# First batch of the 2017



## Jericurl (Jan 2, 2017)

I mixed my first batch of the year yesterday and pitched the yeast this morning.

It's my largest batch to date, just under 10 gallons.

Almost Traditional

24 lbs meadow foam honey
3 lbs orange blossom honey
6 T American Oak powder (medium toast)
1.5 T pectic enzyme
8 frozen/thawed/chopped overripe bananas
enough water added to put a touch under 10 gallons 

Beginning SG 1.10

3 packets of KV-1116


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## NorCal (Jan 2, 2017)

That sounds wonderful. Typing error on the starting SG of 1.00?


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## TXWineDuo (Jan 2, 2017)

@Jericurl if you don't mind, what is your cost of honey breakdown and where do y'all get the honey at?


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## Amanda660 (Jan 2, 2017)

Same questions as TXWineDuo. Very interested in the orange blossom honey but have no idea where to source it from and be confident the product is exactly what I'm wanting.


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## Jericurl (Jan 2, 2017)

NorCal said:


> That sounds wonderful. Typing error on the starting SG of 1.00?


Yes, thank you. I went back and edited it.


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## Jericurl (Jan 2, 2017)

I got the Meadowfoam honey from here:

http://queenbeehoneycompany.com/products/one-gallon-tubs-of-honey-12-pounds

And the orange blossom from here:

http://www.walkerhoneyfarm.com/

This was the first time I've ever ordered from Queen Bee, and other than a little bit longer time to wait for shipping, I was pleased. The honey was definitely meadowfoam.

I order from Walker all the time and I've always been very pleased with their products.

As far as cost breakdown, I've got about $130 sunk into this batch.

Accounting generously for racking losses, etc, I'll expect to get about 90 (375 ml) bottles or 45 (750 ml) bottles. That's about $2.88 per large bottle or $1.44 per small bottle. I don't really count bottles since I either reuse my old bottles or get the free used ones from the local winery.
I can live with those numbers.


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## NorCal (Jan 2, 2017)

So cool, I look forward to hearing how it progresses.


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## bkisel (Jan 3, 2017)

Is this a Mead that you're brewing? 

I've used cups of honey (along with brown sugar and frozen concentrate) in back sweetening my peach and apple wines but have not considered honey being the main ingredient for a batch of wine. Thanx...


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## opus345 (Jan 8, 2017)

Amanda660 said:


> Same questions as TXWineDuo. Very interested in the orange blossom honey but have no idea where to source it from and be confident the product is exactly what I'm wanting.



i have used Flying Bee Ranch in the past with good results: 

http://www.flyingbeeranch.net/index.php

opus


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## Arne (Jan 9, 2017)

Jericurl said:


> I mixed my first batch of the year yesterday and pitched the yeast this morning.
> 
> It's my largest batch to date, just under 10 gallons.
> 
> ...



Did you give it a little nutrient boost? Sometimes honey needs it to help it finish out. Arne.


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## geek (Jan 9, 2017)

I always wonder about the taste of a honey mead....
Let's see if we can swap a bottle when we swap the vanilla fig port?


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## Jericurl (Jan 9, 2017)

Arne said:


> Did you give it a little nutrient boost? Sometimes honey needs it to help it finish out. Arne.


@Arne , yes, I'm doing a modified version of TiOSNA


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## Jericurl (Jan 16, 2017)

Racked this on 01/13/2017. SG was a little under 1.02, which is a bit early, but I knew I wouldn't have time to do it this weekend and since it was such a large open fermentation I didn't want it to go totally dry w/o being under an airlock.


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## winter_hunt (Jan 21, 2017)

Sounds like a great brew. Did you modify the TiOSNA much? In quantities, or timing?

I've heard about adding bananas (more pottasium?) -what's your experience with using them vs without?

Thanks!


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## Jericurl (Mar 8, 2017)

winter_hunt said:


> Sounds like a great brew. Did you modify the TiOSNA much? In quantities, or timing?
> 
> I've heard about adding bananas (more pottasium?) -what's your experience with using them vs without?
> 
> Thanks!



I used the calculator from here: http://www.meadmakr.com/batch-buildr/

and went with the 2nd nutrient regime. I used Ferm K, but skipped the DAP additions altogether. I consulted with a few experienced mead makers who have gone to not using any DAP at all with great results. So far it seems to have worked because this mead is already quite drinkable once you get past the suspended CO2.

As far as the bananas go, I add them to just about everything I make now. They just seem to give it a little more mouthfeel and even though the banana flavor does not translate out into the final product, I feel it definitely adds another element to the overall flavor profile.


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## Jericurl (Mar 8, 2017)

geek said:


> I always wonder about the taste of a honey mead....
> Let's see if we can swap a bottle when we swap the vanilla fig port?



Except I slacked off and waited too long and didn't get one of those kits. Sometime within the next month I will be making a high ABV fig mead. If it turns out well enough, I'll offer it up for an exchange.


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## Mortalpawn (Mar 8, 2017)

How high gravity are we talking? I've been starting some melomels in the 1.140's and even 1.150's with great results. Obviously you need a fruit with a lot of acid/tannins to pull it off.


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## Jericurl (Mar 9, 2017)

Mortalpawn said:


> How high gravity are we talking? I've been starting some melomels in the 1.140's and even 1.150's with great results. Obviously you need a fruit with a lot of acid/tannins to pull it off.



I haven't decided yet. I will most likely aim for 16-17%. As far as acid/tannins go, I'll likely add a wee bit of oak powder in primary and wait until it's a few months old to determine how much more to add at that point.


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## Whitehrs (Mar 10, 2017)

Jericurl,
My question is about the oak powder in the primary. Does the fall out of the lees, pull the oak with it? and what kind of effects could I expect from Oak chips in the secondary.. Say an oz of medium American (vs French)... Anyway. I would be very appreciative of any knowledge you can give.


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## Jericurl (Mar 10, 2017)

Whitehrs said:


> Jericurl,
> My question is about the oak powder in the primary. Does the fall out of the lees, pull the oak with it? and what kind of effects could I expect from Oak chips in the secondary.. Say an oz of medium American (vs French)... Anyway. I would be very appreciative of any knowledge you can give.



The oak powder in primary doesn't add a whole lot of oak flavor, but it does add some mouthfeel, bit of tannins, and creates another layer to the overall profile. I use bentonite in primary so by the time you rack to secondary, most of the powder has fallen out.
I'm just now getting into really experimenting with different oaks, American vs French. 
I am finding I like using the wee bit of powder over chips. The chips just seem to add an overpowering amount of oak very quickly.
I have also used cubes in secondary/tertiary and I really do like those as well because it seems like the oak amount is easier to control.

As far as differences in American and French oaks, I'm afraid I don't think my palate is quite refined enough to tell the difference. I really do need to do a side by side experiment so I can see if my mouth can find a noticeable difference.


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## pip (Mar 13, 2017)

I love the sound of this recipe thanks for sharing, i find it inspirational. So much so that I've been looking on the net all day to see where i can get some bulk raw honey in my area. I've heard that mead takes a long time in the bottle to balance out, based on this recipe when do you anticipate cracking open that first cork, as in how long between primary and drinking?


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## BernardSmith (Mar 13, 2017)

pip said:


> I love the sound of this recipe thanks for sharing, i find it inspirational. So much so that I've been looking on the net all day to see where i can get some bulk raw honey in my area. I've heard that mead takes a long time in the bottle to balance out, based on this recipe when do you anticipate cracking open that first cork, as in how long between primary and drinking?



I think that there are an enormous number of myths associated with mead that appear to be incredibly unfounded. Lower gravity meads can be ready for drinking almost as soon as beers - the secret (according to commercial meaderies willing to share their processes) is to heavily dose the must with nutrient (Fermaid O , for example); to pitch a very large colony of yeast (the preferred yeasts are often ale yeasts and not wine yeasts) and (seriously) to ferment at higher rather than lower temperatures (low gravity and high temps apparently favor ester production). I was able to bottle a batch within 3 weeks (fermented at 78 F) and opened a bottle at 6 weeks - which was in the opinion of some friends quite delicious - and which may very well yet improve over the next few months. (


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## Jericurl (Mar 13, 2017)

I second @BernardSmith 's post.

Careful planning and management can lead to a batch that is able to drink in mere weeks/months rather than years.

If you google mead maker and batch builder calculators, you can plug in your yeast type/nutrient level needed and find out exactly how much nutrients to add and how much yeast to pitch. I do still try to ferment with cooler temperatures and prefer using the wine yeasts. 
This has made an enormous difference in my mead.

Now, I still age for a long time for various reasons, but this particular batch is drinkable right now. Seriously. It's not crystal clear yet and definitely needs to be a little smoother, but it is better than both commercial traditional meads I've tried recently. That's not bad for 2.5 months old.


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## pip (Mar 24, 2017)

I read somewhere today that mead needs to be degassed twice a day for the first week of the secondary fermentation. That sounds strange to me, twice a day? Will you be doing that with this recipe Jericurl?


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## Jericurl (Mar 24, 2017)

pip said:


> I read somewhere today that mead needs to be degassed twice a day for the first week of the secondary fermentation. That sounds strange to me, twice a day? Will you be doing that with this recipe Jericurl?



The yeast needs oxygen throughout those first few very busy days, so yes, I attach a stirrer to my drill and mix a minimum of twice a day, regardless of what I'm making. Once SG falls below 1.02 or so, I lay off stirring so that lees, etc, have time to settle for a few days. Then once I'm below 1.01, I rack to secondary and put it under an airlock.


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## pip (Mar 24, 2017)

Oh yes, i know this. I always stir my primary twice a day but that's not 'degassing', actually its the opposite really. Perhaps what i read was referring to getting oxygen to the yeast and not degassing, as in removing c02 from the secondary twice a day.


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## Jericurl (Mar 27, 2017)

pip said:


> as in removing c02 from the secondary twice a day.



Eh, above is all I've ever done to my mead and it turns out fine.


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