Mashing grain to produce wort for beer includes most of the nutrients that the yeast requires to produce a healthy fementation, usually the addition of supplementary nutrients isn't required, yet many beer brewers, myself included, add nutrients to ensure a healthy, vigorous fermentation that will finish and reach terminal/target gravity. Having said that, honey lacks the nutrients required for the yeast to produce a dynamic fermentation, therefore, extra nutrients must be added. According to the NAS (Nutrient Addition Schedule) 4.5g of DAP, and 4.5g of yeast energizer should be added at inoculation, and 2.8g of DAP, and 2.8g of yeast energizer should be added at active fermentation which is defined as a drop in Brix of 2-3°.
My OG was1.130, and my gravity this morning was SG - 1.114 @ 81°F = 1.117 corrected. Brix equivalent is 7.55° (1.130), to 4.33° (1.117), roughly a 3.22° drop in Brix, therefore "active fermentation" defined by the literature I have read had been achieved.
I used a Pyrex measuring cup to remove my gravity sample (approximately 1 cup of must), and I used this sample to add the additional 2.8g of both DAP, and yeast energizer. I boiled the cup of must, added the NAS, and placed it back into the sanitized Pyrex measuring cup with cellophane stretched tightly over the top, and into the freezer it went until it chilled below 70°F. After the cup of must chilled sufficiently I added it back to the fermenter, and gave it a gentle stir with a sanitized spoon to mix the solution well.
Needless to say, the mead is still fermenting away steadily. This is the loudest fermentation I have ever experienced thus far. The airlock bubbles steadily and is quite noisy. I hope the warmer fermentation temps do not cause detectable off flavors, but only time will tell.
I'm certain ther will be some undesireavle flavors, but age does wonderous things for all things fermented, just like the Apfelwein I'm sampling now...mmmmmmmmm.
Cheers!
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