cider and mead questions

frydogbrews

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C_B

I want to make a simple mead. Like the grapey one you sent me. I already have the recipe, but I am worried about neglecting it. Can I just throw the honey, water, nutrients, and yeast in a carboy and forget about it? Am I going to f it up? My beers tend to get forgotten for a couple extra weeks sometimes in the primary, is this a bog deal with mead?

frydogbrews

chandlerbang said:
I want to make a simple mead. Like the grapey one you sent me. I already have the recipe, but I am worried about neglecting it. Can I just throw the honey, water, nutrients, and yeast in a carboy and forget about it? Am I going to f it up? My beers tend to get forgotten for a couple extra weeks sometimes in the primary, is this a bog deal with mead?

if its in a glass carboy, i wouldn't leave it for more than 3-4 months without racking, but i know people that have forgotten about it for a year and it tastes good.

generally just primary it for a month and then rack it and forget it exists until you feel like remembering

TomoLiver

"Brewed" a cider today.

5 gallons of apple juice
2 lbs of brown sugar
2.5 lbs honey (I'll add this in a couple days)

Used Wyeast 1099 ale yeast.

We'll see!

Lakewood

TomoLiver said:
"Brewed" a cider today.

5 gallons of apple juice
2 lbs of brown sugar
2.5 lbs honey (I'll add this in a couple days)

Used Wyeast 1099 ale yeast.

We'll see!

ale yeast in cider?! Rebel.

frydogbrews

should be tasty. just remember the egg smell during ferment is normal. egg smell two months after indicates a problem.
i have made several with brown sugar, but the unfermentables leave a flavor that i don't enjoy, although most people do.

C_B

frydogbrews said:

chandlerbang said:
I want to make a simple mead. Like the grapey one you sent me. I already have the recipe, but I am worried about neglecting it. Can I just throw the honey, water, nutrients, and yeast in a carboy and forget about it? Am I going to f it up? My beers tend to get forgotten for a couple extra weeks sometimes in the primary, is this a bog deal with mead?

if its in a glass carboy, i wouldn't leave it for more than 3-4 months without racking, but i know people that have forgotten about it for a year and it tastes good.

generally just primary it for a month and then rack it and forget it exists until you feel like remembering

What's the problem with glass? Light? Or something else? I'll put it in the basement anyway.

frydogbrews

i just like to pull it off the gross lees from the primary fermentation after a month of two. the plastic buckets are permeable so, you really don't want to leave it in a bucket for more than a month.

the light shouldn't mess it up, i just worry about off flavors from sitting on the gross lees. it can sit on the fine lees for as long as you feel like leaving it. just remember to use vodka in the airlock so junk doesn't grow in there and to check the airlock occasionally and top up as the vodka will evaporate. i check mine every month or so.

C_B

Ah ok. Mainly to get it off the lees. I thought that is what you meant.

TomoLiver

frydogbrews said:
should be tasty. just remember the egg smell during ferment is normal. egg smell two months after indicates a problem.
i have made several with brown sugar, but the unfermentables leave a flavor that i don't enjoy, although most people do.

Yeah, the first time I did a cider, I used US-05. For some reason I always get the egg smell with that strain. The 1099 is considerably less egg-ish so far.

ceannt

The egg smell goes away after a while....
I used Notty for my first Cider...... smelled nasty.... Cider was great...

ceannt

I typically will not rack a Mead until after 3-months. And will bottle after another 3-months. It's fine sitting on the lees for that long..... but that's pretty close to the limit... The Mead actually doesn't seem to need to age as long after bottling if you leave it on there that long believe it or not....

ceannt

I use a 6.5 gallon "better bottle" carboy for both Mead and Cider, I like it much better than glass.... well, at least my back does...... I wrap an old towel around it to keep out light.... dang thing is CLEAR....

Benvarine

I have only made one batch. In primary bucket for 48 days, then in glass for about three months. Turned out good. I am not a mead Master like Fry, but it seems like it worked for me.

Lothos

this is what i use for cider and mead
just wrap it with a dark towel also

Benvarine

All my fermenters are in a basement bathroom with no windows. I check them a few times a week, very little light aside from the occasional light bulb to take a piss. I did move one upstairs in our bedroom, it wore a nice Browning flannel shirt for a few weeks.

Lothos

Benvarine said:
All my fermenters are in a basement bathroom with no windows. I check them a few times a week, very little light aside from the occasional light bulb to take a piss. I did move one upstairs in our bedroom, it wore a nice Browning flannel shirt for a few weeks.

LOL THATS FUNNY

scoob

Still need to make some cider, stupid easy to make, and yet I wait for some reason.

frydogbrews

entering time now for juice man. get ready. not sure what you're seasons are there for apples though, but in 2-3 weeks, its go time for me.
thinking about going 100 gallons of cider this year.
that's right, half my legal limit. worth it.

scoob

frydogbrews said:
entering time now for juice man. get ready. not sure what you're seasons are there for apples though, but in 2-3 weeks, its go time for me.
thinking about going 100 gallons of cider this year.
that's right, half my legal limit. worth it.

Wow!

Could you just ferment it out in big blue food grade 55 gallon barrels?

frydogbrews

azscoob said:

frydogbrews said:
entering time now for juice man. get ready. not sure what you're seasons are there for apples though, but in 2-3 weeks, its go time for me.
thinking about going 100 gallons of cider this year.
that's right, half my legal limit. worth it.

Wow!

Could you just ferment it out in big blue food grade 55 gallon barrels?

yeah, if you had a good seal on the lid.
secondary will be a bitch though. but i think i will split it between 7 demijohn's or just buy a SS bright tank.

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