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Mead Lovers Digest #0543
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #543, 4 March 1997
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #543 4 March 1997
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Beer question - sorry! (Chris Webster)
re:Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997 (MWBryson@LANMAIL.RMC.COM)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997 (Di and Kirby)
How to remove fruit gunk from mead ("Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)")
Re: How to remove fruit gunk from mead (Bill Shirley)
Prolonged fermentation ("Eric A. Rhude")
Daz Buoch von guter Spise ("Eric A. Rhude")
Bits of fruit (William Chellis)
Possible stuck fermentation. (David Ghere)
Mead Lover's Digest #541, 25 February 1997 (Dick Dawson)
Sediment in sparkling mead (Jeremy York)
Fwd: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997 (Robert L Lewis)
Carbon-di-Oxide (Robert L Lewis)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997 (Peter Miller)
fermentation; autolysis ("Joseph Greene")
6 Days remain to enter the March MashFest (Scott Mills)
More U.S. vs. Imperial measurements confusion (Derrick Pohl)
NOTE: Digest only appears when there is enough material to send one.
Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead@talisman.com.
Use mead-request@talisman.com for [un]subscribe/admin requests. When
subscribing, please include name and email address in body of message.
Digest archives and FAQ are available for anonymous ftp at ftp.stanford.edu
in pub/clubs/homebrew/mead.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Beer question - sorry!
From: Chris Webster <Chris_Webster@meridianvat.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 08:55:22
Hi campers.
I have been on the list for about a year. Hope you will forgive me, but I
have a beer question. Does anyone have a reliable recipe similar to the
"Franziskaner" that is commercially sold? Or could someone refer me to a
homebrew list where I could get help?
Thanks
Chris W
chris_webster@meridianvat.com
------------------------------
Subject: re:Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997
From: MWBryson@LANMAIL.RMC.COM
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 97 9:37:13 EST
Subject: How to remove fruit gunk from mead
>From: Brett Donahue <brettd@extendsys.com>
>Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:54:31 -0700
>
>I made a mead with rasberries which broke into small slimey chunks that
>stayed in suspension throughout the carboy. When I tried to siphon the
>mead from the rasberries
>, I ended up wasting a lot of mead while trying to seperate the
>"floaters" from the mead. I never was successful at getting out all of
>the rasberries.
>
>There has to be a better way of filtering/seperating the chunks from the
>mead. How do you do it? I think I would ferment the fruit in a bucket
>next time rather than a carboy so that I could remove the fruit easier.
>But, with what?
I don't know about anyone else, but I've had pretty good success using
women's hose that is no longer in use due to unsightly holes. Used a
rubber band to hold it over the end of the racking cane, and it did a fine
job of keeping the fruit from clogging the cane. YMMV.
Matthew Bryson
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997
From: Di and Kirby <trillium@magibox.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 01:15:13 -0600
mead-request@talisman.com wrote:
> From: Brett Donahue <brettd@extendsys.com>
> Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:54:31 -0700
>
> I made a mead with rasberries which broke into small slimey chunks that
> stayed in suspension throughout the carboy. When I tried to siphon the
> mead from the rasberries
> , I ended up wasting a lot of mead while trying to seperate the
> "floaters" from the mead. I never was successful at getting out all of
> the rasberries.
>
> There has to be a better way of filtering/seperating the chunks from the
> mead. How do you do it? I think I would ferment the fruit in a bucket
> next time rather than a carboy so that I could remove the fruit easier.
> But, with what?
The only thing I can think of (being a relative novice, mind you) would
be to strain the fermented stuff, whether the fruit is in the mead
carboy or in a bucket. Perhaps you'd need to strain, then filter,
depending on the size of the bits of fruit. But if you have a way to
juice the berries *before* adding them to your recipe, that would be
easier, to my mind, than trying to fish the pieces out later when
contamination is an issue. Heck, even mashing the berries through a
strainer to juice them has got to be easier than trying to deal with it
in semi-fermented state, and leaving your hard earned mead open to air
for longer than neccessary, and wasting some of it to boot.
There's probably a substance you can add to encourage sediment to
fall out of suspension. I try to keep low-tech, so I don't know what it
would be, but I seem to remember reading something. So depending on
whether you prefer to use muscle power or chemical knowledge, either one
would work.
Good luck,
Diana
------------------------------
Subject: How to remove fruit gunk from mead
From: "Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)" <a-branro@MICROSOFT.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 08:47:42 -0800
| Subject: How to remove fruit gunk from mead
| From: Brett Donahue <brettd@extendsys.com>
| There has to be a better way of filtering/seperating the chunks from
the
| mead. How do you do it? I think I would ferment the fruit in a
bucket
| next time rather than a carboy so that I could remove the fruit
easier.
| But, with what?
I have heard many people on the Home Brew Digest telling how they
use a stainless steel "chore boy" scrubber tied to their racking cane.
this lets you filter the gunk, and still get all of that Divine Liquid.
badger
------------------------------
Subject: Re: How to remove fruit gunk from mead
From: Bill Shirley <gaucws@fanniemae.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 97 13:46:30 -0500
> Subject: How to remove fruit gunk from mead
> From: Brett Donahue <brettd@extendsys.com>
> Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:54:31 -0700
>
> I made a mead with rasberries which broke into small slimey chunks ...
>
> There has to be a better way of filtering/seperating the chunks from the
> mead. How do you do it?
I found that several rackings helps do the trick. I start fermentation,
then (after it's going) rack it onto fresh-frozen fruit. I left it there
for about a week, then racked it onto more fruit. Each time I racked, I
tried to retain as much fluid as possible, sacrificing a few small bits
to the next fermenter.
Continue the rackings when done with the fruit, not worrying about random
bits, just rack a few more times.
I have heard of others using "clean" steel-wool around the siphon to keep
stuff out.
I used mulberries in the case above (obviously very similar to raspberries).
> I think I would ferment the fruit in a bucket
> next time rather than a carboy so that I could remove the fruit easier.
> But, with what?
Definately makes fruit addition easier, but I have used carboys (and glass
jars - 1 gal) by just squeezing the fruit through, then racking onto. Then
racking off, and removing the goo.
ymmv,
-bill
- ---
Bill_Shirley@FannieMae.com
bicycle parade
red rectangle at half mast
six days of mourning
------------------------------
Subject: Prolonged fermentation
From: "Eric A. Rhude" <ateno@panix.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 14:18:21 -0500 (EST)
I have let mead run for three years and more before
bottling, during this time, fermentation has been going on.
Your brew is happy, let it go....
The yeast will stop when it hits its the
max alchol level, depending on the yeast and conditions.
I have made meads that have reached 18-19 % thru
nefarious means...
Eric Rhude - Panix.com Staff
------------------------------
Subject: Daz Buoch von guter Spise
From: "Eric A. Rhude" <ateno@panix.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 16:05:56 -0500 (EST)
I have a good translation of it myself, but it is alas
at home. I will get it and have it available if someone
wishes to write me directly.
I have tested it, and it is the first mead with hops
that I have liked.
I do alot of historical brewing (beer and mead) and
always entertain other sources if anyone has any
'new' ones.
Eric Rhude - Panix.com Staff
------------------------------
Subject: Bits of fruit
From: William Chellis <wchellis@gwi.net>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 20:14:34 -0500
The word is patience! Rack off into another container or more. Allow
it to continue to settle. Rack off again as needed.
In the mean time, make more mead.
bill
- --
"The world will not be saved by old minds
with new programs.
If the world is saved. it will be saved
by new minds - with no programs."
(The Story of B by Daniel Quinn
Bantam Book/ISBN:0-553-10053-X)
------------------------------
Subject: Possible stuck fermentation.
From: st5bx@bayou.UH.EDU (David Ghere)
Date: Mar 01 1997 10:55:49 AM
Hello All,
Last night after about 3 weeks of fermentation I racked my mead to
get it off of the vast deposits of gunk at the bottom of the carboy. Now,
the fermention has slowed to a little more than a dead stop. Is this
normal, and will it speed back up again once the yeast has built up
strength, or did I mess up my >2 gallon batch. I am new to making
fermented beverages, so any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
- -David Ghere
st5bx@bayou.uh.edu
------------------------------
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #541, 25 February 1997
From: Dick Dawson <ddawson@MailBox.Syr.Edu>
Date: Sat, 01 Mar 1997 02:33:43 -0500
> Subject: gallons and hops
> From: Rod.McDonald@dist.gov.au (Rod McDonald)
> Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 11:01:57 +1000
Rod wrote:
> 1. Warning
> Don't forget that the US Gallon is only 16 fluid ounces (fl. oz.). For
> those of us who work in Imperial gallons which are 20 fl oz (5 US gals
> = 4 Imp gals) and/or convert gallons to and from litres any
> measurements given in US gals on MLD need to be adjusted accordingly.
In US:
1 pint = 16 oz ('fluid'); weighs a US pound
~2.2 pound = 1kg
32 oz = 1 qt
4 qt = 128 oz = 1 gallon.
Perhaps a English quart is 20 oz; anyhow a Canada gallon was 5 US
quarts. But Canada gallons don't exist anymore. 'quart' obviously
derives from 'quarter'. May confuzion forevermore overcome.
Happy measuring.
Dick
ddawson@mailbox.syr.edu
http://web.syr.edu/~ddawson
------------------------------
Subject: Sediment in sparkling mead
From: Jeremy York <jeremy@ThemeMedia.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 16:37:52 -0800
I read a procedure for getting rid of the sediment that you'll
get when making a sparkling mead, from the yeast dying off that
had been active after bottling. I was wondering if anyone had
any experience with it...it sounds kinda risky to me.
First, you store the bottles inverted so the sediment builds
up in the neck. After the yeast has settled out, you fill a tub
with salted ice water, and put the bottles into the tub, neck down.
The sediment and some of your brew will freeze in the neck;
you can then open the bottle. The frozen sediment plug should
then blow out, and you can re-seal the bottle.
Now, I use crown caps on champaigne bottles myself, and the
prospect of having a plug of ice trying to come flying out
while I open the bottle doesn't seem like something I want
to try.
Has anyone tried a technique like this, or have any other
suggestions?
- --
Jeremy York Projectionist "Immersed, I explore.
ThemeMedia Inc. 509 946-6583 Text, not read, is understood.
jeremy@ThemeMedia.com beanish@owt.com Words into wisdom."
FAX (509) 946-7441 http://www.smaby.com/thememedia.html
------------------------------
Subject: Fwd: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997
From: bobbylew@ix.netcom.com (Robert L Lewis)
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 22:06:21 -0600 (CST)
Last October, I started a batch of pear wine. It's now February,
and the stuff is STILL fermenting ! At the rate of 4-6 bubbles every
minute depending on room temperature.
Has anyone ever heard of this before? It never stopped or slowed
down during the entire ferment - it's not a case of the ferment
stopping and re-starting. I don't think that it's a mold or other
infection (although I can't be 100 percent certain)
- - -- Andrew
harvie@tuns.ca
- ------------------------------
If it works, dont fix it, if it smells good, drink it.
You Did not indicate the starting gravity of your wine, However,
assuming you are using honey or some additional sugar to yield a
finishing product about %12 alcohol. I will assume 10-12 lbs
fermentable sugars. (primarily Fructose, or fruit sugar, which is found
in both honey & pears) Fructose (C6H12O6) breaks down into 2 molecules
of each, alcohol (C2H5OH), & Carbon DiOxide (CO2). The yeast keeps a
small amount of the broken down sugar to make other yiesties. Most of
the sugar though gets converted throught the process of digestion.
The Atomic mass of Fructose is apx 216, and of CO2 is 44. Since 2
molecules CO2 are released, (2x44)/216, or %41 of sugar eaten becomes
CO2. or .41 x 10 lbs = 4 lbs of CO2 released.
According to my chemistry book, at STP, a cubic meter of CO2 has
mass of 1.8 KG. or, roughly 4 Lbs. If we assume a 'bubble' released
from the air lock to be 1 cc. (a generous size), we will have 1,000,000
bubbles released to compensate for the 4 Lbs CO2 produced! thats a lot
of bubbles.
at 6 bubbles a minute, & 1440 minutes a day, you get 8640 a day,
which gives you about 115 days at that rate. Granted, I have made some
large generalizations, but I don't think your bubbleage is that
unusual. I have had fermentations that lasted forever, though I never
timed the bubbles, I simply watched for them to cease. I also think, if
there were contamination, it would be obvious to taste & smell.
Robert Lewis
------------------------------
Subject: Carbon-di-Oxide
From: bobbylew@ix.netcom.com (Robert L Lewis)
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 1997 11:51:53 -0600 (CST)
In a response to a post about excessive bubbleing I wrote the
Atomic Mass of Fructose to be 216, and of Alcohol to be 64 (apx.) I
wuv wrong. Since I could not decipher betwixt an H and an He; my
masses should have been 180 & 46 respectivly. this yeilds an even
greater production of CO2.
I thought readers might be interested to learn as I did, that CO2,
being a heavier gas than O2 or N2 would sink to the bottom of the the
three gasses in a still envionment. This is encouraging to the old time
brewer who only had a flat lid or a bit of cloth to tie over the top of
his had blown vessle. The Oxygen would quite quickly pushed out by the
larger heavier Carbon-di-Oxide molecules. This may be one reason for
the lack of success with balloons, as the release of gas would be
nearer the bottom.
I frequented a bar which in the pre prohibition days made it's own
beer. Behind the bar up high they have on display the somewhat
destroyed vessels used for making beer. They had giant (obviously hand
blown 5 or 6 gallon carboys, with mouths that get narrower as they go
down. The caps used were solid glass, sanded to fit exactly into the
mouth of the carboy. As pressure builds, the cap would be momentarilly
elevated..
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #542, 28 February 1997
From: Peter Miller <ocean@mpx.com.au>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 97 10:14:52 -0000
>From: Brett Donahue <brettd@extendsys.com>
>Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:54:31 -0700
>
>I made a mead with rasberries which broke into small slimey chunks that
>stayed in suspension throughout the carboy. When I tried to siphon the
>mead from the rasberries
>, I ended up wasting a lot of mead while trying to seperate the
>"floaters" from the mead. I never was successful at getting out all of
>the rasberries.
>
>There has to be a better way of filtering/seperating the chunks from the
>mead. How do you do it? I think I would ferment the fruit in a bucket
>next time rather than a carboy so that I could remove the fruit easier.
>But, with what?
Way I do it: Do your initial fermentation with the raspberries in a
bucket for about 5-7 days, then strain the must through a fine sieve
(gauze or muslin) into your carboy. Add your honey quantities and resume
fermentation. I've never had a fruit wine/mead fail to clear. (NB: the
must in the carboy will remain "cloudy" until fermentation ceases
completely - the CO2 bubbles from the yeast keep fine solids in
suspension.)
Peter.
------ < ocean@mpx.com.au > -----
Perpetual Ocean Music & Sound Design
http://www.mpx.com.au/~ocean/
------------------------------
Subject: fermentation; autolysis
From: "Joseph Greene" <jgreene7@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 21:11:41 -0500
I have a traditional mead that has been actively fermenting for 6 weeks.
The O.G. was 1.090. It is now at 1.050. The yeast is Wyeast Sweet Mead.
I know fermentation of mead is slow, but is this uncommonly slow? What
alcohol level can I expect from this yeast?
Also, the mead (must?) has been in the primary fermenter the entire time.
Is yeast autolysis a problem or should I wait to rack until it finishes
fermentation? Thanks in advance.
Joe Greene
Mansfield, OH
jgreene@theonramp.net
------------------------------
Subject: 6 Days remain to enter the March MashFest
From: Scott Mills <smills@fortnet.org>
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 1997 16:53:18 -0700
ENTRY DEADLINE SATURDAY MARCH 8
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seventh Annual March MashFest
March 22, 1997
The Mash Tongues of Fort Collins, Colorado invite you to enter our Seventh
Annual March Mashfest. We will accept all homebrewed beer and mead. This
competition is sanctioned by the AHA. The number of Categories will be
determined after all of the entries are received. Historically we have had
around a dozen Categories. Medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place
entries in each Category, as well as for Best of Show in Beer and Mead.
Cool prizes will also be obtained from local microbreweries, brew stores,
and micro-oriented taverns to accompany the medals. One first place winner
will be selected to work with the Brewers at Dimmer's Brewpub in Fort
Collins to scale up their recipe and brew it at Dimmers!
You can get complete information about the MashFest and download an entry
packet from the Mash Tongues club Web Page at;
http://www.fortnet.org/~smills/masht.html
Or, if you prefer you can contact us via US Mail, E-Mail, or Phone and we
will mail or FAX you a packet.
Hurry!! The deadline for entries is March 8, 1997.
For more information check the Web Page or contact;
Scott Mills
7512 Leslie Drive
Loveland, CO 80537
970-669-6088
smills@fortnet.org
------------------------------
Subject: More U.S. vs. Imperial measurements confusion
From: Derrick Pohl <pohl@unixg.ubc.ca>
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 1997 16:08:43 -0800
>you have: 1 floz [i.e. U.S. fl. oz.]
>you want: brfloz [i.e. Imperial fl. oz.]
> * 1.040841e+00
> / 9.607619e-01
I've always known that American gallons and quarts are different than
Imperial, but I've never been sure about fluid oz. and cups. The above
indicates that these are indeed different beasts. What then are we to do
here in Canada?! Does this mean that even common kitchen volumetric
measurements like cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons are in fact *different*
between U.S. and Imperial measure? In Canada we use (officially) Imperial
measure. But what about all the kitchen measuring cups and spoons we buy
up here? Are they U.S. or Imperial?
Further confusing the issue is that not only are the fluid oz. different in
size, but larger units have different numbers of fl. oz., e.g. pints, which
is what started this thread in the first place. I always thought a pint
had 16 fl. oz. equal to 2 cups or half a quart. Have I been thinking in
U.S. terms or Imperial? Doesn't one system have 20 fl. oz. in a pint? And
do they therefore have 10 fl. oz. in a cup? And what about tablespoons (16
to a cup I always thought) and teaspoons (3 to a tablespoon, 48 to a cup)?
Do they exist in both systems in those same proportions? If they do, then
they too must be a different absolute quantity, to whit, a U.S. tablespoon
would be 1/2 or 0.5 fl. oz, while an Imperial tablespoon would be 5/8 or
0.625 fl. oz. - if in fact there is such a thing as a 10 fl. oz. Imperial cup.
Further, what does this mean in terms of cocktails? Do English (and by
rights, Canadian) martinis actually have 20% more gin than American,
because they are measured in Imperial fluid ounces? Or does the bar shot
glass transcend this division?
One can certainly see the appeal of the metric system. This may be
straying a little far from the topic, but since we are sharing recipes
across the world, maybe not.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Derrick Pohl <-> pohl@unixg.ubc.ca
Vancouver, BC, Canada
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #543
*******************************
