First ever batch of mead underway

[Parsonage Bees]

Several elderberry bushes were cut down to get enough blossom for my first ever batch of mead. Flowers going over.
Going for lemon and elderflower using some 19% water honey from last August.

 

[BigAshW]

Made up a fiver gallon batch of my usual recipe using left over honey from last season, bubbling away behind the armchair nicely. Only two years to wait until I find out if it's a good batch.

 

[The Poot]

Made up a fiver gallon batch of my usual recipe using left over honey from last season, bubbling away behind the armchair nicely. Only two years to wait until I find out if it's a good batch.

I’ve not made a good batch yet. It always ends up sort of astringent and unpalatable.
My best home brew has been nettle beer. That is a great drink, chilled, on a hot day.

 

[BigAshW]

I’ve not made a good batch yet. It always ends up sort of astringent and unpalatable.
My best home brew has been nettle beer. That is a great drink, chilled, on a hot day.

That's one reason I mature for two years. Young mead can be very harsh in my experience so after primary fermentation I rack into a five gallon glass carboy and leave for two years before bottling.

 

[Sutty]

I’ve not made a good batch yet. It always ends up sort of astringent and unpalatable.
My best home brew has been nettle beer. That is a great drink, chilled, on a hot day.

If you have a recipe for the nettle beer I'd love to see it.

 

[The Poot]

That's one reason I mature for two years. Young mead can be very harsh in my experience so after primary fermentation I rack into a five gallon glass carboy and leave for two years before bottling.

Ah that could be where I’ve gone wrong. Too impatient!

 

[The Poot]

If you have a recipe for the nettle beer I'd love to see it.

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/nettle-beer-recipe

Try this. I usually add a little more lemon and more sugar - to increase the zest and the alcoholic content.
Once in the bottles you need to “burp” them for a few days to avoid explosions. If you then want to add more sugar, you can and it will have a light second fermentation and the drink will be very nicely fizzy and … er …heady.

There are several recipes on the net, some need a demijohn, some go straight into bottles. I found straight into bottles the best as the demijohn route lost the fizziness pretty much altogether.

Early Spring young nettles are by far the best - just the top few inches. Once they start growing seeds, they are too harsh.

Cheers!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

mature for two years.

!! TWO YEARS !!
I think it has stopped fermenting. Three weeks. 15degC in back hall on the quarry tile floor. I understand lower, slower fermentation a good idea. ?
I have to test the specific gravity now, yes? Then rack it off into demijohns.
And find some demijohns to allow it to mature.
. . . . Ben

 

[BigAshW]

I don't think mead minds sitting on the lees much so I'm not usually in a big rush to rack off the first batch although recipes vary and I've never used elderflower temperature varies according to yeast strain I believe but I always use Lalvin D47 so haven't really experienced any of the other yeasts.
Although I did make a batch with bread making yeast during lockdown which came out ok.

I start mine at 1.110og then test before the first rack. If it's dried right out then I'll add some more honey and rack to secondary and leave for two years. Then before bottling I'll taste test and back sweeten if required after halting the yeast.

I have two five gallon glass carboys so as I'm bottling one I start the next batch.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Thanks for the advice. Used Lalvin K1-V1116. started at 1.120og. Googled the yeast and it's a generic white wine yeast. If bread making yeast works then this probably will. We had a mead making session at the association and I was given it. Didn't make any notes so I'm progressing stage by stage.

Nettle beer could be my next batch.