didn't get big enough to make it through the winter.

[Anonymous No.332303]

>>330315

It didn't taste sweet, it almost had a dry sourness to it. It tasted like the Mead I tasted at a festival that someone had made in a plastic water container in a month. I'm confident that aging it will improve the taste.

I'm also going to add some more honey this weekend as I think you're right, I definitely skimped on the honey with the first one. The Strawberry Melomel looks and smells amazing so I have high hopes for that one. The orange blossom honey Mead will also need more honey added to it and I think I'll just add more vanilla to the vanilla mead.

Depending on how it looks after adding more honey etc, letting it age and racking it in the future I'll decide whether to bother with Bentonite a week before bottling.

I recently bought some Herbal flavour and Almond flavour Mead on a trip to Prague. Looking forward to tasting that soon.

Try making a Melomel. I know I've not tasted it yet but with the fruit you don't have to worry about not having enough sugar or flavour. You can get a really strong fermentation going within an hour.

[Anonymous No.332315]

My friends and I just bottled some Joes Ancient Orange Mead, our first every homebrew. Considering how long it was cloudy and looked like shit it amazed me how crystal clear and pure out current batch looks. And it's a lot stronger than we expected.

[Anonymous No.332344]

I'm an amateur brewer, and I caught an interest in mead during the big Game of Thrones hype up.
I used a recipe I found off chance online (Syr Michael of York if anyone wants to look for it)

I used Redstars champagne yeast and 2.5 lbs of honey and the other stuff in the ingredient list plus some yeast nutrient. I let it ferment and racked it after a month and tried it then.
End result was a really dry, almost malty flavor that wasnt entirely pleasant. Looks nice though, I feel like I fucked it up.