Making Mead From Set Honey

[Millet]

I have around 25lb of Honey that i have tried to soft set three times now and it just keeps ending up the same..it sets like concrete again with a of colour cream/yellow appearance..another two bucket i did prior to this one turned out lovely at the first attempt and went pretty quick..
Anyway rather than launching it into space can it be used for making mead..? ..bearing in mind it has been heated to 45C three times.. i have never made mead before so if i fail i would like to know if it was the honey or my mistake..
Cheers
Steve.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Anyway rather than launching it into space can it be used for making mead..? ..bearing in mind it has been heated to 45C three times.. i have never made mead before so if i fail i would like to know if it was the honey or my mistake..

No problem, it will not set solid like concrete if you use it for making mead... as you would be adding it to a lot of water.

 

[Millet]

No problem, it will not set solid like concrete if you use it for making mead... as you would be adding it to a lot of water.

I know that give me some credit for the love of god.. lol ..it is the 3x 45c heating that got me thinking..

 

[oliver90owner]

Credit (only) where it is due, I say.

At least something has got you thinking (at last). That may be good after all the time you have been on the forum.

You will fail if you try to make mead at 45 C.

 

[enrico]

I don't see a problem but then I have never tried it.how about selling it to a professional mead maker. Sounds like an easier alternative!
E

 

[For want of a better word]

Honey cider or honey beer... or even flog it off as Bakers....

I have yet to try a mead that tastes ... nice..... OK for knocking up a sweet Sangria with plenty of red wine vodka and fruit juice... even Vimto!!

Chons da

 

[Millet]

I don't see a problem but then I have never tried it.how about selling it to a professional mead maker. Sounds like an easier alternative!
E

Obviously i have never tried it but you never know till you give it a go..what i have read up on it makes it seem fairly easy to do and if it fails i have only lost the honey that i would have binned anyway..i do not know any professional mead makers and i have no intention of looking for any..the reason for my thread was to see if the honey would be ok to use and by the sound of it the set honey will be fine once dissolved in water..
Thanks
Steve.

 

[Millet]

Credit (only) where it is due, I say.

At least something has got you thinking (at last). That may be good after all the time you have been on the forum.

You will fail if you try to make mead at 45 C.

I know.. that is why i will be cranking the warming cabinet up to 60C ..

 

[Poly Hive]

As you are dissolving the honey in hot water the set aspect is a minor detail.

What may well happen is that the flavour of the mead may well be compromised, but the only way to find out is to go for it.

Mead must is low on yeast nutrient so don't be stingy with adding it. You want a high alcohol tolerant yeast and go for 3-4 pounds of honey per gallon.

Sometimes it takes off and will be finished in three weeks and sometimes it can take months.

Good luck

PH

 

[Millet]

As you are dissolving the honey in hot water the set aspect is a minor detail.

What may well happen is that the flavour of the mead may well be compromised, but the only way to find out is to go for it.

Mead must is low on yeast nutrient so don't be stingy with adding it. You want a high alcohol tolerant yeast and go for 3-4 pounds of honey per gallon.

Sometimes it takes off and will be finished in three weeks and sometimes it can take months.

Good luck

PH

Thank you P.. i have got the demijohns and air locks but i have not started as yet..i have not had time to get any yeast or yeast nutrient/feed do you have any recommendations as to what type/ brand is best for mead.. if it fails i have little to loose so it is worth a bash..

 

[For want of a better word]

Thank you P.. i have got the demijohns and air locks but i have not started as yet..i have not had time to get any yeast or yeast nutrient/feed do you have any recommendations as to what type/ brand is best for mead.. if it fails i have little to loose so it is worth a bash..

Try a light mead... 10lb of your set honey to 1 gallon good quality water
half a jar of Marmite and a sprinkle of a Champagne ( sparkling wine) yeast.
Place in a warm place untill fermentation has ceased... bottle and wire corks in place.

Leave in cool shed for 5 to 10 years... sample after 6 months and then at weekly intervals until it is to your taste or all gone.

Enjoy!

 

[masterBK]

10 lb to a gallon is hardly light and far too much honey even for a sweet mead. The fermentation is likely to stick. Around 4 to 4.5 lb is more commonly used for a sweet mead and 3 lb for a dry one. I use a sauterne yeast.

Many mead makers use a dedicated mead yeast Lalvin D47

 

[Millet]

10 lb to a gallon is hardly light and far too much honey even for a sweet mead. The fermentation is likely to stick. Around 4 to 4.5 lb is more commonly used for a sweet mead and 3 lb for a dry one. I use a sauterne yeast.

Many mead makers use a dedicated mead yeast Lalvin D47

Thank you and all sensible comments..

 

[oliver90owner]

Many mead makers use a dedicated mead yeast Lalvin D47

Not true. it may well be appropriate but certainly not a ‘dedicated yeast for mead’. There are lots of yeasts and one thing that might be a decider on choice would be the final ABV. High alcohol wines need different yeasts t o those of lower ABV.

From the net “LALVIN ICV-D47

Lalvin ICV-D47 is a Côtes du Rhône isolate for the production of complex whites with citrus and floral notes, and for full-bodied, barrel fermented Chardonnay and other white varietals. When left on lees, ripe, spicy aromas with tropical and citrus notes are developed.”

Alcohol tolerance is about 14%, so the mead will remain sweet only with relatively high starting gravity musts, so it may depend on how you want your mead to finish. Higher ABV meads may need champagne yeasts to ferment out.

 

[For want of a better word]

Not true. it may well be appropriate but certainly not a ‘dedicated yeast for mead’. There are lots of yeasts and one thing that might be a decider on choice would be the final ABV. High alcohol wines need different yeasts t o those of lower ABV.

From the net “LALVIN ICV-D47

Lalvin ICV-D47 is a Côtes du Rhône isolate for the production of complex whites with citrus and floral notes, and for full-bodied, barrel fermented Chardonnay and other white varietals. When left on lees, ripe, spicy aromas with tropical and citrus notes are developed.”

Alcohol tolerance is about 14%, so the mead will remain sweet only with relatively high starting gravity musts, so it may depend on how you want your mead to finish. Higher ABV meads may need champagne yeasts to ferment out.

Thanks Tractor Man!

My strong mead probably uses twice the amount of honey than the run of the mill recipe book mediocre stuff... The Campaign yeast do ferment out to a higher alcohol content... touching 20% more like a liqueur if it works!
Maarrmite provides the yeast nutrients... and is far cheaper than the nutrients sold in 5g sachets.... as much as Apipoxall!

Yeghes da