Does Bagging Your Fruit Make a Difference?

I wanted to test a big Mead Mythbusters test today: Does Bagging your Fruit Make a Difference? In todays episode I am using the same mead recipe and adding apples into the mix. BUT I am putting the fruit in a bag for one of the meads and then just putting them in normally for the other.
Let me know what other tests you want to see!
Mead Recipe Used:
1 Gallon of Spring Water
2.2 Pounds of Mesquite Blossom Honey
1 Packet of Lalvin K1-V1116
2.4 Pounds of Gala Apples
Want to know what I use? Check it out on my Amazon store of my website!
www.ManMadeMead.com
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Mead Making is an art that people have enjoyed doing for years. It's something that intermediate to expert people can do and I'm somewhere in between. I've really enjoyed trying to use lots of different flavors in my meads like: Apple, Peach, Mango, Pear, Traditional, Elderberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, Maple Syrup, Apple Pie, Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry, Chocolate, Bochets, Bochet, White Chocolate, Cilantro, Peaches, Melomels, Melomel, Acerglyn, Hydromel, Berries, Berry, Capsicumel, Peppers, Fenugreek. Some of my favorite meads have been the big blueberry mead, apple cinnamon mead, Bochet, OK Bochet, Raspberry Bochet, Mixed Berry Mead, Orange Cream mead, and Peppermint mead. I focus on how to make mead and how to make mead for beginners and hopefully anyone who wants to continue to grow in their mead making.

[@billybookman3197]

This actuality makes sense. In a bag, the apples were all pressed close to each other not allowing the mead to get between all the fruit. In the non bagged sample, the fruit was free floating, allowing more surface area. I admit though, i like bagging because it makes cleanup so much easier.

[@forestrhys476]

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[@forestrhys476]

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[@forestrhys476]

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[@kadedeclan3968]

@Forest Rhys glad I could help :)

[@TheBaconWizard]

How about a bag that is much bigger than required?

[@brettennison3851]

I’m making a mead with apples right now. I put glass marbles in the bag with the apples, so that the bag sinks to the bottom. Then apples aren’t exposed to air and are completely submerged. Haven’t tasted yet, but seems like it should work well!

[@bhadbhris]

Bret Tennison absolute madlad

[@amandao6686]

I've had this thought but couldn't find anything in any of the forums.

[@thebrownpopegaming5762]

How did it turn out?

[@Just_Sara]

Those glass marbles are a DAMN good idea.

[@teilani_ayures]

be careful about which marbles you use. some of them have some nasty stuff in them like heavy metals (eg lead).

[@andrewcotton1651]

I do agree with a lot of the comments about in the bag it can't move his much so it's not getting as much surface area of the fruit. I did have another thought on why the non bag fruit had more apple flavor is it left more tiny bits of apple to still be in the mead, I can't wait to find out after it clarifies if they taste more similar since now there's no more apple bits or if the non bagged fruit let more apple flavor impart on the mead do to the little extra apple bits that it had

[@conradwheeler68]

When you add lots of fruit to a must, you often have to punch the cap. When using bagged fruit, you have to occasionally squeeze, shift, adjust the bag around. This will expose more /different surface area than if it is just sitting there static. Additionally, when using sliced apples, you have lots of flat surfaces that could stay in contact with each other rather than exposed to the must. If the fruit you are using is a berry, then the surface exposure will be much different Bagging fruit is primarily intended to make clean up easier with less most must due to lees and such on the bottom. Trying to make a determination of "taste" is very subjective. A more reliable test might be by just testing sugar extraction. Prepare an equal amount of distilled water in 2 sealable buckets. add identical amounts of fruit into the bucket, with one in a bag. Apply campden tablets and pectic enzyme and NO YEAST. Place both buckets into a refrigerated space for a week or 3 and occasionally shift the contents of both buckets around, as if you were punching the cap. After the alloted time remove the bag of fruit and rack both containers as if it had fermented must. Then you can measure the gravity of the water and color extraction as well as volume of "must"

[@LauraJayne64]

I’m very new to all this … what does it mean to “punch the cap”?

[@jbell7591]

Have you heard the old saying " Trying to put 10 lbs. of stuff in a five lb. bag". Try tying your knot closer to the opening of the bag so those apples can spread out over the surface of your mead. I like the nylon brew in a bag that beer brewers are using because they are bigger and don't bunch the fruit up in a ball. Interesting You Tube video Making Mead at Home with Curt Stock shows how to use a bag for adding fruit to a brew.

[@MattsMistake]

I'd be very interested to see a follow-up to see how they compare in 6 or so months to see if any of the differences remain, if they mellow out, or if they get even more noticeable.

[@ManMadeMead]

That’s the plan!

[@keithreding1828]

Time should even out the differences between the two batches.

[@thegreatdunningkruger2961]

have you ever tried using a weight to keep the bag down? I have glass weights I use when I'm fermenting my vegs

[@conradwheeler68]

I just had another thought regarding this. The bag itself would provide cavitation points in assisting the degassing of the must. That would allow for less CO2 and SO2 in the bagged batch

[@57ashdot]

My mead always comes out better when the wort is fully immersed with the fruit mix. I did brew bags a few times and noticed the mead was drier (yeast used all sugar, but probably a lot left still locked in the fruit) and had less taste overall. I tend to run anything I'm going to mix the mead with into a food processor. Makes it way easier for the yeast to access the sugar + the fruit flavors are way more present.

[@lucasragnarsharpeknifethro1618]

My primary is a gallon jug. I want to add fruit in the secondary. Can I use a 2 gallon icing bucket as secondary with the fruit added or will it be too much head space?

[@kjparker0]

I wonder if a more loose (maybe reusable) bag would be the best of both of these methods?

[@crazykitten4845]

I was wondering the same thing if a looser tie on the apples so they aren't so bunched at the bottom and have more room to move and incorporate 🤔

[@107caliboy]

A small weight in said loose bag so all apples are submerged

[@nathanielsizemore8594]

When using a brew bag, I use a rubber band to hold the bag, preventing it from falling into the fermentation bucket.

[@1014p]

Apples or hard fruits are less likely to be a mess. Now soft fruits you’ll certainly see a benefit. Strawberries are the biggest criminal even in a bag. I am not a proponent of freezing fruit as it break apart way easier. I usually primary the fruits. More like white wine process. If your goal is taste the fruit then sure in secondary. Currently playing around with dried fruit use home dehydrated of course. If the bag is fine enough it helps a lot.

[@rickvilloresi3374]

I noticed that at about 4:49, when you took off the lids and began to remove the apples that the bagged apples had what appeared to be red skins visible through the bag while, the loose apples skins were all brown. When I used sliced apples to tone down the harshness of my first methaglyn; the apples lost their crispness, but not their firmness, and turned a nice caramel color all the way through, including the skins. I don't use brew bags. Maybe the brew isn't as free flowing around the fruit with the bag. I fermented with 2lbs honey, 16oz tea- 2 bags seep 20 min, 1/4 Cup raisins, chopped and seeped in tea to dissolve sugars, Add hot tea to rinse honey jar, 3 cloves, 3 allspice berries, cinnamon stick, coarse zest of 1/2 medium orange, add water to 1gallon, and RedStar Premier Rogue yeast. It fermented dry after a little over a month when I racked the mead and sweetened with 1 more lb of honey because, the quinine from the thick orange zest was overwhelming. I put 1/2 the batch aside to age and the other half went into a large mouth jar with 1 apple sliced, and 1/4 cup chopped raisins, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. After about a month of swirling every day I removed the apples, raisins and walnuts and racked to a clean container. The apples and skins were completely brown and together with the raisins and walnuts, tasted wonderful. Highly recommend on vanilla ice cream with a splash of the methaglyn. Initially the methaglyn was very smooth and appley but after a week or so it faded and the ogangey flavors resurfaced but, mellowed and nicely blended with the apple, raisins and walnuts which seemed to smooth the harshness. The other batch also mellowed over time. I guess the Mallow-lactic fermentation occurred in secondary and made both batches warm and buttery smooth tasting but, the batch that was soaked in fruit was more flavorful and had no harshness or taste of alcohol.

[@chiruboy23]

Your lessons are awesome.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@GippslandCNC]

Loose leaf tea I think is stronger in favour than tea bags, so I'd imagine the same would apply to fruit.

[@bigcmcg3946]

First attempt at a strawberry looks like damn snow globe after 7 days. Tons of particulate from the strawberries floating around and swirling with the co2. Will not settle at all.

[@vtcrafter6626]

Should try peeled apple slices vs sliced apples with skins still on. I bet get a lot of tannins from the skins. Great video

[@RobKaiser_SQuest]

I'm a huge believer in bagging fruit, but also pressing it beforehand, gets as much juice out as possible so you can accurately measure the liquid volume and get a more accurate SG. Also if you use a lot of fruit use a larger primary 😉 made a few messes before I learned that

[@jimfite1684]

could it be a slightly reduced surface area of apple in contact with the mead, depending on how tightly the bag held the fruit together?

[@jimfite1684]

Ah, I see I should have read the comments first lol.

[@TheKrinkled1]

i noticed the bag seems to hold some of the apples above the mead, which may be why the muslin one has less flavor over all? perhaps tying it so it would be looser and ensuring the apples are all submerged in the mead would impart the same as the loose side? also bags work great for much smaller bits of additions, like berries or herbs.

[@ManMadeMead]

Possibly!

[@DaleDuffy]

Interesting...good video, thanks again MMM...!

[@ronniebounds6474]

How did you sanitize the apples? I’m ready to try this one. Thanks!!!

[@ManMadeMead]

I normally just run some starsan water over them!

[@framcesmoore]

Great video when u rack the wine/mead from the bucket to the glass jar do u put the airlock on it while it is aging Thanks

[@ManMadeMead]

I leave my airlock on all the way until I bottle!

[@GreenWitch1]

I’m curious about the difference in using fresh fruit vs fruit simmered & strained.

[@bigd7861]

Wondering about using dehydrated fruits too, such as from a home dehydrator...??? The natural sugars are condensed, so I am VERY curious about what the effect of the rehydration process will be on the flavoring!

[@carlosperezdelema]

What about weighting the bag so it doesn't float? Maybe with a bit of stainless steel, or glass

[@ManMadeMead]

That would have worked!

[@misslurmath]

Do you thibk the bag absorbed some flavours? Maybe throw a bag into the unbagged bucket if you try the experiment next time?

[@ManMadeMead]

I don’t think the bag absorbed any flavors!

[@jefflewis2153]

Pretty new at making Mead. I have made a couple of batches that aren’t quite finished yet. I am curious what is your favorite yeast to use and why?

[@ManMadeMead]

It really depends on the mead, but I use a lot of Lalvin products!

[@Avariceral]

you mentioned that you sanitized apples, I'm a bit curious how, just washing them under water isn't safe?

[@bigd7861]

Wondering about using dehydrated fruits too, such as from a home dehydrator...??? The natural sugars are condensed, so I am VERY curious about what the effect of the rehydration process will be on the flavoring!

[@ManMadeMead]

I think that could work!

[@GreenWitch1]

It’s been done

[@bigd7861]

@@GreenWitch1 How were the results?

[@GreenWitch1]

@@bigd7861 No different than using fresh really. The fruit rehydrates in the must.

[@bigd7861]

@@GreenWitch1 Since the sugars are concentrated, I'd figure that it would make a bit of difference on the reconstitution and yeast feed rate.

[@donallkaufmann6232]

Can the bags be washed/rinsed and reused or single use?

[@ManMadeMead]

Yes they can!

[@thuffman44]

add a weight to the bag next time so everything stays submerged... it makes a difference and prevents introducing air since there's no need to push anything down, (especially makes a difference when using peppers to make a capsumel) ;) Another possible reason why you feel there is a difference is due to the placebo effect. If you were to have someone else start each batch without you being able to watch... I'm guessing you may not have been able to notice a difference at all

[@TheKrinkled1]

blind tasting would be best, no doubt. MMM needs a taste tester! I totally would, but am way too far away for that, haha!

[@ManMadeMead]

True. However, I’m not sure how much it would have changed!

[@ManMadeMead]

True. However, I’m not sure how much it would have changed!

[@ORIGINALJRL]

Question: This result is from secondary but is there a difference if you bag during primary? I feel like bagging in primary might allow more fruit taste to stay preserved and rolled over to secondary because of the reduced fruit surface area to liquid in the bag. What do you think?

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm not sure how this test would be if it were done in primary! I'm sure it would be interesting to see!

[@bossalou]

That's very fascinating! For small batch meads and wine, I don't usually bag the fruit. For large batches of fruit wine, I always bag the fruit in primary out of convenience. I will say that for berry meads and wines, I find that the small seeds do go through the siphon if not bagged. It just means that I have to wait longer for things to settle out, so bagging fruit might might only be for that reason. For large fruit like apples or something like that, it's not so much a problem. I might do some experimenting myself. Very cool experiment! I would've never thought to see if bagging or not bagging makes a difference.

[@alexeykozlovsky4037]

Nice video!Thanx!But how you actually sanitise your fruits?

[@ManMadeMead]

I rinse them with starsan water!

[@VanessaIsGone]

after i watched this i have been thinking... what do you do with leftover fruit? make something or throw it away?

[@GreenWitch1]

Either or. I compost mine. I’m not a baker.

[@micah.little]

I realize I’m 2 years late to this video, however I have a theory as to your result. If you think of the apples as rain clouds (corny, but hear me out), the non-bagged would all be “raining” down into the mead unobstructed. In the bag, they’re just “raining” down over each other and only apples closest to the bottom are dripping down toward the center of the mead. Cool experiment though. I wouldn’t have thought there would be a difference at first.

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

Interesting! I’m wondering how tightly the fruit was packed inside the bag. I generally try to make sure the fruit has plenty of room. The only reason I use a bag is easy removal partway through primary (I always remove the fruit before fermentation is done). I punch the cap as I would with unbagged fruit and always use a wide mouth fermenter or a bucket when working with fruit (preference going to the wide mouth glass fermenters). With a bag, punching the cap usually involves very little more than turning it over inside the must, although I’ll generally poke at it a couple of times to shift the fruit inside. It seems to work for me… Also, I’m not all that big a fan of slices. Slices stick together. Irregular pieces or (very) coarse grating works better for hard fruit IMHO: more surface area exposed to the yeast and pretty easy punching. If the mesh of the bag isn’t too coarse, the fruit won’t get through but the flavour will.

[@robertsloan1390]

Is there a way to flavor mead with Star Anise

[@ManMadeMead]

Of course! Add Star Anise!

[@bigd7861]

How different would it be to use an apple mash instead??? Bagged vs. Unbagged.

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m honestly not sure!

[@Calendyr]

Using weights in the bag should help. I noticed that when you bag fruits, the bag kinda act as a ballon and traps a lot of the CO2 being produced... I think this makes the fruit go out of the liquid and there isn't as much liquid touching the fruits in the bag. Using the weights will keep the bag at the bottom of the bucket completelly submerged and should help a lot with the transfer of flavors in the must.

[@sean00172]

question does mead soaked apple taste good ?

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm honestly not sure!

[@justinchill92]

So my question is, is it better to add your fruits that you want to flavor your mead with the initial making of the batch or wait like you do to add them at the second stage? Just starting out and any advice would be great.

[@ManMadeMead]

I prefer to put them into the secondary so that they aren't in the bulk of the primary fermentation. When you put them into the secondary fermentation you are getting the most out of the fruit flavor. The primary is where a lot of the aromatic flavors are lost (from honey and anything else in the primary), While the secondary is where less vigorous fermentation is occurring. So in short, add them in the second stage!

[@SuperFunkmachine]

It's more in fruit prep, dice or mash the fruit an bags are just as good as with out.

[@Spike_-rx7bx]

Why not just squeeze the juice from the apple in the mead after its done fermented?

[@osutuba]

Will I get the same effect with strawberries?

[@ManMadeMead]

Possibly! I can't say for certain!

[@brynduffy]

No pectinase?

[@WalkerBeeRanch]

less surface area in the bagged fruit

[@Hannibalking16]

You could always combine best of both worlds leave the bag open as if your brewing beer (like a trash bag) and then fruit are loose and in a bag 😅

[@danajoyner8156]

How do you measure the alcohol with an hydrometer?

[@ManMadeMead]

You float it in your starting liquid and write down the measurement that it’s floating at. Let it ferment and then do another reading. Use this formula to figure it out from there: Starting Gravity - Final Gravity x 131.25 = ABV

[@alexnoisemaker4846]

@1.90 STRADISHINOL MEAD ? HAHAHA ATLEAST YOU AINT DRUKN . LUFFOO X

[@hanginwithhodge]

Interesting experiment. I would have thought no difference between the two.

[@ManMadeMead]

Me too!

[@erickfoss]

It seamed as if in the bag that about 1/4 of the apples were out of the must. It would be interesting to weight the bag so that it sat at the bottom and see if that makes a difference.

[@nmmrg]

My theory is that the bag absorbs some important oils that would otherwise be in the mixture.

[@jakejacenko937]

How long did you leave you fruit in for

[@ManMadeMead]

I left them in for 3 weeks (I believe)

[@brynduffy]

Try Burbank plum!

[@youtubecommenter4213]

bags are a pain in the ass to use. i've done it once with blackberry wine, never again.

[@rr-zx9kk]

What if the apples weren’t tied up tight? Loosely ties them up so more pieces are making direct contact with the mead.

[@ManMadeMead]

It would definitely cover more surface area!

[@Anthony-hp2kt]

How do you sanitize apples?

[@ManMadeMead]

Starsan!

[@robertcopp2411]

I wonder how much of the difference is from apples being exposed to the surface more in the non bagged one

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m not sure!

[@dustysoul1986]

How did you sterilize the apples?

[@ManMadeMead]

I rinsed them with StarSan!

[@kjparker0]

@ 2:35 You say you cut the apples, froze them, then sanitized them. How do you sanitize your apples? Did you boil them? Spray them with star san (eww)?

[@ManMadeMead]

I sprayed them with starsan! It’s totally food safe!

[@ManMadeMead]

I sprayed them with starsan! It’s totally food safe!

[@thsikezierkojo4991]

you should try bommead !

[@johnpaulsmajda]

Are you actually in Nashville?

[@ManMadeMead]

Oklahoma City!

[@GreenWitch1]

I’ve since learned that all apples have a wax coating. The solution to this is to put them in boiling water for 10 seconds to remove it. Another tip: Milk nut bags work very well for your fruit additions. They’re inexpensive & reusable many times. Big enough to hold enough fruit loosely in the must. I think the problem in this experiment is that the apples were bagged too tightly.

[@ManMadeMead]

That is great info to know! It make sense!

[@GreenWitch1]

@@ManMadeMead Our job is to share our knowledge as we grow. I’m really wanting to go to the next level. The last 9 months have been inspiring thanks to you & BC!

[@texaslonghousemead1327]

In the bag the apples will have a reduced surface contact as they can't move around freely when puched down. The non bagged can move when punched down so it can keep moving around and impart more flavor. If using a bag make sure its loose so you roll them around.

[@alfonso45901]

Here a year later and still no follow up video.

[@ManMadeMead]

Not sure where these meads went haha, I don’t think there will be a follow up video for this one!

[@alfonso45901]

@@ManMadeMead at 12:33 you most definitely stated that you were going to follow up on it.

[@embers_falling]

How do you sanitize apples??? Lmao

[@ManMadeMead]

Rinse them with starsan!

[@terrycuyler5659]

Bagging makes getting the fruit out easier

[@danamahanay3808]

Surface area has to be the difference.

[@ozoneswiftak]

Why not make a mango( example) with real fruit in a one gallon with a couple pounds of honey, yeast etc and the mix that later( two months) into a traditional.? Unstead of fake flavors.

[@ManMadeMead]

Where are the fake flavors here?

[@allthemoviesparsnip4451]

Just me or is he always drunk on his own drink when making these videos 😂

[@GreenWitch1]

It’s just you