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Mead Lovers Digest #1373
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1373, 22 April 2008
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1373 22 April 2008
Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
The Digest returns! (I hope) (Mead Lovers Digest Admin)
Hello & question ("Matt Falenski")
Re: Spice Conversions (MeadGuild@aol.com)
Re: second-hand bottles (MeadGuild@aol.com)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1372, 31 March 2008 ("clfclem@juno.com")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1370, 18 March 2008 ("Dennis Key")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1372, 31 March 2008 ("Dennis Key")
pH and mead (Doug White)
Searchable Archives (Daniel Whitted)
Blackberry Melomel Recipe Suggestions (Daniel Whitted)
Forgot to record the starting SG ("Gary Smith")
NOTE: Digest 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.
Digest archives and FAQ are available at www.talisman.com/mead
A searchable archive is at http://www.gotmead.com/mldarchives.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: The Digest returns! (I hope)
From: mead-request@talisman.com (Mead Lovers Digest Admin)
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:43:21 -0600 (MDT)
Sorry about the long quiet time with the Mead-Lover's Digest. We've had
some significant spam problems here which made it too difficult to send out
a digest for a while. You may also have noticed that mail TO the digest
addresses has been blocked a few times.
I hope we'll be back with little interruption now, but there are no
guarantees. Main concern: If you try to submit an article to the digest
and it gets tossed back at you as if the digest didn't exist, hang on and
try again. I will attempt to limit shutdowns to a day or less, so if you
submit an article and it bounces, wait 24 hr and try again.
Yes, I do fully intend to keep the MLD going! It's just that spam problems
keep increasing, so even with good tools it gets harder, and that may cause
brief interruptions.
What YOU can do: I know you're not a spammer, BUT you might be one of the
million-or-so people with an infected computer sending out spam without
your knowledge--a spambot. To avoid being an unwitting spam-helper:
* Virus-check your computer frequently. Pay attention to all the usual
warnings about not downloading stuff you can't verify, not opening
active attachments, etc. If you do screw up, get help to check and
clean your computer.
* Pay attention to your computer's activity. If it's busy on the net
and/or sending mail when you don't think it should be, disconnect from
the net and check the machine. (Not all spambot-creating viruses are
readily detected.)
* Consider using a system which is highly spam-resistant, such as a Mac
or one of the various Linux or FreeBSD releases.
[Tech talk: The problem here is forged sender back-scatter--botnets forge
our addresses as senders. Clumsy MTAs don't verify recipients when they
should, so they end up bouncing to the forged sender instead of the real
one. And yes, I know about various tools. Challenge-response is no help
on bounces; anyway it's rude and I won't deal with it. Yes I know about
pattern-based filters and "bayesian" filters; I use both. But they can't
get any traction on a typical bounce msg, and besides it's dangerous to
train a bayesian filter to see bounces as spam when you really need the
valid bounces.]
yer beleaguered janitor
------------------------------
Subject: Hello & question
From: "Matt Falenski" <mfalenski@verizon.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:16:10 -0400
I just wanted to say hi, and to say that I've been interested in mead for a
while, and just recently found this list. I did have a question (or
two/three/four.)
I recently brewed my first batch of mead, and even though it's been 3
months, I still see slight bubbling going on in the fermenter. The OG was
1.060, and the most recent reading was 0.99. Is this OK to bottle, or
should I wait a bit longer?
Thanks!
Matt
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Spice Conversions
From: MeadGuild@aol.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:55:20 EDT
Carl McMilllin wrote:
> I happen to use an analytical balance and checked some previous
> batches and can give some approximations from spices I used.
> Cloves = 15 to 18 per gram.? At 28.375 g/oz, that is about 500
> cloves per oz.? (I used about 3.5 grams in my 6 gal batches,
Unless I'm in Never-Never Land, 28.375g/oz translates to 6.4g/tsp
and 3.2g per 1/2 tsp. Am I correct?
> along with nutmeg and cinnamon) Nutmegs = 5 to 7 grams/nutmeg,
> depending on size.? (I used 2 or 3 in my batches)
> Cinnamon = around 10 grams/6" stick, but length and thickness of
> these varies a lot.? (I used 10 to 13? sticks, but I like cinnamon.)??
I judged any overly Cinnamon Metheglin. It took a few glasses of
ice water to unpucker my mouth. ;)
Dick
- --
Richard D. Adams, CPA (retired)
Moderator: misc.taxes.moderated
------------------------------
Subject: Re: second-hand bottles
From: MeadGuild@aol.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:41:37 EDT
_dan@geer.org_ (mailto:dan@geer.org) asked:
> I use second hand bottles, picked out of the trash
> in this recycling-mad town, and soaked in Iodophor
> for several days to both sanitize and to loosen the
> labels for removal (Oh, but do I wish that American
> producers had not gone to self-stick labels rather
> than good European gummed labels...). Prior to
> bottling, they get a bath, hot water only, in the
> dishwasher set to "auto-temp."
>
> My question: As bottles get used and re-used, the
> outsides do accumulate some fingerprints and the
> like which hot water does not remove. Does anyone
> know if using, say, B-Brite in the dishwasher is
> a good idea for this, and, if so, would a second
> water-only washing be required?
I came up with the following figures based on new
bottle prices plus 6% sales tax>
12 oz glass ..... $ 0.57
500 ml PET ..... 0.67
16 oz glass ..... 0.82
22 oz glass ..... 1.02
First, those baked on labels just get tossed, e.g., Stone's
Arrogant Bastard, Yingling Lager. Those labels were
meant to stay on the bottle.
Second, those decal labels are not worth the effort to
me. They need to be soaked in a very caustic solution
and then scraped with a razor.
All other bottles get soaked in hot water to loosen the
labels and then scrubbed SOS/Brillo pads to remove
the gunk off. Then I soak them in PBW, give them a
hot water rinse, soak them in Iodophor, hang them
out to dry, and cap them before storing them. They
get soaked again on the day they are used.
Recently I have had bottle problems and will soak
new "found" bottles in boiling water.
Dick
- --
Richard D. Adams, CPA (retired)
Moderator: misc.taxes.moderated
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1372, 31 March 2008
From: "clfclem@juno.com" <clfclem@juno.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 16:59:11 GMT
I had asked earlier about a braggot recipe. If anyone is interested, I made
an interesting Braggot. I used a beer kit for Irish Stout. I suplimented
1/2 of the malt extract with Mesquite honey. It raised the OG just a little
but turned out really nice. Pretty heavy but a nice treat.
Corey
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1370, 18 March 2008
From: "Dennis Key" <dione13@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 13:24:46 -0600
Subject: Re: Cider recipe
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com<mailto:rcd@talisman.com>>
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:37:52 -0600
Dick Adams wrote:
> I would like to make a 3 or 5 batch of cider for my light lager drinking
> friends using pasteurized apple juice. The target is 8 to 12% ABV
> with an FG between 1.025 and 1.050. The apple juice will be either
> Juicy Juice or Motts. Does anyone have a recipe they have used?
(I'm responding semi-straight-faced, hoping this isn't a troll.)
Juicy-Juice apple - Chinese apple concentrate, shipped to the US and
reconstituted. Wonderful stuff (not).
Mott's is also from concentrate; not sure from what country.
Both are too overprocessed to make a good cider--the result will have a
"cooked" taste (applesauce overtone) from the concentrating and pasteurizing
steps, plus "thin" (watery) from the wrong type of apples and filtering.
About like trying to make a wine from Juicy Juice Grape.
If you can't get cider from a local orchard, I suggest using Knudsen's
Organic Cider. There is a lot of pulp but successive rackings will get
rid of it. I have made several batches of Cyser using Knudsen's with
good results.
Enjoy! Dione Greywolfe
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1372, 31 March 2008
From: "Dennis Key" <dione13@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 14:39:06 -0600
Subject: pH and mead
From: "Todd Miller" <todd.miller@borderlandnet.net>>
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:19:29 -0600
Hello, folks--
Not too long ago, I picked up a pH meter for beer brewing, and wondered
whether or not it might be useful in mead making as well. I'm hoping some
of you can provide feedback on what the correct pH range for a must should
be, techniques for adjusting the must pH, etc. Many of the recipes I've
seen in the past simply call for the addition of some predetermined amount
of acid blend or some such. But it seems to me that if the goal is reaching
or maintaining an optimal pH, it would be preferable to determine what the
correct pH should be, and adjust as necessary. So I'm just curious to hear
some thoughts on pH, adjusting pH, and whether or not it's even worth doing.
Thanks in advance for any ideas--
I read some time ago (it may have been on this digest) that the yeasties
were happiest in a pH around 4.0. Honey is more acidic and your original
pH can be 2-3. I adjust with calcium carbonate and do not add acid blend
until the last couple of rackings. I taste it and carefully add small
amounts of acid blend until it tastes right. I get the acid blend premixed
at my supplier (Victor's Grape Arbor in Albuquerque--shameless plug...)
Duncan and Acton (Making Mead) speak of fermentations taking up to a year.
At a low pH it can indeed take that long. I find that keeping the pH around
4 lets the must ferment to completion in about three months.
Dione Greywolfe
------------------------------
Subject: pH and mead
From: Doug White <dwhite53@nc.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:13:32 -0400
I recently started a show mead with:
12.5 lbs honey
water to 5 galons
2 tsp acid blend
2 tsp di-ammonium phosphate
Lalvin D-47
After 24 hours I had no activity so off to the LHBS for another pack of D-47.
Still no activity after 48 hours. Oskaar on gotmead.com suggested my acid
was probably terribly high. I got some wine makers PH test strips and sure
enough PH was 2. I ordered some potassium bicarbonate, and fermaid-k. A
week later I added 15 grams (3 tsp.) of the potassium bicarbonate and
got the PH to 3.8. I had activity in a matter of a few hours. This mead
has continued to bubble since then. The mead has a medicinal taste to it
which I expect came from the yeast being stressed in that low PH must for
over a week. Hopefully this will age out.
I'd never had an acid problem before that I was aware of. I'd done similar
batches of a gallon size without problems. This was my first 5 gallon batch.
Just my 2 cents
All the Best,
D. White
> Subject: pH and mead
> From: "Todd Miller" <todd.miller@borderlandnet.net>
> Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:19:29 -0600
>
> Hello, folks--
>
> Not too long ago, I picked up a pH meter for beer brewing, and wondered
> whether or not it might be useful in mead making as well. I'm hoping some
> of you can provide feedback on what the correct pH range for a must should
> be, techniques for adjusting the must pH, etc. Many of the recipes I've
> seen in the past simply call for the addition of some predetermined amount
> of acid blend or some such. But it seems to me that if the goal is reaching
> or maintaining an optimal pH, it would be preferable to determine what the
> correct pH should be, and adjust as necessary. So I'm just curious to hear
> some thoughts on pH, adjusting pH, and whether or not it's even worth doing.
> Thanks in advance for any ideas--
>
> tm
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~
> Theirs is a hidden land; wolf-haunted,
> Stormy highlands with perilous paths,
> Where mountain torrents plunge through the mists
> And flow unseen...
------------------------------
Subject: Searchable Archives
From: Daniel Whitted <danielwhitted@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 20:12:10 -0700 (PDT)
I've noticed a couple posts in the past that have mentioned issues with
searching through the archives. If anyone is interested I recently
converted all the archives (through 2006) into pdfs (one file for each
year) and can send them out if wanted. They are very easy to search
using Acrobat. Each one is a little over 1 Mb.
Dan
------------------------------
Subject: Blackberry Melomel Recipe Suggestions
From: Daniel Whitted <danielwhitted@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 20:24:58 -0700 (PDT)
I made a Blackberry Melomel a while back and am wanting to make
something similar again. Here is the recipe I used previously:
3# Clover Honey
3# Basswood Honey
3# White Sage Honey
3# Oregon Blackberry Puree
3 tsp Yeast Nutrient
Wyeast Dry Mead Yeast (Smack Pack)
OG 1.115
FG 0.998
The batch size was 3.5 gallons and I ended up with 3 gallons of
finished, still mead. This batch was made using Ken Schramm's "No Heat
Method."
I was very pleased with this mead, but would like to alter the recipe a
little bit to try something different. I am open to suggestions.
Thanks,
Dan
------------------------------
Subject: Forgot to record the starting SG
From: "Gary Smith" <Gary@doctorgary.net>
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:07:01 -0400
I was in a hurry as I had to leave for New Hampshire and was
finishing a batch of Mead before I left. I used 29 pounds of honey in
15 gallons and introduced this to the yeast bed of the batch I just
transferred. The original yeast was Wyeast sweet mead and a Champagne
yeast.
I forgot to record the starting SG...
& yeah, by the time I got back it was fermenting vigorously so no
chance of getting the original SG.
Is there a conversion table I might find to roughly approximate the
original SG?
Also, I was thinking of adding ginger and some Raspberry slury from
last years Raspberry harvest to this. I found that putting Kiwi in
early did not work as well as I'd hoped, most of the Kiwi
characteristic seems to have been lost, perhaps because of the
aggressive yeast activity on the juice.
I'm thinking I might want to add the ginger and Raspberry near the
end of the primary fermentation to preserve thginger & Raspberry
character.
I am fermenting in one of the Sabco Stainless fermenters.
Thanks!
Gary
KA1J
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1373
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