Panda's Attempt at Mead

[British Red]

By stalled he means what the books called "stuck". If you are still getting bubbles, it hasn't stuck.

Lees is sediment that settles in a wine bottle - its the reason wine used to be decanted before drinking.

Red

 

[Pandabean]

There are no bubbles coming through the airlock that I have seen after waiting for a min....the water level in the airlock has went back up the 1st ball on the left. But there are bubbles still rising in the bottle all beit fewer than before..

 

[British Red]

Its slowing down then, but not truly stuck. Do you have a hydrometer?

 

[Pandabean]

Nope. I didn't get one.

 

[Nagual]

I've been following this with mucho interest. I even went so far as to try it myself, although I have to ask ( and sorry for 'jacking your thread Panda.. ) I think something may be going wrong, it's not bubbling away slowly at all, quite the reverse, it's really going for it. Used 2 lbs of average honey, Youngs yeast and nutrient, plus some citric acid. Threw in a handful of sultanas too, just for giggles.. Now been on the go for several days, but it seems that mead should be going slowly not fast?

 

[British Red]

It generally is fairly fast for a few days, but then slows. Don't rush it though - slow fermentation in the bottle still blows the cork out and leaves "lees".

Panda, its fine, rack it and watch carefully.

Red

 

[Pandabean]

No probs Nagual, thats what this thread is here for, Im glad it inspired you (that will be a first I have inspired lol ). Any chance of a piccie, just out of curiosity?

Mines bubbled vigorously (2 bubbles a sec at least) for a good few days now it has slowed right down. How long has yours been on the go?
Maybe the Sultanas had something to do with it, as that appears to be the only different ingredient you have.

 

[British Red]

sultanas are added to many wild wines to improve "vinosity". They will contain natural sugar and increase primary fermentation.

Red

 

[Ape_Ogre]

Just a quick note to ask you to please keep us up to date on your progress, I have been following this thread with great interest, really makes me want to try some of my own, must be the viking in me, grrrr....

 

[Pandabean]

Oh dear.... Just siphoned it off and it has a distinct sharp vinegary smell and sharp taste to it, no taste of honey and not like the sweet honey aroma I had escaping from the airlock the other day?

BR.....has this failed?

 

[Pandabean]

http://www.meadmadecomplicated.org/mead_making/troubleshooting/odor.html
What?

* The mead has a vinegar odor (acetic acid, figure). Sensory threshold: 175 ppm [B10].

acetic acid
Acetic acid [B2]:
Why?

* The acétobacter bacteria, naturally found in air, are responsible for the transformation of alcohol into acetic acid (acetic fermentation) according to the reaction [V6]:
C2H5OH + O2 -> CH4COOH + H2O
ethanol + oxygen -> acetic acid + water

What to do?

* Not much, except maybe find a book such as "What to do with 5 gallons of vinegar?"
* According to V3, it is possible to dissolve 2 tsp potassium bitartarate (cream of tartar) in 1 liter (1 qt) of the infected mead then add to the rest of the batch. If the flavor is not back to normal after a week or so, try again. After five unsuccessful attempts, bottle your vinegar. This treatment is at a short term and the mead will have to be drunk quickly.
* If damages are limited and if mead has no other flaw, V6 says it can be used for blending. J. Recht in V4 does not advise to do this and considers that the mead is lost.
* If a mead gets infected in a barrel (or any other vessel made of wood), the vessel is infected and hence can no longer be used.

 

[British Red]

Mead does have a fairly sharp taste when fermented to a dry taste. Are you sure its had acetobacterial infection? You were very disciplined in your sterilisation and airlock use which makes it very unlikely....

 

[Pandabean]

It does smell and tast vinegary.
Just compared it to some malt vinegar I had in the cupboard an its pretty similar in taste and smell.

 

[British Red]

cr*p. Assuming You have tasted dry mead and it tastes more acidic than it should, you are pretty much hosed at this point

 

[Pandabean]

I havent tasted dry mead, but this as I said it smells and tastes pretty like some malt vinegar I had, even when comparing the 2 side by side there was a similarity.

I would have thought that the honey aroma would have still been present as it was quite nice a couple of days ago. (Smelt through the gas from the airlock)

The only thing I can think of, where it happened was when I emptied some of the mead on the second day.I think a bit too much air got in, other than that it has been sealed tight for the last 2 weeks in the cupboard.

 

[British Red]

If that happened you are amazingly unlucky - thats a 1 in 1,000 chance

I have some dry fermented mead I have been aging for about seven years. Shall I post you a bottle to try?

Red

 

[Pandabean]

From one DJ to another, stopped after noticing the taste was vinegary.



Dead Yeast

 

[Pandabean]

If that happened you are amazingly unlucky - thats a 1 in 1,000 chance

I have some dry fermented mead I have been aging for about seven years. Shall I post you a bottle to try?

Red

That may be an idea, that way I know what dry mead is supposed to taste like.

See your PMs shortly.

 

[Pandabean]

Right folks, been a while since my original try. I have now made up a second batch and its in the cupboard, just need to wait for the bubbles.

Only things done different were....

- Added 1 teaspoon of Campden Powder
- Was less rigourous on the measurements, but generally it was almost 2.5 parts water to 1 part honey (1.2kg approx)


So lets hope this batch comes out good.

Will keep you updated.

 

[gregor-scott]

I have recently followed the same method as this and all seems ok so far, one thing I wanted to ask was when do you add the pectolaze?