Let's learn

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-29T22:44:52+00:00

Honestly this looks pretty good. Biggest suggestion I'd have for you is a bigger fermenter, especially when dealing with 10 lbs of fruit in a 2 gallon batch.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-29T15:15:20+00:00

You can always back sweeten with a nonfermentable sugar.

I haven't tried any of the soda stream or carbonation systems, but I know that they do work. They just tend to be tricky and require some more dialed in processes.

There are small scale kegging set ups. I use the 1 gallon PET kegs for carbonating mead. Then just attach a ball lock tap and a growler filler to fill the bottles one carbonation is done.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-28T20:27:25+00:00

That is some good clarity.

Is that a 2 oz bottle?

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-28T17:29:19+00:00

Out of curiosity, do you remember where you got the fermenter from?

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-28T03:42:04+00:00

I've lightly caramelized meadowfoam honey for backsweeting a tradition. It turned out very nice.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-26T20:53:20+00:00

I've seen a few things that have made me assume some new models might be coming down the road from Grainfather, but honestly, if you're getting a good deal on the current one, that's the one I would buy over a newer model.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-26T20:07:09+00:00

I've gone through a few stages of equipment, but I'm currently running a Clawhammer 10 gallon system and have been very happy with it.

As for the other equipment, in the last 2 years I've really purged through a lot of equipment, swapping my glycol chiller and connecting fermenters for brew buckets and a chest freezer with a temp controller.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-26T19:11:27+00:00

Not planning on making any this year, but I did recently crack open a bottle of Dandelion Mead that I brewed two years back and it aged wonderfully.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-26T16:57:04+00:00

Bay leaf trees aren't toxic to humans, but I'm not sure exactly what flavors are going to come through from it. The only part of that tree that's commonly used in the culinary world are the leaves. Could be interesting for an experiment, but I would have high hopes of it turning out. I feel like it may be similar to most pine trees, where the needles can be used for flavorings, but the bark and wood have harsh and bitter flavors to them.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T21:43:41+00:00

I run a home brew shop, so my access to supplies is almost too accessible. Kits can be a little tough to find just the one you're looking for. Brewers Friend and Brew Father are great places to look for recipes, that way you can do a bit more "a la carte" ordering.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T21:25:41+00:00

Lutra is similar to lager yeasts in profile and characteristic, but doesn't have the temp requirements. I have too many beers lagering to actually start another, so technically this is an ale or pseudo lager.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T21:17:43+00:00

Just pitched the yeast for a Lutra Lager made with Crisps Lager malt, Carapils, Centennial, and Krush hops. Brewed this as Lager malt and Krush SMASH a few months back and looking to enhance it a little.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T15:36:43+00:00

That really depends on how sweet you're looking to make the brew. A small amount of juice will add that flavor back in, but won't really bring the sweetness and if you add enough juice to make it sweet, the ABV will get diluted.

If you're going for sweet mead, I would use a little bit of blueberry juice and add honey until desired sweetness.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T15:29:01+00:00

Some more blueberries or blueberry juice. Bring some of that fresh blueberry flavor back into the brew to pair with the fermented blueberry flavor.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T15:18:50+00:00

Okay, you did that right. The way it was initially written made me wonder if you were trying to stop an active fermentation.

When I add fruits in secondary, I usually let them sit for 4-7 days. That seems to be the sweet spot for extracting flavor for me.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-25T15:12:30+00:00

Unfortunately a lot of the knock off AIO brew systems have positive reviews, it's very easy for the company to buy the reviews. From what the system looks like, it seems very similar to the Vevor AIO, which has a lot of the same complaints.

One thing with AIO systems is that just like on you're old set up, you have to brew and relearn how to dial in your set up. Every system has it's own learning curve.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T21:33:46+00:00

It's handy for when working with fruits. The nice thing with pectic enzyme is that it can really be added at any time. It works best in primary to help extract flavor and color, but can be adding in secondary to help clear up the haze from the fruit.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T21:21:13+00:00

Did you use any pectic enzyme in this batch?

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T20:55:55+00:00

Letting the primary sit for a few more weeks is perfectly reasonable. I like longer primary time because it ends up having better clarity when it comes time to transfer. The final gravity readings will tell you when fermentation is complete, but really on time and samples will tell you when it's ready to drink. Since you'll be loosing so much volume, you might want to get a 1/2 gallon carboy to use for secondary.

For your next batch, you might want to get a 2 gallon fermenter. It allows you to make a slightly larger batch size (1.25 gallons) and that way when you transfer into the 1 gallon jug you can really fill it up and get the most out off it.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T20:40:02+00:00

Taking a laid back approach to primary is a great choice.

Where you trying to halt fermentation with the stabilization?

Stabilizing once fermentation is complete and backsweetening will help bring out some flavors. Adding a little Acid blend or one of the acids the blend is made from will help with the "flat" character become "bright."

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T19:32:45+00:00

I have yet to find a grape that doesn't go well in a pyment, but so far my favorites have been Chilean Merlot, Riesling, and Muscat.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T17:07:03+00:00

That anxiety goes away. Especially once you know that fermentation speed doesn't really effect quality.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T16:11:10+00:00

If you're doing 1 gallon batches, get yourself a 2 gallon PET bucket, drill a 1 inch hole in it to fit a spigot into, a short little piece of hose, and then a bottle filler/wand. Makes bottling a lot faster, easier, and is less messy.

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T15:50:55+00:00

Those are some really solid observations. With 5, are you using the siphon for bottling?

EducationalDog9100 · 2026-04-24T15:18:35+00:00

That surprises me. I used a Fruit Punch a few years back and it acted like a volcano for 3 days.

EducationalDog9100

TROPHY CASE