Leap Year Mead 2

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First What Styple

  • Cirtus

  • Vanilla

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How is everyone's L.Y.M going anyways? Mine is still managing a bubble every hour or so, and it smells awesome. Haven't had a taste or measure yet, gonna probably test this weekend.

When are people planning to go to secondary? I'm looking forward to throwing some vanilla beans in...
 
I have not yet crack it open or touched it in anyways since it first started off. Mine is going strong, but I was unable to use any nutrient, hence why mine is going slower. I still need to bottle two batches, once that is done I will have 2 open carboys for secondaries.
 
mine still has a LOT of bubbles still visible in the carboy, but the airlock is only kicking out about every 30 to 40 seconds or so. Gravity measured 1.010 on or about the 29th. I am sure that I am another month or so from going to secondary. I'm totally not afraid of leaving this on the yeast for too long, so I am going to wait until the bubbles stop, the mead begins to clear, then BAM Right onto the beans.The real question is how long do we sit on the beans? I'm sure we will need to rack again, but when?
 
I'm not in any hurry to get it off the yeast either. I should really look up my notes of which yeast I used to find out whether or not this is a good idea....
It's still got a lot of clearing to go by the look of it.

I guess we can let it sit on the beans in secondary for quite some time? I've really no idea, but I imagine it would be the longer the better right?
 
I racked mine off a few days ago; mainly because fermentation was already done(.998) and I might as well move it to get it off of the old yeast I thought. So its on the vanilla beans at the moment... Some of the yeast (I assume) is attaching itself to the ends of the vanilla beans, which are floating on top, and it looks like a crazy infection; but I can't see anything living in that hostile(alcoholically) of an environment besides the yeast... So I will just assume thats all it is.

I have no idea how long to leave the mead on the beans... anyone have any input? :mug:

Neal
 
Racking already? I'm nowhere near that point. I have bubbles in the airlock about every 4 seconds. It'll be a few weeks before I can rack.
 
My airlock has been in-active...I still see some tiny bubbles surfacing....but what has me worried is there is a couple of 2" - 3" patches of whitish stuff floating on top..and the same stuff thinly along the glass. It is probably nothing...but I am going to get a new hydrometer (I really need an un-breakable one) tonight so I can check the gravity. I am going to order my vanilla this weekend and probably rack next week (assuming that the gravity is stable).

-Will
 
JustMrWill said:
what has me worried is there is a couple of 2" - 3" patches of whitish stuff floating on top..and the same stuff thinly along the glass.
-Will
Click to expand...
Relax...I've got that too....It is just some of the yeast coming to the top instead of settling.
 
Ive got that 2 along the sides. Also have a few large bubble that are sitting on the top and not popping. Not worried tho.
 
Bought a new 5 gallon carboy.
Ordered vanilla beans yesterday.

Checked gravity last night - .998.
Once beans are delivered I will re-check gravity...if the same, gonna rack to secondary with bean.

-JMW
 
Ok, so how many beans per gallon did we decide on, 2 or 3? And which variety of beans is everyone using, would be interesting to see the varying products we all end up with. I mean we aren't all using the same honey, or the same amount, or the same yeast, or the same beans or how many haha.

I like it this way, because we are all making a similar vanilla mead but in the end each of ours could be vastly different. Who thinks, if we can remember in like 3.9 years, that a bottle trade would be cool?
 
I just measured at 1.006. This is going SOOOOO SLOOOOOWWWWW. What the heck is causing mine to take so long. I had fresh yeast, and I've used the nutrient I used before and since...it's fine.
I just started a batch of Apfelwein in my other 5 gallon glass. Maybe when it's done I'll rack.

I am using Madagascar beans, and 2 per gallon. I wish someone would give me an idea of how long to leave on the beans. Since I'm waiting on Apfelwein, I'm just going to use that as my timer. I'll make Apfelwein when I rack, and when it's done, I'll come off the beans. I don't know about that, but it's what I'm thinking today.

I'm all in for a bottle swap. Maybe not in 3.9 years...but when we finish bottling.
 
BigKahuna said:
I just measured at 1.006. This is going SOOOOO SLOOOOOWWWWW. What the heck is causing mine to take so long. I had fresh yeast, and I've used the nutrient I used before and since...it's fine.
I just started a batch of Apfelwein in my other 5 gallon glass. Maybe when it's done I'll rack.

I am using Madagascar beans, and 2 per gallon. I wish someone would give me an idea of how long to leave on the beans. Since I'm waiting on Apfelwein, I'm just going to use that as my timer. I'll make Apfelwein when I rack, and when it's done, I'll come off the beans. I don't know about that, but it's what I'm thinking today.

I'm all in for a bottle swap. Maybe not in 3.9 years...but when we finish bottling.
Click to expand...
Are you already on the beans?
 
BuffaloSabresBrewer said:
Are you already on the beans?
Click to expand...
Nope.
Maybe when my Apfelwein (In the other glass carboy) is finished. I started it on April 6th...so I am looking at going as late as possibly the end of May before I go to beans. If I'm ready...the mood strikes me...I get the wild hair before then, I might buy another 5 gallon glass. I think Patients is a virtue here, so I'm going to try and wait.
I don't think I want to head out of the Primary before all is done fermenting...I just think I'm a little stuck right now, but still progressing. I want to give everything time to do whatever it's going to do. I should not think we'd worry about anything funky happening....Champaign yeast seems to be pretty clean.
 
2 bean per gallon???!?!?! Argh! Yup...just went back and re-read the original post...

I had it stuck in my head 1 per...and I ordered 10 beans (some for a co-worker)...hmmm... maybe he will only want a couple...So..think 7 or 8 beans for a 5 gal batch will come out good?

-JMW
 
Racked mine last night when I was moving everything else about...
Although my Vanilla beans haven't come yet, they are due to arrive soon...
Should I just drop two into the secondry as soon as they arrive or do ye think I should rack again onto them?
 
rmck1 said:
Racked mine last night when I was moving everything else about...
Although my Vanilla beans haven't come yet, they are due to arrive soon...
Should I just drop two into the secondry as soon as they arrive or do ye think I should rack again onto them?
Click to expand...
I'd just toss them right in there.
 
Finally ordered my beans. I purchased from www.theSpiceHouse.com and bought 6 Madagascar "Bourbon Islands" Vanilla Beans ($5.24 for 3). Hopefully I am at my FG since I was stalled for a while and had to mess with it to get it going again. If I'm at FG, I will be racking when my beans get here next week. I'm getting anxious to get this racked and set aside on the shelf for a year or so.
Did we ever decide how long to let it sit before bottling?
 
19 Apr 08: My mead has been clear and FG 1.000 since 23 Mar.

When we started on Leap Day I took 5 beans and scraped them before cutting them into small pieces and placed it all in a jar with 2 cups of vodka.

I don't know if it'll be enough, but I have some real vanilla for topping off if I need to.

Where is everyone else in this endeavor? :confused:

Nice PowerPoint pic too. Thanks. ;)
 
I racked my LYM about 3 weeks ago onto 2 vanilla beans and its been clear for about as long probably. How long is everyone planning on letting their mead sit on the beans??

Neal
 
I have decided I may be stuck.
Gravity is at 1.004, and NO SIGN of clearing. I am adding 2 tsp of nutrient today.

There is a bubbly goo on the top, and it isn't clearing at all, plus it seems to be developing some sort of OFF flavor.

IMG_1320 copy.jpg
 
Bump...

I added my vanilla but forgot to score along them. Funny cause one of them has bloated at one end and is floating around like some kind of eel in the demijohn...

Hmmmm, Pickled eels...
 
BigKahuna said:
I have decided I may be stuck.
Gravity is at 1.004, and NO SIGN of clearing. I am adding 2 tsp of nutrient today.

There is a bubbly goo on the top, and it isn't clearing at all, plus it seems to be developing some sort of OFF flavor.
Click to expand...

Mine looks exactly like that...

I am racking to secondary this weekend. I haven't tastes it yet.

So...what do we do with the beans? Split and scrape? Then put EVERYTHING (bean and scraped matter) into secondary? Or just the beans?

-Will
 
Is it a good idea to soak the beans and the pods (seperated of course) in sulphite soln. for 10 minutes? I don't want infections like some people here seem to be getting...
 
Nerro said:
Is it a good idea to soak the beans and the pods (seperated of course) in sulphite soln. for 10 minutes? I don't want infections like some people here seem to be getting...
Click to expand...

I don't think that with the 12% + alcohol you should (as long as everything is relatively clean) not have to worry about sanitizing the beans.
 
4 May 08: I scraped and cut up my beans a couple days after brewing and placed them in 2 C vodka...

My mead has been ready to bottle since 23 Mar...and bulk conditioning/aging since then. I may mix the vanilla and sample this week before bottling.

It tastes really good just the way it is so I may bottle a couple (3-4 wine bottles) of straight mead first. ;)
 
I'm down to 1.002. Starting to clear....VERY little.

Tastes very much like Honey....DUH!!!!!!!

Actually when it's cold, the sample was VERY good.

My apfelwein in the 5 gallon glass carboy that I am waiting for is NOT clearing, so My forced patients plan is working. I could be below 1.000 before I rack?
 
Well I moved back into my parents house for the summer two weeks ago, so all my brew is back in my apartment in Indiana. That is what I call forced patience, haha. I won't be back in my apartment for another month, so after a couple of months I should have some ready for bottling, some ready for secondary and hopefully have my beans for this brew.
 
6-7-8...Seems a fitting date to rack the Leap!

Racked onto my 10 Madagascar vanilla beans...Split and scraped.
Gravity was 1.002...That seems a bit odd...That yeast should go to like DRY! Tolerance of around 21%....I'm nowhere near that.

The mead is barely beginning to clear. It is the same color and transparency as one that's 2 weeks old sitting next to it.
 
I'm thinking about racking again to get it off the beans and other yeast for long aging. Its been on the beans for about 2 months or so now but has a rather thick yeast layer (about 1").

I thought about carbonating a bottle or two of this; anyone have any suggestions for how much sugar to add to each bottle? Also, is a re-pitch going to be necessary for carbonation or will there be enough yeast in suspension after 6 months or so of aging?
 

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