Mead recipe
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beekeeper84 - Just found this mead recipe you posted a few months ago, and would really like to try it. I was wondering though if a 1 gallon jug is large enough? I make homebrew, and I use 7 gallon fermenters for a 5 gallon batch of beer, and sometimes the beginning fermentation that first few days gets so violent, it nears the top of the fermenter. Using 5 or 6 gallon vessels, I’ve had some close calls to having foam all over the closet floor, so do you think 3" headspace is enough for a gallon jug? Other question was the yeast. I see Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast 0.75 oz. packets available, but have never used them. Do you think one packet would be close to equaling a teaspoon (or should I dump it into a teaspoon and if it looks short, add another? Oh, last question… and can I just top it off with some Reverse Osmosis filtered/treated water from a water jug (or should it be boiled first)? Thanks! John
IndianaJohn said in Mead recipe:
beekeeper84 - Just found this mead recipe you posted a few months ago, and would really like to try it. I was wondering though if a 1 gallon jug is large enough? I make homebrew, and I use 7 gallon fermenters for a 5 gallon batch of beer, and sometimes the beginning fermentation that first few days gets so violent, it nears the top of the fermenter. Using 5 or 6 gallon vessels, I’ve had some close calls to having foam all over the closet floor, so do you think 3" headspace is enough for a gallon jug? Other question was the yeast. I see Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast 0.75 oz. packets available, but have never used them. Do you think one packet would be close to equaling a teaspoon (or should I dump it into a teaspoon and if it looks short, add another? Oh, last question… and can I just top it off with some Reverse Osmosis filtered/treated water from a water jug (or should it be boiled first)? Thanks! John
So as far as headspace goes sometimes 3"s is enough other times no lol you can always go lower and top off latter there is no harm in doing so. On the yeast there is no harm in putting more in but there is if you put too little because it won’t have a fighting chance to ferment my experience with it is add a little extra if it doesn’t look like enough it won’t hurt the taste or time or change anything also the type of yeast isn’t supper important either if you want you can use other “actual” wine making yeasts bread yeast is just more readily available. As far as water goes any water is fine I prefer just to use tap but I do know that it depends on where you live weather it tastes ok or not. No need to boil the water or honey either there are people that say you need to boil it to kill off any “wild” strains of yeast in the honey but I have found that to be not true in fact I prefer to capture wild yeast strains and use those as opposed to buying them.
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beekeeper84 - Just found this mead recipe you posted a few months ago, and would really like to try it. I was wondering though if a 1 gallon jug is large enough? I make homebrew, and I use 7 gallon fermenters for a 5 gallon batch of beer, and sometimes the beginning fermentation that first few days gets so violent, it nears the top of the fermenter. Using 5 or 6 gallon vessels, I’ve had some close calls to having foam all over the closet floor, so do you think 3" headspace is enough for a gallon jug? Other question was the yeast. I see Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast 0.75 oz. packets available, but have never used them. Do you think one packet would be close to equaling a teaspoon (or should I dump it into a teaspoon and if it looks short, add another? Oh, last question… and can I just top it off with some Reverse Osmosis filtered/treated water from a water jug (or should it be boiled first)? Thanks! John
IndianaJohn i concur with beekeeper84. The yeast will die off or go dormant when the food source is exhausted or alcohol level they can no longer survive in is reached. If I had city water I would boil or at least let it sit overnight to get rid of any chlorine or anything else they put in it. If space is limited topping off would be the way to go.
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Another question… is it OK to leave the orange (rind and all) and the raisins in the jug for a couple of months or even longer, while the mead ferments and ages in a dark place? I’m guessing it shouldn’t be a problem, and eventually I would siphon the mead off of the yeast cake, orange pieces, and raisins, into a clean jug for long term storage, correct?
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Another question… is it OK to leave the orange (rind and all) and the raisins in the jug for a couple of months or even longer, while the mead ferments and ages in a dark place? I’m guessing it shouldn’t be a problem, and eventually I would siphon the mead off of the yeast cake, orange pieces, and raisins, into a clean jug for long term storage, correct?
I guess I should bottle for longer term storage, rather than move it to a secondary, or maybe move it to a clean secondary for bottling soon afterward.
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I guess I should bottle for longer term storage, rather than move it to a secondary, or maybe move it to a clean secondary for bottling soon afterward.
IndianaJohn personally I would not leave it longer than necessary. Shortly after the primary ferment is done I would transfer/rack off the old yeast and any fruits etc… At that point you can readjust flavors and such.
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beekeeper84 - Just found this mead recipe you posted a few months ago, and would really like to try it. I was wondering though if a 1 gallon jug is large enough? I make homebrew, and I use 7 gallon fermenters for a 5 gallon batch of beer, and sometimes the beginning fermentation that first few days gets so violent, it nears the top of the fermenter. Using 5 or 6 gallon vessels, I’ve had some close calls to having foam all over the closet floor, so do you think 3" headspace is enough for a gallon jug? Other question was the yeast. I see Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast 0.75 oz. packets available, but have never used them. Do you think one packet would be close to equaling a teaspoon (or should I dump it into a teaspoon and if it looks short, add another? Oh, last question… and can I just top it off with some Reverse Osmosis filtered/treated water from a water jug (or should it be boiled first)? Thanks! John
IndianaJohn Get some wine yeast. Since you’re already homebrewing, I bet your supply store carries some wine yeasts. Wine yeast is much less expensive than beer yeast (usually around $1/pack), so you aren’t really adding to your cost. It’s also dry yeast, so it’s easy to deal with. The store probably has some decent insight into choosing a yeast (a bunch of them can work). The quality of your final product will be a good deal better.
FYI, a packet of baking yeast contains 2.25 teaspoons.
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IndianaJohn Get some wine yeast. Since you’re already homebrewing, I bet your supply store carries some wine yeasts. Wine yeast is much less expensive than beer yeast (usually around $1/pack), so you aren’t really adding to your cost. It’s also dry yeast, so it’s easy to deal with. The store probably has some decent insight into choosing a yeast (a bunch of them can work). The quality of your final product will be a good deal better.
FYI, a packet of baking yeast contains 2.25 teaspoons.
TexLaw yup…a high gravity yeast should work. I keep trying to make and/or appreciate mead. I can ferment with the best of them but mead seems to elude me. Perhaps it’s the style itself. Someone just offered a large amount of local honey the other day for a great price so I might try again this spring.
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In my experience, using the correct yeast has a huge effect on the quality/flavor of the finished product. Don’t shortcut on the yeast. Wine or champagne yeast is the right kind to use for mead. It is more alcohol tolerant and will ferment out to a higher abv.
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Another question… is it OK to leave the orange (rind and all) and the raisins in the jug for a couple of months or even longer, while the mead ferments and ages in a dark place? I’m guessing it shouldn’t be a problem, and eventually I would siphon the mead off of the yeast cake, orange pieces, and raisins, into a clean jug for long term storage, correct?
IndianaJohn said in Mead recipe:
Another question… is it OK to leave the orange (rind and all) and the raisins in the jug for a couple of months or even longer, while the mead ferments and ages in a dark place? I’m guessing it shouldn’t be a problem, and eventually I would siphon the mead off of the yeast cake, orange pieces, and raisins, into a clean jug for long term storage, correct?
The only issue with leaving fruit especially orange in it for too long it will begin to leave a bitter taste so I always pull the fruit after primary. Yes long term can be done in any size vessel and that’s pretty much how I do it.
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With mead based wines in mind if you want to be technical about it champagne yeasts really are not the best and most wine type yeast will detract from the actual flavor. Yes there are specific strains for mead and I have used them they work well. Capturing a wild strain is really the best way to make a mead as that is going to produce a low-medium abv with alot of flavor. Just kinda depends on what you want in the end for taste.
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