Wild Fermentation Tips

[FermentingYeti]

I was wondering if anyone wanted to share some trial-and-error they've had in their attempts at wild fermentation. I'm accustomed to brewing beer using traditional (i.e., modern) methods, but have recently been practicing with wild-fermented mead and hope to try fermenting some other things this way, as my goal is to emulate how people would have made alcohol before yeast was really understood. Some of my experiments have turned out questionable, and others quite good. One thing I've learned is to be sure to loosely cover my open-fermentation vessel once bubbling starts, as I think I've introduced contaminants in some of my brews by waiting too long. I also try to sanitize, but not always to the extreme method I usually do with beer-brewing. Some of my Tej and similar brews have started out not bad and then turn...interesting. At least one has definitely turned to vinegar. Others, such as banana-coffee mead, taste like they may improve with age. Has anyone made T'ej that was undoubtedly tasty once it has fully fermented, or is it better to bottle and wait several months? I appreciate any input anyone can offer.

[TeeDubYeah]

Some things I have learned in my short time are
1. Stir Frequently while in the open crock 2 or 3 times a day and dont be gentile.
2. Don't close it up too early. I got excited the first time and put my mead in a carboy the second I saw a few bubbles. It was too early I now wait until i stir and it looks like a shaken soda.
3. After initial open ferment, I use a carboy with airlock.

4. Enjoy

[FermentingYeti]

Thanks for the thoughts. I concur about the frequent stirring and waiting to rack until fermentation has really taken off. I'm curious about the secondary fermenting in a carboy. I have started doing that as well, but have also started in an open crock with a cheesecloth covering it, and then put a glass lid over the cheesecloth once fermentation is going good. The mead tastes a bit funky, but not too bad, with this method. I'm hoping it will improve well with age. Did you have a batch go awry by not moving to a carboy in the secondary stage? I had one turn to vinegar after leaving it with just a cheesecloth for too long.

Another tip I learned over the weekend is to watch vigilantly for ants. I usually tie or rubber band my cheesecloth on, but forgot to do so and left my open crock over the weekend. The cheesecloth had fallen in, the crock was swarming with ants, and the must had several dead ants in it. I filtered them out and moved it to a closed container with a carboy. I figured if ancient brewers threw in dead bees and such I should be ok. I generally keep a small container with cornmeal and a bit of must or honey in my fermentation area. The ants love it and tend to disappear after a few days due to the fact that they brought food back to their homes that then expanded in their stomachs and wiped out their colony.

[TeeDubYeah]

I would not really call it a secondary ferment that I am doing in the Carboy.
What I am doing is transferring it to to carboy after about a day or so once the ferment is visibly strong. My reasoning is as follows.
1. You already have a significant amount of wild yeast, no need for more.
2.Its much easier to see the ferment happening via an airlock
3. It keeps out insects
4. The head-space of the carboy fills with Co2 which prevents bacteria and mold from taking hold. (Beer Brewers trick)

Now, once the airlock stops bubbling I take a second hydro reading to determine ABV. At this point if i think I want it higher ABV or a more dry mead I will add some champaign yeast. I already have the flavor I want from the Wild yeast, which can sometimes be a less hardy strain of yeast compared to commerecial yeast. I have had mixed results with this. Sometimes it takes off again, some times it slowly ferments.

I have yet to have a batch go "Vinegar" on me, but I have realized that bottle ageing is a must with mead. Even 2 days in the bottle makes a huge difference. Not that I would suggest drinking after only 2 days. I find that 3 to 6 months is a nice ageing time.

Also, If a batch goes sour on you...... why not make Mead Vinegar? Act like that is what you meant to do. Nobody will know the better.

[FermentingYeti]

Thanks for the tips TeeDubYeah. I guess I've always thought of racking and secondary fermentation as being the same, as the brew will continue to ferment to some degree when you rack it. I suppose that's just semantics, though. I have had a couple batches end up with a vinegary taste, but those were ones I did early on that I left out open fermenting for too long. I've since been using the technique you mention. I either transfer it to a carboy with an airlock or cover my cheesecloth with a lid and some plastic wrap. The vinegary meads are great for cooking and basting, so I definitely keep them. I'd rather make my vinegar intentionally, but these things happen.

[FermentingYeti]

Update: my wife tasted the mead I was bottling and labeling as vinegar and told me it was my best yet. It was really tart and had a helluva bite. She loves tart drinks and dry wines, neither of which are my favorites. I went with her preference and bottled them as mead (rather than vinegar) and plan on seeing how they taste in several months. If I recall correctly, all I did with these was mix honey and water. I may have added some raisins, but nothing else. I think I did around 3 or 4 to 1 honey to water ratio. It was fairly thick and really sweet before fermentation.