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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Scot Mc Pherson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 15 Nov 2001 13:01:38 EST
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My being a mead brewer I can tell you some things, but being the nature of
the world as it is, what I have to say is not written in concrete.

Although its "possible" for what you described to happen its probably very
very unlikely, and if it were to happen it would more likely result in
vinegar than wine or mead.

As far as brewing is concerned honey is VERY dificient in the nutrients
required by yeast to start brewing. As well yeast requires a fairly specific
environment to do its job well. Honey on its own is way to sweet for yeast
which likes specific gravity usually less than 1.130 in order to "start"
multiplying and then fermenting. Once a brew is underway, one can sometimes
successfully raise the sweetness of the mixture, but that sometimes results
in failure. The lack of nutrients also contributes to the honey being
difficult to start fermenting even if other conditions are favourable. The
stories of how people have had meads take a year to ferment although probably
a misunderstanding of what was happening is never the less a result of the
lack of nutrients. The yeast simply can't multiply if they don't have certain
required nutrients..The most important being nitrogen.

So in the wild if a honey did start to ferment after it diluted in the
wild...the length of time it would require would more that likely prevent it
from ever becoming mead...you might get lucky and find a fizzy honey like
soda type drink, but it wouldn't be very good...but I also think that's
unlikely and I think its more a tale to wet the appetite of medieval meadery
customer's.

If you'd like to learn about mead making I suggest making a visit first to
some good winemaking sites and the wine and mead making newsgroups.
rec.crafts.winemaking and rec.crafts.meadmaking. They are a huge resource of
information for the potential and experienced brewer alike.

Scot Mc Pherson

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