Started making mead a couple months ago, and I've done a few small batches now (pictured are batches 5, 6, and 7). A couple of beginner questions:

  1. Adding Fermaid O -- for those that use it, do you dissolve it in something before adding it? It clumps like hell if I add it directly. The package just says to add it, doesn't give a method. Today I tried dissolving it in a small pull from each batch, but it felt like a lot of work. I was going to just dissolve it in some (unchlorinated) water when I add it tomorrow. What do y'all do for that?

  2. With my very first batch, the first time I added the nutrients I got with my kit, I earned my carboy-overfloweth badge (a gentle shake resulted in a delightful fountain display). I bought Fermaid O for subsequent batches, and I've gotten no significant reaction when adding it, even after a shake. Should I be getting more of a reaction?

  3. Sanitizing--once something is sanitized, like a spoon for instance, do you think it's okay to rinse it with tap water and set it on a paper towel, then use it again? Or in a more general sense, are a few drops of tap water going to affect a gallon of mead significantly?

Thanks!

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[–] 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

dry hopped manuka sparkling mead

Yum. please tell.. what have you put in that concoction.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    at my age you want me to remember what I did 5 months ago? I can hardly remember yesterday...

    I think it was something like:

    • ~2kg manuka honey (I have a 'free' supply of manuka, from cleaning out filters between batches, just have to filter all the bits out once diluted down)
    • tablespoon-ish of Motueka hops (the compressed pellets)
    • water to ~4.5L

    This had a really slow finish, so bottled with some sweetness and still the last bit of ferment left, maybe dont try this if you want to avoid bottle bombs. This did end with only a light sparkle and not a full carbonation

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