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Mead Lovers Digest #1445
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1445, 13 October 2009
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1445 13 October 2009
Mead Discussion Forum
Contents:
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009 (Mike Faul)
RE: Postaasium Hydroxide (KOH) ("Bill Pierce")
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009 ("Dennis Key")
Re: Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) (stencil)
Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009 (Scoville Steve)
wildflower mead (insnekamkze86@aol.com)
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009
From: Mike Faul <mfaul@faul.net>
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:24:55 -0700
>Subject: Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
>From: MeadGuild@aol.com
>Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 04:46:52 EDT
> At the AHA meeting this year, Kristen England, Ph.D. presented the results
> of his work using Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) to keep the pH of Mead above
> 3.3 and, thus, decreasing the amount needed for aging.
Wel after almost 15 years of commercial mead making I simply do not
understand the need for adding ANY chemicals with the exception of
nitrogen (DAP)
With proper care and feeding with basic nutrients and with temperature
control and the right amount of yeast
there is simply no need for this ESPECIALLY at the 5 gallon home mead
maker scale.
During normal fermentation the pH of the fermenting liquid will have a
significant change in pH, which is normal.
Unless you are willing to sit and monitor the pH hourly and make
adjustments I just don't think it will make a difference to the final
product.
Just my opinion.
Mike Faul
Owner
Rabbit's Foot Meadery
------------------------------
Subject: RE: Postaasium Hydroxide (KOH)
From: "Bill Pierce" <BillPierce@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 12:51:33 -0400
Dick Adams refers to Kris Englund's presentation on meadmaking at this past
summer's National Homebrew Conference, specifically to his recommendation to
add potassium hydroxide as a means of raising the pH of the must and
reducing the stress on the yeast. Unfortunately I did not attend the
conference and could find rather little on this subject online, so I am
asking my question here.
Traditionally one method of raising pH is to add calcium carbonate (chalk).
There are two issues with this that I am aware of: one is that CaC03 has
limited solubility at low temperatures, although this is less so at a pH
below 4.0, and the second is that in excessive amounts it can contribute to
a chalky flavor. Potassium hydroxide is much more strongly basic, and a
smaller amount would be needed, thereby mitigating the flavor effects.
Dick mentions that he had a difficult time finding a source of potassium
hydroxide; buying chemicals for home use is increasingly difficult in this
security-conscious age. However, it seems to me there is another much more
widely available chemical that would be nearly as effective in raising the
must pH. This is calcium hydroxide, which is sold in many places as
"pickling lime." Some brewers also use it to treat water that is high in
alkalinity without being balanced by dissolved calcium and magnesium.
Calcium is considered beneficial to yeast, even more so than potassium, and
it would seem to me that calcium hydroxide would be nearly as effective as
potassium hydroxide in raising the pH. I admit that I'm not a scientist by
training, however, even if I had an undergraduate major in chemistry many
years ago. I'm wondering if anyone else has thoughts on this subject.
Bill Pierce
Cellar Door Homebrewery
Burlington, Ontario
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009
From: "Dennis Key" <dione13@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 12:07:05 -0600
> At the AHA meeting this year, Kristen England, Ph.D. presented the results
> of his work using Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) to keep the pH of Mead above
> 3.3 and, thus, decreasing the amount needed for aging.
>
> I tried this with a Raspberry honey Traditional Mead using the pH UP that
> i used for hydroponics. My results do not deserve comment.
>
> Buying KOH has not been easy as most suppliers will not ship to
> individuals. But I found one - _www.DudaDiesal.com_
> (http://www.DudaDiesal.com) . It
> arrived today and it will be used on a batch of a Traditional Clover
> honey. If it works, I plan to used it on several batches in the next
> three
> months.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Dick
I know the must ferments faster and aging time is decreased by keeping the
pH around 4.0. Since honey is acidic my starting must pHs are around 2.0 or
so. I routinely adjust the pH upward to 3.5-4.0 using calcium carbonate
(plain chalk) readily available at all brew supply outlets. I works very
well and leaves no residual taste.
Why resort to a hard to obtain alkaline compound that actually could be
dangerous to handle. Getting some chalk in your eye is mildly irritating
and easily washed out by your own tears. Get some potassium hydroxide in
your eye and you have a medical emergency with possible permanent corneal
scarring. It is such an unnecessary risk.
Dennis Key (Retired Emergency Department RN)
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
From: stencil <etcs.ret@verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:30:39 -0400
On Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:18:55 -0600 (MDT),=20
in Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009
Dick wrote:
>
>
>At the AHA meeting this year, Kristen England, Ph.D. presented the =
results
>of his work using Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) to keep the pH of Mead above
>3.3 and, thus, decreasing the amount needed for aging.
>
> [ ... ]
>Buying KOH has not been easy as most suppliers will not ship to
>individuals. [ ... ]
Dis Dr. England give any hint as to the need for the potassium ion
in the pH-raising? Calcium hydroxide, which is sovereign specific
for reducing the bicarbonate content, and hence the residual
alkalinity, of brewing water, is available OTC as Mrs. Wages'
Pickling Lime.
gds, stencil
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Mead Lover's Digest #1444, 7 October 2009
From: Scoville Steve <Steve@scovilleandassociates.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 15:13:53 -0500
A friend sent me some prickly pear tuna (fruits) any one know how to
process them into a mead?
Do mead makers usually resort to commercially available juice?
Thanks,
The Earl
------------------------------
Subject: wildflower mead
From: insnekamkze86@aol.com
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:06:42 -0400
Hello there i am going to be brewing a batch of mead soonand was
wondering if you could give me your thought about it.
The batch is a six gallon batch with wildflower honey, heather tips,
rose hips, and jupiter berries or cloves. Also was wanting to infuse
the flavor of cherry in with it as well.
This is what im going to be making and was wondering what you thought
of it and also any advise about it, such as the herbs or spices or
useage of cherries. Thank you
------------------------------
End of Mead Lover's Digest #1445
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