Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Mead Lovers Digest #0610
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #610, 5 November 1997
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #610 5 November 1997
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
cloudiness & pectic enzyme (Chuck Wettergreen)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #609, 4 November 1997 ("Dione Wolfe, Dragonweyr, NM dk
ey@medusa.unm.edu")
Re: beginners questions (Miguel de Salas)
Odd Question ("Phillip J. Welling")
Lalvin Yeasts - encore ("David Johnson")
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: cloudiness & pectic enzyme
From: Chuck Wettergreen <chuckmw@mcs.net>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 1997 11:04:02 -0600
Meaders,
I have recently (well, the last year or so) found a new source of honey
from a local beekeeper. The flavor and aroma from this (relatively)
light colored honey is exceptional, especially as it carries over to the
(almost) finished products. There is one problem; it won't clear.
Fermentation and Ph are normal for a show mead, but I have 10 gallons
which remain cloudy. I usually use gelatin and/or chill shocking to
clear with heretofore perfect results. The cloudiness appears to be
almost as if I had set pectin in the mead, although there is nothing in
it but honey, water, and yeast (plus nutrients). I did heat the must to
140 degF for 10 minutes before chilling prior to pitching. I have
already tried both gelatin and chilling, to no avail. Yes I know I
could use either benonite or sparkloid, but I'm reluctant to do so
because of racking losses (I don't throw away *any* of my mead!). This
mead has been in the carboys for about nine months. Any ideas?
(Thanks, but I'm not interested in "Meads take a long time, be patient".
I've made a lotta mead and never seen this with any other honey.)
Incidentally, the honey is raw, gross filtered, not heated, and clear in
the pail.
Second, any sources of further info (aside from standard brewing texts)
on peptic enzyme? What temperature sets pectin? What is recommended
usage rate per gallon? What happens if you overdose? Does pectin occur
only in fruit?
TIA,
Chuck
Chuckmw@mcs.net
Geneva, IL
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #609, 4 November 1997
From: "Dione Wolfe, Dragonweyr, NM dkey@medusa.unm.edu" <DKEY@MEDUSA.UNM.EDU>
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 1997 15:48:57 -0700 (MST)
Congrats Chuck & Christine! Welcome to this world, Jacob. May your path hear
make it a better place.
Never Thirst,
Dione
------------------------------
Subject: Re: beginners questions
From: Miguel de Salas <mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 05 Nov 1997 09:19:48 -1000
>I currently have two batches of mead brewing, one a plain mead (started
>13 Oct), the other a citrus mel (started 18 Oct). There are a copule of
>differences in how they're behaving, so I thought I'd check here to see
>if there's something I have missed, or if they are acting normally.
Well... I had never heard of a mead copulating, but I suppose there is a
first for everything...:)
Sorry for the waste, but it was hard to resist...
- -----
Miguel de Salas, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
------------------------------
Subject: Odd Question
From: "Phillip J. Welling" <kern@pcisys.net>
Date: Wed, 05 Nov 1997 08:49:23 -0700
Is it ok to only use half of the water to dissolve &
pasteurize the honey, then mix it with the rest of the
water for the must.
I was thinking of doing this to quicken the cooking and
cooling time.
Phillip J. Welling
ICQ #: 2579862
Visit my home page at:
http://www.pcisys.net/~kern/
------------------------------
Subject: Lalvin Yeasts - encore
From: "David Johnson" <dmjalj@inwave.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 1997 20:29:22 -0600
Meadtsers,
With your advice, I checked out the Lallemand website. As is usual, nore
information spawned more questions. My post to Clayton Cone (their wine
consultant) follows with his answer. Hope this is of interest.
> In investigating the lallemand website, I wanted information about
> using D-47 and K1V-1116 in Mead and cider. And, interestingly enough,
> they both are supposed to have "competitive factor". They give an
> alcohol tolerance of 12-14%. D-47 is recomended for mead but K1V-1116
> is recomended for low nutient musts. K1V is recomended for Late
> Harvest wines (but they don't say why). Lallemand's comments about
> using this in late harvest wines are interesting. Being someone who
> really enjoys a late harvest wine, I would like to know why they say
> this and how this might be applied to mead making. Lallemand also says
> that D-47 "enhances varietal character". Does this mean that there are
> some grapey, fruity, or winey overtones? or does it mean it will
> emphasize the flavors that are there somehow? People on the Mead
> lovers Digest are apparently using both yeasts. I would be interested
> in your opinion about the use of both yeasts in Mead and the real
> differences between both yeasts.
> Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson,
Many of the better strains that are selected today have the 'competitive
factor' (C.F.).They are not selected because they have this factor.
However, all strainsof yeast are tested for this factor. All strains of
yeast in nature are 'competitive factor' positive, negative or neutral. C.F.
+ strains cannot be destroyed by any other yeast and can destroy C.F.-
strains. It cannot destroy 'C.F.' neutral strains. This factor is of limited
value. You would not wish to mix a C.F.+ with a C.F.- strain. It sometimes
explains some stuck commercial fermentations and other problems. ICV-D-47
and K1V-1116 were both isolated by the same wine research institute in the
south of France. The K1 was isolated and marketed 15+ years before the D-47
strain. The fact that the K1 worked satisfactorily in must from low nutrient
soil and grapes is an important factor in Europe because the law allows
limited nutrient supplimentation. The US is much more generous in the
amountallowed. Home winemakers can add as much as is needed. The K1 yeast
is a very strong fermenter and produced a light, fruity American style
chardonnay. The D-47 was isolated to produce a less aromatic, French style
chardonnay that was more suited for barrel aging. It produces less esters
and other by-products that could mask the typicity (the French love that
descriptor) of the grape varietal thus 'enhancing' the varietal character.
Both of the yeast contribute to mead and cider the same characteristics that
they do to
wine: The K1 tends to be more light and fruity. The D-47 produces less
esters, more earthy notes that are good for dry mead and cider that is
being considered for aging on the leas and perhaps in oak. It also enhances
mouth feel by the production of trace amounts of 90,000 mw polysaccharides
The K1 would be great for light and fruity mead or cider with a little
residual sugar.
The 71B-1122 would be an excellent choice for the American style, light and
fruity mead and cider. It will produce a little more alcohol in cider
because it converts some of the malic acid in the apple juice to
alcohol(different than bacterial malo-lactic fermentation).
Most of the Lalvin strains of yeast will work well up to 16% alcohol if
adequate
nutrients are added and air allowed to be present during the first 24-48
hours of fermentation (no air later) along with frequent agitation. With
special care and nutrients, several of the strains can be made to produce
20+ % alcohol.
EC-1118, K1V-1116 and ICV-71B are recommended for ice wine and late
harvestwine. The key to fermenting high brix must - 30 -40 brix- is cell
population and lots of nutrients. No wine yeast grows well in a high sugar
environment so you must add at least 1.2 g. of yeast/l of must and 0.5+ g.
nutrients/l. Agitate the fermenting must frequently. The fermentation can be
completed in <30 days. Many Canadian wineries have used each of these three
strains for both ice and late harvest wine production. All of the strains
mentioned will do a very good job for you; however, only you can determine
which one produces the flavor and aroma characteristics that you prefer.
If you get into commercial size fermentations, there are several other of
Lalvin yeast that are now being used in mead, cider, ice wine and late
harvest. Let me know.
Clayton Cone
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #610
*******************************
