Panda's Attempt at Mead

[British Red]

I suspect what you are seeing is the solids in the honey combined with yeast solids settling. Yeast breeds up in warm sugary liquids, consuming sugar and producing CO2 and alcohol. Some yeast dies producing what looks like a doughy sludge - this take a while to settle out.

Red

 

[courtney]

Ahhhh mead i still keep meaning to get some on the go, never done it b4, only ale and last year cider, which was a killer wow my head hurt after drinking that cider.. cheers for posting this panda and british red for the advice too home brew is so much better than shop bought at times espec as you know whats in there. plus the bonus of watching your baby grow.
keep us posted panda and congrats

 

[Pandabean]

Right....48hrs have passed and almost 24hrs since I emptied a little of it and there doesn't seem to be any bubbles no matter how I stare a the thing. :yikes:

Have I filled up the airlock wrong?
When I put it back on yesterday it had water up to the third ball on the left, now I guess the gas has pushed that along, there does appear to be activity in the foam and bubbles in the jar though so it is doing something.

Could just be me being impatient I suppose

 

[British Red]

Looks okay. Chill. You could tip a bit of water out of the airlock (just fill so both the lower balls are filled). It may be there is a tiny pressure leak round the bung, but I think not.

Worst case make up another yeast starter and bung it in if it doesn't bubble in another 48hrs (known as stuck fermentation)

Red

 

[Pandabean]

Hehe, will do. Just like a kid at christmas thats got a present that takes time to work. Will it still bubble through ok even if only the right hand side is full or do both sides need to be filled?

I dont think there is a leak, the gases have pushed the water round the bottom bend almost so something is at work. I will see what happens over the next day or two. I dont really want to fiddle with it too much.

 

[Pandabean]

Haha BR you are my good luck charm. Just went back through to have a look and guess what....apart from water spilt its bubbling nicely.

 

[British Red]

The airlock doesn't need much water - just enough to keep flies out. Too much adds weight that its difficult for the gas to move - hence the slowness to start bubbling. Spilled water means that water was forced out of the airlock (too much water added)

 

[Pandabean]

Well its been a few days since this started and it is bubbling away nicely and giving off a nice aroma when I open the cupboard door.

Not much differnt to the previous picture. Just wondering if it will clear up over time or is that a result of me not adding a campden tablet or pectolase?



friday-wk1 by pandabean2010, on Flickr

 

[British Red]

It'll clear - will need several rackings though. The bubbling stirs up the particulates and keeps them suspended. The breeding yeast creates more particles.

Its already clearing though - see that white thin layer at the bottom? Sediment.

Patience young Skywalker.

Red

 

[Pandabean]

Checked it this morning and it's down to a bubble every 20 secs now. With a nice thick layer of white sediment at the bottom.

 

[British Red]

See?

Worth mentioning what those products do that you described before.

Campden tablets kill yeast. Used primarily on soft fruits that carry wild yeast and before the commercial yeast is added. Wild yeasts can be unpredictable.

Pectolase is an enzyme that breaks down pectin (the stuff that makes jam set). Otherwise the pectin makes wild wines hazy. Particulalrly needed with currants and apples. Shouldn't be needed here.

To clear all the suspended crud out, you need to wait for fermentation to finish as the gas stirs up sediment. Just letting it settle and "racking off" will work but takes time. The alternative is to use finings. Finings cause particles to clump together and sink.

Red

 

[royce22]

Looking good. I've made sloe gin + vodka, elderflower champagne, nettle beer in the past and have some elderberry wine on the go, but Mead Mmm sounds good.

 

[Pandabean]

Thanks br. What would you recommend in this case?
I had the idea that I would syphon off to a new bottle. Let the slow ferment continue and then syphon again.
Of course I was going to wait at least a month before the first syphon.
Also when should I add the campden tablet or pectolase


Royce - what does elderberry wine taste like?

 

[British Red]

Panda,

Campden tablets right at the beginning (before the yeast). Pectolase I also add at the beginning when making the wine gloop (must)

Finings are after fermentation. I would buy some finings for your mead - you won't need it for a couple of months though

 

[milius2]

I would have never believed, that up in UK you drink MEAD! That's something very very old. Best of luck with keeping this great drink alive! I'm very surprized. We have a lot of legends about mead as a sacred drink and most of the legends live till these days as people are willing to pay an incredible amount of money for it. And very little brewers make it. So best of luck with it Panda and I wish I could taste it!

 

[Pandabean]

Ooops, I didnt add either at the start. :blush:

Thanks Milus, if I could get some over to you I would. I am kind of short of volunteers to taste it.


I just checked on it again today when I came home from work and it has stopped bubbling in the airlock. Bubbles are still rising up the sides of the DJ but a lot slower and fewer. Also it is looking clearer.

 

[British Red]

Rack that at the weekend mate

 

[Pandabean]

Woo, next stage. Thanks.
That seemed to go by quicker than expected.

I take it for racking, I just syphon off into another DJ and stick the airlock back on. Will that then just be left for say a month to settle out some more?
Do I then add any of the bits I missed? Campden tab & Pectolase?

Also will it taste of anything when I syphon it? I only have a basic one with no pump but it has a tap.

Expect some more pics at the weekend then.

I am looking to do a second batch once I find a different local honey to see the difference. Might make it sweeter.

 

[British Red]

No point in using either at this stage. By racking, just that, siphon to a clean demijohn leaving behind sediment and leave to continue fermenting. It should taste like...mucky, over sweet, mead

 

[Pandabean]

BR a friend was saying that it had stalled and said to add more yeast. How can I know the difference between the 2?

Also what is lees?