Subject: Mead Lover's Digest #1378, 23 June 2008
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:20:08 -0600 (MDT)
From: mead-request@talisman.com


Mead Lover's Digest #1378                                  23 June 2008

            Forum for Discussion of Mead Making and Consuming
                      Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor

Contents:
  Aeration, Stirring, Nutrient additions (Oskaar)
  Joe's Ancient Orange (MeadGuild@aol.com)
  Re: Newbie melomel (Phil)
  re: residual carbonation (Stephen Morley)
  Sour with fruit? ("Gary Smith")

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Aeration, Stirring, Nutrient additions
From: Oskaar <oskaar@dslextreme.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:26:36 -0700

Howdy out to Dick Dunn and a big thanks for all the work he does and has
done for all these years to keep us mead geeks informed and provide a
forum for our questions, comments, rants and general curmudgeon-ing from
time to time.

Thanks Dick! You rock out loud!

OK, I?ve been watching the back and forth over aeration in the past few
digests and I?ve seen my alter ego mentioned so I thought I?d chime in
on this subject. Before I do I want to make it clear that I?m not
advocating this approach over any other, and am not in any way shape or
form trying to marginalize other methods. This is because I?ve made mead
every way one may imagine (and probably a few that most can?t). My main
motivation in this type of approach is to maximize the favorable
conditions for the yeast to have a strong, healthy, rapid, clean and
complete fermentation. I?ve made some outstanding mead using the boil,
pasteurize, ala natural, whole hive, pollen only, rainwater only, to
name a few methods at one time or another and can attest that other
folks hounded me for more. The other very important reason I use this
method is because I?ve found it produces high quality mead that is ready
to drink sooner on a consistent basis. If you follow Vicky?s link to my
post in the Got Mead forums you?ll see some of what I?m posting here
posted there as well.

To keep it simple I?ll address the topics I?ve seen come up in the
threads. So, here we go:

1. Rehydration, nutrient dosing at 1/3 and 2/3 sugar break:

a. There are micronutrients, lipids and other nutrients that are in the
package with Active Dry Yeast and they require water in order to be
effective and to last past initial inoculation through the end of the
lag phase.

b. Micronutrients like minerals and vitamins are extremely important to
assure the yeast a balanced metabolism. When even one of these compounds
is deficient, the yeast metabolism is stressed with potential of
producing off-flavors (i.e. sulfur compounds, volatile acidity). The
yeast that I use (Lallemand) specifically manufactures their yeast to be
rehydrated, and they recommend using Go-FERM to do so. Who am I to argue?

c. The rapid uptake of micronutrients in the rehydration gradient allows
the first generation yeast to quickly uptake lipids in order to
establish a strong cell wall and ensure successful budding. This ensures
that the yeast will get through the lag phase quickly and promote a
clean, fast, healthy and strong primary fermentation. The sooner you get
the added yeast through its lag phase and into its growth phase the
safer you are. The added yeast produces 30+ times as much alcohol per
yeast cell during its growth phase than it does during the stationary
phase. You can keep it in its growth phase longer by proper rehydration
(Go Ferm), nutrient addition and minimizing spoilage micro flora growth.

d. Adding a mixture of DAP and Fermaid-K in a ratio of 7:3 (in favor of
the Fermaid-K) at the end of the lag phase provides the nutrients yeast
are looking for during the first portion of the ferment (up to the 1/3
sugar break) During the first portion of the fermentation yeast are
looking for nitrogen in the form of ammonia salts from DAP. During the
rest of the fermentation past the 1/3 sugar break the yeast will be
looking for amino nitrogen sources (autolized yeast) and adding DAP at
this point is a bad idea due to the fact that the yeast will not
metabolize it and it is likely that there will be a salty flavor
imparted to your mead.

e. Consider that the yeast are like marathon runners. The night before
the race you pack up on carbohydrates in preparation for the race (this
is your Go-FERM) then during the race the Fermaid-K:DAP mixture is like
the energy bars the runners would eat during the race to keep their
bodies fueled in order to run the race to completion.

f. The 2/3 sugar break is a marker with certain yeast that have high
nutrient need. Without the required nutrient, they will begin to slow
down and become stressed. This will cause them to produce off flavors
and aromas (sulfur smelling aromas, reductive odors, etc.) With these
types of yeast the 2/3 sugar break is where you need to add Fermaid 2133
(mostly inert yeast hulls and other micronutrients) as a source of amino
nitrogen. At this point the yeast will not metabolize nitrogen from
ammonia salts (DAP) and additions will probably leave your mead with a
salty flavor.

2. Oxidation:
Worries of oxidation in mead are greatly over exaggerated in my opinion
and experience. That is not to say that it won?t happen during bulk
aging if one leaves the bung out of the carboy for a protracted period
of time, I've seen it so I know it can. However, during the rapid
production of CO2 in the first 2-3 days of fermentation, oxygen is
needed as each new generation of yeast buds. Remember that the
production of CO2 is very rapid and will easily strip the oxygen from
the cells thus preventing oxidation. Also, just so there?s no confusion
I?m not advocating any practice that will lead to oxidized mead; I?m am
stating that mead is very forgiving in this area compared to beer and
wine, and holds up quite well to repeated exposure to air.

3. Stirring:

Let's differentiate between aeration and stirring. Whipping your must
with a lees stirrer, whip degasser, wire whisk or adding oxygen with a
diffusion stone are all to add oxygen into the protein/sugar matrix of
the must for the yeast to use as a micronutrient during the first 1/3 of
fermentation. After that we airlock the vessel and either swirl or stir
daily or every other day. Stirring is done SLOWLY to redistribute the
yeast into suspension and give them more efficient access to the
remaining fermentable sugars in the must.

As mentioned above, swirling during the fermentation provides a couple
of key benefits, additionally the swirling helps to clear some
pasteurized juices one may have used in making a melomel. This is
because re-suspending the yeast (both living and dead) provides
rudimentary fining. Those dead yeast cells will grab onto/attract stuff
and drag it to the bottom. Along with the rudimentary fining, swirling
also gets those living yeast back up into suspension so they can chow
down on as much of the sugars as they can before they croak-off.

Swirling also helps to break up any colonies of spoilage organisms that
might gain a foothold in the lees at the bottom where they can otherwise
be somewhat buffered from the toxic effects of the ETOH produced during
fermentation. Spoilage yeast and organisms are not as alcohol tolerant
as your selected yeast, and by keeping them from forming their own
little caucus of like minded curmudgeons, and swirling them into
suspension they become susceptible to the toxic effects of alcohol all
the quicker.

This also exposes the spoilage yeasts to the Competitive Factor produced
by the certain yeast (ICV-D47, K1, EC-1118 spring to mind). The
competitive factor of your yeast (if it produces it) is a mitochondrial
protein that passes through the cell wall of the yeast and attaches to
the cell wall of the unfriendly yeasts that are targeted as susceptible.
This protein disrupts the magnesium metabolism which in turn causes the
death of the cell.

 From the Lalvin Yeast Information Page:
There are five or more competitive factors: K1-K5, and about 95% of the
strains of wine yeast can make the K2 competitive factor and five
percent 5% can produce the K1 competitive factor.

Yeast strains are divided into three categories regarding the
competitive factor:
1. Competitive positive - produces competitive factor protein and is
immune to same protein produced by other strains.
2. Competitive neutral - doesn?t produce a competitive factor
protein and is immune to all competitive factor proteins produced by
other yeast.
3. Competitive sensitive - doesn?t produce a competitive factor
protein and is sensitive to the competitive factor proteins from other
strains.

The competitive factor likes the pH around >4.0 and is pretty much
ineffective at low pH. Be aware of the competitive factor when selecting
the yeast you?re going to use in your meads. Also be aware if you are
pitching on top of a sluggish or stuck fermentation.

4. Aeration:

Actually the reason that we aerate is to not only promote yeast growth,
but because as generations of new yeast are produced during
fermentation, those new generations need a constant supply of oxygen in
order to form strong cell walls with other components (sterols, etc.)
and keep the cell wall supple and flexible. If the cells do not get
adequate supplies of oxygen and nutrient the cell walls will become
brittle and they will not form enough strength to regulate osmotic
pressure and will undergo premature autolysis. During that time before
they do die off they will be stressed from lack of oxygen and nutrient
and produce off flavors. A fermentation that runs for several weeks or
even months, in most cases is an under aerated and nutrient deprived
fermentation in my opinion

According to Dr. Clayton Cone of Lallemand, yeast need a trace amount of
oxygen in an anaerobic fermentation such as meadmaking, winemaking and
brewing to produce lipids in the cell wall. With out O2 the cell cannot
metabolize the squalene to the next step which is a lipid. The lipids
make the cell wall elastic and fluid. This allows the mother cell to
produce babies, buds, in the early part of the fermentation and keeps
the cell wall fluid as the alcohol level increases. With out lipids the
cell wall becomes leathery and prevents bud from being formed at the
beginning of the fermentation and slows down the sugar from transporting
into the cell and prevents the alcohol from transporting out of the cell
near the end of the fermentation. The alcohol level builds up inside the
cell and becomes toxic then deadly. Lallemand packs the maximum amount
of lipids into the cell wall that is possible during the aerobic
production of the yeast at the factory. When you inoculate this yeast
into your must, the yeast can double about three time before it runs out
of lipids and the growth will stop. There is about 5% lipids in the dry
yeast.

OK, that got longer than I anticipated but I wanted to expand on some of
the questions that I saw, and I hope that this at least gives folks some
food for thought.

Cheers,

Oskaar

------------------------------

Subject: Joe's Ancient Orange
From: MeadGuild@aol.com
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 21:03:40 EDT

The recipes I have seen for Joe's Ancient Orange are for a 1-gal batch
and call for a cinnamon stick.  Just envisioning 5 cinnamon sticks in a
5-gallon batch makes my mouth pucker.  Similar problem with cloves
and a concern for tannins from too many raisins

3-1/2 lbs per gallon should have an OG of 1.128.
What is the expected FG?

Does anyone have a recipe for a 5 gallon batch of Joe's Ancient Orange
they'd like to share while I can still afford the oranges?

Dick
- --
Richard D. Adams, CPA (retired)
Moderator:  misc.taxes.moderated

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Newbie melomel
From: Phil <dogglebe@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 10:17:14 -0700 (PDT)

Hopefully, someone will correct me if I'm wrong, here:

Be careful not to put too much nutrient in your mead.  It may cause a
metallic taste in your batch.

Atleast it does with beer....

Phil

> >I have not added DAP with either Fermaid K or Fermax. What is
> >the advantage of the extra DAP?
> >
> More food for the yeast. Well-fed yeast living in a
> balanced environment produce better.

------------------------------

Subject: re: residual carbonation
From: Stephen Morley <stephen@morley.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:33:06 -0400

What we found works is to rack every couple months while aging in the
carboy. I think the racking process can stimulate the yeast and cause
further fermentation. If you don't do this enough before you bottle then the
little guys get all excited to be moving and will do these last fermentation
runs in the bottle instead of the carboy. We used to get lots of geysers
before we added this to our process.

Stephen

> Subject: residual carbonation
> From: dan@geer.org
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 07:37:34 -0400
>
> I am finding petillence that I do not want.  I am asking here as I've
> now had several batches show the presence of unwanted carbonation, and
> have only one theory on where it might be coming from.
>
> The unwanted carbonation is in bottles that are six or more months in
> the bottle, and which were 10-12 months in the carboy before being
> bottled. "In the carboy" means a primary fermentation, a movement to a
> secondary after 30-60 days depending on fermentation activity,
> retention in the secondary for 8-9 months, and then bottling.  This
> note is prompted by a bottle that blew its cork out this morning
> (bottle was head down, so "bottle rocket" takes on its other meaning).
> It was bottled at 1.026 on December 20th last, having been in the
> secondary for ten months at that time. Ignoring that example, I have
> found unwanted carbonation even in bottles that were corked at 0.998
> after eleven months in the secondary.
>
> My theory is autolysis based on having bottled from the secondary.  In
> the general spirit of purity as found on this list, I heat nothing, I
> filter nothing, and I sulfite nothing.  I can go to another round of
> decanting, i.e., moving from the secondary to a carboy whose only
> purpose is to be used in bottling, per se, but lengthening the time in
> the secondary is, I suppose, also an option though at the capital cost
> of more glassware.
>
> - --dan

------------------------------

Subject: Sour with fruit?
From: "Gary Smith" <Gary@doctorgary.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:24:27 -0400

Hi,

I just tasted the third mead I've brewed in many years and It's sour
tasting.

My other two fremented this year were strictly straight mead and
considering the lengths I take to maintain relative sterility as I
brew (Been brewing beer since 77), they both taste really clean with
a similar characteristic to a Riesling / Port wine.

This newest batch of 14 gallons I allowed to ferment till the major
fermentation was completed. I then used non sweetened frozen fruit
consisting of a mix (totalling three pounds) of Strawberries,
Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and three ounces of Ginger.
Strawberries by volume were perhaps 1/3 of the total fruit used. I
used a champion juicer to extract the juice and then I strained the
juice for residual particles and pasteurized this extract at 170
degrees for 20 minutes and added it to the mead.

The mead had fermented for one month before I added the extract and
it is now an additional month after adding the juice.

I understand this is very early in the meads development but sampling
the others at this early stage was an easy pleasure and this batch is
extremely tart nearly to the point of sourness.

My question is about the tartness with fruit, I expected a fruit
characteristic but got more of that with the straight mead. Might I
safely assume this tartness is not appropriate at this point in its
development?

Thanks,

Gary

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End of Mead Lover's Digest #1378
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