Mead Brewing?

[Pug Bainter]

> >I relise that keeping it
> >in the refrigerator will do the trick but it only holds so much.
> >Someone suggested heating the bottles of mead but I don't know what
> >temperature is sufficient and how long to keep the bottles at that
> >temperature.
> 	I wouldn't recomend heating your mead it would probably do
> something nasty to the taste.

Actually it won't from talking with people who do pasteurize it. It just
means there is nothing nasty living in it that will cause it to turn
nasty. It supposedly continues to taste exactly like it did when you
pastuerized it. (I haven't actually tried any myself though so this is
all hear-say.)

> 	You can also just wait it out and let the little yeasties go
> to alchohole tolerance and die.  At that point if you want to sweeten
> the mead you may do so without a worry of shatterd bottles or blown
> corks.

Be careful what you sweeten it with though and that the yeast actually
is dead. If you let the yeasties go til they stop, it doesn't mean they
are dead. You have to start with a high enough SG that they die cause
of the alcohol. If they stop because of no more sugar. Adding more
before you bottle could cause it to carbonate, which may not be a
desired affect. There are non-fermentable sugars out there, lactos and
malto-dextrin (not fully non-fermentable in most cases), but I have no
real experience yet. I am getting ready to add some malto-dextrin to a
raspberry cider though. (Damn thing keeps eating all the sugar and is
too tart, IMO.)

As someone pointed out, you could use different yeast than champagne
yeast. One thing you have to be concerned with here is taste. Different
yeasts produce different tastes. Not all of these will be one that is
disserable or one that you want. I've found I (personally) like Ale
yeasts instead of wine yeasts to make it sweater. This gives it more of
the flavor I'm looking for, and not too "winey".

Ciao,

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