First Mead, New sucker in the hobby! (we mead to know if we're doing this right?) - TRADITIONAL MEAD Discussions on Home Brew Forums

CurlyFat

So, a work buddy has been wanting to make mead for awhile and we finally got together to do it today. I have basically zero knowledge in the wine/mead area, so we just kind of threw it together from what I've read here, and what was in the book he bought.

15lbs "Ambrosia" Honey
2.5 tsp Yeast Nutrient
2.5 tsp Yeast Energizer
2 packets 71B-1122

We boiled 1g of water, took it off the heat, stirred in the honey. Threw that in a bucket with 7# if ice, added water to top it off, added pure oxygen, and stirred the piss out of it. Temp was 68f, pitched yeast and sealed up the bucket.

So....Number 1: Does this sound like a solid mead-making strategy?
Number 2: Now what? Stir after awhile? Leave it alone? Rack it to glass when? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Jayrizzle

You should have pH adjust, but that can be done later, and sometimes it just works out without intervention.
Make sure fermentation takes off, then give it 3-8 weeks and then secondary. Then do that for 4-104 weeks. Bottle and age for 6-4362 months.

CurlyFat

Dr_Jerryrigger said:
You should have pH adjust, but that can be done later, and sometimes it just works out without intervention.
Make sure fermentation takes off, then give it 3-8 weeks and then secondary. Then do that for 4-104 weeks. Bottle and age for 6-4362 months.

Ha! Sounds about right. At what point can you mess with pH? Bottling time?

Jayrizzle

Any point. It takes more acid blend the later you do it.

CurlyFat

Dr_Jerryrigger said:
Any point. It takes more acid blend the later you do it.

Hm...That makes no sense to me. Care to elaborate?

CurlyFat

And, what pH are we looking for? If it's strictly a "til it tastes right" situation, then bottling seems like the right time.

frydogbrews

Adjust pH after fermentation because fermentation will change pH. Just wait until it's in secondary. I go for a low pH in the low 3's, but it's a personal preference.

I don't understand why you boiled water and then mixed honey and then added ice.....that's a lot of work in order to dissolve honey and get it into a temp for fermentation. I just dissolve the honey in hot tap water and pitch.
Your method shouldn't really hurt anything, it just seems like steps you don't really have to do.

CurlyFat

frydogbrews said:
Adjust pH after fermentation because fermentation will change pH. Just wait until it's in secondary. I go for a low pH in the low 3's, but it's a personal preference.

I don't understand why you boiled water and then mixed honey and then added ice.....that's a lot of work in order to dissolve honey and get it into a temp for fermentation. I just dissolve the honey in hot tap water and pitch.
Your method shouldn't really hurt anything, it just seems like steps you don't really have to do.

Good to know. We read it in a book.