Strawberry Melomel #2 - Updates

4/29 6:00 PM - Smells like a hobo is using my bathroom as a fart balloon!  Measured the SG @ 1.068, pH=3.4, Temperature = 59F.  The must is too cool so I raised the temperature of the water bath to 16C.  To help with the stinky ass I added 4g of Fermaid-K.  I also added 4/5 of a gallon of the must that I had reserved for later.  This raised the SG to 1.070, pH = 3.5, and lowered the temperature to 58F.

4/30 1:00 PM  - Damn it the stink is back!  I added 2g of Fermaid-K and 2g of DAP. SG=1.056, pH=3.5

4/30 10:00 PM - Checked on the fermentation and the stink is gone.  The temperature is = 64F.

Strawberry Melomel #2 - Update (pH problem...)

Aerated the must with the sanitary filter bubble wand for 20 minutes this afternoon.  Measured the SG @ 1.078.  The problem was the pH.  Its dropping quickly, today it was 3.3.  pH is a problem for the yeast if it drops to 3.2 or lower.  So I added 1 teaspoon of Asian Lye water that had been mixed into an 8oz glass of water.  I stirred it in gently and was surprised to see quite a bit of foam come out of the must.  This was after aeration after all so I didn't think there would be that must dissolved CO2 still...

Anyways, I'll give it a few hours then check the pH again.  I see how much that teaspoon of lye water moved the pH and make a proportional addition if need to bring the pH back to 3.4.

I tasted the pH sample and it was still very clean, still sweet, but quite a bit of acid bite to it.  Tasted like strawberries and honey still.  The alcohol hasn't become much more noticeable but it must be there.  So for it has dropped 34 points and that means about 4.7% abv.

Speaking of points, it occurs to me this is just about to the 1/3 break.  I'm going to add 2.5g of Fermaid-K tonight for the occasion!  Really though, since I over shot the fermaid-k at the last addition I'll cut back on the 1/3 break amount.  I've update the recipe to reflect the nutrient addition schedule changes...


Update: 3:00PM - Measured the pH and it is now at 3.4  So I am going to let it be for now but I'll be checking frequently to ensure this doesn't drop below 3.2.  I also punched the fruit cap.

Strawberry melomel #2 - added nutrients

Started to smell some off odors.  Thought it may be H2S so I  jumped the gun and added the second dose of nutrients ahead of schedule.  Added 6g of DAP, and 9.5g of fermaid-k.  Measured the specific gravity at 1.090.  This has dropped 20 points so far and tastes good as well .  Very clean, nice acid, the alcohol is just becoming noticeable.

Temperature remains stable at 60F.  The airlock is now moving along at a good rate. Much like the last batch this is going fast.  I'm a bit surprised because of the low temperature though... 

Aerated the must with a vigorous stirring.

Update: 1:46am and good news.  The smell is gone now...completely.  Lets see if I got it cut off at the pass.  Unlike last time... pH=3.5

Aerating the strawberry melomel.

Aerated the strawberry melomel tonight.  Measured the specific gravity at 1.108.  Temperature of the must is 60F.  pH is ... I didn't measure it! (Sad panda...)

Bubble Wand Aeration... 20 minutes.

Aeration plus a shot of my temperature controlling rig...

Strawberry Melomel #2 - Update (Lag phase over)

This morning the mead was bubbling every second or more so I decided the lag phase must be over.  I added 8g of Fermaid-K and 6g of DAP to a cup of water then mixed that into the mead.  The mead was right at 64F so I set the water bath temperature controller to 58F.  Things are coming along nicely.


-Update:  This afternoon I checked on the batch at lunch.  The SG is @ 1.110, Temperature of the must is @ 62F.  Bubble rate is picking up to two bubble per second or so.

Pictures of the strawberry mash

Yummy!

Strawberry Melomel #2 - The mead is in the making! Brewlog Started

I made good on my plans and the mead is now truly underway.  Here is the full procedure in case I or you want to follow it some day.

Day 1:
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Ingredients:

• 9 pounds of fresh strawberries
• 8 pounds of frozen strawberries
• 4 teaspoons of Pectic Enzyme
• 2 grams of Potassium Metabisulfite
• 1 Gallon Spring or Tap water

Procedure:

• Wash and hull the fresh strawberries.  Place them into a solution of Star San for a few minutes then rinse with fresh water and drain.
• Crush the frozen strawberries in their bags.
• Sanitize a fermentation bucket along with a large fruit bag.
• Smash the fresh berries and add them to the bag along with the crushed frozen berries.
• Add 1 Gallon of water to the berries.
• Dissolve 2g of K-Meta in a cup of water and add to the berries.
• Dissolve 4 teaspoons of Pectic Enzyme in 2 cups of water and add to the berries.
• Mix the berries well then install the bucket lid.
• Leave this mixture for 24 hours.

Day 2:

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Ingredients:

• 16.5 Pounds of Clover Honey
• 1.5 Gallons of Spring Water
• 250ml of H2O @ 110F\
• 12.5 grams of Go-Ferm
• 10 grams Lalvin 71B Yeast

Procedure:

• Press the fruit bag and express as much as the juice as possible.  Set aside the solids.
• In a small bucket or container add 1 gallon of spring water.
• Using a stick blender whip the honey into the water.  You'll have to do this in two batches or so.
• Using the stick blender whip the honey/water mix into the strawberry juice.  This should ensure a homogeneous mixture as well as a good amount of oxygenation.
• Add water until the Specific gravity is ~1.110 (this batch was 1.112)
• Measure the pH (this batch was 3.7)
• Reserve 1 Gallon of must in a bottle and place in the fridge until needed.
• Heat 250ml of H20 to 110F
• Measure 12.5 grams of Go-Ferm and add to the heated water
• Mix well and wait until the temperature drops to 104F
• Sprinkle 10 grams of Lalvin 71-B Yeast into the Go-Ferm mixture.
• Wait 15 minutes.
• Add 125ml of the prepared must and mix gently
• Wait 20 minutes.
• Add 250ml of prepared must and mix gently
• Wait 30 minuets.
• Measure the temperature of the must and of the yeast starter.  They should be less than 10 degrees different.
• Pitch the yeast into the must and mix well.
• Place into a water bath @ 16C

*Notes:  The must was @ 72F and the yeast was @ 78F at the time of pitching.  The yeast starter was fermenting quite well and producing a good foam cap before pitching.  The water bath is @ 15.8C.

Day 3:

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Ingredients:

• 8g Fermaid-K
• 6g DAP

Procedure:

• After the lag phase mix the nutrients into a cup of water. 
• Aerate and degas the must.
• Mix the nutrient solution into the mead.

Ongoing:

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Aerate and degas daily until the SG reaches 1.090. Then add 9.5g of Fermaid-K and 6g of DAP as per the last nutrient addition.

Continue to aerate and degas daily until the SG reaches 1.075.  Then add 2.5g of Fermaid-K as per the nutrient addition procedure.

Swirl and degas daily but do not aerate until the SG reaches 1.055.  At this point remove the strawberries using the fruit bag.  Do not press the berries too much.  Top off the fermenter using the reserved gallon of must.  Add 4g of Fermaid-K as per the nutrient addition procedures.

Swirl daily but do not aerate the fermenter until the fermentation stops.  Once the mead goes dry and the SG stops dropping wait one week then rack into a carboy.  Stabilize with 50ppm of K-Meta and K-Sorbate.

Wait one to two months for it to drop clear.  If it does not drop clear in two months rack it anyway. 71B is not good to age on lees.  At this racking back sweeten to 1.010-1.015 is desired.  Add 25-50ppm K-Meta.

Wait ~3 months and rack again if there is any significant amount of sediment.  If it is crystal clear take three SG measurements, one week apart each.  If the SG doesn't change, bottle it.