Mead Question.
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It depends on your honey to water ratio, and some other factors. Honey and wine for that matter, does not have alot of the nutrients to keep yeast working at their peak for extended perids of time. It could be you added to much water. If its watery but still extermly sweet you probably maxed the bakers yeast potential early becuase you didn't add any wine nutrients during fermentation. It doesn't make it bad or undrinkable just not what your looking for.
Mead takes a while to master unlike beer and grape wine. Also if it's only 3 months old it's still young. Usually even quick meads don't reach potential until at least 6 months. It could very well grow "legs" at that point or futher down the line.
Mead takes a while to master unlike beer and grape wine. Also if it's only 3 months old it's still young. Usually even quick meads don't reach potential until at least 6 months. It could very well grow "legs" at that point or futher down the line.
Mead is deceptively simple - honey, water, and yeast - but the details make a world of difference. As noted, the ratios are one place to start. Most of my recipes call for about a gallon of honey to 4 gallons of water. The heating process is another element, as boiling the honey is generally considered a bad idea - you want it hot enough to pasteurize, but not necessarily any higher, or you'll destroy some of the subtle flavors of the honey. Then there's yeast - baker's yeast is adequate if you can't get anything else, but brewer's yeast strains are specifically bred for the process - and you'll get different results in the same recipe by altering the yeast. Red wine yeasts tend to give you a sweeter end product, while white wine and champagne yeasts will be drier, with a slightly higher alcohol content. There are also some other additives that are recommended for particular issues, as well - Irish Moss for clarity, tannins from grape skins or black tea which also reduce hazing, lemon juice or citric acid or other yeast nutrients to keep yeast going in a 'stuck' fermentation, etc...
It's a process. If you've got something drinkable on your first attempt, congratulations! And don't rush it - most homebrew meads don't really get good until almost a year has gone by.
It's a process. If you've got something drinkable on your first attempt, congratulations! And don't rush it - most homebrew meads don't really get good until almost a year has gone by.
I think you would have had a much better result if you added about 25 crushed rasins to the brew.
Honey alone isn't sufficient as it's a poor source of nutrients for the yeast.
Take a look at this webpage:
http://www.stormthecastle.com/mead/troubleshooting-mead.htm
"Food for the yeast - Did you make a recipe that doesn't use some type of supplemental food for the yeast? I mean is there no fruit, energizer, nutrient, raisins, tea leaves or anything else? Is it just honey, water and yeast? Honey is a borderline poor food for yeast and you might want to just add a handful of raisins (25 per gallon of mead) or some wine maker's nutrient (it comes with quantity recommendations). Wait 24 hours to see if the ferment starts up and if it doesn't then you can pitch more yeast."
Honey alone isn't sufficient as it's a poor source of nutrients for the yeast.
Take a look at this webpage:
http://www.stormthecastle.com/mead/troubleshooting-mead.htm
"Food for the yeast - Did you make a recipe that doesn't use some type of supplemental food for the yeast? I mean is there no fruit, energizer, nutrient, raisins, tea leaves or anything else? Is it just honey, water and yeast? Honey is a borderline poor food for yeast and you might want to just add a handful of raisins (25 per gallon of mead) or some wine maker's nutrient (it comes with quantity recommendations). Wait 24 hours to see if the ferment starts up and if it doesn't then you can pitch more yeast."
The addition of (I use crushed raisins) will help as mentioned above.
All good advice above.
Bakers yeast will work, but I would recommend a Champaign yeast.
Be careful... watch the newly corked Mead closely.
Bakers yeast could restart and at the least you could have a mess on your hand... or at worst... glass grenades.
They could explode.
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All good advice above.
Bakers yeast will work, but I would recommend a Champaign yeast.
Be careful... watch the newly corked Mead closely.
Bakers yeast could restart and at the least you could have a mess on your hand... or at worst... glass grenades.
They could explode.
:
:Lawrence. Yes I completely missed the yeast boat.
I tend to use Lalvin 71B-1122 although I know a bunch of people prefer DV-10.
Also good advice on being cautious with the newly bottled stuff.
If you don't want to go with Raisins you can also do something like this. I tend to throw in raisins and on my first racking to another carboy I throw in a little nutrient to keep the fermentation process another kick.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyeast-brewer-s-choice-nutrient-blend-1-5-oz.html
I tend to use Lalvin 71B-1122 although I know a bunch of people prefer DV-10.
Also good advice on being cautious with the newly bottled stuff.
If you don't want to go with Raisins you can also do something like this. I tend to throw in raisins and on my first racking to another carboy I throw in a little nutrient to keep the fermentation process another kick.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyeast-brewer-s-choice-nutrient-blend-1-5-oz.html
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