I've been lazy about the mead but today something got done...
The melomel is crystal clear and looking good. I tasted it and found it to be quite flat. It really needs some twang to it. So I drew a 200ml sample and added a 10% w/w solution of acid blend (citric, malic, and tartaric) to it in measured amounts. I ended up adding 8ml of the solution (8g) and though it was a bit heavy on the acid.
I also didn't want to add THAT much acid all in one go. My calculation said to add 80g!
0.8g Acid/200ml Wine=0.004g/ml of acid
0.004g/ml=4g/Liter
5g/Liter * 20Liters = 80g Acid Blend
Too much for me to add at once, so I ended up adding 30g of Acid blend.
Here are the rest of the stats:
pH = 3.6
Free SO2 = 50ppm
Molecular SO2 = 0.8 ppm (RIGHT on the money!)
Gravity = 1.014
Taste Observations: Now I can taste that banana! Woo its really in front. The Strawberry flavor is lacking as of yet. Otherwise it is a nice drink. The alcohol is fairly strong on the nose and somewhat on the tongue. Overall this is good and should be a lot better in a few more months. I'm going to let this acid addition blend for a month and then re-taste.
Showing posts with label Strawberry Banana Melomel #1 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strawberry Banana Melomel #1 2012. Show all posts
Monday, July 16, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Taste, SO2, pH and SG Testing for everyone...
I bought a set of SO2 test titrets. They are expensive! $2 a pop in a pack of 10...
Here are the results and some commentary:
Strawberry Banana Melomel
-pH = 3.7
-Free SO2 = 40ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 0.51
-Specific Graviyt = 1.008
The molecular SO2 is on the low side. I would like to bump this up to 0.8ppm so I need to add 23ppm free SO2 (63ppm total). I am going to assume that 20% of any added SO2 will get bound so that means a final addition of ~29ppm of SO2. The batch size is ~19L so that means 551mg of SO2. Since K-Meta is 52% so that means 1.059g of K-Meta all-in-all...
The taste of this batch is very nice. In fact, I would say this was drinkable right now. But age will do it better. At this time the strawberry is not quite up front and lacks a lot of the berry flavor. The banana is in the background at a very low level. But my wife, who hates bananas, says the banana is very strong and powerful. ??? Anyways, this one will be ready to bottle in a few months. I plan on starting to sample a bottle here and there around Christmas.
Strawberry Melomel
-pH = 3.3
-Free SO2 = 50ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 1.57ppm
-Specific Gravity = 0.998
The molecular SO2 is a bit high for this dry mead. It really doesn't need above 0.8ppm. But, that's fine, I expect the level to drop over the aging period. So I'll just take this as being protected for the long run.
Overall the taste of this one is BONE dry with a big acid bite. Still showing some bitter/harsh flavors along with a harsh mouth feel. However, the aroma is very nice strawberry and not a hint of the H2S I had before. It looks like the copper/splash did the trick. Overall, I would say this mead has a potential and should really shine in a year or so. I think I will back sweeten this one to around 1.010-1.012 to offset that acid bite.
Pineapple Coconut Melomel
-pH = 3.9
-Free SO2 = 150ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 1.21ppm
-Specific Gravity - ????
Okay, first the pH... I guess that MOUNTAIN of coconut I added to this mead forced the pH upwards a good deal. Last I checked this mead was in the 3.4 range. And because of the higher pH I have missed my desired Molecular SO2 level of 1.8 by a good margin. I wanted to get it to 1.8 to help keep down any nasty beasts that may have been riding on that dried coconut. The big problem is that the test kits don't test above 150ppm of free SO2. So I guess I'm stuck here. I will go ahead and mix in some K-Sorbate to help stabilize this for the long haul.
The taste is quite unpleasant right now. The mead is still way too young to event start taking a guess at what this will be like in the end. I can say this: The Pineapple is present and bold. The Coconut is already coming out big time. The honey is lost but I think it may come back after some time.
Further observation is that the coconut oil has risen to the top of the carboy. There isn't a whole bunch of it but it is a very noticeable layer. I'm going to leave it for now as it is a fully saturated oil and protect by an airlock from oxygen. I hope this means it won't go rancid in the next few months while I age this on the coconut.
I didn't take a gravity reading because I haven't back sweetened it yet. That will come after I rack this off of the coconut.
Finally we have the Orange Zest Traditional:
-pH = 3.9
-Free SO2 = 28ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 0.23ppm
-Gravity = 1.006
The pH of this combined with the low SO2 is causing a very low Molecular SO2 level. This isn't good. I will have to do something about it. At this pH I'll need almost 100ppm Free SO2 to get my desired Molecular level. I just might have to add acid as well as SO2 to achieve my goal. I'll think about it.
The taste of this batch has turned ugly. It is slightly sweet and there is a lot of honey essence. With the qualities it is a nice mead, but there is this BRUTAL bitterness to it. I don't think it is the orange zest, I was careful not to add the pith. Whatever the cause of this flavor, I would only drink a glass if you paid me to. Perhaps a bit of acid would help to balance the sweetness. But the bitter flavor is the killer. I'll add some acid here in the next few weeks and bottle it in a few months. I don't have much hope but who knows.
Here are the results and some commentary:
 |
| Tasty Tasty |
-pH = 3.7
-Free SO2 = 40ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 0.51
-Specific Graviyt = 1.008
The molecular SO2 is on the low side. I would like to bump this up to 0.8ppm so I need to add 23ppm free SO2 (63ppm total). I am going to assume that 20% of any added SO2 will get bound so that means a final addition of ~29ppm of SO2. The batch size is ~19L so that means 551mg of SO2. Since K-Meta is 52% so that means 1.059g of K-Meta all-in-all...
The taste of this batch is very nice. In fact, I would say this was drinkable right now. But age will do it better. At this time the strawberry is not quite up front and lacks a lot of the berry flavor. The banana is in the background at a very low level. But my wife, who hates bananas, says the banana is very strong and powerful. ??? Anyways, this one will be ready to bottle in a few months. I plan on starting to sample a bottle here and there around Christmas.
 |
| You've got potential kid |
-pH = 3.3
-Free SO2 = 50ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 1.57ppm
-Specific Gravity = 0.998
The molecular SO2 is a bit high for this dry mead. It really doesn't need above 0.8ppm. But, that's fine, I expect the level to drop over the aging period. So I'll just take this as being protected for the long run.
Overall the taste of this one is BONE dry with a big acid bite. Still showing some bitter/harsh flavors along with a harsh mouth feel. However, the aroma is very nice strawberry and not a hint of the H2S I had before. It looks like the copper/splash did the trick. Overall, I would say this mead has a potential and should really shine in a year or so. I think I will back sweeten this one to around 1.010-1.012 to offset that acid bite.
 |
| Wait and see |
-pH = 3.9
-Free SO2 = 150ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 1.21ppm
-Specific Gravity - ????
Okay, first the pH... I guess that MOUNTAIN of coconut I added to this mead forced the pH upwards a good deal. Last I checked this mead was in the 3.4 range. And because of the higher pH I have missed my desired Molecular SO2 level of 1.8 by a good margin. I wanted to get it to 1.8 to help keep down any nasty beasts that may have been riding on that dried coconut. The big problem is that the test kits don't test above 150ppm of free SO2. So I guess I'm stuck here. I will go ahead and mix in some K-Sorbate to help stabilize this for the long haul.
The taste is quite unpleasant right now. The mead is still way too young to event start taking a guess at what this will be like in the end. I can say this: The Pineapple is present and bold. The Coconut is already coming out big time. The honey is lost but I think it may come back after some time.
Further observation is that the coconut oil has risen to the top of the carboy. There isn't a whole bunch of it but it is a very noticeable layer. I'm going to leave it for now as it is a fully saturated oil and protect by an airlock from oxygen. I hope this means it won't go rancid in the next few months while I age this on the coconut.
I didn't take a gravity reading because I haven't back sweetened it yet. That will come after I rack this off of the coconut.
 |
| Poison? |
-pH = 3.9
-Free SO2 = 28ppm
-Molecular SO2 = 0.23ppm
-Gravity = 1.006
The pH of this combined with the low SO2 is causing a very low Molecular SO2 level. This isn't good. I will have to do something about it. At this pH I'll need almost 100ppm Free SO2 to get my desired Molecular level. I just might have to add acid as well as SO2 to achieve my goal. I'll think about it.
The taste of this batch has turned ugly. It is slightly sweet and there is a lot of honey essence. With the qualities it is a nice mead, but there is this BRUTAL bitterness to it. I don't think it is the orange zest, I was careful not to add the pith. Whatever the cause of this flavor, I would only drink a glass if you paid me to. Perhaps a bit of acid would help to balance the sweetness. But the bitter flavor is the killer. I'll add some acid here in the next few weeks and bottle it in a few months. I don't have much hope but who knows.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Triple Mead Racking Day
I got off my lazy ass this last weekend and racked the three Meads that were needing it. The Strawberry Banana Melomel, Orange Zest Traditional Mead, and the straight Strawberry Melomel.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Racked the Strawberry Banana Melomel
The strawberry melomel got racked. I sweetened it with 1.5 lbs of honey. Added 50ppm of K-Meta and 1.25 tsp of K-Sorbate. As per standard protocol I added 2.5 tsp of Bentonite just like with the Traditional.
Pics:
 |
| Just before Racking |
 |
| Racking underway. Auto siphons ROCK! |
 |
| Racking onto the Honey |
 |
| Racked and racked |
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Strawberry Banana Melomel #1 2012 - PICTURES
Strawberry Banana Melomel #1 2012 Brewlog
Yeast Starter: Finished 3/16 9:00PM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Must Prep - Finished 3/16 11:00PM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/17 11:00AM
---------------------------------------------
Acclimate starter to the must:
3/17 12:37PM Placed in a 18C (65F) Water Bath in the bathtub.
Added more yeast - 3/17 4:40PM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
One bubble every 30 seconds...
Got nervous regarding the starter as this is not what I would normally have done so I went to the
HBS and purchased more 71B yeast.
Heated 250ml of Spring Water to 110F in a sanitized glass 2 cup measuring cup
Added 12.5g of GoFerm and waited for it to cool to 104F
Gentley stirred in 10g of 71B Yeast
Waited 15 minutes then added 120ml of Must
Waited 15 minutes then added 170ml of Must
Waited 15 minutes, Yeast temperature = 78F, Must temperature=64F
3/17 4:40PM Pitched Yeast slurry
Aerated 15 minutes with santized air filter and bubble wand
Nutrient Addition - 3/18 10:00AM
-------------------------------------------------------
Wow the fermentation is going crazy. I can not count the bubbles they are going so fast.
Measured SG = 1.090 @ 65F
Water bath @ 64F
Added 2.8g DAP & 2.8g Fermaid-K to 150ml of Spring Water
Mixed must to release gas
Started Areation with Santized Air and bubble wand.
Added nutrient mixture
Aeration for 15-20 minutes
3/18 - 8:40PM
-----------------------------------------------
Noticed Sulfur Smell. The fermentation rate is still going super strong. It is going so fast I will be at 1/3 break before morning.
So I will plan on adding the last nutrient dose in the AM. Hopefully it will not be too far past it. If SG is below 1/2 sugar then I will add the nutrients but not aerate any more.
Measured SG = 1.078 @ 66F, pH=3.7
Water Bath @ 65F
Stirred and Sanitized aeration for 20 minutes to drive out the Sulfur Smell...
3/18 - 10:40PM
------------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfur Smell still present so I am going to add some nutrients... As of this addition I will have added 188ppm of Nitrogen to the must. I am still planning on adding the 1.8g of Fermaid-K and DAP just before 50% sugar. This will yield a total added nitrogen content of 217.6ppm. I estimate the Honey to have ~15ppm nitrogen but I do not have an estimate for the strawberries... I hope they are adding enough to get the must to a total of 300ppm as recommended for this brix.
-Mixed 2g Fermaid-K and 2.8g DAP to 150ml of spring water.
-Stirred the must to release CO2 then mixed in the nutirents.
3/18 11:50PM
------------------------------------
Sulfur smell is mostly gone now. Much better. Air lock is still going nuts with about 10 bubbles per second (estimate becuase I can't count them!)
Measured must temperature @ 66F, Water Bath @ 65F
3/19 7:30AM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfur smell is very slight. This will be the last aeration I do.
-Measured SG=1.066 @ 66F
-Started Sterile Filtered Aeration through bubble wand (20 minutes)
-Added 1.3g DAP and 1.3g Fermaid-K in the normal spring water mix
-Used Rum instead of sanitizer in the air lock due to bubble formation and loss of liquids...
3/19 2:20PM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfide smell coming back!!!
-Measured SG=1.057 @ 67F
-Added 1g Fermaid-K and 1g DAP in 150ml spring water
-NO AERATION
3/19 8:45PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfide smell is much stronger... I'm adding some more nutrient as that seems to help. The rum as airlock fluid is doing quite well. The bubble rate is still goings crazy ~5 bubbles per second since the change to rum.
-Measured SG=1.050 @ 68F, pH=3.6
-Added 1.5g Fermaid-K and 1.5g DAP mixed in 150ml of spring water.
-No Aeration as it is past the 1/2 sugar mark.
-The taste is still nice strawberry, honey, yeasty, and a little bit of bitterness is starting to show up. Assume this is the yeast and
Alcohol flavors comming into play as the sugar is eaten up.
3/21/10 8:00PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Swirled the bucket and took a gravity reading. SG = 1.014 @ 67F
3/22/10 8:30PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Swirled the bucket and took a gravity reading. SG = 1.008 @ 66F. pH= 3.6
Fermentation is slowing down. Airlock is ~2 seconds per bubble.
3/31 8:00PM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Took a reading: SG=1.004. Took nine days to drop 4 points. I figure this is pretty much done. So I racked it into a 6 Gallon Better Bottle along with 10 pounds of bananas and 35ppm of SO2. Planning on letting this sit on the bananas for a month then racking off the fruit and back sweetening as needed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Boiled Clover Honey & Spring Water (1 Qt. Total Volume) in microwave. Sg=1.055.
- Capped and cooled to 72F.
- Added .6g Fermaid-K to Starter Must
- Boiled 150ml of water and cooled to 110F.
- Added 6.25g GoFerm and Mixed
- Cooled to 102F then Sprinkled on 5g 71B yeast.
- Waited 15 minutes then added 150ml of Starter must
- Waited 15 minutes then added 150ml of Starter must
- Waited 15 minutes then transferred the Starter must and Yeast slurry to 1 gallon Sanitized Jug
- Bubbled air through inline sanitizing filter for 5 minutes using a bubble wand
- Installed Airlock and stored in a dark place
- Proceeded to prepare the must
Must Prep - Finished 3/16 11:00PM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Sanitized Blender and all parts
- Used blender with bottled spring Water to rough chop all of the frozen strawberries.
- Poured strawberries into a strainer bag inside a sanitized plastic bucket primary fermenter
- Add 96oz can of Strawberry wine base to the bag.
- Poured in Spring Water to 4.5 Gallons.
- Strain out the fruit very well using sanitized hands and set bag in a sanitized metal bowl for later.
- Added 4 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
- Added 6 tsp. K-Meta Sulfite Solution (equivalent to 6 camden Tabs)
- Heated ~15 lbs. Clover/Blackberry Honey and poured into a sanitized 2 Gallon Bucket.
- Brought 1 Liter of tap water to a boil and poured into the bucket
- Using a sanitized stick blender combined the honey and hot water
- Use the stick again when pouring the honey mixture into the fermenter on top of the strawberry juice
- Adjusted Total Liquid Volume to 5 Gallons
- Measured the SG = 1.106 @ 58F & pH @ 3.8
- Added 1 Tablespoon Lye Water and mixed well
- Measured pH @ 4.3
- Placed three large handfuls of sanitized marbles into the fruit bag.
- Tied the bag closely closed and put into the fermenter massaging the bag to mix must into the pulp
- Installed Lid and plug the airlock port.
- Stored in a cool place.
3/17 11:00AM
---------------------------------------------
Acclimate starter to the must:
- Must Temperature = 63F, SG=1.104
- Added 1 Cup of must to the starter
- Waited 20 minutes
- Added 1 Cup of must to starter
- Waited 20 Minutes
- Added 2 Cups of must to starter
- Waited 40 Minutes
- Added Starter to must
- Added 4.5g Fermaid-K & 4.5g DAP, disolved in 150ml Spring Water, according to HighTest's SNA Schedule
- Aerated with Sanitized Air filter and bubble wand for 20 minutes.
- Installed Airlock
3/17 12:37PM Placed in a 18C (65F) Water Bath in the bathtub.
Added more yeast - 3/17 4:40PM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
One bubble every 30 seconds...
Got nervous regarding the starter as this is not what I would normally have done so I went to the
HBS and purchased more 71B yeast.
Heated 250ml of Spring Water to 110F in a sanitized glass 2 cup measuring cup
Added 12.5g of GoFerm and waited for it to cool to 104F
Gentley stirred in 10g of 71B Yeast
Waited 15 minutes then added 120ml of Must
Waited 15 minutes then added 170ml of Must
Waited 15 minutes, Yeast temperature = 78F, Must temperature=64F
3/17 4:40PM Pitched Yeast slurry
Aerated 15 minutes with santized air filter and bubble wand
Nutrient Addition - 3/18 10:00AM
-------------------------------------------------------
Wow the fermentation is going crazy. I can not count the bubbles they are going so fast.
Measured SG = 1.090 @ 65F
Water bath @ 64F
Added 2.8g DAP & 2.8g Fermaid-K to 150ml of Spring Water
Mixed must to release gas
Started Areation with Santized Air and bubble wand.
Added nutrient mixture
Aeration for 15-20 minutes
3/18 - 8:40PM
-----------------------------------------------
Noticed Sulfur Smell. The fermentation rate is still going super strong. It is going so fast I will be at 1/3 break before morning.
So I will plan on adding the last nutrient dose in the AM. Hopefully it will not be too far past it. If SG is below 1/2 sugar then I will add the nutrients but not aerate any more.
Measured SG = 1.078 @ 66F, pH=3.7
Water Bath @ 65F
Stirred and Sanitized aeration for 20 minutes to drive out the Sulfur Smell...
3/18 - 10:40PM
------------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfur Smell still present so I am going to add some nutrients... As of this addition I will have added 188ppm of Nitrogen to the must. I am still planning on adding the 1.8g of Fermaid-K and DAP just before 50% sugar. This will yield a total added nitrogen content of 217.6ppm. I estimate the Honey to have ~15ppm nitrogen but I do not have an estimate for the strawberries... I hope they are adding enough to get the must to a total of 300ppm as recommended for this brix.
-Mixed 2g Fermaid-K and 2.8g DAP to 150ml of spring water.
-Stirred the must to release CO2 then mixed in the nutirents.
3/18 11:50PM
------------------------------------
Sulfur smell is mostly gone now. Much better. Air lock is still going nuts with about 10 bubbles per second (estimate becuase I can't count them!)
Measured must temperature @ 66F, Water Bath @ 65F
3/19 7:30AM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfur smell is very slight. This will be the last aeration I do.
-Measured SG=1.066 @ 66F
-Started Sterile Filtered Aeration through bubble wand (20 minutes)
-Added 1.3g DAP and 1.3g Fermaid-K in the normal spring water mix
-Used Rum instead of sanitizer in the air lock due to bubble formation and loss of liquids...
3/19 2:20PM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfide smell coming back!!!
-Measured SG=1.057 @ 67F
-Added 1g Fermaid-K and 1g DAP in 150ml spring water
-NO AERATION
3/19 8:45PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sulfide smell is much stronger... I'm adding some more nutrient as that seems to help. The rum as airlock fluid is doing quite well. The bubble rate is still goings crazy ~5 bubbles per second since the change to rum.
-Measured SG=1.050 @ 68F, pH=3.6
-Added 1.5g Fermaid-K and 1.5g DAP mixed in 150ml of spring water.
-No Aeration as it is past the 1/2 sugar mark.
-The taste is still nice strawberry, honey, yeasty, and a little bit of bitterness is starting to show up. Assume this is the yeast and
Alcohol flavors comming into play as the sugar is eaten up.
3/21/10 8:00PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Swirled the bucket and took a gravity reading. SG = 1.014 @ 67F
3/22/10 8:30PM
--------------------------------------------------------------
Swirled the bucket and took a gravity reading. SG = 1.008 @ 66F. pH= 3.6
Fermentation is slowing down. Airlock is ~2 seconds per bubble.
3/31 8:00PM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Took a reading: SG=1.004. Took nine days to drop 4 points. I figure this is pretty much done. So I racked it into a 6 Gallon Better Bottle along with 10 pounds of bananas and 35ppm of SO2. Planning on letting this sit on the bananas for a month then racking off the fruit and back sweetening as needed.
Strawberry Banana Melomel Recipe
Strawberry Banana Melomel Mead #1 2012
Volume: 5 Gallons
Starting Gravity: 1.106
Estimated a.b.v - 14%
Ingredients
- Primary
- ~15 lbs of Clover/Blackberry honey blend
- ~4 Gallons of spring water
- 96 oz. Can of Strawberry Fruit Base (Vinter's Harvest)
- 8 lbs of Frozen Strawberries
- 4 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
- 6 camden tablets (or equivalent for 70ppm SO2)
- Fermaid-K
- DAP
- 18.75g GoFerm
- 15g Lalvin 71B-1122 Yeast
- Potassium Carbonate/Sodium Bicarbonate mixture (Asian Lye Water) to adjust pH upwards
- Secondary
- 10 lbs of peeled fresh whole bananas
- 3 Camden Tables (or equivalent of 35ppm SO2)
Equipment
- 6.5 Gallon Plastic Bucket Fermenter with a lid and airlock
- Fine Mesh Large Fruit Bag / Grain Bag
- 6 gallon better bottle plastic Carboy
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