My first mead

[Rich]

Got my first mead in primary, using Daws recipe,

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1364

Found honey at £2 for 900 or so grams at Iceland, and had 7Kg of frozen strawberries left in the freezer, so topped it off with some tinned strawberries.

Had to split it over 2 primaries, as thats a lot of berries, and my primaries aren't that large!

Used Lalvin D47 yeast though. (or I will be in the morning anyway)

Rich

[StockeyDAW]

Got my first mead in primary, using Daws recipe,

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1364

Found honey at £2 for 900 or so grams at Iceland, and had 7Kg of frozen strawberries left in the freezer, so topped it off with some tinned strawberries.

Had to split it over 2 primaries, as thats a lot of berries, and my primaries aren't that large!

Used Lalvin D47 yeast though. (or I will be in the morning anyway)

Rich

Cheers Rich - it makes a nice melomel, great fruit forward flavor and aroma of strawberries. The aroma of honey is still very evident. With the D47 yeast you may have to back-sweeten as it will ferment till dry. Ya! I have a ten gallon primary and it just works out great approx 7.6 cm (3 inches) at the top for the fermentation process. Remember the yeast energizer addition boost approximately 4 days after fermentation starts at approximately 1/2 the directions on the package. This will help you insure that the fermentation carries through to the end without getting stuck. With the boost of yeast energiser you will notice the yeast become more active again and a small amount of foam will be seen. Hope it works out for you. If you find that you prefer less of a fruit foreward flavor and aroma use less fruit. My taste is for more fruit flavor? Daw

[Rich]

The strawberry smell is amazing..

Just checked the SG, 1.104. so IF it ferments to dry should be around 14.5%.

Would Lalvin 71B-1122 have been better? I have got the D47 made up as a starter, ready to pitch in the morning, but I do have some 71b in a packet.

[StockeyDAW]

The strawberry smell is amazing..

Just checked the SG, 1.104. so IF it ferments to dry should be around 14.5%.

Would Lalvin 71B-1122 have been better? I have got the D47 made up as a starter, ready to pitch in the morning, but I do have some 71b in a packet.

Rich-- for the D-47 the alcohol tolerance is for approx 1.110 (14.9%). The 71B-1122 is my favourite will according to the information that I have to 1.132 approx and also the KIV-1116 will also do the same (18% approx). According to your SG reading and the information that I have you should be able to ferment the batch to dry - getting close to the limit though if the book figures are accurate. Are both SG's the same? I use two 5 gram packages for the 5 imperial gallon batch - are you going to use one package for each primary? Cheers Daw

[Rich]

I'm going with just the 1 5g pack of yeast, made up as a starter, (like what Bob showed me )

So, by morning, I'll have half a wine bottle of yeast bubbling nicely hopefully. The yeast is already going a treat. So I'll jsut add half to each primary.

Both primaries are at the same SG, I made up the honey/water all in one bucket, then split it before putting the strawberries in nets in. I think the only difference may be that 1 net is coarse and the other is fine. It'll all end up together in the secondary anyway!


Rich

[StockeyDAW]

I'm going with just the 1 5g pack of yeast, made up as a starter, (like what Bob showed me )

So, by morning, I'll have half a wine bottle of yeast bubbling nicely hopefully. The yeast is already going a treat. So I'll jsut add half to each primary.

Both primaries are at the same SG, I made up the honey/water all in one bucket, then split it before putting the strawberries in nets in. I think the only difference may be that 1 net is coarse and the other is fine. It'll all end up together in the secondary anyway!

Rich -- there could be a slight difference in SG if there is a great deal more fruit in one primary than the other. Sounds like you are off to the races. Do you know what kind of honey it is? Cheers Good luck-- keep us informed. I am always interested in new ideas and improvements that anyone can provide. Daw

[Rich]

The honey is just cheapo stuff from 'Iceland' a UK budget foodstore. The jar says Blossom Honey, then in small print says 'blend of honeys from EC and non EC countries'. So it looks like it's all the dregs from everywhere!

Rich

[StockeyDAW]

The honey is just cheapo stuff from 'Iceland' a UK budget foodstore. The jar says Blossom Honey, then in small print says 'blend of honeys from EC and non EC countries'. So it looks like it's all the dregs from everywhere!

Rich

Great for first tries. If you really like it and it goes well then you will be looking for honey from an actual bee farmer. Sometimes you can get much better honey from them at less cost than a retail store. Daw

[Rich]

Cheers for the help Daw, and the recipe!

Will keep you all updated as it progresses I'm sure.

Rich

[fatbloke]

Cheers for the help Daw, and the recipe!

Will keep you all updated as it progresses I'm sure.

Rich

<jealousy>Well done Rich, that's the recipe I'm thinking of following, but I didn't want to do 5 gallons, because I'd just have to "purify" it if I didn't like it</jealousy>

I'm guessing that Iceland will have frozen Strawb's like DAW says in the recipe - probably at a reasonable price. I'll have to wait till the weekend to go and check.

Sounds excellent though.

regards

JtFB

p.s. Oh and that's an excellent avatar matey. Did you knock it up or did you find it somewhere ??

[Rich]

I'm guessing that Iceland will have frozen Strawb's like DAW says in the recipe - probably at a reasonable price. I'll have to wait till the weekend to go and check.

Oh and that's an excellent avatar matey. Did you knock it up or did you find it somewhere ??

The strawberries where in the freezer, had loads off the allotment last year! Topped off with canned ones from tesco, at 25p a can in juice. Quite tempted to get some more to use the juice to sweeten it later if required, it tastes yummy.

The avatar I stole... lots of tesco value cards here..http://www.code-d.com/tesco-cards/index.php

Looks like the yeast may have started working, will check again in the morning! (I have limited patience, so why doesn't it work quicker...)

Cheers,

Rich

[StockeyDAW]

The strawberries where in the freezer, had loads off the allotment last year! Topped off with canned ones from tesco, at 25p a can in juice. Quite tempted to get some more to use the juice to sweeten it later if required, it tastes yummy.

The avatar I stole... lots of tesco value cards here..http://www.code-d.com/tesco-cards/index.php

Looks like the yeast may have started working, will check again in the morning! (I have limited patience, so why doesn't it work quicker...)

Cheers,

Rich

Rich and FB the aromas from the strawberry fermentation is very pleasing and will fill the house with senses of the first late spring fresh strawberries sliced into your early morning breakfast bowl. The joy later is the aroma and flavor of strawberry mead. Cheers Daw

[fatbloke]

The strawberries where in the freezer, had loads off the allotment last year! Topped off with canned ones from tesco, at 25p a can in juice. Quite tempted to get some more to use the juice to sweeten it later if required, it tastes yummy.

The avatar I stole... lots of tesco value cards here..http://www.code-d.com/tesco-cards/index.php

Looks like the yeast may have started working, will check again in the morning! (I have limited patience, so why doesn't it work quicker...)

Cheers,

Rich

Ah, well we ate all our strawb's

And I've downloaded the cards - and yes I'm a big enough a******e to send them as well. Anything to take the p155

Rich and FB the aromas from the strawberry fermentation is very pleasing and will fill the house with senses of the first late spring fresh strawberries sliced into your early morning breakfast bowl. The joy later is the aroma and flavor of strawberry mead. Cheers Daw

You shouldn't make promises you can't keep DAW - it'd have to be strong enough to get over the smell of cat pooh

I just hope it tastes as good as it sounds - which is about 9.995073258 out of 10 (nothing get's 10 out of 10 unless it's a vintage Joseph Dupeyron Armagnac).

regards

JtFB

[Biggles]

FB, do you have a Jack Fultons, Farmfoods or Heron near by. I have found all three of these at different times to have very good frozen fruit in 500g bags at very good prices.

[fatbloke]

FB, do you have a Jack Fultons, Farmfoods or Heron near by. I have found all three of these at different times to have very good frozen fruit in 500g bags at very good prices.

Nah! I suspect we're too far south for those stores.

Mainly the big 4 plus a few of the "also rans".

regards

JtFB