Recent content by bushpilot

I have a few bottles of 18% sweet mead aging. It is about 15 months in the bottle right now, and I resisted opening any so far. I will certainly open one or more this year, probably in the Fall or Winter. The anticipation is killing me.

It does include sanitizer. Thanks for the thoughts, they are appreciated 👍

Thank you @madscientist451 for your thoughts. I think we differ significantly on the goal of the class. What you are proposing could be done by simply sharing a YouTube link. Not wrong or bad, just not my goal. I want people to leave with an understanding of basic processes and the equipment...

The one thing that bothers me about that Homebrew Ohio kit by itself, is its single secondary. I like to rack a couple of times for clearing. That said, for the class, I am thinking of $100 as the sweet spot for cost. Adding another fermenter (such as the one @madscientist451 suggested above)...

Thank you. Are you suggesting that I add this to the kit, perhaps for secondary/bottling? Or use it instead of the kit, and purchase all the additional supplies separately? That Homebrew Ohio kit that I linked is a very decent starter kit.

Piggybacking ... I am planning a mead class for my beekeeping association. It would be a beginner class, but one which should result in a decent mead, and teach solid beginner level practices. I am thinking that the class would cost $100, and would include the mead making kit from Homebrew...

I am surprised by the silence. I think it should add some nice character and structure to the cider.

Never done it, but watching thread!

Do you have a spouse, partner, or good friend you could talk with about this? I would suggest starting there, perhaps they could talk you away from the cliff.

If you back sweetened without stabilizing, it is a pretty good chance that fermentation restarted.

Cherries have never worked out well for me, they always taste like cough syrup. I might try again someday with tart cherries.

... since I last made mead. I just didn't harvest enough honey in 2023! The mead stocks are getting low, but I am making an all out push to get a good honey harvest this year. I think it will work out, and I won't run out of mead. I hope.

I have not noted this in my cysers from 2022.

Sorry for my slow response. You will have to work it out by taste, but in looking at my notes for a batch a few months ago, I added 6 tsp to 32 oz swingtop bottles (I add directly in the bottle.) I haven't opened any of those yet, so I cannot comment on the result.

I am a beekeeper, and make all my meads with my own (wildflower) honey. It turns out quite nice, using K1V-1116, fermented at the lower end of its temperature range, about 10% ABV, and just off-dry.