| |
Main
Date: 30 Sep 2006 01:29:08
From: Brian Campbell
Subject: Started my first mead
|
I just had my first introduction to brewing, by way of mead. I've been
meaning to try brewing for a while, but haven't gotten around to it,
until my girlfriend prodded me enough into starting a batch of mead
(she really likes mead, and it's pretty hard to find commercially
around here). Here's what I've done so far. I realize that I probably
should have let it cool more before pitching the yeast (and measuring
the OG), but it's late and I need to get to bed. Any other comments?
What should I be looking at for a FG?
Clover Mead
15 lbs McClure's clover honey
1=BC tsp yeastex
1 packet Pasteur Champagne yeast
Water to fill 5-gallon carboy
2006/09/30
Boiled 1 gallon water, took off heat
Added honey & yeastex, pasteurized @ 135=B0F for 20 minutes
Poured into carboy w/cold water
Rehydrated yeast @ 100=B0F
OG: 1.095 @ 95=B0F
Pitched yeast in 95=B0F carboy, put airlock on, placed in 65-70=B0 room
Also, while I was at my LHBS, I picked up a beer kit, so I can have an
introduction to brewing beer. It's Munton's Nut Brown Ale, and it comes
with hopped liquid malt extract, and some instructions. The
instructions say to add sugar or dry malt extract, and since I like my
beers dark and malty, I picked up some Munton's dark spraymalt extract.
The problem is, I realize after I got it that the recipe is for a 6
gallon batch (5 UK gallons), and I only have access to 5 gallon carboys
(I'm borrowing them). Should I reduce the amount of dry malt extract
and water, and just have a slightly hoppier brew, or do you think I
should try and do a 5 gallon batch and a 1 gallon batch at the same
time?
|
|
| |
Date: 30 Sep 2006 18:43:46
From: Dick Adams
Subject: Re: Started my first mead
|
Brian Campbell <unlambda@gmail.com > wrote:
> I just had my first introduction to brewing, by way of mead. I've been
> meaning to try brewing for a while, but haven't gotten around to it,
> until my girlfriend prodded me enough into starting a batch of mead
> (she really likes mead, and it's pretty hard to find commercially
> around here). Here's what I've done so far. I realize that I probably
> should have let it cool more before pitching the yeast (and measuring
> the OG), but it's late and I need to get to bed. Any other comments?
> What should I be looking at for a FG?
>
> Clover Mead
> 15 lbs McClure's clover honey
> 1=BC tsp yeastex
> 1 packet Pasteur Champagne yeast
> Water to fill 5-gallon carboy
>
> 2006/09/30
> Boiled 1 gallon water, took off heat
> Added honey & yeastex, pasteurized @ 135=B0F for 20 minutes
> Poured into carboy w/cold water
> Rehydrated yeast @ 100=B0F
> OG: 1.095 @ 95=B0F
> Pitched yeast in 95=B0F carboy, put airlock on, placed in 65-70=B0 room
Parteurizing temperature is 160F
> Also, while I was at my LHBS, I picked up a beer kit, so I can have an
> introduction to brewing beer. It's Munton's Nut Brown Ale, and it comes
> with hopped liquid malt extract, and some instructions. The
> instructions say to add sugar or dry malt extract, and since I like my
> beers dark and malty, I picked up some Munton's dark spraymalt extract.
> The problem is, I realize after I got it that the recipe is for a 6
> gallon batch (5 UK gallons), and I only have access to 5 gallon carboys
> (I'm borrowing them). Should I reduce the amount of dry malt extract
> and water, and just have a slightly hoppier brew, or do you think I
> should try and do a 5 gallon batch and a 1 gallon batch at the same
> time?
I suggest you just make a 5 gallon batch. You'll have a higher OG
and a higher ABV.
Dick
|
| |
Date: 30 Sep 2006 11:39:39
From: Brian Campbell
Subject: Re: Started my first mead
|
Zaphod Beeblebrock wrote:
> Other opinions may differ, but I think you are abusing your yeast. I never
> subject them to more than 85F. I think they will die at 110F? (I could be
> mis-remembering but I'm not going to look it up right now.
Well, that's what the instructions on the packet said; they said to
rehydrate at 100-105=B0F. I actually just guestimated, by making sure
the water was just about body temperature or a bit over. And the
airlock is bubbling away nicely this morning, so I think the yeast is
doing fine.
I recall when someone was teaching me to bake bread that they told me
to rehydrate the yeast in about as warm water as you could comfortably
put your hand in; if it was too hot for you, it would kill the yeast,
but they liked it warm. And I know that when you want to pasteurize
something and kill the wild yeast, you're supposed to get it up to
140=B0F or so for 20 minutes.
> As for the ale- *I* would just do the whole thing for 5 gallons. I'm not a
> stickler for "style".
Sounds good to me. I guess it'll just make a bigger beer.
|
| | |
Date: 02 Oct 2006 15:46:21
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Started my first mead
|
On 30 Sep 2006 11:39:39 -0700, <unlambda@gmail.com > wrote:
> Zaphod Beeblebrock wrote:
>
>> Other opinions may differ, but I think you are abusing your yeast. I never
>> subject them to more than 85F. I think they will die at 110F? (I could be
>> mis-remembering but I'm not going to look it up right now.
>
> Well, that's what the instructions on the packet said; they said to
> rehydrate at 100-105°F. I actually just guestimated, by making sure
> the water was just about body temperature or a bit over. And the
> airlock is bubbling away nicely this morning, so I think the yeast is
> doing fine.
>
> I recall when someone was teaching me to bake bread that they told me
> to rehydrate the yeast in about as warm water as you could comfortably
> put your hand in; if it was too hot for you, it would kill the yeast,
> but they liked it warm. And I know that when you want to pasteurize
> something and kill the wild yeast, you're supposed to get it up to
> 140°F or so for 20 minutes.
There's a lot of debate over whether rehydrating brewing yeast is even
necessary. Personally, I skip it and my beers turn out fine. The amount
of dry yeast they give you in a packet is so high, that even if you loose
some of them from not rehydrating, you still have plenty.
Like the other poster said, the concern with rehydrating is that if you
do it at too high of a temp you can do more harm than good. IMO, the
benefit you get from rehydrating is so small that it's not really worth
it. The yeast works fine without it.
>> As for the ale- *I* would just do the whole thing for 5 gallons. I'm not a
>> stickler for "style".
>
> Sounds good to me. I guess it'll just make a bigger beer.
I'd either just make 5 gallons and have it be stronger, or else scale back
slightly on the ingredients to turn the 6 gallon recipe into a 5 gallon
recipe. The idea of trying to make a 5 gallon and a seperate 1 gallon
batch just sounds like a lot of extra work.
John.
|
| |
Date: 30 Sep 2006 17:38:45
From: Zaphod Beeblebrock
Subject: Re: Started my first mead
|
On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 01:29:08 -0700, Brian Campbell wrote:
> I just had my first introduction to brewing, by way of mead. I've been
> meaning to try brewing for a while, but haven't gotten around to it, until
> my girlfriend prodded me enough into starting a batch of mead (she really
> likes mead, and it's pretty hard to find commercially around here). Here's
> what I've done so far. I realize that I probably should have let it cool
> more before pitching the yeast (and measuring the OG), but it's late and I
> need to get to bed. Any other comments? What should I be looking at for a
> FG?
>
> Clover Mead
> 15 lbs McClure's clover honey
> 1¼ tsp yeastex
> 1 packet Pasteur Champagne yeast
> Water to fill 5-gallon carboy
>
> 2006/09/30
> Boiled 1 gallon water, took off heat
> Added honey & yeastex, pasteurized @ 135°F for 20 minutes Poured into
> carboy w/cold water
> Rehydrated yeast @ 100°F
> OG: 1.095 @ 95°F
> Pitched yeast in 95°F carboy, put airlock on, placed in 65-70° room
>
> Also, while I was at my LHBS, I picked up a beer kit, so I can have an
> introduction to brewing beer. It's Munton's Nut Brown Ale, and it comes
> with hopped liquid malt extract, and some instructions. The instructions
> say to add sugar or dry malt extract, and since I like my beers dark and
> malty, I picked up some Munton's dark spraymalt extract. The problem is, I
> realize after I got it that the recipe is for a 6 gallon batch (5 UK
> gallons), and I only have access to 5 gallon carboys (I'm borrowing them).
> Should I reduce the amount of dry malt extract and water, and just have a
> slightly hoppier brew, or do you think I should try and do a 5 gallon
> batch and a 1 gallon batch at the same time?
Other opinions may differ, but I think you are abusing your yeast. I never
subject them to more than 85F. I think they will die at 110F? (I could be
mis-remembering but I'm not going to look it up right now.
As for the ale- *I* would just do the whole thing for 5 gallons. I'm not a
stickler for "style".
--
Falcon's Rest
Zymurgical Alchemy
First Inter-Galactic Guild House Of
The Brotherhood Of St. Cathode Of Anode
|
|
