Stupid Mistake With My Mead

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I bought my demijohns at my LHBS in Boronia Vic. From memory about $18-$20 each. If you're stuck after searching Sydney, PM me and I could get you some and freight up if necessary.

Can't imagine using clear glass for olive oil :blink: Sunlight on the oil turns it rancid in a very short time, which is why it is usually in a green or brown bottle.

I guess it is similar to beer in that regard.


Duck

Thanks for the offer Duck, I'll search my LHBS's see what they have first..

Yeh Olive Oil Bottles from Plasdene
http://www.plasdene.com.au/category/produc...IM-5LTR-1111-HF

I thought the same thing about the sunlight.. The demijohn Im using is very old and its made of brown glass, but I have also got it rapped up in a towel to stop the sunlight (I dont know if its necessary at this stage)..
 
Mine are clear glass.

I've had no issues with mead in indirect sunlight.

Maybe it is just in beer and olive oil ?


Duck
 
Mine are clear glass.

I've had no issues with mead in indirect sunlight.

Maybe it is just in beer and olive oil ?


Duck

Mead should be fine in clear glass. Its the hops in beer that go bad with light exposure and its the oils in olive oil. Mead has neither. Unless you made a hopped mead (which is very nice btw...)

Cheers
Dave

Edit: lets at least attempt to spell things correctly.
 
Could paint them green :lol:

I just got info from Plasdene. Apparently their smallest order is 8 bottles (or $100 value). It works out to $14.38 per bottle if you go there to pickup your order.
 
Could paint them green :lol:

I just got info from Plasdene. Apparently their smallest order is 8 bottles (or $100 value). It works out to $14.38 per bottle if you go there to pickup your order.


I have Lalvin EC-1118 yeast but I decided to use Bread Yeast (I know it has a low tolerance to alcohol) but its what I used the very first time I made mead, which coincidentally was the only time it tasted good. Any thoghts on using bread yeast???
 
I have Lalvin EC-1118 yeast but I decided to use Bread Yeast (I know it has a low tolerance to alcohol) but its what I used the very first time I made mead, which coincidentally was the only time it tasted good. Any thoghts on using bread yeast???

Other than don't?

As far as I am concerned bread yeast is a lottery. It may work one time but you have no idea what strain you just used or whether the next packet of bread yeast you open (even from the same manufacturer) will be the same.

At a couple of bucks a pack for dried wine yeast, go with a known quantity.

I know Brewer Pete will disagree.

The EC-1118 will leave you very dry. There are other years around that will leave things a bit sweeter. I have a couple of good strains for mead. If you shoot me a PM I might be able to set you up with some.

Cheers
Dave
 
Other than don't?

As far as I am concerned bread yeast is a lottery. It may work one time but you have no idea what strain you just used or whether the next packet of bread yeast you open (even from the same manufacturer) will be the same.

At a couple of bucks a pack for dried wine yeast, go with a known quantity.

I know Brewer Pete will disagree.

The EC-1118 will leave you very dry. There are other years around that will leave things a bit sweeter. I have a couple of good strains for mead. If you shoot me a PM I might be able to set you up with some.

Cheers
Dave


Ermm... its too late, but its not doing much anyway. Have I just ruined my Mead. I may have invented a new recipe for Bleach flavoured yeast beverage.. :icon_vomit:
 
I have heard of people using the Red Star yeast... I have a couple of packs of Red Star Cotes De Blancs at home for experimentation.

I have used both the top 2 below but cannot find a supplier for the D47 here in Oz.

I'd like to get my hands on some D47 to do another braggot at some stage.

Lalvin DV10 : This is "the original Champagne isolate," according to Lallemand, known in other contexts as Epernay. Its fermentation kinetics are strong over a wide temperature range (50-96 F) with relatively low oxygen and nitrogen demands. It is one of the most widely used strains in Champagne and is known for clean fermentations that respect varietal character while avoiding bitter sensory contributions associated with many other strains. It is highly recomended for both premium white and red varietals, mead and cider production, and many fruit, berry, vegetable, and herb wines. It is a fast fermenter with an 18% alcohol tolerance, is famous for its ability to ferment under stressful conditions of low pH, high total SO[size=-1]2[/size], and is low foaming with low volatile acid production.

Lalvin EC-1118 (Prise de Mousse) : This is the original, steady, low foamer, excellent for barrel fermentation or for working on heavy suspended pulps. It is one of the most popular wine yeasts in the world. It ferments well at low temperatures, flocculates well, and produces very compact lees. It is good for Champagne bases, secondary (bottle) fermentations, restarting stuck fermentations, and for late harvest grapes. It is also the yeast of choice for apple, crabapple, cranberry, hawthorn, and cherry wines. It has excellent organoleptic properties and should be in every vinter's refrigerator. Alcohol toxicity is 18% and it ferments relatively fast. It tolerates temperatures from 39-95 F. It is not, however, tolerant of concurrent malolactic fermentation.

Lalvin ICV-D47 (Ctes-du-Rhne) : This is a low-foaming quick fermenter that settles well and forms compact lees at the end of fermentation, although when left on the lees, ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus notes develop. This strain tolerates fermentation temperatures ranging from 50 to 86 F. and enhances mouth feel due to complex carbohydrates and high polysaccharide production. Malolactic fermentation proceeds well in wine made with ICV-D47. This strain is recommended for making wines from white varieties such as Chardonnay and for ros style wines. It is ideal for persimmon, peach, nectarine, paw-paw, and mango, as well as aromatic wines such as rose petal, elderflower, anise and woodruff. It is also an excellent choice for producing mead if supplemented with yeast nutrients, especially usable nitrogen. Its alcohol ceiling is 14%.


 
You can get D47 here but its only available in 1kg packs from wine suppliers. A bunch of us did a bulk buy a while back and split a kilo of a few strains.

I have -

D47,
DV10
S101
EC1118
71B

I'm doing a side by side fermentation at the moment with D47 and 71B.

The bread yeast mead may or may not work. As I said its a lottery. Taste and see...

Cheers
Dave
 
I had licorice growing all over my garden, does anyone know if it can be used in homebrews, or how to use it. I know its the root you use, they're all dried up now cause we pulled them all out.. its a weed and its already comming back.
 
Anyone know of a good supplier of Honey in Sydney.. there used to be someone who had a stall at the Pyrmont Growers Market, but I cant find them anymore.

Cheers :icon_cheers:
 
Anyone know of a good supplier of Honey in Sydney.. there used to be someone who had a stall at the Pyrmont Growers Market, but I cant find them anymore.

Cheers :icon_cheers:

The thing I have found with honey sup0pliers is that they are all, without exception, terrible at things like remembering to bring the stuff you ordered or returning phone calls or answering emails.

I used to have a supplier but he was just too unreliable. I'd arrange a time and place to meet. I'd show up with the cash. He wouldn't come. I'd ring and his missus would tell me he was in a completely different city. And that he'd sold all his stock anyway. And he'd not had whatever it was he had promised me for the last few years anyway. Useless.

There's a guy I am dealing with now who goes to the Thornleigh markets. He's better but it was still 6 months between me ordering a bucket and him remembering to deliver it to me.

I have a contact now at Beechworth who are one of the big producers. Its not supporting small, local growers or anything but I'm hoping I can get some level f reliable service.

Cheers
Dave
 
Anyone know if Costco sells honey???


I'll look when I go there this weekend :)

All else fails... if you are in Melbourne I have a reliable supplier but he has a limited range.

Volumes from 500 g -> 200 KG drums and many in between.

Regards


Duck
 
I'll look when I go there this weekend :)

All else fails... if you are in Melbourne I have a reliable supplier but he has a limited range.

Volumes from 500 g -> 200 KG drums and many in between.

Regards


Duck

Thanks Duck, I might look into getting a Costco membership, if its worth my while.. $55 per year

Im in Sydney :( .. Wholesalers in my area wont deal with the public, they would if I had a business or is it an ABN, one of those.

Also can anyone tell me, when would be a good time to bottle, if I want a semi dry sparkling result. My O.G was 1060.. its been slowly fermenting for a week now.
 
So for best yeast strain would you all agree its D47, because I may order some from ibrew, but it would be 500gm.

I just ordered some yeast today from esbeer.com.au, they were:

Vitners Harvest Mead/Cider SN9
Safbrew T-58
B/Craft Cider Yeast

Anyone used these and if so whats your opinions of them.. I may try my hand at cider or Perry.. or other fruit wines.

Whats a good fruit at the moment... would my juice extractor be useful in making wine?? I've been putting carrots and celery through it for years.
 
I have heard of people using the Red Star yeast... I have a couple of packs of Red Star Cotes De Blancs at home for experimentation.

I have used both the top 2 below but cannot find a supplier for the D47 here in Oz.

I'd like to get my hands on some D47 to do another braggot at some stage.

Lalvin DV10 : This is "the original Champagne isolate," according to Lallemand, known in other contexts as Epernay. Its fermentation kinetics are strong over a wide temperature range (50-96 F) with relatively low oxygen and nitrogen demands. It is one of the most widely used strains in Champagne and is known for clean fermentations that respect varietal character while avoiding bitter sensory contributions associated with many other strains. It is highly recomended for both premium white and red varietals, mead and cider production, and many fruit, berry, vegetable, and herb wines. It is a fast fermenter with an 18% alcohol tolerance, is famous for its ability to ferment under stressful conditions of low pH, high total SO[size=-1]2[/size], and is low foaming with low volatile acid production.

Lalvin EC-1118 (Prise de Mousse) : This is the original, steady, low foamer, excellent for barrel fermentation or for working on heavy suspended pulps. It is one of the most popular wine yeasts in the world. It ferments well at low temperatures, flocculates well, and produces very compact lees. It is good for Champagne bases, secondary (bottle) fermentations, restarting stuck fermentations, and for late harvest grapes. It is also the yeast of choice for apple, crabapple, cranberry, hawthorn, and cherry wines. It has excellent organoleptic properties and should be in every vinter's refrigerator. Alcohol toxicity is 18% and it ferments relatively fast. It tolerates temperatures from 39-95 F. It is not, however, tolerant of concurrent malolactic fermentation.

Lalvin ICV-D47 (Ctes-du-Rhne) : This is a low-foaming quick fermenter that settles well and forms compact lees at the end of fermentation, although when left on the lees, ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus notes develop. This strain tolerates fermentation temperatures ranging from 50 to 86 F. and enhances mouth feel due to complex carbohydrates and high polysaccharide production. Malolactic fermentation proceeds well in wine made with ICV-D47. This strain is recommended for making wines from white varieties such as Chardonnay and for ros style wines. It is ideal for persimmon, peach, nectarine, paw-paw, and mango, as well as aromatic wines such as rose petal, elderflower, anise and woodruff. It is also an excellent choice for producing mead if supplemented with yeast nutrients, especially usable nitrogen. Its alcohol ceiling is 14%.




Hey Duck,
The HomeBrew Shop has D-47.. check it out $2.20 http://www.uq.net.au/homebrew/pricelist3.htm

incase you still interested.
 
I just did the second racking of my mead, and it has started to make bubbles in the airlock again about 1 every 30 seconds, but there is no sign of fermentation, its crystal clear. Is this what they call malolactic fermentation, and should I have bottled it, rather than racking it to a clean demijohn???
 
I just did the second racking of my mead, and it has started to make bubbles in the airlock again about 1 every 30 seconds, but there is no sign of fermentation, its crystal clear. Is this what they call malolactic fermentation, and should I have bottled it, rather than racking it to a clean demijohn???

Its probably just gas coming out of solution. Its not likely to be maleolactic. It would still be cloudy is it was.

I usually bottle as soon as they clear with only 1 racking (2 if I'm using a lot of fruit) as I don't use any sodium met (missus is allergic) so they oxidise very easily.

Cheers
Dave
 
It doesnt taste that good, I have orderd French Oak Chips medium toasted as they were recommended for wines, the American Oak was recommended for whisky and other spirits.

My O.G was 1.060 and F.G 1.000, I used 1.5kg honey to 4-4.5Ltr of Water, it does not have alot of taste at the moment.. will this improve with age, or addition of the oak chips..??? :( :(

Im not happy JAN. :angry:
 

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