Mead - Revision history

Johnno at 00:44, 29 November 2012

2012-11-29T00:44:55Z

Johnno: /* Method */

2012-11-28T22:49:51Z

Method

Johnno: /* Decanting, settling and ageing */

2012-11-28T22:44:51Z

Decanting, settling and ageing

Johnno at 21:55, 28 November 2012

2012-11-28T21:55:35Z

Johnno: /* Equipment */

2012-11-13T07:14:48Z

Equipment

Johnno: /* Bottling */

2012-11-13T07:06:07Z

Bottling

Johnno: /* Decanting, settling and ageing */

2012-11-13T07:02:22Z

Decanting, settling and ageing

Johnno: /* Equipment */

2012-09-12T00:35:28Z

Equipment

Johnno at 04:15, 10 September 2012

2012-09-10T04:15:27Z

Johnno: /* Starting the brew */

2012-09-10T01:50:51Z

Starting the brew

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:44, 29 November 2012
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	=== Bottling ===		=== Bottling ===
		+
		+	[[Image:Meadbottles.jpg\|right\|frameless\|One gallon makes a dozen 375 ml bottles.]]

	Bottle once the SG is under 1005 by siphoning from the demijohn directly into clean sterile bottles. Affix label, and store ideally for at least 6 months; '''mead greatly improves with age.'''		Bottle once the SG is under 1005 by siphoning from the demijohn directly into clean sterile bottles. Affix label, and store ideally for at least 6 months; '''mead greatly improves with age.'''

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 === Brewing ===
-Leave for 3-4 weeks in a place that has a steady temperature slightly above ambient room temperature (ideally 26°C) and out of direct light. This might be simply wrapping a blanket around it and stashing it in a cupboard, or putting it next to the hot water cylinder. Yeast will die in hot weather, so do not exceed 40°C.
+Leave for 4-6 weeks in a place that has a steady temperature, ideally 26°C which is slightly above ambient room temperature, and out of direct light. This might be simply wrapping a blanket around it and stashing it in a cupboard, or putting it next to the hot water cylinder. Yeast will die in hot weather, so do not exceed 40°C. Room temperature or below is also fine, but it will simply take longer. My brew was averaging 18°C and took 9 weeks.
 === Decanting, settling and ageing ===

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 Once the yeast has stopped and settled out, the SG should have hopefully reached about 1005. Gently decant the finished brew into another sterilised demijohn, taking care not to disturb or include any sediment. Although the sediment yeast can be saved and reused in future batches, it can eventually become contaminated with unwanted microbes which spoil brews.
-'''Fining''' is the addition of "finings" (some form of colloid) to a cloudy brew, in order to help settle out the very fine particulates, leaving behind a crystal clear liquid. There a lots of different types of finings, but simple gelatin works well enough. To a gallon of mead, add ¼ teaspoon of gelatin to about 3 tablespoons of hot water, and stir until dissolved, then tip into the decanted brew and stir gently. Leave for 2-3 days.
+'''Fining''' is the addition of "finings" (some form of colloid) to a cloudy brew, in order to help settle out the very fine particulates, leaving behind a crystal clear liquid. There are many different types of finings, but simple gelatin works well enough. For a gallon of mead, add ¼ teaspoon of gelatin to about 3 tablespoons of hot water, and stir until dissolved, then tip into the decanted brew and stir gently. Leave for 2-3 days.
 With this decanted brew, we may like to do several things:

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 <div style="float: right">__TOC__</div>
 == Equipment ==
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 == Comments ==
 Yeast consumes glucose and other sugars to produce carbon dioxide, which is released through the one-way blooper air lock, and alcohol. As the alcohol content rises, the yeast will eventually "finish", where it dies at a certain alcohol threshold. Different yeasts have different alcohol tolerance: ordinary baking yeast about 3 percent, beer yeasts 5 to 8 percent, and wine yeasts 12 to 15 percent. Very generally, if the yeast is killed before all the sugar has been consumed, the resulting brew will be sweet. On the other hand, if the sugar in the brew depletes before the yeast dies from alcohol, the brew will be dry. Sometimes this is deliberate, since adding a small amount of sugar during bottling will re-awaken the yeast in the bottle, producing more CO₂ in the bottle, and result in a sparkling wine, or beer with a "head", and hopefully not a basement coated in sticky brew residue and full of broken glass.

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 * a funnel
 * a small empty glass bottle or jar
 [[Image:Demijohn.jpg|right|frameless|A typical one gallon demijohn.]]

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 === Bottling ===
-;TODO: Bottle it and leave it for a while.
+Bottle once the SG is under 1005 by siphoning from the demijohn directly into clean sterile bottles. Affix label, and store ideally for at least 6 months; '''mead greatly improves with age.'''
 === Freeze distillation ===

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 === Decanting, settling and ageing ===
-;TODO: Haven't got here yet!
+Once the yeast has stopped and settled out, the SG should have hopefully reached about 1005. Gently decant the finished brew into another sterilised demijohn, taking care not to disturb or include any sediment. Although the sediment yeast can be saved and reused in future batches, it can eventually become contaminated with unwanted microbes which spoil brews.
-Once the yeast has settled out, gently decant the finished brew into another sterilised demijohn, taking care not to disturb or include any sediment. Although the sediment yeast can be saved and reused in future batches, it can eventually become contaminated with unwanted sulphur-metabolising microbes which spoil brews.
+'''Fining''' is the addition of "finings" (some form of colloid) to a cloudy brew, in order to help settle out the very fine particulates, leaving behind a crystal clear liquid. There a lots of different types of finings, but simple gelatin works well enough. To a gallon of mead, add ¼ teaspoon of gelatin to about 3 tablespoons of hot water, and stir until dissolved, then tip into the decanted brew and stir gently. Leave for 2-3 days.
-With this decanted brew, we may need to do several things:
+With this decanted brew, we may like to do several things:
 # Add oak shavings, to "age" the brew, tasting daily for a buttery smoothness. This could be fun as I have no idea what it should taste like. This will also give it something to develop while it sits around in bottles for months.
 # Infuse with a careful selection of herbs to make absinthe - e.g. lavender, mugwort, wormwood or ''other''.

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 You will need:
-* a one gallon (4.5 litre) demijohn
+* a one gallon (4.5 litre) demijohn and cork
-* cork
+* a blooper (S-bend air lock)
 * a hydrometer
 * a sink full of hot soapy water

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 Measure 4.5 litres of water into the large clean skillet, bring to the boil, and leave to cool with the lid on. This is to reduce oxygenation and minimise natural airborne microbes, and may take an hour or two. When the temperature has dropped to just above blood-warm (about 40°C) add the juice of a lemon and about 1100 g of honey (see ''Calculations'' below) and stir gently to dissolve using a whisk, taking care not to unnecessarily aerate the brew by disturbing the water surface. Using the funnel, pour the brew into the demijohn, reserving ¼ cup into a small sterilised bottle.
-When the brew in the small bottle has cooled to luke-warm (about 25°C) Add the wine yeast and leave for 10 minutes to activate. Once the demijohn has cooled to ambient temperature, pour the yeast mixture into the brew, re-cork, and swirl gently to mix.
+When the brew in the small bottle has cooled to luke-warm (about 25°C), add the wine yeast, seal and shake well, and leave for 10 minutes to activate. Once the demijohn has cooled to ambient temperature, shake the yeast mixture again and pour it into the brew. Re-cork the demijohn and swirl gently to mix.
 === Brewing ===