apple-honey-butter-mead/day-1-brew-day.md

Day 1 — Brew Day / Pitch

Date: TBD. Fill this in once Jason actually brews the batch.

Goal

Create a 3 gallon apple-honey must/cyser in the 6.5 gallon bucket, measure OG, pitch yeast, and start the log.

Steps

1. Clean and sanitize bucket, lid, airlock, spoon, hydrometer/test jar, thief/baster, scissors, and any measuring gear.
2. Add about 2 gallons preservative-free apple cider/juice.
3. Add 5.5–6 lb honey to start.
4. Stir until fully dissolved.
5. Top up to 3 gallons with cider/juice.
6. Mix thoroughly; honey stratification can cause bad readings.
7. Take original gravity.
8. Adjust honey only if gravity is too low.
9. Record temperature.
10. Add pectic enzyme per label.
11. Rehydrate/pitch 71B yeast.
12. Attach lid and airlock.
13. Label the bucket.

Do not add today

• vanilla
• cinnamon/spices
• butter extract
• butterscotch extract
• backsweetening honey
• sorbate/metabisulfite
• acid/tannin/salt

Log template

Brew date/time:
Apple cider/juice brand:
Honey type/amount:
Yeast:
OG:
Must temp:
Pectic enzyme amount:
Fermentation location/temp:
Notes: