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Author Topic: Making Mead  (Read 14324 times)

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #40 on: January 07, 2009, 05:55:32 pm »
http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=745&Itemid=16

I use this, although there are other tables around that will tell you that.  If you used 6 lbs and ended up with 3 gallons, you started at about SG 1.074 and will end up dry(all sugars fermented) at 9.84% alcohol.

Rick

Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #41 on: January 07, 2009, 06:40:34 pm »
Sounds like you're in good shape.  I wouldn't worry about the starting SG at this point.  It would've been nice to know, but it's just spilled milk at this point.  Worry more about getting it into a container with as little headspace as possible.  With the lower alcohol content(compared to conventional wines) it won't be able to discourage the growth of spoilage organisms.
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Offline Greg Peck

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #42 on: January 10, 2009, 03:01:02 pm »
I went and bought 4 one gallon glass jugs today. I figure I will make some more smaller batches later on and it was cheaper then a 3 gallon carboy. Any way my question is this. Will the extra head space be a problem so long as I do not remove the airlock from my half full 6 gallon carboy. Seems like no o2 will be able to get in so long as the air lock stays in place. Or should I go ahead now and rack it in to several one gallon jugs with air locks. Is it a bad idea in general to rack to different containers often? obviously you lose some of your product and are exposing it to some o2 each time you rack but other then that is it bad?
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Offline Greg Peck

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #43 on: January 10, 2009, 05:24:56 pm »
Well I got bored so I went ahead and racked the large carboy into 3 1 gal jugs.  I hope I dont get bored next week and drink it all lol.  I tested the SG again and it read 1.022 the alcohol level was 10 using the vin-o-meter. I dont really see very much activity any more. Here is a photo of the new jugs on my desk.


Click to enlarge!
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Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #44 on: January 10, 2009, 06:00:41 pm »
Wow!! Good pic!!
 It looks like a mad scientist lab!!!
your friend,
john

Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #45 on: January 10, 2009, 06:51:18 pm »
You did the right thing by racking them.  Although it probably would've been ok until it was finished fermenting.  From you SG reading you're getting close anyways though.  Since nothing is perfectly tight the co2 would eventually be partially supplanted by some surrounding air.  As long as fermentation is in progress it generates positive pressure in the carboy.  Other than the loss of volume there isn't any other harm in racking.  Just make sure to leave as little headspace as possible while leaving enough so if the jug gets warmed up for some reason it won't overflow through the airlock when it expands.  I like to make my batches of wine/mead cool and slow.  Primary fermentation for a week or two and then racked every three months for a year and then in the bottle for another year of storage(if I'm patient enough).  Let us know how it comes out  :lol:
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Offline Greg Peck

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #46 on: February 09, 2009, 11:49:07 pm »
I racked my batch of mead today. It had been one month sense the last racking and there was a lot of sediment on the bottoms. I tested the SG and it read pretty much the same as last time. 1.023 or 1.024. The alcohol level went up to 10 maybe 11 using a vineometer. I would have thought the SG would have went down more then it did. It has been bubbling away in there all month. I tasted it and it tasted pretty sweet. Sweeter then I would like it to be. It is hardly bubbling now sense I racked it.

Should I add some more yeast nutrient or energizer? Should The SG have went down more then it did?

I only tested from the last jug. Maybe just that jug was not doing so well. I should have tested each one.
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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Making Mead
« Reply #47 on: February 10, 2009, 12:30:56 pm »
I would give the yeast energizer a try.  I might have decided not to rack it and instead taken a long spoon or something similar and stirred the lees up to encourage it to get going again.  Yeast are funny critters they can decide to quit or restart for no apparent reason.  You might try to bring the jugs to a warmer room after adding the energizer to help it along.  The smaller jugs don't retain the heat from fermentation as well and so the must might have gotten cooler sooner than the yeast appreciated.  Wrapping the jugs in bubble wrap or a towel might help it stay toasty.  As to whether or not the SG should've have dropped more in the month is hard to say.  The last little bit is usually the hardest to get.  The alchohol content begins to inhibit the yeast.  So be patient with it and it might surprise you.
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