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Author Topic: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years  (Read 9237 times)

Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #30 on: August 16, 2011, 07:33:20 pm »
Curt's method, my method, Steve Fletty's method, Thomas Eibner's method, ...  Probably a dozen or so NHC mead medals there. But we all got it from Ken Schramm. It's all his research.

I don't know...that's not enough collective wisdom to convince me that it's a good method. ;) ;D

As I'm sitting here sipping some of the mead in question, I think I may have been a bit hypercritical initially.  Both my wife (whose palate is superior to mine) and I agree that what we're tasting is not solvent-like acetone flavors, but rather just an abundance of ethanol that will likely become more subdued with further aging.  Actually, she seems to be enjoying it in its current state quite a bit.  I imagine that in another 6-12 months, this will taste much smoother.

I did try backsweetening some of the mead and, honestly, we both preferred the straight dry product.

Gordon, out of curiosity, how do you feel about post-fermentation acid/tannin additions?  Is this a common practice among guys like you, Ken, Curt, etc.?  I'm not looking to weigh in on the practice, just curious.  I'm always looking for ways to improve my product.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2011, 07:41:37 pm by Pawtucket Patriot »
Matt Schwandt | Minneapolis, MN
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Offline punatic

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #31 on: August 16, 2011, 07:34:05 pm »
Curt's method, my method, Steve Fletty's method, Thomas Eibner's method, ...  Probably a dozen or so NHC mead medals there. But we all got it from Ken Schramm. It's all his research.

Yeah, but Ken got it from...

Chuck Norris!   ;D


(just kidding)
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #32 on: August 16, 2011, 07:35:05 pm »
Curt's method, my method, Steve Fletty's method, Thomas Eibner's method, ...  Probably a dozen or so NHC mead medals there. But we all got it from Ken Schramm. It's all his research.

Yeah, but Ken got it from...

Chuck Norris!   ;D


(just kidding)

Ok, now I'm sold.  :P
Matt Schwandt | Minneapolis, MN
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Offline gordonstrong

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #33 on: August 16, 2011, 08:13:16 pm »
Post fermentation acid or tannin fixes are rare for me. Basically if they need it. Much more common to back sweeten. We all do that.
Gordon Strong • Beavercreek, Ohio • AHA Member since 1997 • Twitter: GordonStrong

Offline psuskp

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #34 on: August 17, 2011, 08:17:41 am »
Post fermentation acid or tannin fixes are rare for me. Basically if they need it. Much more common to back sweeten. We all do that.

Before backsweetening, is it necessary to add chemicals to prevent further fermentation?

Offline punatic

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #35 on: August 17, 2011, 09:30:08 am »
If the mead has aged long enough, no.  The yeast will no longer be viable.  However,  if you back-sweeten a fairly young mead you may get some secondary fermentation.  Racking the mead off of the settled yeast a month or three before back-sweetening will reduce the possibility of there being viable yeast in the mead.

I've back-sweetened many many meads.  I never use yeast inhibitors and I've never had one that started fermenting again.  I force-carbonate my sparkling meads.

Meadmaking is a pastime that benefits from patience.
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Offline psuskp

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Re: Making first Mead Batch in 15 years
« Reply #36 on: August 17, 2011, 05:01:23 pm »
If the mead has aged long enough, no.  The yeast will no longer be viable.  However,  if you back-sweeten a fairly young mead you may get some secondary fermentation.  Racking the mead off of the settled yeast a month or three before back-sweetening will reduce the possibility of there being viable yeast in the mead.

I've back-sweetened many many meads.  I never use yeast inhibitors and I've never had one that started fermenting again.  I force-carbonate my sparkling meads.

Meadmaking is a pastime that benefits from patience.

I am sure that is true. Wish I had more of it.

Thanks for the reply.

I just began fermenting my first mead just over a week ago. I decided to make 4 3-gallon batches to experiment with different honey, yeasts, fruits, and spices. The lightest of these batches has 5 pounds of honey and 2 pounds of raspberries. (Beer strength I think.) I have no idea how to predict the fermentables in the berries, and I broke my hydrometer. I tasted them all when I added nutrients today. The other four were still very sweet, but the raspberry mead was quite dry already (and a beautiful color).
 
I was planning to make this a sparkling mead, but I'd like it to be sweeter. I suppose there is no way to sweeten it if I want to bottle condition? Maybe I could force carbonate and bottle from the corny keg somehow.

I boiled the raspberries as per the Papazian book (same with some prickly pear cactus fruit for another of his recipes), but I think the modern method is to add these to the primary once fermentation has gotten underway?

Thanks,
Steve