Mad for Mead, Part 3 (2024)

FAQs

Are you supposed to stir mead while fermenting? ›

Stirring twice a day is generally sufficient (if you have a fast fermentation, you might want to stir three or four times a day).

Wyeast, for example, have a yeast nutrient that instructs the brewer to use only 1 tsp. for 5 gallons. Warning – Do not use too much of either or you risk changing the flavor of the Mead and creating compounds that may spoil your batch.

Too warm a fermentation, insufficient aging and conditioning, unhealthy fermentation, too high a starting gravity or too many fermentables added, over-attenuation, infection. Controls: Lower fermentation temperature. Let mead age longer before consuming.

Backsweetening is a process commonly used in mead and cider making to sweeten the finish of a fermented drink just before packaging. This is a useful technique to have in your arsenal of tricks since it is very common for meads and ciders to ferment out bone-dry, especially if they are intended to be lower in alcohol.

To degas, swirl and shake the carboy every few days for 2 full minutes, stopping as needed to let foam subside. If you prefer, you can do this just once on day 20 of fermentation (or 10 days before you plan to bottle). Your mead will need to sit undisturbed for 10 days before bottling.

Even the tiniest bit of bacteria can completely ruin a batch of mead.

Campden tablets are made of sodium metabisulphite, an additive that kills yeast and bacteria. Sulphites are commonly used in wine and cider production. Simply dissolve your honey and tablets in a small volume of hot water, and pour as much as you like into your mead.

Shaking your mead also helps to introduce oxygen, a process known as aeration, that is much need during the first 72 hours (but only the first 72 hours) of fermentation. Besides sugar, and nutrients yeast also needs oxygen to be healthy (quite the demanding little organisms they are.)

The fact that the Vikings produced two different types of mead (with pure honey versions reserved only for royalty) underscores why mead declined in popularity during the 1600s: it was too expensive to make. Moreover, it was impossible to meet growing demands for honey.

High-alcohol meads require longer aging to soften harsh flavors and reduce the warming sensation, while lower-alcohol meads can achieve their best taste profile more quickly. Ingredients- The mead's specific ingredients, like fruits or spices, influence how long it should age.

How do you know if homemade mead is safe to drink? ›

The alcohol in the mead effectively keeps it safe for consumption. The fact that it smells good is a good sign and even with some off-flavours everything should be on the safe side. Pungent smells, mould and no alcohol at all, however, are signs that something is wrong.

Also its a good idea to turn any fruit over once or twice a day as it can develop mold if its left floating on top of the must for too long. Continue degassing the mead twice a day until you hit roughly the 2/3 sugar break which is when 2/3 of the sugar has been fermented.

If you put in a bunch of honey and you get enough yeast (the right kind of yeast where it ferments all the way out) then you'll have a really dry, high alcohol champagne-like mead. You can use less honey to make a lower alcohol mead. Using less honey might make it a little bit more dry, though not necessarily.

If you've tried to homebrew wine before, you're familiar with the fermentation schedule… 1 to 2 weeks primary, 4 to 8 weeks secondary, and 3 to 4 weeks per rack until clear.

Do not stir. Add the lid loosely to the fermenter or attach an airlock (partially filled with water) and seal the lid. Primary fermentation should begin in 24-36 hours and should finish in 5-9 days. After the fermentation slows down, you should rack the cider into a clean carboy and attach a stopper and an airlock.

Just remember that stirring the wine must daily to keeping any cap from becoming hard and dried is a critical part of having a healthy, active fermentation.

No I don't recommend it, it is ok if you do but really you shouldn't be shaking it, it's ok at the start so the yeast can get oxygen but after fermentation starts you shouldn't be shaking it, however you can gently swirl it to release gas from the yeast.

It is best to aerate the mead (actually called Must at this stage) to help the yeast reproduce. You can use vigorous stirring, but I prefer to sanitize a hand mixer and use that on high for 5 minutes. Seal the fermentation vessel, fill the airlock half full of vodka or water, and place on the vessel.