Labels:text | font | black and white | paper | publication | number | printing | screenshot | document OCR: Dry Gingermead 80 degrees F. to help build a little car- Airlock Stops Bubbling 12 lbs. honey (ideally uncooked & un- bonation, and then age for 6 months in lem: Usually due to the fact that filtered) * a dark cool (55º F. is ideal) place before bulk of fermentation occurs in two 1/4 oz. dried powdered ginger* drinking. Unlike most beers, properly free days (see above). 1 1/2 oz. yeast nutrient stored mead improves as the years un- 1/4 oz. mead acid blend fold. The recipe in this article reaches tion: Usually not a problem. If the 2 packs dry Cote Des Blancs wine yeast its prime when stored for 2 years, but Ick never bubbles, check to see if 5 oz. corn sugar for priming will continue to mature and mellow for entation has occured by looking for several years. Like white wine, mead is vn rings on the inside of the fer- usually served chilled in a wine glass. ter. If there is a sediment on the *available at grocery stores le walls of the fermenter (above the Starting Gravity: 1.080, final 1.018 or less Simple at first glance, mead is a reward- t level) fermentation has started and ing beverage for the patient brewer, e is a leak in the seal on the fer- Procedure with a rich golden color and flowery iter lid. aroma that beckon the eye and nose as Bring 3 to 4 gallons of water to a boil and it is splashed chilled into a wine glass. ocks on plastic fermenters bubble stir in the 12 pounds of honey, stirring Properly brewed, mead has an almost ; than those on glass fermenters, as to prevent it from scalding on the pot dry, yet honey-like character, that lin- stic fermenter lids are never as tight bottom. Boil for 20 minutes (no longer, he stopper on a glass carboy. When extended bons will I cuuet uis gers on the tongue like nectar. re is only a small amount of gas being character of the honey), adding the gin- produced (as during the later stages of ger, yeast nutrient, and mead acid blend at the start of the boil. Common fermentation) the gas often finds it eas- ier to seep out the seal in the plastic lid Questions rather than push up the water in the air- After the 20 minute boil, cool to 90 de- lock. If you have any doubt about fer- grees or less and pour the honey wort mentation, always take a hydrometer into a fermenter, topping up to 5 gallons reading, as it is more accurate than re- with cold water. Prepare the yeast by mixing the two packs with 1/2 cup of 95 Over the past 14 years we have received lying on the airlock. to 105º F. water. Let the yeast sit for 10 many interesting phone calls on our Ad- minutes (no longer) in the warm water vice Line from you. Here are some of before stirring into the honey wort. the most common questions and their answers. Lack of Carbonation Fermentation will begin in about 16 Problem: Fermentation in the bottle hours. Let ferment in the fermenter for Apparent Stuck Fermentation has probably been hindered by low 20 days before transferring to a second- Problem: Fermentation appears to pro- (under 55 degree F.) or unsteady aging ary glass carboy fermenter. Let the ceed vigorously for a few days and then temperatures in the first 3 weeks after mead ferment and settle in the glass die out. bottling. carboy for an additional 30 days. The temperature during the entire ferment Solution: Check the beer with a hydrom- Possible solution: Transfer remaining cannot be allowed to drop below 68 de- eter. Usually it is fine, and the actual bottles to an area with a steady aging grees. fermentation has almost ceased because temperature of at least 60 degrees F. the fermentable sugars have largely and wait two weeks. The yeast will often After 50 days in the two fermenters, take been eaten by the yeast. If the hydrom- revive and carbonate the beer. a hydrometer reading. Depending on the composition of the honey used and eter reads near finishing gravity, the beer is probably fine. However, it still fermentation temperature, it should be needs a few additional days to give the William's Advice Line 1.018 or less, ideally close to 1.000. If the gravity is above 1.018 after 50 days yeast a chance to settle out of the beer before bottling. For answers to questions about of fermentation, stir the mead and place brewing with William's products, it in a warmer location for an additional 20 days. Take another reading after 20 A real stuck fermentation is when the call our Advice Department. days - if the gravity is unchanged, you specific gravity is near starting gravity, and does not drop over a period of 3 or If the question concerns fermenta- have a stuck fermentation and should tion (or apparent lack of fermenta- either add more yeast and yeast nutri- 4 days. Stuck fermentations are usually tion), please take a hydrometer ent, or throw the batch out and start caused by dramatic temperature varia- tions (20 degrees or more in a day) reading before calling, so we can again. Fortunately, stuck fermentations which can shock yeast, rendering it un- better assist you. are relatively rare providing adequate yeast nutrient is used and the tempera- able to continue. To fix a true stuck ture stays above 68º F. at all times. ferment, additional fresh yeast must be Our Advice Line is 510/895- added, and the beer placed in an area 2744, and is open Monday through Prime with the corn sugar and cap in with a very steady temperature (ideally Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time. 60º to 70º F.). True stuck fermentations beer bottles. Age for 2 weeks at 70º to are very rare with all malt beers. 37
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