For my response to the r/mead January challenge by u/cmc589, I will be taking another stab at the Costcomel. About a year ago February, I took my first stab at a no-water Costcomel, mistakes were made, and I only got half a gallon yield from a 2.5 initial volume. Hopefully I can apply some lessons learned in that respect.

I am going to use this as an opportunity to do a personal experiment to see the impact of the magic powders I’ll be using, as a whole, by doing a control batch without.

My main batch is 40 lbs of Costco mixed berry with about 20 lbs of Costco wildflower honey; control batch is 16 lbs of mixed berry with about 8-9 lbs honey.

One aside that might be helpful to others is the volume of the fruit pre- and post- masceration.

• 40 lbs was a hair more than 5.5 gallons before, 4.5 gallons after
• 16 lbs was a hair more than 2.5 gallons before, hair under 2 gallons after

Both batches started maceration last night with Lalllzyme EX-V. I chose to macerate the control with EX-V, which could be considered a ‘magic powder’, in lieu of standard pectic enzyme to ensure that both batches start off on the same foot.

The main batch also received 1.5g/gal of Glutastar; a specific inactivated yeast (SIY) that is intended to scavenge quinones, which are a cause of oxidative damage, protecting against color and aroma loss.

Tomorrow, after a 48 hour maceration, I am going to add honey and inoculate the main batch with Flavia, a culture of the non-sacc yeast metschnikowia pulcherrima whose primary benefit is that it cleaves a sugar that sacc yeasts are unable to from bound terpenes and thiols, making them more readily available. Flavia provides the most benefit when paired with a yeast with high β-glucosidase activity, such as QA-23 or D47. I do not know to what extent my chosen sacc yeast demonstrates this activity, but I’m going all out on the main batch with all the tools I have.

24 hours later, I will add honey to the control batch and inoculate both with 3g/gal of Exotics Novello rehydrated in go-ferm. The control batch will also have the following magic powders added:

• 200 PPM FT Rouge
• 1 g/gal Opti-Red
• 1 g/gal Booster Rouge

Over the next 24, 48 and 72 hours, both batches will receive staggered additions of Fermaid K and DAP. Each will be dosed with 6g/gal of bentonite at 24 hours.

At the 1/3 break, each will receive a dose of an organic nutrient. The control batch will get Fermaid-O. The main batch will get Stimula Cabernet, which is a Fermaid-O analogue from Lallemand that contains an optimal nutrient profile to support yeast ester synthesis and aromatic biosynthesis, increasing the aromatic expression of black and red fruits.

At the 2/3 sugar break, the main batch will get a package dose of booster blanc, which is supposed to support aroma revelation if added towards the end of alcoholic fermentation.

At the end of alcoholic fermentation, I will fine and draw off a number of 200ml samples to give to both meadmakers and lay people alike for appropriately socially distant triangle testing and sensory analysis.

To summarize, my goal here is to evaluate the impact of a set of magic powders as a whole; individual experiments on each will likely be conducted in future batches. The powders and yeast in question:

• Glutastar
• Flavia
• FT Rouge
• Booster Rouge
• Opti-Red
• Booster Blanc

Any comments or suggestions welcome.