OVHA Chat

Due to my exposure of some great meads through the club, I am ready to give this a whirl. I have a basic question. Does this ferment using lager yeast of ale yeast? Thanks.

I prefer dry meads so I use a dry wine yeast.

I made plum mead this week and tried this liquid yeast for my disquisting friends who prefer sweet. Actually, they would have probably preferred I used more honey than I did.

(White Labs) WLP720 Sweet Mead/Wine

A wine yeast strain that is less attenuative than WLP715, leaving some residual sweetness. Slightly fruity & will tolerate alcohol concentrations up to 15%. A good choice for sweet mead & cider, as well as Blush wines, Gew

Any ale yeast will work as will champagne yeast. Might try using champagne yeast and killing the yeast when the mead is as dry as you like it. Left to ferment completely, results will be very dry, similar to a dry white wine.

I remember you telling me about killing the yeast at the meeting. I also vaguely remember you telling me what you used for that. However, I believe it was more than a one syllable word, so I might need a gentle reminder. I would like to keep it fairly sweet. The mead, not this forum.

To keep things sweet (mead, that is) use sweet mead yeast or use potassium sorbate at a rate of 1/2 tsp per gallon to stop fermentation. You can get it at Co-op.

Finally got around to making my first mead today. I used 20# of wildflower honey. Kind of pricey. That is sure a lot easier than brewing a batch of beer. I think I may give the one that DeWayne posted a try, as well.

Here is the reply to my inquiry from the Hunter Honey Folks. I have used their honey in the past. They even carry a complete beginner beekeeping outfit.

Do you still sell bulk raw honey in gallon jugs? If so, what is the current
price. I and a couple of my friends are trying our hands at Mead-making.
Thanks.

We do carry 12 lb buckets of raw honey, the cost is $28.75. We also have a
60 lb bucket at $123.95. Just in case the mead turns out great and you want
more!

Good luck and let us know if we can supply the honey.

Kara
Hunter's Honey Farm
3440 Hancock Ridge Rd.
Martinsville, IN 46151
765-537-9430
www.huntershoneyfarm.com
...making life sweeter.

Kentucky Honey Farm
222 1/2 Crabtree Avenue
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 688-8513

Is in Owensboro, they are a little more expensive, 5lbs - $16 or 5g for $125. but it might save you on shipping and or the drive.

WOW!! 20# of honey. Is that a 5 gallon batch? If so, seriously high gravity mead. Is there such a thing as imperial strength mead?

It is 5 gal. It started fermenting in 3 hours. I added another shot of yeast tonight. The recipe calls for more yeast 24/48/72 hours after the initial yeast introduction. Do you think I need to move the bucket to a more secure location? Like a concrete vault. I think that if it is not very good tasting, we will never know it.

Correction. I am adding Yeast Nutrient every 24 hours.

Is oxygen as damaging to the mead as it is to beer?

i friend of mine was talking to the girl that sells honey at the flea market and got her to give her the info on where she gets her honey. I don't have any idea on his prices or quantity but i figured I would share the info.

Rodger Huff
1-812-598-0250

I'm not sure what company he is with or anything since I've not had a chance to call him. If anyone does call let us know.

Made a batch of mead today. It will probably sit in a carboy for several months. Need to have it done for a spring wedding next year.
3 Gallons

9# honey
3tsp yeast nutrient
Water to make 3 gal.
Lalvin 1118 yeast

I'll add some acid blend near the end of fermentation if necessary. Just found out the yeast does better w/o the acid. There was a mead segment on Basic Brewing Radio