Important Mead Step: Adding Nutrients and Aerating

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Take this link to find my notes I wrote and you can follow along:
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Adding nutrients to your must is very important for the yeast to thrive and go through their fermentation process fully. Without the nutrients they might struggle and have a harder time getting through the full fermentation process. Feel free to ask as many questions as you might like and leave a like! Thanks for watching!
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[@jonathanross8602]

I added nutrients a week after starting fermentation and it reacted with the first scoop. Fizzed up immediately, it was really cool. The yeast got really active a few hours after as well. Added nutrients to the beginning of another batch, we'll see how it goes.

[@drbell26]

Thanks for breaking down the staggered feeding. I've seen a few people talk about it, but I don't know if I just didn't catch it or they never mentioned how much to use. I didn't know to see the full amount four times or the full amount broke into however many feedings. Thanks for clarifying it. It's what I figured but wanted to be sure. It doesn't belong in this post, but I love your newer videos where you side-by-side comparisons on techniques and/or products.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@jermholmes1313]

Your videos have been helping me alot and you basically have all the answers I look for. I appreciate you alot Mr. mead.

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m happy to help!

[@ageoflistening]

Thank you. These helped me to confirm I'm doing everything right.

[@ZarathustraDK]

Note on the aeration-part: Only do it at the beginning of primary fermentation. Fermentation = Anaerobic respiration = yeast switching to alcohol production in a low-oxygen environment in order to survive/replicate. The aeration part is used because it helps the yeast proliferate and multiply greatly in the beginning, making for a faster fermentation; however, if the yeast has access to oxygen they'll favor (or at least concurrently do) aerobic respiration over fermentation since it has a better energy-yield for the cell, converting your sugars into water and carbondioxide instead of ethanol. Aerating further into primary will thus give you a wrong impression of the alcohol-content when using a hydrometer, since it doesn't account for the way in which the sugars have disappeared from the must, be it through anaerobic respiration (alcohol) or aerobic respiration (water and CO2).

[@ZarathustraDK]

@Smiddy Wesson Without knowing for sure I'd say it's probably safe. Most tosna-recipes have you adding nutrients (like Fermaid O and Fermaid K) in steps until 2/3 of the sugar remains _or_ 7 days into the fermentation, which is generally also where you see the most activity; so my guess is it's not too late. In any case you'd probably rather want your yeast have the O2 it needs to saturate the must than having to repitch more yeast at the end to make up for the lack of viable yeast-cells.

[@Wayouts123]

Great vid as usual.

[@abidas138]

You definitely have me reconsidering my primary fermentation process.

[@magacop5180]

Why?

[@tbobtbob330]

I add a few raisens when I start it, and don't oxygenate it at all. 2 weeks and it's done. I don't even rack it, just fill my glass from the siphon. Tastes fine and runs 12-13%.

[@ChooRoo]

Your intro music is like music from an 80s movie sex scene... and I love it!

[@nicholasmoon7999]

You need to do some amazon affiliate links to the items you use so we can see where to get them and you get a small kick back to yourself as well.

[@bradleywooten6248]

Great information. I'm looking to get started making mead. These informational videos are great. I believe if you would work on your production, your channel could be a big hit! I know I'm gonna keep watching!

[@ManMadeMead]

Why thank you! Production is definitely in the works. Thanks for watching and I hope your have a smooth start!

[@pegans1203]

3rd day of fermentation on my cherry mead no percaltion but on day 2 I added the ferma k and I believe the alcohol is there but not for sure but like you said need to be patient

[@ManMadeMead]

Oh definitely be patient if it's that early! You can also taste it as you go and know for sure where it's at!

[@IronTrek96]

Hi. So I have barely started my mead the day before yesterday. And the mead has already begun to ferment. I am a bit confused on the oxygenating part. So what to do. I mean I shook up the must before adding the yeast. And now it's day 2 going on to 3 and the bubbling is going. Just wondering on the process that follows in terms of oxygenating the mead. Should I be doing it at least once a day (by stirring it) and for how many days should I be doing it. Or what do you suggest on that part. I mean I just started it on Monday. And of course I did it Tuesday, and it is now Wednesday. Should I stir it up again today to allow oxygen to enter it? And how long am I supposed to do this for before it starts becoming a risk of turning into vinegar?

[@chriswiltse2281]

to be clear on things...you take the airlock off for an hour or more for the aerator? how often during the beginning stages? every other day; once a week? i'm planning on starting my own adventure making mead next week i've binge watched a lot of tutorials. i like how you started breaking it down. knowing the steps in a process is one thing. knowing why we take these steps is another. other videos mention that yeast is a living organism, but don't really talk about it past that. i'm a plumber and it is my job to figure out what caused a problem so i can prevent it from happening again rather than just fixing it just for the problem to happen again next week. not sure if i make any sense there. making something that i plan to drink a year from now and probably share with friends is an important thing to know the ins and outs of. keep up the great videos. break the process down.

[@ManMadeMead]

chris wiltse You will use the aerator the most in the first little bit of the meads life. I would heavily aerate the must when you first introduce the yeast and then wait about 2-3 days. At that point you can open the mead back up and stick the aerator in. I would be careful to leave the whole surface open for fear of contaminate getting into the mead as your aerating it again. So I will put the aerator in and then cover it with a towel or something to keep any airborne bacteria from going in. I will leave the aerator in my mead (on day 2-3 of the meads life) for about an hour. You can do the same thing multiple times. I would not recommend doing this way late in the meads life (the 45+ day primary stages) because most of the time the mead has finished the primary fermentation. Really aerating is something that should be done only 2-3 times in the primary stage, you don’t need to do it many times more than that if you’ve done it properly. All that you’ve said makes sense! I wish you the best of luck on your first meads and I’m glad I can be of some help!

[@hotlavatube]

I was looking into aeration stones and they make a big point of never touching the stones with your hands as it blocks the pores. There's ways to fix it that involve boiling, cleaners, or baking.

[@mattalonso6575]

Hello! If I were to do a staggered scheduled for my nutrients on days 2,4,6, and 8, would I need to aerate for the first our of each introduction? or would I only need to aerate when initially putting everything together? Thanks!

[@ManMadeMead]

You really only need to aerate within the first 4 days of fermentation in my opinion (or once you’re past the halfway point if your fermentation!)

[@Barcodum]

I’ve heard that you can also use dead yeast as another source of nutrients. If so, what’s the process? I have yeast from my last beer brew that is very active. Can I take a tablespoon (yes I have that much; my wife decided she wanted to use it for bread and so cultivated it) and kill that in hot water to add to a brew for nutrients?

[@therenaissancewoman2080]

I'm new to this. Can I use brewers yeast for my mead wine? I made a mistake and bought LD Carlson yeast nutrient on amazon. So could I put in my brewer's yeast and then the next day put in my yeast yeast? It says 1 tsp per gallon must. LD Carlson Yeast nutrient Contains food-grade urea and diammonium phosphate.

[@giusax89]

Hey there! This is my first mead, and the fermentation had been going well, but in the beginning all i was was to swirl the carboy a little to degas it. If I wanted to shake it next time, how would exactly do it, especially having the airlock on?

[@ManMadeMead]

Don’t shake! It will add oxygen into the mead and that’s not good for it! Just keep lightly swirling!

[@theweekendwarrior6355]

I would like to watch a video, comparing the different ways to add nutrients.

[@theweekendwarrior6355]

An air myth test would be interesting to watch as well.

[@drbell26]

That is what I was looking for in the comments. To see if someone had done that and had a "best" recommendation.

[@vin1234321]

I'm about to make my first batch and I was just gonna use some raisins but at the store I also picked up some dried zante currants and a container of dates would they might work as well?

[@horse5407]

Raisins are not nutrients

[@MP15aug]

how effective is the chemical nutrients you were talking about versus raisins? I have been having trouble getting the fermentation start when I increased the batch size from 1 to 2 gal.

[@ManMadeMead]

It's far more effective. Raisins aren't really a true nutrient. Yes they have a few nutrients that the yeast needs, but only like 2/10. The yeast nutrient and energizer are exactly what the yeast need and use so I would recommend trying them!

[@1014p]

I blend the honey and other wise let go. Plus yeast energizer which works. Air stones are not needed.

[@jake6132]

I'm on day 4 of my first batch of mead. I am staggering according to the instructions for my mead making kit. However, despite having degassed quite a bit, when I add the nutrients I'm still getting lots of bubbles (no geyser though). Perhaps I'm underestimating how much time degassing will take. Either way, I decided that each night I will add a little more nutrient until it's all been added. The instructions just say to add it day 1, 2, and 5. Tomorrow is day 5 and I still haven't added all of the day 2 quantity because of all the bubbling.

[@jeffheath6315]

So did this pumpkin spiced mead I have talked to you about and followed a staggered nutrient addition. Just added the last tsp of nutrient/energiser on day 7 but after adding noticed no bubbles. Checked it and it's at 1.00 already. Will the nutrient/ energiser add off flavors to my mead if it's done fermenting?

[@ManMadeMead]

Jeff Heath I don’t believe they will, I think if you just dumped a ton in then there is a possibility. However, I think they manufacture it so it does not impact the mead flavor.

[@buddymc]

Good info. But I'd skip the raisins. Buy some DAP or Ferm 0 and K. Feeding is better at the begining of the fermentation. Within the first 24, 48, 72 and a week out (maybe). After that most of the sugar is gone and you want the yeast to begin to drop as the fermentables get converted. All in all you are giving really good information.

[@ManMadeMead]

Buddy Mc Thank you! I agree, after more research about raisins they definitely don’t help the mead any. Staggered feeding and Fermaid and GoFerm products are amazing.

[@PsychedelicEvolution]

Great video!!! Thanks for all the great information. Wish I cam across this video a few days before I made my first 5gallon batch of apple Mead on 8/25. I've just ordered my aerator and plan to pump some more O2 into my Mead this weekend. Do you think that adding more O2 a week after pitching my yeast is too late? Or do you think I'll be ok? I'd add it now but my aerator won't be here till Friday.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you! I'm glad I've helped some. I think you'll be fine adding more oxygen once you get your pump. It should be totally okay! I just wouldn't start adding oxygen after the 2 week mark.

[@FckJoeBiden2020]

Man Made Mead at what point do you starting creating Vinegar due to the acetobacter’s? I’ve read time and time again that oxygen should not be added after three days of fermentation.

[@roughnek201]

What kind of pump are you using with your oxygen stone. I don't see that posted below?

[@ManMadeMead]

Here it is! L.D.Carlson Company Complete Oxygenation System with Pump for Homebrew www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8ZKO2W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_95VsEbB3SS7MH

[@10SpeedTommy]

Do you recommend a staggered nutrient cycle when using yeast nutrient (urea, and diammonium phosphate)? It says 1 tsp per gallon

[@ManMadeMead]

I would add that stuff at 48 hours but not later than that! However, urea isn't a great thing. If you can get access to a better yeast nutrient (like Fermaid O or K, you will have a better time!)

[@RiccardoStrom]

I have some trouble figuring out when to areate: i know that the first few days it helps aerobic lifecycle (that produce co2 but doesn't produce any alcohol?) but when it become troublesome due to oxidation/acetification?

[@ManMadeMead]

I wouldn’t add more oxygen after day 2 or 3. Once they’re out of the aerobic phase they don’t need the oxygen as much!

[@JamWammy]

So I’m doing the staggered setup and I totally forgot to add the fermaid o on day 2, it’s currently day 3, what do you recommend I do?

[@ManMadeMead]

You can still add it!

[@giusax89]

Hey MMM! I was wondering, I got some wyeast yeast nutrient, but i read somewhere that when they're not specifically made for mead these tend to be low on DAP. Would you add extra DAP in addition to this?

[@ManMadeMead]

You could add a small amount! It wouldn’t hurt to be honest!

[@giusax89]

Thanks a bunch!

[@thomastodd9333]

I have fermaid O and plan to make a 5 gallon batch. The fermaid says 1.5g per gallon. With 5 gallons could I go ahead and dump the whole 7.5g's at the beginning?

[@magacop5180]

WHat did you end up doing and how has it turned out?

[@razogarzon3248]

It would seem that aerating with an aquarium pump could introduce airborne bacteria into the must that would give you off flavors and compete with the yeast you pitched

[@ManMadeMead]

If you use one without sanitizing it first! But if you sanitize it you will be fine!

[@razogarzon3248]

@@ManMadeMeadwww.khanacademy.org/science/biology/cellular-respiration-and-fermentation/variations-on-cellular-respiration/a/fermentation-and-anaerobic-respiration

[@brewed544]

@@ManMadeMead So sanitize the stone,, and tube (inside and outside of tube?) and the machine?

[@xXCP1993Xx]

Immersion mixer does a good job if you can find one cheap

[@xXCP1993Xx]

About 10 minutes and it should be good. I do it the first three days of my brew.

[@davidprentice4370]

Trying to track down one of those aerator gadgets in the UK. Not having much luck. Is there a brand name/model number for the one you use?

[@ManMadeMead]

This is what I bought: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SLKJRR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@bernardlively6321]

@@ManMadeMead Finally....I just now went to Amazon. As a long time aquarist, I have copious equipment, which includes air pumps. So I have an air pump unit with 2 outlets, so I ordered 2 stainless steel air stones [come with silicone tubing], and a 4 set of filters. Thank you MMM. I really like your approach and quantities of scale. I do mostly 5g [starting @ 6.5g] and some 3g's when I want to experiment. The ol' shake the 1g jar to add 02 doesn't cut it in the larger carboys. Happy New Year!

[@shillian4770]

What happens when you assemble the mead concoction but you put the nutrient in with it at the beginning. For example, I assembled the mead with raisins on the first day.

[@ManMadeMead]

That can also work! The yeast will still ferment - people use that method all the time!

[@krimsondelirium7288]

What would you recommend as a yeast energizer? I've also noticed that in some videos you use Fermaid O and Fermaid K together why is that and what makes them different from each other. Is one better than the other?

[@ManMadeMead]

I think Fermaid O and Fermaid K are the best things! Fermaid O is all organic nutrients for yeast and Fermaid K has DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) in it. Both are equal in my mind, you just have to decide if you want to use all natural nutrient or not.

[@treyb387]

I'm making mead next weekend, going to start with either my pyment or vikings blod. I have yeast nutrient and yeast energizer. Is the staggered method better than adding all of it at the hydration process? I just wanted to know if one method was better than the other. I was going to use Lalvin 71B, and hydrate it prior to pitching, so adding it all at once sounds great to minimize the chance of anything in the air that I don't want to get into the mead the four times I'm opening up my carboy at each 2, 4, 6, and 8 day method. I would appreciate what you feel works better as fell as method wise.

[@ManMadeMead]

I think the staggered schedule feeds them better over time, which leads to a cleaner fermentation. I would suggest using that method!

[@treyb387]

@@ManMadeMead The more I thought about that method after I asked you, the more I agree since it makes sense. It'd be like eating an entire day's worth of food at breakfast if I add it all in at once, so I definitely want to try the staggered method in quarters every 48 hours. I don't have Go Ferm, but will Yeast Nutrient be sufficient?

[@Brandon-jw5cv]

Do you need to adjust the amount of nutrient if you use Costco honey(sic) versus raw honey from a local beekeeper?

[@ManMadeMead]

www.meadmaderight.com/tosna.html Check out this calculator!

[@framcesmoore]

Ha I do not talk well and explain myself very good at all and I write worse, so I hope u understand what I am trying to ask here. You probably will not see this but I hope u do,This was a really good video it explained/answered a lot of my questions about the nutrients and the energizers, away but I have watched most of your videos now and I have not seen u do any thing u discussed in this video but hydrate the yeast most of the videos the musk is already made Even the video from start to finish what u explained here u did not do,, So I guess my question is do u still do all this and if u do can y do a video with the hole process Thanks Please answer this and have a great week.

[@JamWammy]

Doing the staggered method for my 5 gallon mead, if my fermaid o nutrient calls for 1.5oz per gallon am I adding all 7.5 on day 2,4,6 and 8 or am I dividing it by the 4 days? And after adding how long should I stir for?

[@ManMadeMead]

Divide into 4 parts and add 1 part on each of those days! I wouldn't worry about stirring too much after day 6!

[@JamWammy]

@@ManMadeMead Thank you so much!

[@marlandoromo]

Would you aerate daily? How many minutes of aeration per gallon? I've heard maintaining 15 ppm of O2 is deal for maintain a yeast in mead to get thorough fermentation

[@ManMadeMead]

I would not aerate daily. It only really needs to be done within the first few days of the meads life. Too much aeration can actually harm the mead, especially after the fermentation phases. As far as how much O2 to put in it varies depending on your method. For me, I used a oxygen pump with an oxygen stone, I haven't measure how rapidly it puts oxygen into the mead, so I generally just leave it in the mead for about 30 minutes to an hour. If you are using pure O2 and a strong pump your times may be shorter. I wish I had a better answer but truthfully there are too many variables to consider for the perfect answer. Hope this helped!

[@marlandoromo]

Awesome thanks. If I only need O2 for the first few days then it kinda makes sense to use the O2 bottle. But if it were more of a daily process I would definately be grabbing an aquarium pump.

[@billballaro6039]

So after I completely set up the primary, how often within the first 2 weeks would you suggest I aerate.? Thank you.

[@ManMadeMead]

You really only need to aerate one the first 2 - 3 days!

[@billballaro6039]

Man Made Mead Do I open my bucket and mix with a drill for several minutes, or do I literally shake the entire bucket leaving the contents airtight. Sorry for being a PIA. I simply want my first batch to have the best chance for success.

[@bretonleo8740]

Hi there ! Do you know mead makers that uses the beer making nutrient called Cervomyces ? that’s a product from LALLEMAND also based on deactivated yeast cells. So in essence comparable to goferm I guess. I have this nutrient at home for my beers, I will be handy to stay with this nutrient for mead making ! Leo

[@ManMadeMead]

Breton Léo That’s really interesting! I’ve never heard of it but I might just have to try it and see how it does with meads!

[@bretonleo8740]

Man Made Mead www.lallemandbrewing.com/product-details/servomyces-d50/ it’s pretty inexpensive, wyeast also have a similar product

[@ming562]

I may have messed up. Just made a 25L batch. 8L honey 17L water. 10g mangrove jack. Blended. About 5min later i added 5g DAP. Did I kill my yeast?

[@ManMadeMead]

You should be fine! As long as you see fermentation occurring, it should be okay!

[@adrianramirez221]

the Fermaids are not easy to find where I live. Will a yeast have problems if the only nutrient was DAP?

[@ManMadeMead]

DAP will be fine! I would wait to introduce it until 24 hours into the fermentation (it can be hard on the yeasts when they are first starting to reproduce and wake up)

[@TheStigma]

I like the idea of airating directly with a pump - but doesnt that greatly increase the risk of introducing bacterial contamination? Unless you have a pretty fancy filter at least. Maybe that is less of a problem with mead because honey has some antibacterial properties? I'm thinking more generally in brweing.

[@krimsondelirium7288]

Would you recommend diammonium phosphate as a good yeast nutrient for mead

[@ManMadeMead]

It's alright! It's not the best. It's basically just straight nitrogen, which is what yeast need but they also need more complex nutrients (like Fermaid O or Fermaid K)

[@krimsondelirium7288]

@@ManMadeMead okay thank you

[@geoffbarrie7587]

How many times do you oxygenat your mead with the air machine in the first 2 months is it daily or is there a grace period in between each section?

[@ManMadeMead]

Only for the first 2 - 3 days!

[@geoffbarrie7587]

@@ManMadeMead do you have a good recipe for Viking blood mead I'm new to this and I dont want to make to many mistakes as best I can

[@ManMadeMead]

@@geoffbarrie7587 This is one from @dointhemost who is also a KZbinr! I believe he has a video on it! dointhemost.org/2019/02/13/simple-viking-blod-clone-recipe/

[@geoffbarrie7587]

@@ManMadeMead thank you

[@monkeyboy8me]

Im about 9 days in and only did nutrient 24 hrs later . How long after can you add in energizer ?

[@ManMadeMead]

I would hesitate to add it unless your brew isn't done fermenting!

[@samuelsimonsson9171]

Should you only aerate the mead as soon as you have put in the yeast. I threw my yeast in yesterday, can i still aerate it?

[@ManMadeMead]

Yes you can! Aerating in the first few days of the mead won’t hurt it!

[@samuelsimonsson9171]

@@ManMadeMead Alright, thanks!

[@chrisjohnsharp]

How do you know how much nutrient to give your yeast

[@ManMadeMead]

Use a yeast calculator like this one: meadtools.com

[@mazen82y]

hi >>> I need a help I made a pomogranate wine by mixing 20 L of pomogranate jiuce 750 ML of black tea 7 L of water mixed with 5 KG of white suare 2 cups of a mix of lemon and orange jiuce ueast : EC1118 and it is setting for 15 days now Can I add a nuetrient now ? or is it too late ? the taste is too sweet thanks

[@ManMadeMead]

Well, I don’t think you need to add nutrients unless it hasn’t fermented well! Generally by 15 days you will see that it’s mostly finished fermenting!

[@magacop5180]

It’s hot as shit here in Philadelphia. I haven’t added the Fermaid because the D47 is still bubbling. Is this whole thing ok to do even though it is so hot right now?

[@ManMadeMead]

It’s worth adding to ensure your yeast are fed well! I normally add mine at the 24 hour mark.

[@magacop5180]

@@ManMadeMead I was holding off because I thought Fermaid was a secondary Yeast. It is a Yeast NUTRIENT….to be added along with the Yeast. They put “Yeast” on the packet and it confused me. I added 1.5 tbsp Fermaid. I have 15lbs of Blueberries in the bucket along with 10lbs of Honey. How much Fermaid should I be using total?

[@Maximo665]

How long would you shake a 1gal carboy?

[@ManMadeMead]

I would normally shake it for 2 - 3 minutes.

[@Maximo665]

@@ManMadeMead thanks a lot

[@charlesdancel1031]

Can I just gentle swirl my mead to degas? It’s day 3 after starting my brew. I don’t really want to open the 7 gallon carboy to mix with a spoon. I’m a greenhorn and any tips would be great!

[@ManMadeMead]

Yes you can!

[@charlesdancel1031]

Thanks! Your videos got me to start my home brewing hobby. I’ve always been hesitant to start due to not knowing anything but your 101 video rocks!!

[@1014p]

Charles Dancel yes you can, it’s not as strict as it’s made to sound.

[@orinmayer1276]

how long do you use the airiator?

[@ManMadeMead]

30 minutes to 1 hour

[@orinmayer1276]

@@ManMadeMead thanks. Just getting ready to enter the world of mead making. Reading Steve Piatz’s book and slowly acquiring needed materials

[@pegans1203]

yep I might have screwed mine up all the videos I watched still didn't get it right lol

[@ManMadeMead]

You never know! It's all about experimenting!

[@MikeHesk742]

What's the argument behind staggering nutrients? I hear lots of people say it, and I also hear lots of people saying you can just add all the nutrient at the start. I assume staggering nutrient has some theoretical or observed advantage, otherwise why would people choose to use a more complex method?

[@ManMadeMead]

Staggering feeds the yeast over time which normally leads to a cleaner and healthier fermentation because the yeast are less stress!

[@pumpedupgaming5419]

So what role does diammonium phosphate play?

[@ManMadeMead]

It's a yeast nutrient - it helps the yeast ferment in a more healthy manner! It's very necessary!

[@pumpedupgaming5419]

@@ManMadeMead thanks for the reply! I got a starter kit that came with a pack of feraid k AND dap. I didn't know if I needed to use both or just one or the other??

[@DavidThomasTimmer]

Where do you live

[@allaroundguy1980]

I feed my yeast with coffee it keeps it awake and working. 😁

[@contoursofcrafting]

Where can I get the aerator from?

[@contoursofcrafting]

Nevermind, I found it--but it had horrible reviews saying air isn't pushed through the stone. Have you had problems with this?

[@MegaHappyHeathen]

I might have been a bit over zealous with an idea to use my ninja blender to aerate the must. I ended up with a significant amount of foam. Can the foaming be detrimental to the beginning of the fermentation?

[@ManMadeMead]

The foam isn't a bad thing! It'll be totally fine!

[@mycrazylifewfawnlisette3582]

What about natural nutrients?

[@ManMadeMead]

They can work!

[@FrackinNuggets]

can i stir the mead to add oxygen during the fermentation process?

[@ManMadeMead]

Yes you can! Lots of people do that!

[@FrackinNuggets]

@@ManMadeMead thanks !

[@federicoterzi395]

When is better

[@stewardnathaniel999]

Is adding nutrient a must ? Or just something to be done when the yeast aren't doing well?

[@ManMadeMead]

Your yeast can survive and be fine without it, but adding the nutrient just helps them ferment more effectively.

[@davidd1289]

It’s a must for the must

[@SageArbor]

Aerating by pouring? Couldn't you just pour the must between two vessels a few times to aerate?

[@ManMadeMead]

Yup but you want to do that a bunch of times to aerate it well enough

[@fins59]

Honey is a nutrient, if you prove your yeast before adding it to the must why add anything else?

[@ManMadeMead]

Honey is not a nutrient.

[@km-bo3zx]

You had me right up until you said that raisins are a good nutrient source. This is a fallacy that has circulated around for many years (along with a lot of bad recipes). By the handful, they only supply 1/10 the amount of required nutrient for a healthy fermentation. You would literally have to add them by the pound :-) Check out an article called "Raisins are NOT a source of significant nutrients in mead", which can be found on the "Modern Mead Makers" Facebook page.

[@ManMadeMead]

km 12 That definitely makes sense! I’ll check out that article. Thanks for telling me!

[@PaulAtreidesXIII]

What did people use before they sold nutrients at brewing stores. Like say 1000 years ago? I'm fermenting my first mead ever with raisins and blueberries currently. Hoping my yeasts dont die.

[@SuperFunkmachine]

Large amounts of yeast and time.

[@makinghomebrewwildandcheap]

@@PaulAtreidesXIII pre brew. Store meads were usually quite to very sweet then the Romans came along and mixed grape with honey. Some berries also have enough nutrients to give a full ferment, blueberries and strawberry meads always turn out dry. Sometimes tart too if using wild strawberries :/

[@MikeHesk742]

I think like a lot of things on the internet, people are too eager to dismiss an idea. Raisins may not be as good as adding powdered nutrient designed for brewing, but they are still better than adding literally nothing. I think in people's eagerness to "debunk" a theory they miss the point, and make it sound like raisins add nothing, which is incorrect. Mead can technically ferment with no added nutrient at all, but we want to improve our odds as much as we can so we add nutrient. I absolutely sympathise with both schools of thought, the people who want to maximise those odds with a chemical mix proven to do the job, and the purists who want to use only natural and old fashioned techniques who want to use raisins. Neither will harm your brew, both are better than just pitching yeast into honey-water (which again, can still work)

[@SpaceBones369]

Raisins aren't a sufficient source of nutrition for yeast 😅

[@xXCP1993Xx]

I just want the foot smell gone and raisins do that job.

[@CoinOfFaith]

Dude, your fermentation should be complete in about 14 days. what the hell are you doing. Just sprinkle the yeast on top, don't stir, the yeast will get all the O2 they need from there.

[@ManMadeMead]

That’s not always true. Some fermentation’s take longer. It all depends on your yeast. In fact, in my testing I’ve found that sprinkling yeast makes primary fermentation take longer. Yeast don’t get O2 the must just existing! They need O2 to be put into the mead. Just like a peanut butter jelly sandwich doesn’t magically grow jelly on its own!

[@CoinOfFaith]

what you say is true but you want the fermentation to dominate otherwise you risk giving some 'nasties' a chance to compete and spoil your Mead. Long fermentations are risky and add nothing to the final product. I've never had any O2 problems with 14 day fermentations so perhaps we only differ on our methods.

[@johnnyshrump8638]

Terrible...