Back sweetening etc ?

[fatbloke]

Ok, so back sweetening is normally done at the end of the fermenting, after adding sorbate.

So, the sorbate is to stop fermentation ?

Back sweetening is normally done with a non-fermentable sweetener i.e. either one of the more "chemical" based ones or something like lactose ?

But as mead is "supposed" to be honey wine (and variations, obviously). Is there any problem or other issues in adding sorbate to stop/prevent further fermentation and then using honey or a honey/water mix to back sweeten. To retain a proper/fuller honey flavour ?

Also, when some of my previous mead efforts have been "finished" they sometimes lack body. As far as I can find out, glycerine is then added in small amounts to thicken/add viscosity/mouth feel.

Now as far as I can find out, glycerine is a specific type of non-fermentable monosaccharide. That being the case, would it be possible just to sorbate and still use honey ? Because "logic would dictate" that as it already has a certain "thickness" about it, could it be used to do both i.e. add sweetness and body ??

regards

JtFB

[lockwood1956]

John
If you are sweetening using a non fermentable sugar then there is no need to use the sorbate.(sorbate doesnt stop fermentation, but prevents the yeasts multiplying.)
The Glycerene will give body and mouthfeel but also add to the impression of sweetness, but will not sweeten.

If you are back sweetening mead, then honey would be the monosacharride of choice.

hope this helps
Regards
Bob

[StockeyDAW]

[QUOTE=fatbloke;28073]Ok, so back sweetening is normally done at the end of the fermenting, after adding sorbate.

So, the sorbate is to stop fermentation ?used to prevent renewed yeast activity or fermentation happening in the bottle and as a stabilizer -- we want the sorbate treatment to be preceded by a potassium metabisulfite treatment. Meta should be mixed into the mead approximately 2-3 days prior to the sorbate treatment and bottling and back sweetening.

Back sweetening is normally done with a non-fermentable sweetener i.e. either one of the more "chemical" based ones or something like lactose ?I do not like artificial sugars of any kind

But as mead is "supposed" to be honey wine (and variations, obviously). Is there any problem or other issues in adding sorbate to stop/prevent further fermentation and then using honey or a honey/water mix to back sweeten. To retain a proper/fuller honey flavour ? I would use honey and water as in back sweetening wine - 2 cups of honey to 1 cup of water warm and cool to room temperature and mix in slowly---mix some in taste, mix more in taste until you have the sweetness you want. You can also try cane sugar, corn sugar or maple syrup maybe that is suitable for the taste you are looking for?

Also, when some of my previous mead efforts have been "finished" they sometimes lack body. As far as I can find out, glycerin is then added in small amounts to thicken/add viscosity/mouth feel. body in mead is related to the alcohol content. I Use glycerin at about 1/2 the rate suggested on the container

Now as far as I can find out, glycerine is a specific type of non-fermentable monosaccharide. That being the case, would it be possible just to sorbate and still use honey ? Because "logic would dictate" that as it already has a certain "thickness" about it, could it be used to do both i.e. add sweetness and body ?? no does not add sweetness but if to much you may get a metallic taste

Cheers Daw

[fatbloke]

Excellent, thank you both for the replies.

It means that I can probably get away with just sorbate (after campden tablets) and then use honey/water combo - which would be my preference as I'd probably be using the same honey type to maintain the original honey flavour, well as much as is possible (besides, just to be on the safe side, once I'd done the sorbate/back sweeten, I'd probably just leave it under airlock for a week or two).

Of course, it still might mean that I need to add a little glycerine, but I'll follow DAW's suggestion and only apply a half dose.

I'm thinking that I might get away with just the honey treatment though, as DAW says (and I didn't realise) that the body in mead relates to the alcohol content - and given that so many of the recipes suggest the use of a "high alcohol/champagne" type yeast, it means that I now follow the wisdom of choosing a yeast, not only for it's flavour profile, but also the amount of alcohol it should produce.

Ha ha! that 71B that I used during my 3 x 1 gallon batch/different yeasts experiment is looking better and better.

Perhaps it's time for me to graduate onto "advanced" mead making and actually try some of these "proper" honey's that I've been locating (and DAW's been suggesting).

Outstanding. Cheers chaps. Mucho appreciado

regards

JtFB

[StockeyDAW]

JtFB -- Thank you for that - you will notice the difference with varietal honey. Cheers Daw