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Mead Lovers Digest #1442
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1442, 19 September 2009
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1442 19 September 2009
Mead Discussion Forum
Contents:
Cyser ("clfclem@juno.com")
Newbie confounded by yeast choices ("R. Lee Jarvis")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1441, 8 September 2009 (Nathan Boettcher)
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Subject: Cyser
From: "clfclem@juno.com" <clfclem@juno.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:08:57 GMT
Hello all. I recently made some cyser and it has fermented to completion
and is pretty hot. A lot hotter than I would expect for 14% alch/vol. I
have considered cutting it with additional cider but to be honest I don't
like the idea. I don't want to present so much cider that I lose any honey
flavor but then again my batch seems pretty much done. Does anyone have any
suggestions on how to improve my current situation? It's only a 5 gal batch.
Corey Clemmons
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Subject: Newbie confounded by yeast choices
From: "R. Lee Jarvis" <l2jarvis@verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:12:54 -0400
I'm about to brew up my first batch of mead. I'm trying to research,
learn, and understand the process and I think I've got it except for a
choice of yeast. I'm using a recipe for a sack mead from Pattie Vargas'
& Rich Gulling's book, Wild Wines & Meads, which calls for Montrachet
yeast. But several sources advise against Montrachet:
- - From Gordon Olson (http://www.solorb.com/mead/yeasttst.txt), Montrachet
yielded a mead that he noted with "sour, sulfur nose, sour off taste, yuck"
- - And a comment from Dick Dunn, "Some yeasts (such as Montrachet wine
yeast) can produce noticeable levels of phenols (the throat-burning part
of cough medicine), which age out eventually in bottle conditioning but are
an unnecessary complication since there are yeasts that don't produce them.
- - And also from Dick Dunn (http://www.solorb.com/mead/rcdyeast.html), "Red
Star Montrachet I've only used twice, and each time I've gotten an extreme
medicinal character that takes forever to go away. This is the basis for
my earlier statement that I'd never use a "Montrachet" named yeast again. "
OK, I can take a hint. Maybe Montrachet isn't the best choice for my first
batch of mead. I also have some Red Star Pasteur Champagne. Might that
be a better choice? Do I need to make another trip to the shop (an hour's
drive each way) to find something else?
Thanks for the help, Lee
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1441, 8 September 2009
From: Nathan Boettcher <kalendrinn@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:36:09 -0700
Hello All,
So I've been on the list for a while but finally got to bottle my
first batch of mead tonight. It's a basic mead using clover honey. I
have a question, but I'll fill you in on the process before I do.
I started off the batch normally and got it going just fine. About
2-3 weeks into it, the yeast slowed down quite a bit so I decided to
rack it per my books instructions and other things I had read.
I racked it into a fresh sanitized carboy, but during the racking my
racking cane started pulling a ton of air. (it's a simple push start
racking cane if anyone has seen them, just pull up on the cane to get
the wine in the tube and push down to start the flow...real easy) I
tried to get it to stop but every time I got it to stop it started
again. This happened for about the last 3rd of the batch. I was
worried I had ruined it since I know aeration isn't good for the mead.
I put the stopper back on and a little later the yeast was pushing
air out again. So I laid my worries to rest.
Nothing eventful happened after that. I got down to a month later and
decided to bottle it. The bubbles were going about once every minute
and half. After bottling, I checked the specific gravity and tasted
the batch. The sg was down to 1.00 from 1.096...about 12.5% by
volume. At the initial racking it was 1.006 so not much difference.
Not sure why the yeast kept going so well.
So here comes the question. I tasted at the initial racking and it
tasted great! The mead had a 12% by volume which was good...higher
than I had expected. It wasn't very clear. After the bottling, I
tasted it and it had a vinegry taste to it. It was clearer and was
12.5% by volume.
Question: Why did it end up with such a vinegry taste??
Please let me know. I'm so bummed at this point, but I will try again
soon. Just means I might have a wasted batch. Anything I can do at
this point to help cut the vinegry taste?
Best Regards,
- -Nathan
- --
Nathan Boettcher
kalendrinn@gmail.com
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End of Mead Lover's Digest #1442
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