Jao The Ultimate Beginners Mead Recipe

[FuzzyDropbear]

Hey mate, not sure why it hasn't cleared, mine was clear after about 2 and a bit months. What temp has it been sitting at? I had mine sitting at about 17 degrees to help fermentation along, otherwise it would have stalled here in the Ballarat winter.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

Mine wasn't crystal clear when I crash chilled it. It cleared up heaps at ~2 degrees though.

 

[nuggetron]

Is it worth sampling/gravity testing, or should i just sit tight for a bit longer?

Sample yes
good to learn how its going
mine was put down on boxing day and is still going so it depends on a variety of factors, i did a big 15 litre batch and im sure this affected the time
i bottled it thinking it was done, but wasnt 100% sure so put plastic bags over the bottles held down with rubber bands and the bags kept inflating suggesting fermentation, thats one way to go if you not sure if its finished once a week or so i just empty the bag and keep repeating until it doesnt do it anymore, i think another month for mine and it will be perfect

 

[thanme]

It's just been in the cupboard, so who knows?? That being said, over the last couple of months has been pretty cold in our house, so it could just be slower because of that.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll sample this weekend and give the bag trick a go. That's a clever one

 

[nuggetron]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll sample this weekend and give the bag trick a go. That's a clever one

that was a mistake the fact that it was on a bag, i bottled it thinking it was finished then when i opened to show my mum it hissed and was like oh crap it isnt finished

 

[thanme]

Right, so I gave them both a test, and apart from tasting amazing, one is sitting on 1.045 and the other on 1.042. oddly enough, the mead on 1.045 is the one where all the oranges have sunk. I thought it would be the other way around.

One thing I should note is that I didn't add the "top up" water after the foaming, because I didn't actually see any major foaming activity during the first week.

I guess these still have a fair bit to go right? There's certainly nothing wrong with them, so I'll just leave them for at least another 4 weeks and see where we're at.

 

[nuggetron]

i failed to top up the water as well

 

[brettprevans]

mmmmm mead... after about 14 months. nectar :icon_drool2:

 

[thanme]

i failed to top up the water as well

What gravity did it finish up at??

mmmmm mead... after about 14 months. nectar :icon_drool2:

Wow! That's some serious patience

 

[WarmBeer]

mmmmm mead... after about 14 months. nectar :icon_drool2:

Did you end up kegging it, CM?

The JAO's I've done have been uncarbonated, it turns out like a desert wine. Wondering how it would be with a little "spritz" in it...

 

[brettprevans]

Did you end up kegging it, CM?

The JAO's I've done have been uncarbonated, it turns out like a desert wine. Wondering how it would be with a little "spritz" in it...

half went into the keg (lightly carbed) then bottles and half just bottled straight away and is uncarbed. I think the light carbing adds something. It it a little desert wine-y as its a sweet mead. If it was drier it wouldnt need carbing. it would be delicious carbed but it wouldnt need it

 

[nuggetron]

4.6 litres of mead bottled after 9 months
still got another 5 in the brewing barrel but no bottles
cant wait till tasting session tonight

 

[The_Duck]

While checking on my fermenters in the garage yesterday, I took a few mins to take a sample from my mead that I have had sitting there for over 2 years.

It is a basic sack mead and was approx 3.5:1 (Water:Honey) mix.

It poured out beautifully clear with a desert wine aroma and 100 mls or so kicked like a mule

Looks like I have about 20 litres of this to bottle in the near future.

For any of you Melbourne Brewers out there, I will be bringing a sample bottle to the October meeting. I'd suggest no more than a sip if you are driving or better yet get a designated driver and enjoy a larger measure

Duck

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

mmmmm mead... after about 14 months. nectar :icon_drool2:

No negative changes?

I seem to remember reading somewhere in this thread Brewer Pete saying this was not a mead for ageing...perhaps it was not a mead that required ageing? I know it's the general rule for 'other' meads....I managed to get some discipline and cellar a couple bottles from my first batch and am going to try some long cellaring with the next lot as well.

The JAO's I've done have been uncarbonated, it turns out like a desert wine. Wondering how it would be with a little "spritz" in it...

I put a couple of my very dessert winey meads through a carbo cap. Pretty nice. I prefer it still, but an interesting taste anyway...

 

[damo_m]

Nice one, I like it. Anyone got a good place to buy a 5 litre demijohn setup with airlock and rubber stopper?

 

[WarmBeer]

Demijohn

Bung

Airlock

Not so hard now, was it?

 

[damo_m]

Demijohn

Bung

Airlock

Not so hard now, was it?

nah, thanks for that. I wanted to use this smaller 5 litre demi to produce random experiments. For secondary fermentation do you transfer into bottles or can you add sugar and keep it all in the demi with a secure lid ? I have never used glass and the thought scares me a little due to over fermenting and blowing up.... lol...

 

[WarmBeer]

nah, thanks for that. I wanted to use this smaller 5 litre demi to produce random experiments. For secondary fermentation do you transfer into bottles or can you add sugar and keep it all in the demi with a secure lid ? I have never used glass and the thought scares me a little due to over fermenting and blowing up.... lol...

Have another read of the recipe. It's a still mead, no carbonation, so no need to add any sugar at bottling.

You want to give it at least 3 months in the primary fermenter, then bottle straight from there. Then just forget about it for 6 months, and it will magically transform into nectar of the gods.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I made this 4 days ago and don't see much action in the Demi. I pitched 2 packs of bread yeast dry as per instructions but still nothing. Might go get another yeast pack from the shop.... How long has the yeast been sitting on the shelf in the supermarket? Who knows but im getting worried about bacteria taking over before the yeast get a hold of it.

 

[WarmBeer]

I made this 4 days ago and don't see much action in the Demi. I pitched 2 packs of bread yeast dry as per instructions but still nothing. Might go get another yeast pack from the shop.... How long has the yeast been sitting on the shelf in the supermarket? Who knows but im getting worried about bacteria taking over before the yeast get a hold of it.

Where in the instructions does it say "2 packs of bread yeast"? Have a look at Page 1, for a 3.8lt batch (i.e. demijon sized) it calls for 1 tsp of bread yeast.

I suspect the reason you're not seeing anything is because all that yeast has completed fermentation within a 12 hour period.

Mmmmm, yeasty...