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Mead Lovers Digest #0990
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Errors-To: mead-errors@talisman.com
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To: mead-list@talisman.com
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #990, 31 January 2003
Mead Lover's Digest #990 31 January 2003
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
just a quick note (Patrick Devaney)
The price of honey and keeping bees. (Marc Shapiro)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #989, 27 January 2003 ("The Man Called 5")
Re: What should i do now? ("Asher Reed")
Re: Muntons (Jack Stafford)
Re: What should i do now? ("Dan McFeeley")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #989, 27 January 2003 (Galenflys@aol.com)
Potassium Carbonate ("Thad Starr")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #986, 17 January 2003 ("Maurice St. aude")
Mazer cup ? ("Micah Millspaw")
NOTE: Digest appears when there is enough material to send one.
Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead@talisman.com.
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Digest archives and FAQ are available at www.talisman.com/mead. There is
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: just a quick note
From: Patrick Devaney <damien777@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 11:33:21 -0800 (PST)
If anyone out there is reluctant to make a pure
Buckwheat Honey mead because it's an expensive honey,
do yourself the favor and make one, because the
Buckwheat mead we've made is just damn good. :)
------------------------------
Subject: The price of honey and keeping bees.
From: Marc Shapiro <m_shapiro@bigfoot.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 16:05:30 -0500
Dave wrote:
> As a beekeeper I can also add that the price of honey has made an adjustment
> in the right direction. You may not appreciate it but the whole sale price of
> honey for 2001 was 75 cents pound for light amber in the upper Midwest when
> it was on average 85 cents a pound in the 60's the price of gas,trucks
> woodware and drugs for the bee's has increased about 380% in that time. The
> price of honey needs to go up. As unpopular as I'm sure that will be for most
> of us. So maybe you guys, who can, need to befriend a beekeeper and learn to
> keep a few hives of your own. There are very few joys quite as nice as saying
> this fine wine I'm serving you, started out from honey from my bee's.
Actually, my wife wants to keep bees and while we were still in North
Carolina we both took classes and passed the basic beekeeping tests. I
must say that six months prior to that I would have said you were crazy
if you thought that I would open up a bee hive and let bees crawl over
my hand while I searched for drone bees, queen cells and the like.
Where we are living now, it is not practical, but maybe some day...
Wassail!
- --
Marc Shapiro "If you drink melomel every day,
m_shapiro@bigfoot.com you will live to be 150 years old,
Please visit "The Meadery" at: unless your wife shoots you."
http://www.bigfoot.com/~m_shapiro/ -- Dr. Ferenc Androczi, winemaker,
Little Hungary Farm Winery
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #989, 27 January 2003
From: "The Man Called 5" <adamk@nti.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:52:48 -0600
> Greeting Kinsman,
> I also love the Vorkosigan stories of Lois McMaster-Bujold myself. The next
> time I see her at a SCIFI Convention I plan on presenting her a bottle or
> two.
Hi, there, fellow Bujold fan!
I'm afraid you're too late. I presented her with two bottles in January
2002 at GAFilk in Atlanta, GA. According to her, I was the first to do so,
which surprised me greatly!
------------------------------
Subject: Re: What should i do now?
From: "Asher Reed" <clvwpn5@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 23:13:45 +0000
You made no mention of the type of yeast you used.... but that doesn't
matter, it doesn't sound like a yeast alcohol tolerance problem (unless you
are using a weak ale yeast) -- from my experience, I would say your mead did
an "acid crash" -- you added an acid blend, dropping pH and yeast activity
(fermentation) further lowers pH -- your yeast probably just burned out.
Next time, ferment without acid then add acid to taste after it is finished.
Also, don't rack the mead to another carboy until it is done or really
close to being done -- racking will usually temporarily stall an active
fermentation. Hope this info helps for future batches.
>We started our first batch of mead on Oct. 27. We used 15 lbs. of
>honey, a total of 5 gallons of water, 6 tsps of yeast energizers,6
>tblsps of acid blend, 1 tsp of natural grape tannin, 5 campden tablets,
>and stirred it together and let it sit 24 hrs. Specific gravity was
>1.102. Nov. 5 we put on an air lock, the mead had very little foam, >and
>sg.was 1.062. We checked on it again Nov. 14 and it was 1.050, on the
>26 of Nov. it was 1.042, on Dec. 9 it was 1.042, Dec. 26 it was the
>same, Jan. 4 racked to carboy, and it was still 1.042. On Jan. 19 it
>was the same again. The water in the air lock is pushed to one side, >so
>it is still fermenting. My question is should I wait or add more yeast
>nutrients?
> Thanks for your help,
> Mike Brahms( Rookie Mead Maker :)
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Muntons
From: Jack Stafford <sunbus@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 18:07:39 -0800
"Thad Starr" <Starr@epud.net> wrote:
> Hi Meaders. A question for the group. I placed an order a while back for
> yeast from an online source. Among other types, I ordered a few (12!
> making mead is fun!) Edme Ale. When the order arrived, there was a note
> that explained that Edme won't be available until next spring. They had
> substituted "Muntons Active Brewing Yeast" instead. My question, what is
> it? I'm assuming an Ale yeast, since it seams a logical substitution. Has
Munton's ale yeast. IIRC it comes in a square sachet of gold or green.
> anyone tried it? Any clues on attenuation, potential achieved alcohol,
> etc.?
I used it for a black plum melomel a couple years ago. It made about
12% alcohol before they yeast finally pooped out. No unusual flavors
or aromas. I would use it again.
- -Jack
Costa Mesa, Calif
------------------------------
Subject: Re: What should i do now?
From: "Dan McFeeley" <mcfeeley@keynet.net>
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 09:45:12 -0600
On Fri, 24 Jan 2003, in MLD 989, Mike Brahms wrote:
>We started our first batch of mead on Oct. 27. We used 15 lbs. of
>honey, a total of 5 gallons of water, 6 tsps of yeast energizers,6
>tblsps of acid blend, 1 tsp of natural grape tannin, 5 campden tablets,
>and stirred it together and let it sit 24 hrs. Specific gravity was
>1.102. Nov. 5 we put on an air lock, the mead had very little foam, and
>sg.was 1.062. We checked on it again Nov. 14 and it was 1.050, on the
>26 of Nov. it was 1.042, on Dec. 9 it was 1.042, Dec. 26 it was the
>same, Jan. 4 racked to carboy, and it was still 1.042. On Jan. 19 it
>was the same again. The water in the air lock is pushed to one side, so
>it is still fermenting. My question is should I wait or add more yeast
>nutrients?
You're probably going to get multiple replies on this . . . 6 *tablespoons*
of acid? That's way too much. Acid additives for mead are usually
measured out by the teaspoon. Try checking the pH on the batch,
you'll probably find it is below 3.0. If that's the case, you can try
using calcium carbonate to bring the pH back up to a healthy level,
although be careful with this. Too much calcium carbonate will lend
its taste to the mead, something you don't want. Another remedy
is to blend this batch with another batch, made without acid blend,
then pitch more yeast. Lalvin KV-1116 is a vigorous strain, often
used for restarting stuck fermentations.
It's generally unwise to add acid at the start of a fermentation. Yeasts
secrete organic acids during fermentation, which has the effect of
dropping the pH and making the environment less hospitable to
bacteria. This allows the yeasts to spread rapidly and dominate the
food supply. Adding an acid blend on top of what the yeasts are
already doing can easily lower the pH below 3.0, which will cause
a stalled fermentation.
Research by the late Roger Morse of Cornell University showed
a range of pH values that favored a healthy fermentation for
meadmaking. This was between pH 3.7 and 4.6. A pH above
or below this window resulted in slowed or even stuck fermentations.
Morse recommended starting at pH 3.7 in order to have the pH
high enough to aid the fermentation but still low enough to inhibit
bacterial contamination. He was able to consistently achieve
completed fermentations in two weeks by monitoring the pH
of the fermentation, along with controlling other factors including
temperature, amount of yeast starter, and nutrient level.
Although I haven't done this regularly, I generally find that the
honey musts I make up are at about pH 4.0. That's just about
right. So long at the fermentation gets off to a quick start, the
pH will quickly drop to a reasonable level -- enough to maintain
the fermentation while still inhibiting bacterial growth. Adding
acid at this point would only throw off the yeasties best efforts.
Hope this is helpful!
<><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><>
Dan McFeeley
mcfeeley@keynet.net
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #989, 27 January 2003
From: Galenflys@aol.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 13:32:23 EST
In a message dated 1/27/2003 2:09:08 PM Eastern Standard Time,
mead-request@talisman.com writes:
> Subject: What should i do now?
> From: "M&DBrahms" <mbrahms@netins.net>
> Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:18:55 -0600
>
> We started our first batch of mead on Oct. 27. We used 15 lbs. of
> honey, a total of 5 gallons of water, 6 tsps of yeast energizers,6
> tblsps of acid blend, 1 tsp of natural grape tannin, 5 campden tablets,
> and stirred it together and let it sit 24 hrs. Specific gravity was
> 1.102. Nov. 5 we put on an air lock, the mead had very little foam, and
> sg.was 1.062. We checked on it again Nov. 14 and it was 1.050, on the
> 26 of Nov. it was 1.042, on Dec. 9 it was 1.042, Dec. 26 it was the
> same, Jan. 4 racked to carboy, and it was still 1.042. On Jan. 19 it
> was the same again. The water in the air lock is pushed to one side, so
> it is still fermenting. My question is should I wait or add more yeast
> nutrients?
>
Mike, The SG numbers sound like you've got about 8%a.v. You didn't mention
how it tastes. It should have quite a bit of residual sweetness. If that's
okay with you, fine it , rack it, and drink it.
Galen Davis, Southwick, Mass (413) 569-5148
------------------------------
Subject: Potassium Carbonate
From: "Thad Starr" <Starr@epud.net>
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 21:40:34 -0800
I just got a digital PH tester today, and tried it out on a couple of
bubbling batches. What a fun little gadget. One of my traditional meads
had a pretty low PH, so I bought a little Potassium Carbonate to bring it
up. The guy at our local homebrew shop didn't offer any tips on how to add
it to the must, so we figured to just add it dry, and mix it in a little.
DON'T DO IT ! It foamed like crazy! Foamed up thru the neck of the carboy
like a shook up bottle of champagne! Seriously, it cleared the top by a
good 5 inches. The mess wasn't the worst part. I lost a good quart of mead
:-(. That's a lesson I won't soon forget. Now to my question. How does
one add Potassium Carb. to the must with out the explosion? I've read
several times how someone will add it to the fermenting mead to maintain the
optimum Ph, but what's the trick? Also, it seamed to stop the fermentation.
I think that it is still fermenting, and it will take a while to build up
the CO2 saturation, but it has been 8 hrs now without a bubble in the air
lock. I even shown a flashlight thru the carboy. No little bubbles rising
like normal. It's got me nervous.
The reason I used Potassium Carbonate instead of Calcium Carbonate, is the
brew guy said that this is better, won't leave a chalky taste. Is one
better than the other?
Just one more thing. We were talking about clarifiers, then he handed me
something he said was brand new. It's called SUPER-KLEER K.C. tm. Says on
the package that it contains chitosan(shellfish derivative), and will work
on wine, beer and superyeast. Anyone ever heard of it? I'm always game to
try something new, so I bought one at $2.50. When I get to the stage of
clarifying, I'll use it and report the results.
Thanks for the ear.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #986, 17 January 2003
From: "Maurice St. aude" <bludrgn@sympatico.ca>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 14:52:12 -0500
Hi:
I have found Claro KC (Kielselsol) to do an excellent job on clearing meads,
they retain all there orginal fruit colour and the aplication is clean and
simple. It is a two part aplication over 24 hours and the sediment on the
bottom of the carboy tends to remain at the bottom of the carboy. I have
made over 15 batches to date that were completely unheated and have found
that Kielselsol has cleared them all without any additional effort on my
part.
> Subject: Clearing a non-boiled/non-heated mead...
> From: "Kemp, Alson" <alson.kemp@cirrus.com>
> Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 13:47:54 -0800
>
> All,
> Time to bring up an age-old and much repeated discussion:
> how do you clear a unheated mead? This question has been asked
> before, but I thought that I'd bring it up again to elicit new
> information/thoughts.
>
- ----SNIP-----
> -Alson
>
------------------------------
Subject: Mazer cup ?
From: "Micah Millspaw" <MMillspa@silganmfg.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 08:49:06 -0600
Any word on the Mazer cup / Bill Pfieffer memorial cup ?
I am trying to get my hb clubs competition list for '03 together.
thanks
Micah Millspaw
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #990
*******************************
