Brewing and Fermentation

[SuburbanFarmer]

Not sure that’ll be enough air to feed your yeast. But curious to find out.

[Speaker to Animals]

I just stirred it and it fizzed up, so I think it is happening.

[Speaker to Animals]

Steven Seagall has some high-class instruction on how to make Viking blood mead:



Personally, I'd skip the paint bucket and go with something food grade, but solid presentation.

[Montegriffo]

Not sure that’ll be enough air to feed your yeast. But curious to find out.

Yeast doesn't actually need air to grow. In the absence of air it just slows down. A cloth is ideal for covering the mash as it will keep dust and insects out while letting air in. A loose fitting lid will still allow plenty of air in though.
The main factor in the fermentation speed is temperature.
Slow fermentation is not a bad thing though, many breweries will make a winter ale which is usually a dark brown or a mild ale which develops more flavour due to the long fermentation due to lower temps.

I would suggest that, with a spicy/herby mead, slower is probably better tasting and will be less cloudy when bottled as a less vigorous bubbling stirs the sediment less.

[Speaker to Animals]

I have kept the temperature inside at 69-70F since I started. The temperature of the must plus water when I added the yeast was 75F.

I need to get a cheap shelf somewhere so I can store these things. If I add a one gallon jug to the shelf each month, then it will get up to about 12 bottles total aging before I siphon the first jug over to bottles and drink it.

It's pretty long-term, but at some point there's a gallon of mead per month at minimal cost, especially when my honeybee hives produce most or all of my honey inputs.

[Montegriffo]

I just stirred it and it fizzed up, so I think it is happening.

Do you have a hydrometer?
Taking a reading of the specific gravity each day will give you a good idea of how the fermentation is going and will let you know when it has finished.
The starting SG will also enable you to calculate the % alcohol content.

[Montegriffo]

I have kept the temperature inside at 69-70F since I started. The temperature of the must plus water when I added the yeast was 75F.

I need to get a cheap shelf somewhere so I can store these things. If I add a one gallon jug to the shelf each month, then it will get up to about 12 bottles total aging before I siphon the first jug over to bottles and drink it.

It's pretty long-term, but at some point there's a gallon of mead per month at minimal cost, especially when my honeybee hives produce most or all of my honey inputs.

Some guidelines on temp's here
https://www.hiddenlegendwinery.com/idea ... mperature/
70 F is at the high end of the recommended range for a champagne yeast.

[Speaker to Animals]

I have kept the temperature inside at 69-70F since I started. The temperature of the must plus water when I added the yeast was 75F.

I need to get a cheap shelf somewhere so I can store these things. If I add a one gallon jug to the shelf each month, then it will get up to about 12 bottles total aging before I siphon the first jug over to bottles and drink it.

It's pretty long-term, but at some point there's a gallon of mead per month at minimal cost, especially when my honeybee hives produce most or all of my honey inputs.

Some guidelines on temp's here
https://www.hiddenlegendwinery.com/idea ... mperature/
70 F is at the high end of the recommended range for a champagne yeast.

That was the temperature I was instructed to start fermentation at.

[Speaker to Animals]

Here is a good demonstration:



That might be next month's mead project.

[Speaker to Animals]

This morning's appearance: