So I made mead. With a gift set for Beer. 1 gallon jar, airlock basic siphon and thermometer. 4 jars of manuka honey one jar of clear normal to make 1.5 kg honey. Dates for natural honey. Used a yeast think it was L-118 champagne yeast. Dropped off at day 10.. Decided to cold crash cleared in 48 hours and stabilized with potassium sorbate. Incredibly dry after 3 weeks now. My first brew. Fancied an experiment. Leant a lot watching your videos. Thank you.
Hmm, now I’m in two minds which format I like most. This format is very good to get a quick overview of the steps needed, but the longer ones with Derica are more entertaining
Hah! Called the 13.77% ABV because that was the exact numbers my plum wine had when I racked it today. Nice video. Love the long formats, but liked the condensed version for a change of pace.
I have a need for mead! Seriously, though, my wife and I taste-tested a basic hydromel last night that was based off of one of your recipes, and even though she doesn't like honey, she asked for more! That's how good it was. It went down smooooooth! I'll definitely be making it again! Thanks. Oh, and I like the new format. 😃
Hey guys, long time fan, I've left some comments on alt accounts but I think this video is a great intro to the process of brewing! I recently put together a recipe that I thought was quite interesting that was inspired by another creator's videos on UA-cam, basically a caramel kilju. I started with 2 pounds of sugar in a pot, stirred constantly on low heat until it all got melty and caramelized, then dissolved it into some water (as well as a large 12 oz cup of black tea for tannins) After I transferred what was there into a 1 gal fermenter, I topped it up and the gravity wasn't exactly where I wanted it so I added another 8oz of sugar to get to an OG of 1.105. Threw in some EC-1118 and its been bubbling away quite vigorously for a few days now. The entire time I was putting it together, it smelled like smoky homemade hard candy. All I could think is that this would be a great brew to oak when it's done. I was a little concerned about making unfermentable sugars, and the low amount of nutrition available (no fermaid-O on hand) so we'll see if it ferments dry. Cheers!
I have a batch of rum wash I attempted to invert by simmering with acid blend for around an hour, sounds vaguely similar to yours but I didn't carmelize and started the brew with some phosphourea nute in the mix. It stalled out at 1.020 from an OG of 1.091 and I haven't been able to get it going again even after adding some fermax nute and another pitch of DADY so I think I did end up with unfermentable sugars (DADY should be able to easily go all the way from .091). Smells and tastes good though!
I've been making mead for 2yr now and have learned a lot from this channel. Now I simply it so much - mix the mead, come back in 3 months and bottle. Done. If you see bubbles within a day or two you're off fermenting, and when you taste it at the end and the sweetness is where it's supposed to be (given the yeast and how much honey you used) then there is no worry about further fermentation. I also use old whisky, gin, vodka or rum bottles with corks, so worst case a cork will get pushed up. Most of the time I don't take measurements anymore. When you're starting, it's of course good to follow the process in more detail!
I've watched pretty much every video you guys made, and want to say I'm pretty well versed in the how's, do's and don't's of making mead.... and yet I watch this totally entranced :D
I love this video.. it's short, precise, to the point and it works. Very good video for anyone wanting to dip their feet into the homebrewing water and make their very first batch of mead. Good job guys. I love how you take all the "fear" and "intimidation" out of something that's relatively simple to do. The hardest part is waiting for it to ferment... lol. Thanks again...
This was a really cool, quick video! Stayed informative the whole way through as well! Your channel is probably the only one I've seen here that has taught me things without being overly techy or being too professional. It's through your videos that I learned things like, I can leave things on the lees for months if I need to, and I haven't seen anybody else saying that. On the topic of lees and meads, I did a bigger mead a while ago, maybe a couple of months, and I used some Windsor yeast in it. It got to about 1.050 from 1.098 or so and it's stayed there for well over a month, so I'm certain it got stuck, but in Bob Ross fashion there are no mistakes only happy accidents, and man does it taste really good! Before I bottled it, I put a single squeezed mandarin into the mix and it's imparted a very orange colour and a citrus taste, it's probably the tastiest mead I've ever made. Been leaving it on the lees this whole time and it's so clear you can see right through it.
I read the title and thought you did something with yeast hulls, added extra yeast or soemthing so it started quickly and completed in like 10 days... fastest fermentation instead of fasted video goign through all the steps. Loved it too.
I started my first mead on 9/11 and followed one of the longer, but older mead tutorial videos on this channel. Everything went smoothly but found out today that my must was stalled and was wondering what was going on...Turns out, I was using a traditional cork that had some imperfections and allowed the C02 to escape through the path of least resistance so no air was forced through the airlock. My biggest advice is to ensure you use a rubber airlock that eliminates any escape gases unless it passes through the airlock. Turns out, I'm glad I bought a cheap vodka as there was a bug suspended in the airlock! That nasty bugger, its true they do want to get to the sweetness of the honey!! After replacing the cork with a rubber bung, I gave it a swirl for a checkpoint of week two, and its moving along again. Albeit much slower than the first week, there is some activity; about a bubble every 3-5 minutes. Ill give it a week with the rubber bung and take a reading. I am moving to Las Vegas from Miami, FL on October 10th so hopefully the must can take the drive with me.. lets see! My must is sitting next to me as I write this, looking forward and being patient!! Also, After subscribing an watching Dericka's channel, I went ahead and bought the Aerogarden for myself first to try it out...and it works!! I ended up gifting it (dont laugh at me) to my mom since her birthday is on October 9th and I probably will buy a larger one in Vegas, and she loves it. The basil is growing fast and well, along with keeping it indoors, we dont have many pest issues attacking the plants. She plans to use it in her own hobby and passion of cooking. Soooo big thanks to Dericka for the reccomendation! Coming from Miami, FL, I hope you weathered Hurricane Ian, her garden must be getting a toll. Take care and we all look forward to the next videos! -Kevin from Miami, Homestead Air Force Base, FL
I appreciate the use of the gallon wide mouth, sir. My local homebrew store turned me onto those and I have not turned back. I'm lazy and it makes secondary such a breeze. 😂
Excellent video as always, but personally I prefer traditional videos with more interaction and explanations. moreover, the conversations are always highly interesting and fun. Anyway, congratulations on the excellent content as always.
It's a compelling watch. Keeps interest high for those of us with mild ADD. Use a long information video on making with occasional updates to keep current. This format for any new recipes.
Very nice! Ive watched the longer form videos too, but having a summary one like this is very appreciated. also like the updated links to the 1 Gallon Wide Mouth Fermenter much better than the one i was looking at.
This was so helpful! I want to make mead but most other videos with 10 different ingredients have me intimidated. I love that this doesn't require much. I have a real solid fear of bottle bombs. How can I be sure when bottling without stabilizers that they won't explode?
Brian, no more Red Bull!!! Seriously, great video 😊 I am heading out next weekend to the orchard I get my apples and honey from, I was thinking Cyser but you have inspired me to maybe try a small batch of mead again! ❤
That was fast lol. I’ve never tried that yeast before. I’m going to give it a shot next mead I make. Great video guys although I like the regular ones better
Have you ever tried Kveik yeast with mead? If you are looking for a quick ferment, they may be an option. I use them with beer and I can usually hit final gravity in 48-72hrs. Specifically, I use Voss Kveik.
I recently purchased a mead making kit. The recipe included in the kit calls for the water/honey mix to be heated to 140 degrees for 15 minutes before letting it cool to 80 degrees before adding yeast and nutrient. I'm curious as to the reasoning for this. My initial thought was, maybe this is to help the honey mix with the water. My next thought was, maybe this is their way of having you pasteurize the honey. Thoughts?
Hello, we have started several meads. We use 71b yeast and firmax nutrient.. We use 3lbs honey and we go dry in about a week and a half. About how much honey do we really need to have a sweet mead without back sweeting?
Hey! I really wanna see you guys trying the meads made by Grimfrost, they have a really good sweet mead they call Jarls Brew, a dry blueberry(billberry) mead and their lingonberry one which is a nice inbetweener
afternoon :) im still a little new to this brewing thing lol, i have the habanero mead going along with the ginger beeer. my concern is that they have been going for a week now, and i can see active fermentation in the bottles yet my SG doesn't seem to be changing.
Just bottled this type. When first sampled it was at .996, taste was good, citrus notes where strong (orange blossom). Let sit a week, same FG. Sampled, had almost a sour taste and was very dry. Backsweetend with allulose and it almost made the sour note stronger. Hoping with some age it mellows.
Since you mentioned Mangrove Jacks: Just the other day is started a Metheglin with their AW4 wich sounded nice from what the package reads, it didn't start at all although they even have nutrients in the pack. After 1 1/2 days I added the shop-brand from my brewshop and it started nearly instantly. So whats your general opinion on Mangrove Jacks? I sure have mixed feelings about their line
think this is like the 100th video ive watched of yours. its great for first timers. I bet you could make a short from this and make it even shorter like 15 seconds :) haha.
Did you say not to store your mead horizontal with the screw on caps or you just don't have to? I store most of mine vertical, but some horizontal. Thanks for your videos. I have learned a lot.
@@CitySteadingBrews OK thanks. I am a beekeeper here in East Texas and was wondering if you would like some of my bees honey? It is wildflower raw honey. Send me your address if you would like some. Thanks.
Out of curiosity, why is the Facebook group only for paying members? Love your videos, yall helped me get into the hobby. I have a plain honey mead going and a blueberry hibiscus melomel fermenting.
We had a public group and ran into problems, so we shut it down. The FB group we have now is for our VIP club which is kind of like Patreon. Some of our older videos still mention the public group. Sorry, we can't change them at this point.
... so I have like 8 bottles on their side aging in screw tops (in a drawer only place big enough to hold them without them being out everywhere) can you explain a bit more why this is bad, I haven't seemed to have an issue (at least yet)
made a mead with Mangrove Jacks 05 mead yeast, and Cacao nibs from your amazon suggestions. starting gravity 1.100, just racked it at 0.994, or a cats-hair short of 14%! but it doesn't taste like chocolate, which is why I used twice as much cacao nibs as the batch you guys made... and it's SUPER dry
@@TheStraycat74 - When you’re back, taste it again. Cacao can take a while to surface. Somehow it also helps to add vanilla, and you might want to back sweeten it a bit. Even with vanilla and some extra sweetness, it might want some more time on the nibs… or simply more time. When I want a chocolate-ey taste I always add a bit of sweetness and almost always some vanilla.
@@eddavanleemputten9232 I had JUST made some homemade vanilla extract, so I'll use that. and backsweeten you say? wince it went to 0.994 I'm pretty sure that if I add ANYTHING fermentable to it, it WILL referment... so I'll need to consider alternatives to honey or sugar (I do not have the facilities to pasteurize 6 gallons in one go) and I might add another pound of nibs... but ti'll be two weeks before I'm home again
@@TheStraycat74 - You’ve already got 14% alcohol and are certain it’ll re-ferment? That’s some powerful yeast you used. The easiest indeed is to use non-fermentable sweeteners. My personal preference goes towards erythritol when I go that route. Because 6 gallons is indeed a lot to pasteurise. May I be nosy and ask what yeast you used? This makes me suspect Lalvin’s 71B, which is known for exceeding its tolerance, or EC-1118. Both have, of I’m not mistaken, a tolerance of around 4-15% but I’ve had them both merrily truck on to 18% at times. Those meads took a long time to age out. They got there in the end though!
That is a difficulty that we have no control over. The good news is they tend to restock rather quickly and there is another pitcher very similar to it available. amzn.to/3SN7KnM
@@CitySteadingBrews I'm pretty sure that's the one I ended up going with, was just trying to use your links to give a little back to you. 1 question though, when should I do the first racking. I used your "My first Mead" video and recipe and my brews are bubbling away, it's been about 3 weeks and I don't know when I should move it to the 2nd fermentation container.
I have done this twice and its fermented out but according to the alcohol testing tube. There wasn't any alcohol?? I started with 3 gallons of honey ?? (big batch)
Great video! You gave me the mead making bug! I started my first batch just like yours 18 days ago with a OG of around 1090 ( this was my first time reading a hydrometer.) 11 days later I checked it and it seemed to go up to 1104? Which I read is not possible? After another week it's moved to 1076. D47 yeast and 3 grams fermaid O sitting in a room about 66° Should I wait it out or add yeast or nutrients?
@CitySteadingBrews Thank you! I will update you. I started a second one with some blackberry juice made from frozen berries and that one is going bonkers! 👌
Question. I just racked my first mead. Black berries, raspberries, 3lbs of raw honey, 1 cup of black tea. Starting was 1.999 and current is 1.000. All calculations are coming back at 135%abv. Do I have to move the decimal? Tasted it and it is NOT 135% at all, cause I'd have died from the alcohol burn. 13.5% abv is what I was expecting. Lavlin yeast.
Pretty much. Take two readings, several days apart. A few caveats though: depending on your yeast’s alcohol tolerance and the amount of fermentable sugars in your initial must, the identical measurements might simply be telling you the ferment is ‘stuck’ or ‘stalled’. But don’t worry: check your yeast’s alcohol tolerance. Calculate your ABV. Write those down. If the final gravity is close to 1.000 chances are your ferment is done when two readings are identical If the final gravity is above 1.000 (say, 1.020 for example), but your ABV is close to the yeast’s alcohol tolerance, chances are your ferment is done. It’s only if your figures are off that you might want to start questioning if the ferment isn’t done. I would then recommend asking on this channel or connecting with experienced home brewers. The good thing about home brewing is that you’ve got time on your side in just about 99.99999% of the times something seems weird. When in doubt, let it sit, ask around. Wait for answers. A w ek, two weeks, a month… no harm done. Keep the airlock on, keep breathing and keep asking. Happy brewing!
@@CitySteadingBrews Omg you replied! Star struck 🤩 Thank you! My friend and i are setting up our own little mead empire, and i also didn't like the idea of adding extra preservatives.
DUDEThe Level Autistic detail and the Level of Common Sense used to efficiently andand effectively in teaching us how to make mead, it is outstanding, and me having a learning disability, makes perfect for me to understand it efficiently!! Great Job! I now know how to make mead in my assistance living roon! Godspeed To You And Your Wife, as well as your talents and gift of sharing your Knowledge in you channel! Thank YOU!!
I just want to verify. after the initial creation, are you doing anything before condition phase? I have seen other channels add yeast staggered, starting 24 hours after creation. I have watched quite a few of your videos and have not seen you do this. Thanks for your help. I am very new to this.
I don't ever take greetings of my need I use balloons as my airlock and one the balloon is no longer inflated usually means permitting is done is that okay would you recommend it done in a couple times now and everything came out good just wanted to know your opinion
My opinion? I think you should take readings, use an airlock and be safer in your brewing. Can it be done the way you are doing it? Sure, until something goes wrong. It's just a matter of trying to offer better practices.
@@CitySteadingBrews what would be signs of something going wrong basically mold or bad smell how would I tell if it is going bad cuz never had it happen and only use boiling hot water to sanitize as well you guys have helped me with my first Brew don't know if you remember
It stopped because it ran out of sugars. That's how it works. It will ferment until it either hits it's alcohol tolerance or there's nothing left to ferment.
I've ran into an issue where my primary feremtation vessell didnt have enough liquid to close the head space on the secondary. my genuis idea was to start a sugar wash in the secondary vessell so when i siphon it to the secondary it will have enough co to fill the head space leaving at that. starting to realize this is still a sort of primary. is this idea crazy can you tell me what is wrong with this idea? (my thoughts are primary would always have less liquid and you cannot add water because H2Oxygen) eh just interested is this normal?
I started my first batch of mead yesterday, following this recipe, except that I used wildflower honey, and I accidentally added the yeast before my gravity reading, so I ended up with something like 1.115. Oopsie. Going to get more honey today and try again.
I did let that first batch keep going, and it's doing great! I started a second batch and the new batch reading was 1.104 which sounds much closer to your 1.102. I think my water was also warmer than it should have been when I took my very first reading. I love your videos, thanks for replying. :D
It won’t damage the mead, you’ll get a perfectly drinkable result, don’t worry. Depending on the temperature at which you heated your honey, you might have lost a few of the complex flavour compounds in the honey, but consider this: 1) Old recipes recommended boiling the honey-water mixture and skimming off the foam and impurities honey contained at the time. We don’t do this anymore because it’s become an unnecessary step and not boiling means you get all the goodness out of the honey, but heating your honey doesn’t produce bad mead. 2) Some mead recipes call for caramelised honey, which means you need the honey to be heated for so long it actually burns a little. This produces a totally different flavour but again, heated honey… Don’t worry. If something goes wrong (and it’s pretty hard to mess up a mead!) it won’t be because you heated the honey. Heated honey in itself doesn’t mess up a ferment unless you’ve completely burned it to a crisp. I was wondering: would you mind telling me what your recipe was? (Yeast, if possible initial gravity, other ingredients)? I’m curious. And… welcome to the world of mead making! It’s fun and I hope you stick with it!
@@eddavanleemputten9232 I saw numerous recipes but I used wine yeast, 1 gallon of water and 2 pounds of honey. I also added 5 blueberries for an added nutrient.
@@piedmontsurvival8931 - do you have a hydrometer? And what is the specific wine yeast you used? Just curious about what your end result will be. Assuming your honey has a 79% sugar content, you’d be looking at a potential alcohol percentage of around 14% (ish) when plugging it into a mead calculator. That.s strong stuff. Adding 5 blueberries for nutrient isn’t going to supply your brew with sufficient nutrient to make a difference (I’m sorry). Don’t worry, you can still supply it with something extra to nibble on. Either order some Fermaid O, or make your own hole made yeast vitamin snack: take a bit of water or juice, put it into a pan, add a teaspoon (or two) of baker’s yeast. Boil it. The heat will kill the yeast. Don’t you mind the smell and please, don’t allow it to burn. Allow this concoction to cool and add this to your fermenter. Your mead will thank you for it. It’s not as good as Fermaid O but it will help. The reason why I asked about what specific type of yeast you used (for example Lalvin’s EC-1118 or Red Star Premier Rouge) is to find out what the alcohol tolerance of your yeast is. If it’s at or above 14% your mead will most probably ferment out completely dry. If you want it sweeter, you will then have to back sweeten it, and in order to avoid bottle bombs, you will need to make sure your fermentation does not start up again. It.s not hard, just a few extra little steps..
Question for you (or anyone in the community): I have a mead thats been sitting in a bottle for about 2 months now, but it looks like the level has dropped a little. There is a ring a little above the current level in the bottle like it evaporated. It was a brand-new swing top bottle. Has anyone else seen this? I do live in Wyoming so it is dry here, I think that may the reason.
My fastest video on…. This would be fabulous for the ADD crowd. A micropedia subject introduction with links provided to racking, yeast, hydrometer readings, etc. This would provide traffic back to more explanatory videos. Good luck!
One-handed siphoning with a bottling wand is my greatest nemesis.
Thank you for showing me how it is to be defeated!
So I made mead. With a gift set for Beer. 1 gallon jar, airlock basic siphon and thermometer.
4 jars of manuka honey one jar of clear normal to make 1.5 kg honey. Dates for natural honey. Used a yeast think it was L-118 champagne yeast. Dropped off at day 10.. Decided to cold crash cleared in 48 hours and stabilized with potassium sorbate. Incredibly dry after 3 weeks now.
My first brew. Fancied an experiment. Leant a lot watching your videos. Thank you.
Buying a hydrometer kit next time. Really enjoyed the experience.
Hmm, now I’m in two minds which format I like most. This format is very good to get a quick overview of the steps needed, but the longer ones with Derica are more entertaining
This was more of a joke than anything really. Won't be doing too many like this, lol.
@@CitySteadingBrews Oh, thank goodness... 😎
Glad to hear that
@@CitySteadingBrews For a joke, this is very well done! Actually enjoyed this format but always enjoy your other videos also!
Hah! Called the 13.77% ABV because that was the exact numbers my plum wine had when I racked it today. Nice video. Love the long formats, but liked the condensed version for a change of pace.
I can’t even rewind it because it is truly the fastest mead video!! Thanks CS Brews! You’re the greatest! 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@1014p “Don’t you know a sarcasm when you hear it?”-Charlie Brown
I was thinking that…
This is the best channel to find for beginner need and wine makers
Wow, that’s fast! I miss Derika, and all the whys normally included in your videos. I still learned things though! Thanks
Well, this was meant as a supplemental video, or an introduction really.
I have a need for mead! Seriously, though, my wife and I taste-tested a basic hydromel last night that was based off of one of your recipes, and even though she doesn't like honey, she asked for more! That's how good it was. It went down smooooooth! I'll definitely be making it again! Thanks. Oh, and I like the new format. 😃
Hey guys, long time fan, I've left some comments on alt accounts but I think this video is a great intro to the process of brewing!
I recently put together a recipe that I thought was quite interesting that was inspired by another creator's videos on UA-cam, basically a caramel kilju.
I started with 2 pounds of sugar in a pot, stirred constantly on low heat until it all got melty and caramelized, then dissolved it into some water (as well as a large 12 oz cup of black tea for tannins)
After I transferred what was there into a 1 gal fermenter, I topped it up and the gravity wasn't exactly where I wanted it so I added another 8oz of sugar to get to an OG of 1.105. Threw in some EC-1118 and its been bubbling away quite vigorously for a few days now. The entire time I was putting it together, it smelled like smoky homemade hard candy. All I could think is that this would be a great brew to oak when it's done.
I was a little concerned about making unfermentable sugars, and the low amount of nutrition available (no fermaid-O on hand) so we'll see if it ferments dry. Cheers!
I have a batch of rum wash I attempted to invert by simmering with acid blend for around an hour, sounds vaguely similar to yours but I didn't carmelize and started the brew with some phosphourea nute in the mix. It stalled out at 1.020 from an OG of 1.091 and I haven't been able to get it going again even after adding some fermax nute and another pitch of DADY so I think I did end up with unfermentable sugars (DADY should be able to easily go all the way from .091). Smells and tastes good though!
I've been making mead for 2yr now and have learned a lot from this channel. Now I simply it so much - mix the mead, come back in 3 months and bottle. Done.
If you see bubbles within a day or two you're off fermenting, and when you taste it at the end and the sweetness is where it's supposed to be (given the yeast and how much honey you used) then there is no worry about further fermentation. I also use old whisky, gin, vodka or rum bottles with corks, so worst case a cork will get pushed up. Most of the time I don't take measurements anymore. When you're starting, it's of course good to follow the process in more detail!
I've watched pretty much every video you guys made, and want to say I'm pretty well versed in the how's, do's and don't's of making mead.... and yet I watch this totally entranced :D
I love this video.. it's short, precise, to the point and it works. Very good video for anyone wanting to dip their feet into the homebrewing water and make their very first batch of mead. Good job guys. I love how you take all the "fear" and "intimidation" out of something that's relatively simple to do. The hardest part is waiting for it to ferment... lol. Thanks again...
Speed mead. :)
Fastest complete & clear instruction I've seen. Nicely done!
Guys, this video was a great idea. It’s nice to see the whole process from must to mead in one short video!
Nice, quick overview. I really enjoying seeing the color and the clarity change ever 30 seconds as your progress in time.
This was a really cool, quick video! Stayed informative the whole way through as well! Your channel is probably the only one I've seen here that has taught me things without being overly techy or being too professional. It's through your videos that I learned things like, I can leave things on the lees for months if I need to, and I haven't seen anybody else saying that.
On the topic of lees and meads, I did a bigger mead a while ago, maybe a couple of months, and I used some Windsor yeast in it. It got to about 1.050 from 1.098 or so and it's stayed there for well over a month, so I'm certain it got stuck, but in Bob Ross fashion there are no mistakes only happy accidents, and man does it taste really good! Before I bottled it, I put a single squeezed mandarin into the mix and it's imparted a very orange colour and a citrus taste, it's probably the tastiest mead I've ever made. Been leaving it on the lees this whole time and it's so clear you can see right through it.
I read the title and thought you did something with yeast hulls, added extra yeast or soemthing so it started quickly and completed in like 10 days... fastest fermentation instead of fasted video goign through all the steps. Loved it too.
I've been using one step for many years and never had a problem works well.
Mhm, many love it. It's actually not a sanitizer though... just a cleaner.
I started my first mead on 9/11 and followed one of the longer, but older mead tutorial videos on this channel. Everything went smoothly but found out today that my must was stalled and was wondering what was going on...Turns out, I was using a traditional cork that had some imperfections and allowed the C02 to escape through the path of least resistance so no air was forced through the airlock. My biggest advice is to ensure you use a rubber airlock that eliminates any escape gases unless it passes through the airlock. Turns out, I'm glad I bought a cheap vodka as there was a bug suspended in the airlock! That nasty bugger, its true they do want to get to the sweetness of the honey!! After replacing the cork with a rubber bung, I gave it a swirl for a checkpoint of week two, and its moving along again. Albeit much slower than the first week, there is some activity; about a bubble every 3-5 minutes. Ill give it a week with the rubber bung and take a reading. I am moving to Las Vegas from Miami, FL on October 10th so hopefully the must can take the drive with me.. lets see! My must is sitting next to me as I write this, looking forward and being patient!!
Also, After subscribing an watching Dericka's channel, I went ahead and bought the Aerogarden for myself first to try it out...and it works!! I ended up gifting it (dont laugh at me) to my mom since her birthday is on October 9th and I probably will buy a larger one in Vegas, and she loves it. The basil is growing fast and well, along with keeping it indoors, we dont have many pest issues attacking the plants. She plans to use it in her own hobby and passion of cooking. Soooo big thanks to Dericka for the reccomendation! Coming from Miami, FL, I hope you weathered Hurricane Ian, her garden must be getting a toll. Take care and we all look forward to the next videos!
-Kevin from Miami, Homestead Air Force Base, FL
I appreciate the use of the gallon wide mouth, sir. My local homebrew store turned me onto those and I have not turned back. I'm lazy and it makes secondary such a breeze. 😂
Excellent video as always, but personally I prefer traditional videos with more interaction and explanations. moreover, the conversations are always highly interesting and fun. Anyway, congratulations on the excellent content as always.
Yet Another Awesome Mead (YAAM) while wathing the subscriber counter is at 200.000 - CONGRATULATIONS you two awesome hoomans
Took your advice on the Aldi lemonade, cheaper than the bottles would be by themselves and the lemonade was actually very delicious
It is!
It's a compelling watch. Keeps interest high for those of us with mild ADD. Use a long information video on making with occasional updates to keep current. This format for any new recipes.
Oh my goodness! That was so funny and so right at the same time!
I really like the results from that M05 yeast..its good stuff
Very nice! Ive watched the longer form videos too, but having a summary one like this is very appreciated. also like the updated links to the 1 Gallon Wide Mouth Fermenter much better than the one i was looking at.
This was so helpful! I want to make mead but most other videos with 10 different ingredients have me intimidated. I love that this doesn't require much. I have a real solid fear of bottle bombs. How can I be sure when bottling without stabilizers that they won't explode?
Love this style of video all the points quick n simple.
Man I saw my first video of you guys 4 days ago. Now I have mead, ginger beer, and cider going.
Nice! Happy Brewing!
Idk why but this is hilarious! Good stuff guys
Was meant to be funny!
Thanks, now I know what to look for in hydrometer readings.
Simple. Straight to the point. Especially for us with short attention spans. 😂
Brian, no more Red Bull!!! Seriously, great video 😊 I am heading out next weekend to the orchard I get my apples and honey from, I was thinking Cyser but you have inspired me to maybe try a small batch of mead again! ❤
I don't touch that stuff....
That was fast lol. I’ve never tried that yeast before. I’m going to give it a shot next mead I make. Great video guys although I like the regular ones better
Honestly, as much as I prefer the longer form content with more depth and personality, you really nailed this form of content.
Thanks!
Beautiful
Have you ever tried Kveik yeast with mead? If you are looking for a quick ferment, they may be an option. I use them with beer and I can usually hit final gravity in 48-72hrs. Specifically, I use Voss Kveik.
How long you age after that
What a great and helpful video! Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for the video!😜👍❤.
I use a good Champaign yeast to get a dry mead with a higher alcohol content.
I recently purchased a mead making kit. The recipe included in the kit calls for the water/honey mix to be heated to 140 degrees for 15 minutes before letting it cool to 80 degrees before adding yeast and nutrient. I'm curious as to the reasoning for this. My initial thought was, maybe this is to help the honey mix with the water. My next thought was, maybe this is their way of having you pasteurize the honey. Thoughts?
Hello, we have started several meads. We use 71b yeast and firmax nutrient.. We use 3lbs honey and we go dry in about a week and a half. About how much honey do we really need to have a sweet mead without back sweeting?
Hey! I really wanna see you guys trying the meads made by Grimfrost, they have a really good sweet mead they call Jarls Brew, a dry blueberry(billberry) mead and their lingonberry one which is a nice inbetweener
afternoon :) im still a little new to this brewing thing lol, i have the habanero mead going along with the ginger beeer. my concern is that they have been going for a week now, and i can see active fermentation in the bottles yet my SG doesn't seem to be changing.
One week is not really enough time to be taking readings yet :)
@@CitySteadingBrews ok perfect, i was like what the heck is going on.
Speedmead FTW
Simple, factual and fast. Nice one.
Awesomeness in ACTION 🎉🍻
CHEERs 🍻
Just bottled this type. When first sampled it was at .996, taste was good, citrus notes where strong (orange blossom). Let sit a week, same FG. Sampled, had almost a sour taste and was very dry. Backsweetend with allulose and it almost made the sour note stronger. Hoping with some age it mellows.
It may have actually soured.
@@CitySteadingBrews what causes that? Had good airlock, did everything “right”. Is the best way to try and recover time?
If you were going to make a 3 gallon must would you multiply the Fermaid O by 3 and add 6 grams?
Love this I added more goodies to my cart Yay Soo Excited 💪😁✌🌷🌷🌷
Awesome content. I’m looking forward to getting started myself.
Since you mentioned Mangrove Jacks: Just the other day is started a Metheglin with their AW4 wich sounded nice from what the package reads, it didn't start at all although they even have nutrients in the pack. After 1 1/2 days I added the shop-brand from my brewshop and it started nearly instantly. So whats your general opinion on Mangrove Jacks? I sure have mixed feelings about their line
Another great video
Hey, great video! Question, though, if I wanted to make a dryer mead using this recipe. What would have to be changed? Thanks!
Use less honey or a yeast with a higher alcohol tolerance.
think this is like the 100th video ive watched of yours. its great for first timers. I bet you could make a short from this and make it even shorter like 15 seconds :) haha.
Did you say not to store your mead horizontal with the screw on caps or you just don't have to? I store most of mine vertical, but some horizontal. Thanks for your videos. I have learned a lot.
I don’t do it since they can leak if the seals give out. Just a precaution.
@@CitySteadingBrews OK thanks. I am a beekeeper here in East Texas and was wondering if you would like some of my bees honey? It is wildflower raw honey. Send me your address if you would like some. Thanks.
Good work as always!!
Appreciate that
Informative, easy to follow, very well done.
Glad it was helpful!
Out of curiosity, why is the Facebook group only for paying members?
Love your videos, yall helped me get into the hobby. I have a plain honey mead going and a blueberry hibiscus melomel fermenting.
We had a public group and ran into problems, so we shut it down. The FB group we have now is for our VIP club which is kind of like Patreon. Some of our older videos still mention the public group. Sorry, we can't change them at this point.
... so I have like 8 bottles on their side aging in screw tops (in a drawer only place big enough to hold them without them being out everywhere) can you explain a bit more why this is bad, I haven't seemed to have an issue (at least yet)
"I always wanted to watch a video about making mead but I don't have 25 minutes."
Brian: "Say no more!"
Lol
What is “dry” for mead? 😄
made a mead with Mangrove Jacks 05 mead yeast, and Cacao nibs from your amazon suggestions. starting gravity 1.100, just racked it at 0.994, or a cats-hair short of 14%!
but it doesn't taste like chocolate, which is why I used twice as much cacao nibs as the batch you guys made... and it's SUPER dry
@@julietardos5044 I have to leave for 2 weeks in the next 10 minutes. It'll have to wait. I can always add more and let it sit
@@TheStraycat74 - When you’re back, taste it again. Cacao can take a while to surface. Somehow it also helps to add vanilla, and you might want to back sweeten it a bit. Even with vanilla and some extra sweetness, it might want some more time on the nibs… or simply more time.
When I want a chocolate-ey taste I always add a bit of sweetness and almost always some vanilla.
@@eddavanleemputten9232 I had JUST made some homemade vanilla extract, so I'll use that. and backsweeten you say? wince it went to 0.994 I'm pretty sure that if I add ANYTHING fermentable to it, it WILL referment... so I'll need to consider alternatives to honey or sugar (I do not have the facilities to pasteurize 6 gallons in one go)
and I might add another pound of nibs... but ti'll be two weeks before I'm home again
@@TheStraycat74 - You’ve already got 14% alcohol and are certain it’ll re-ferment? That’s some powerful yeast you used. The easiest indeed is to use non-fermentable sweeteners. My personal preference goes towards erythritol when I go that route. Because 6 gallons is indeed a lot to pasteurise. May I be nosy and ask what yeast you used? This makes me suspect Lalvin’s 71B, which is known for exceeding its tolerance, or EC-1118. Both have, of I’m not mistaken, a tolerance of around 4-15% but I’ve had them both merrily truck on to 18% at times. Those meads took a long time to age out. They got there in the end though!
Just a heads up the 1 gal pitcher you have linked isn't in stock and Amazon doesn't know when it'll be back in stock.
That is a difficulty that we have no control over. The good news is they tend to restock rather quickly and there is another pitcher very similar to it available. amzn.to/3SN7KnM
@@CitySteadingBrews I'm pretty sure that's the one I ended up going with, was just trying to use your links to give a little back to you. 1 question though, when should I do the first racking. I used your "My first Mead" video and recipe and my brews are bubbling away, it's been about 3 weeks and I don't know when I should move it to the 2nd fermentation container.
I have done this twice and its fermented out but according to the alcohol testing tube. There wasn't any alcohol?? I started with 3 gallons of honey ?? (big batch)
That's not actually how the hydrometer works: ua-cam.com/video/xNwNZgeTtIE/v-deo.htmlsi=93XEsACUz6tYDXmt
Great video! You gave me the mead making bug!
I started my first batch just like yours 18 days ago with a OG of around 1090 ( this was my first time reading a hydrometer.) 11 days later I checked it and it seemed to go up to 1104? Which I read is not possible? After another week it's moved to 1076.
D47 yeast and 3 grams fermaid O sitting in a room about 66°
Should I wait it out or add yeast or nutrients?
The second reading may have just been an error, or the first could have been.
No need to do anything. Give it time.
@CitySteadingBrews Thank you! I will update you. I started a second one with some blackberry juice made from frozen berries and that one is going bonkers! 👌
This was great! Thank you!
You are welcome!
Can you do a video on why oxidizing the brew is bad
A video isn’t necessary. Oxidizing can make your brew taste bad.
Question. I just racked my first mead. Black berries, raspberries, 3lbs of raw honey, 1 cup of black tea. Starting was 1.999 and current is 1.000. All calculations are coming back at 135%abv. Do I have to move the decimal? Tasted it and it is NOT 135% at all, cause I'd have died from the alcohol burn. 13.5% abv is what I was expecting. Lavlin yeast.
Your og may have been 1.099 and not 1.999. Most hydrometers can’t even read that high.
@@CitySteadingBrews thank you. Really enjoy watching you videos.
It's been a while since I've your videos. You look great!
Thank you and welcome back!
So if I get two same measurements it's done fermenting and won't start when I rack it/bottling?
Pretty much. Take two readings, several days apart. A few caveats though: depending on your yeast’s alcohol tolerance and the amount of fermentable sugars in your initial must, the identical measurements might simply be telling you the ferment is ‘stuck’ or ‘stalled’.
But don’t worry: check your yeast’s alcohol tolerance. Calculate your ABV. Write those down.
If the final gravity is close to 1.000 chances are your ferment is done when two readings are identical
If the final gravity is above 1.000 (say, 1.020 for example), but your ABV is close to the yeast’s alcohol tolerance, chances are your ferment is done.
It’s only if your figures are off that you might want to start questioning if the ferment isn’t done. I would then recommend asking on this channel or connecting with experienced home brewers. The good thing about home brewing is that you’ve got time on your side in just about 99.99999% of the times something seems weird. When in doubt, let it sit, ask around. Wait for answers. A w ek, two weeks, a month… no harm done. Keep the airlock on, keep breathing and keep asking.
Happy brewing!
How do I make a very very bubbly sparkling mead? going to make a hydromel aiming between 7-9 percent above for this Christmas
ua-cam.com/video/ZnFMPJ5vGTA/v-deo.htmlsi=W83AQVHgpAJobl4V
Other than the fermaid-O, it appears nutrient was also added (not in description)
How much nutrient was added?
Fermaid O is yeast nutrient.
You are actually a legend.
Hardly. But thank you for watching 😄
I was just sticking my first batch together and up pooped your video!
What is the best fruit to flavor your meat with that you found
do you think its worth using Potassium Sorbate to halt the fermentation before you bottle the mead?
We never have. If there is a chance of refermentation we pasteurize. It's a personal choice, but I'd rather not add more preservatives to our diet.
@@CitySteadingBrews Omg you replied! Star struck 🤩 Thank you! My friend and i are setting up our own little mead empire, and i also didn't like the idea of adding extra preservatives.
DUDEThe Level Autistic detail and the Level of Common Sense used to efficiently andand effectively in teaching us how to make mead, it is outstanding, and me having a learning disability, makes perfect for me to understand it efficiently!!
Great Job! I now know how to make mead in my assistance living roon!
Godspeed To You And Your Wife, as well as your talents and gift of sharing your Knowledge in you channel!
Thank YOU!!
Is that a 1 gallon jug being used in the video??
Yes.
I just want to verify. after the initial creation, are you doing anything before condition phase? I have seen other channels add yeast staggered, starting 24 hours after creation. I have watched quite a few of your videos and have not seen you do this. Thanks for your help. I am very new to this.
We show everything we do.
@@CitySteadingBrews Awesome. Thank you
Question, why keep soap bubbles in the bottles?
It's not intentional. Star San is a foaming sanitizer. They are harmless.
I don't ever take greetings of my need I use balloons as my airlock and one the balloon is no longer inflated usually means permitting is done is that okay would you recommend it done in a couple times now and everything came out good just wanted to know your opinion
My opinion? I think you should take readings, use an airlock and be safer in your brewing. Can it be done the way you are doing it? Sure, until something goes wrong. It's just a matter of trying to offer better practices.
@@CitySteadingBrews what would be signs of something going wrong basically mold or bad smell how would I tell if it is going bad cuz never had it happen and only use boiling hot water to sanitize as well you guys have helped me with my first Brew don't know if you remember
awesome video. Thank you
Thank you for watching!
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
How did you haunt the yeast from fermenting further?
It stopped because it ran out of sugars. That's how it works. It will ferment until it either hits it's alcohol tolerance or there's nothing left to ferment.
I've ran into an issue where my primary feremtation vessell didnt have enough liquid to close the head space on the secondary. my genuis idea was to start a sugar wash in the secondary vessell so when i siphon it to the secondary it will have enough co to fill the head space leaving at that. starting to realize this is still a sort of primary. is this idea crazy can you tell me what is wrong with this idea? (my thoughts are primary would always have less liquid and you cannot add water because H2Oxygen) eh just interested is this normal?
It's a much more complicated solution than needed but it... might work? Easier to just add sanitized marbles to fill the space.
I have made a strawberry Blackberry meat but end spg was 952 end it became 16 abv whit brewferm white wine yeast
if i want to use maple syrup instead of honey how many pounds per gallon should i use?
Maple syrups vary greatly, you would have to test.
I didn't add a nutrient to my yeast, but what what kind of nutrient should I use?
We use Fermaid O.
Why do i need to wait for it to clear? I don't care about clarity. Does it being clear improve taste?
Initial clearing can make it more pleasing but only to a point.
I started my first batch of mead yesterday, following this recipe, except that I used wildflower honey, and I accidentally added the yeast before my gravity reading, so I ended up with something like 1.115. Oopsie. Going to get more honey today and try again.
Wait.... it's fine! Just let it ferment!
I did let that first batch keep going, and it's doing great! I started a second batch and the new batch reading was 1.104 which sounds much closer to your 1.102. I think my water was also warmer than it should have been when I took my very first reading. I love your videos, thanks for replying. :D
If only our meed or wine would be done this fast. We’ll be one happy sailor 😂😂😂😂😂
This is the fastest comment ever. Great video, thx. :)
Im stoked! Found 750ML flip top bottles of organic sugar lemonade at Grocery Outlet for $2.... i bought all 100 of them
Omg that’s awesome!
So I am making my first batch of mead. I had a few containers of honey in the kitchen but I I had to heat it to pour it. Will this damage the mead?
It won’t damage the mead, you’ll get a perfectly drinkable result, don’t worry. Depending on the temperature at which you heated your honey, you might have lost a few of the complex flavour compounds in the honey, but consider this:
1) Old recipes recommended boiling the honey-water mixture and skimming off the foam and impurities honey contained at the time. We don’t do this anymore because it’s become an unnecessary step and not boiling means you get all the goodness out of the honey, but heating your honey doesn’t produce bad mead.
2) Some mead recipes call for caramelised honey, which means you need the honey to be heated for so long it actually burns a little. This produces a totally different flavour but again, heated honey…
Don’t worry. If something goes wrong (and it’s pretty hard to mess up a mead!) it won’t be because you heated the honey. Heated honey in itself doesn’t mess up a ferment unless you’ve completely burned it to a crisp.
I was wondering: would you mind telling me what your recipe was? (Yeast, if possible initial gravity, other ingredients)? I’m curious.
And… welcome to the world of mead making! It’s fun and I hope you stick with it!
@@eddavanleemputten9232 thanks!
@@eddavanleemputten9232 I saw numerous recipes but I used wine yeast, 1 gallon of water and 2 pounds of honey. I also added 5 blueberries for an added nutrient.
@@piedmontsurvival8931 - do you have a hydrometer? And what is the specific wine yeast you used? Just curious about what your end result will be. Assuming your honey has a 79% sugar content, you’d be looking at a potential alcohol percentage of around 14% (ish) when plugging it into a mead calculator. That.s strong stuff. Adding 5 blueberries for nutrient isn’t going to supply your brew with sufficient nutrient to make a difference (I’m sorry). Don’t worry, you can still supply it with something extra to nibble on. Either order some Fermaid O, or make your own hole made yeast vitamin snack: take a bit of water or juice, put it into a pan, add a teaspoon (or two) of baker’s yeast. Boil it. The heat will kill the yeast. Don’t you mind the smell and please, don’t allow it to burn. Allow this concoction to cool and add this to your fermenter. Your mead will thank you for it. It’s not as good as Fermaid O but it will help.
The reason why I asked about what specific type of yeast you used (for example Lalvin’s EC-1118 or Red Star Premier Rouge) is to find out what the alcohol tolerance of your yeast is. If it’s at or above 14% your mead will most probably ferment out completely dry. If you want it sweeter, you will then have to back sweeten it, and in order to avoid bottle bombs, you will need to make sure your fermentation does not start up again. It.s not hard, just a few extra little steps..
Question for you (or anyone in the community): I have a mead thats been sitting in a bottle for about 2 months now, but it looks like the level has dropped a little. There is a ring a little above the current level in the bottle like it evaporated. It was a brand-new swing top bottle. Has anyone else seen this? I do live in Wyoming so it is dry here, I think that may the reason.
What can happen if you distilled mead and what does it become
No idea. We don’t distill. It’s illegal to do at home here.
My fastest video on….
This would be fabulous for the ADD crowd. A micropedia subject introduction with links provided to racking, yeast, hydrometer readings, etc. This would provide traffic back to more explanatory videos. Good luck!
StarSan alternatives?
One step works very well.
Technically one step is a cleaner not a sanitizer. Milton's baby bottle sanitizer is used by some of our UK members.
Wow that was fast. Good on ya.