M2e – Semi-Sweet Pineapple Session Mead
Awards:
2022 Mead Makers Choice (pro-am): Mid-Winter
2022 Gold: Mid-Winter
2022 Silver: Mazer Cup
2020 Gold: Valhalla
2020 Bronze: Mashout
Ingredients for 5 gallons of must (at 1.046 Original Gravity):
6 lbs 6 oz Gibbons Sweet Yellow Clover honey
5 gals RO water (gradually add enough to reach 1.064 Original Gravity)
5.5 grams OptiWhite (SIY)
5.5 grams FT Blanc Soft (Tannin)
16.5 grams US-05 Yeast (low YAN needs, temp range: 64-80F) FERMENT at 62F
20.6 grams GoFermProtect in 410 ml water
4.5 grams FermaidO * 4 additions (18 gr total) with each addition in 90 ml water
16.8 grams Bentonite (sprinkled into must)
Post Fermentation:
8 lbs 10.5 oz of fresh diced pineapples and their juice (12 pineapples)
2 lbs Bee Seasonal Acacia/Angico honey for backsweetening post fermentation
8 oz Gibbons Sweet Yellow Clover honey for backsweetening post fermentation
Kieselsol and Chitosan finings
Process:
Incorporate the water and honey and ensure it’s fully dissolved. Add FT Blanc Soft, OptiWhite and Bentonite and mix well.
Prepare GoFermProtect by heating water to 160F. Mix thoroughly. When the mixture reaches 95F, add the yeast and mix well. Every 10 minutes add 20 ml of the must to the yeast mixture until the mixture is within 10F of the must temperature (this is called atemperating the yeast). Oxygenate with pure O2 and a sintered stone for 60 seconds at 1 liter per minute. Pitch yeast into the must, and mix well.
Cover the must, use an airlock or blowoff tube depending on your headspace and customary process.
Day 0: Add first infusion of Fermaid O when pitching yeast. Mix it in the water as prescribed. Add oxygen at 12 hours.
Day 2: Add second infusion of Fermaid O. Add oxygen at 24 hours.
Day 3: Add third infusion of Fermaid O. Add oxygen at 36 hours.
Day 7 OR 1/3 sugar break (1.031 O.G.) Add fourth infusion of Fermaid O. Note: If the yeast raced past this gravity, skip the addition. If it’s close, add it. It’s not rocket science requiring high precision. Stop adding oxygen at 36 hours, or when gravity reaches 1.023.
Final gravity is likely to be .995 but may vary. Once final gravity is reached cold crash at 35F, then rack to secondary with appropriate doses of Potassium MetaBiSulfite and Potassium Sorbate. Wait at least 24 hours before backsweetening using Acacia/Angico and Sweet Yellow Clover honey to a final gravity of 1.025. Filtered through a #2 plate and frame filter. Force carbonated to 2 volumes.
