Mead Lovers Digest #0103

Published in

· 7 months ago

 

Mead Lover's Digest #103                            Wed 24 March 1993 

 
        Forum for Discussion of Mead Brewing and Consuming 
               John Dilley, Digest Coordinator 

 
Contents: 
  re:Mead Lover's Digest #101 (March 20, 1993)  (R.) Cavasin" <cav@bnr.ca> 

 
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1993 13:42:00 +0000  
From: "Rick (R.) Cavasin" <cav@bnr.ca> 
Subject: re:Mead Lover's Digest #101 (March 20, 1993)  

 
Jay Hersh asks about high gravity meads, 

All my experience with very high gravity meads have been melomels. 
I've used NO nutrient, just fruit, honey, water, and yeast.  I basically 
simmered the honey/water, skimming, remove from heat, add fruit, maintain 
pasturizing temp. for ~20min, and then cool by immersing the pot in 
a cold water bath.  I then pitch the rehydrated yeast (I've used lalvin 
ec-1118 and red star epernay II).  I've done a couple with initial 
gravities that are up around 1.12.  Recently, a friend brewed a batch 
of elderberry mead at my place.  It had a starting gravity of something 
like 1.13!  The rehydrated epernay II was added as usual and the 
mead was happily fermenting the next day.  No nutrient in that batch 
either (several weeks later and the fermentation is still going). 
I don't know whether or not I'm getting the 'vigorous' 
fermentation you describe however.  The only time I've had trouble 
getting things started has been the times I've used sulphite. 
That's why I avoid it now. 
One thing to note is that my batches have all been in the 1 to 2 gallon 
range, so the yeast that has survived the pitching hasn't had to go 
too far. 
My suspicion is that your problem stems from some combination of 
a) bad yeast packet (always a possibility) 
b) low temp. (usually doesn't cause me problems but you never know) 
c) pitching dry yeast into high gravity must (I've done it successfully 
   with 1.08 range musts in the past but have never tried it with 
   high gravity musts). 

Oh yeah, did you aerate the must?  Judging from your persistently 
stuck fermentation, I would guess that this is the most likely 
culprit. 

Cheers, 
Rick C. 

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