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Mead Lovers Digest #1497
Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1497, 31 October 2010
From: mead-request@talisman.com
Mead Lover's Digest #1497 31 October 2010
Mead Discussion Forum
Contents:
Pectinase: when to add & how it interacts with ethanol (Erroll Ozgencil)
Re: pumpkin mead with a twist (Daryl Fox)
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: Pectinase: when to add & how it interacts with ethanol
From: Erroll Ozgencil <errollo@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:46:09 -0700
Dick said:
> > enough. Moreover, the presence of ethanol inhibits the action of
> > pectinase. (So if you want to use pectinase on the back-sweetening with
Ken replied:
> Also, the inhibition of ethanol on pectinase may be a correct and true
> chemical fact. However in practice I have found it to be of no regard.
Like Dick, I believe that it's ideal to add enough pectinase up front, under
the right conditions, and be done with it. However, Luc Volders has done
some experiments that back Ken up and suggest that it can be effective
post-fermentation:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/01/avonturen-op-het-pecto-pad-deel-2.html
The article is written in Dutch, but there is an English translation at the
bottom, so scroll down.
- --
Erroll
http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/
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Subject: Re: pumpkin mead with a twist
From: Daryl Fox <rts.cts@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:33:10 -0700
I just finished racking my mead out of a pumpkin. About 10 days ago, I
waxed a pumpkin (and much of the kitchen, too) and carved it out. I used
the whitest honey you have ever seen in the hopes that it wouldn't get in
the way of any pumpkin flavours. The OG was 1.115.
Having only brewed in glass and plastic, it was a little odd dealing with an
organic fermenter. I admit I played a little fast and loose with
sanitation, but everything seemed to work out fine. I did pitch a
vast amount of yeast and some nutrient too. My plan was to get an active
ferment going really fast and raise the alcohol level fast enough to deal
with anything inhabiting the inside of the pumpkin.
I didn't account for the thickness of the pumpkin and thus am a little under
a gallon in volume. Then again, I don't know how I would have waxed a
larger pumpkin. As it was, the thing was starting to list a little bit and
was sort of 'gooey' on the bottom after a little over a week. I don't know
how you would keep it around much longer.
The mead I pulled off was quite good if a little sweet for my taste. I
really like it, but it has very little pumpkin flavour at all. A good deal
of sludge came along while racking so I can hope it ferments a little more
and dries out.
All things being equal, I'd defiantly try it again next year. Though I'll
probably wait till just after Halloween when the prices drop for pumpkins.
Half a dozen smaller 1 gallon pumpkins would work great and would (I think)
structurally hold up better and they go for a song after October.
- -Daryl
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End of Mead Lover's Digest #1497
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