Making a Pyment Port - How to Make Fortified Mead 

Since the very beginning, you've always mentioned about making your yeast happy. So I vote Happy for a mascot name!

Mascot name: “Bajesus”, obviously.

You both are ROCKSTARS!!!!! I really enjoy the videos!

Mmmm this sounds like it will be amazing when finished. For my suggestion for the name of the little mascot....Charles, because nothing is funnier than just a regular human name for something that isn't human. And for anyone who may find it useful or just interesting, I had a brew going that I had thought was stuck, while trying to figure out what I wanted to try in order to unstick it...I forgot about it, about 4 months later I remembered about it (a few days ago) so I took a reading just for giggles and it had eaten through about 48 points of gravity to where I'm pretty sure it is now properly done. The lesson I've learned "if I think its stuck, leave it longer. It might surprise me"

Who else hits the thumbs up even before watching because you two are great teachers and entertaining!

Don't ask me why, but naming your yeast mascot, the first word that came to mind was "Yeti".

This was a fun one. It reminds me of my Ravens blood. Knudsen black cherry, hibiscus and rose heads. I made that one and gave it out for Christmas presents. Everyone loved it so much I have another 3gal batch going right now.

I think this might be my next thing to do! And the way I deal with foam, I have a little metal straw, that I sanitise, and then I gently stir at the top of the must, mostly within the foam, and it helps to break the foam apart rather nicely. Zero need to add stuff.

This was great guys, I can’t wait to see how it turns out!!

I made a really similar Pyment this fall (but did not plan to fortify it) It was a 1100 pyment that ended up at 1030, too sweet for my palet, I added a strong hibiscus infusion to acidify/dilute it a bit and for this same fruity floral goodness It ended up really great. Cheers !

My best friend and I have found you only recently, and we’ve been using your videos for our newfound hobby of mead making! Having said that, and it’s random, but maybe Bejeezus for the mascot name?

This looks amazing!

Love you guys. Really appreciate your vids.

Foam buster: vacuum pump for degassing - you create a quick vacuum in the container before it starts sucking up into the tube, then pop the top off and that rush of air back into the container pops about every bubble in there.

Oooooh brilliant idea! Going to fortify a melomel nearly done with a brandy. My dad will love that so his Bday prezzy is sorted!

Here we call the all-spice berry piment or pyment. Sticking to pollen as nutrient. That was a great tip, gives meads another flavor layer. Thanks again for a great mead making video!!!!

My plastic gallon fermenter has a screw cap option (I'm sure most do; I'm sorta new to this!), and if I get foamed up badly, I tighten it up and lay it on its side. More surface area = thinner layer of foam, and I get a good time difference in it dying down.

Great video guys I made a port style wine with your raisin wine recipe and it was awesome!

I made a blackberry port just a few months ago, and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve made.

nice!!!! I just bottled my 1st fortified mead today. it is my Betty White tribute mead. I used Crystal Head vodka because she liked vodka martini's so I basically made a martini mead. it is super good .

This is a really interesting one! Spices work nicely in pyments. I have used cardamom for the fruity flavours it can impart. If I make another I may have to try fortifying it... Thanks for the inspiration!

Guys I just got the same cognac today and yes it is damn good. I taste a lot of my latest raisin wine recipe so it is making me think of new ideas. I encourage everyone to buy it cost me 26 ish bucks so not bad

I opened a bottle of this last night that’s been aging for about 16 months… absolutely lovely!! And I have another 3 bottles!! 🤪🤪🤪

Many Thanks for the great content 👍💖

I'm glad you brought back TURBOS. For some reason, it just seems like he's a big part of the family.

I really want to see how this one turns out!

Ordered this yeast and new fermenters and making this next!!!!!

I want BOTH of yours tee shirt wardrobes. You have the best tee-shirts.

Yeasty Beasty/ Beasty Yeasty or Yeasty Boy (my son suggested that. )

Ahh.. this is like the fun chemistry lessons!

If you fortified with Everclear it would be a neutral flavor. As to the foam I've used a straw cleaning brush in a small battery powered drill after filling so that the foam is in the neck. Other times I filled letting some of the foam spill out and then use the brush.

Yeast mascot looks like a Calvin to me. He's a good boy.

Uh, if I'm correct, I believe cognac is made from the skin of grapes whereas brandy is made from... I forget.. also good video. Not too many good toutubers have I found that have done a fortified video. And no one has done it on mead except for you. Awesome.

Thanks as always.

I have become obsessed with your channel and started brewing my first mead just last week (a Cyser actually). Can't wait!!!!

The lav117 is powerful. I used one packet on 5 gallon jug, blueberries raisins ,and a little teaspoon of food. It's going great.

I love Port and fortified wines. I ask Brian and Derica if you folks have a plan for allowing a little deliberate oxidation in this recipe going forward (what I call Sherry-Breathing lol). In the past I have found that this really has worked wonders for heavier wines I have fortified, adding a touch more creamy complexity on ageing. Also, for folks who haven't used LalVin K1-V1116 before, it's the yeast I have used more than any other down the last few years and I call it my 'little lazy monster.' (it's as much a thinker as a doer throughout; not vigorous or full-on in any way). It always appears to start slowly and steady away and I have despaired with it's relaxed approach at times. This one seems to enjoy a longer lay-in, even when it's pitched to ideal product, It will fool you into thinking little is going on. Hence it is fundamental, if using this strain, you definitely follow Brian and Derica's advice and utilise your Hydrometer throughout. End said, it has never disappointed to give me great results. Fresh, crisp, mature and superb at lower temperature primary/conditioning.

Useless trying to stop people from calling it Port. They just don't care. I say a fortified Wine or Mead but others say Port every time. In this instance I would not add the yeast and allowed the foam to ooze out the top as the foam would not be carrying anything that important. That whole foam top would equal a teaspoon of liquid at most. Then added the yeast. Thanks for the videos.

Surprised noone has mentioned it (as far as I've seen) and no clue if I read/saw it somewhere or just thought of it but if you very gently just tilt and tap the side of a spoon of fermaid O (also works with yeast packet) while swirling the must it goes into solution without clumping. Takes few seconds longer to do but saves you an extra dish to clean or frustration of the clumping.

If I had to take a guess on the foam, I'd say it's the Star San. It's a non-rinse sanitizer and it can build up foam easily

Was one of the suggestions to eliminate foaming to use a tiny bit of pectic enzyme..? I see it recommended as something to clear a brew but I'm not really using it for that as things will clear on their own most of the time. BUT..! It stops heavy foaming during initial fermentation REALLY well. I was amazed. (So to be clear, that's not so much for initial foaming from shaking it; it really helps a big mess when fermentation starts producing a ton of foam.)

Yoric the Yeast Plushie. You know him so well.

Hi guys. Have you ever considered making a mead or wine using passionfruit or feijoas? Both grow in abundance in people's gardens here in NZ so I am planning on concocting something soon. Love the channel, keep up the great work.

the plushie should be named Lalvin, of course!

When I would brew my 6 gallon glass fermenter I would put a pint of my base and add a packet of yeast and let it eat for awhile before dumping in the batch

I like the name Yanni for your yeast plushy. Yanni the Yeast. My husband and I are enjoying your videos.

Call the plush "Lallemand" as in the company that makes Lalvin... 🤷‍♂️

So I finally ordered my stuff to start brewing and I've always wondered how you guys come up with all these flavor combinations and amounts

I use cuties all the time. The pith doesn't add any negative flavors in my experience. I need to look up if its rich in nitrogen because it tends to disappear leaving only the skin at the end and I'm not sure if the yeast are consuming it or if its dissolving.

For wine lovers, Portugal is great on that matter 👍Port or "VInho do Porto " located North of Portugal and can be found in a lot of places :D

First! Sorry, couldn't resist! Good morning Brian and Derica!

Up in my village we use aguardente nova - unaged grape spirit, sort of like a grappa, to fortify our jeropiga (I'm not from douro, so no Porto from us) With a vinho do porto you usually age it in oak for a good while - I imagine using an aged brandy can give some of that feeling to it, so it is a good idea. I'm really curious to see how this turns out - boa sorte.

The Yeasty Beast !

@City Steading Brews , Hey Brian and Dericka! Will you do a video on starting gravity and it’s relationship with amount of honey as well as abv cap’s relationship with hopeful final gravity?

I just use the 150 mL syringe to remove the foam. It’s not elegant, but I can usually reduce the foam by 1/2 or so that way.

I think we should name the yeast mascot Kevin lol or Clint Yeastwood

Great video may have to try this one at a later date. How about Flocker for the name

Yea buddy. That’s gonna be a good one.

Thwack! One other saying I miss is "what are we going to do with it? We're gonna let it sit" Mascot? I agree with Bajeezus - with some of the newer spellings, or old spellings as they are literally in the dictionary too!

you could use a flashlight on these darker musts to see into the jug a bit better

You gotta try detuning and slo-mo effects on Derica’s TRBOS exclamation in post. That would be hysterical! 😆😂

On the faomimg issue I use my stock pot now my mead pot I fill half my fermentation vessel with water and pour all my honey into the stock pot then add all the water from my vessel to the pot and mix with a large spoon from the second draw until it's all mixed in then funnel it into the demi john add my extra ingredients then top off with more water then add the bung and airlock and i dont often have a foaming issue unless fermentation gets crazy

I've seen your first vid about port mead and your final one. Do you have a 2nd vid to continue the 1st one? Sure hope so. Plan to brew this soon if I can see the 2nd vid.

Paused at 9:20 just to say live long and prosper 🖖

An entry to the naming contest: Drum roll....... "Beastious Yeastious " My inspiration is twofold. A Monty Python movie. And what has become somewhat of a City Steading byline for the name of a certain strain of yeast from Lalvin.

Little Lalvin!

I’m starting this tomorrow and hope it turns out as well as yours appears to have!! Ps. How about ‘Bubbles’ for the yeastie??

City Yeast Beast!!!

I want to try a fortified style soon, what do you think of a white pyment mead fortified with a plum brandy like slivovitz?

Looking forward to the next video. Who was the other brewer you mentioned that is known for fortifying?

Not sure if this is the best place to ask this but I just started a brew this morning, and a brown sludge has formed on the top and up into the blow off tube (I'm glad I saw a video of you guys talking about one recently) and was hoping you may have an idea what it is, I think it may be because I added cinnamon before and am worried it'll kill my yeast. It's also not bubbling much but it is only about 12 hours old so I'm more concerned about the sludge More info if needed: The brew is 1gal (minus about 2 cups to make space) apple juice 2lbs brown sugar 1/8 cup of cinnamon (I now feel like I should have added this after ) 1/4 cup vanilla extract ( imitation real mix) This came out to 16-17% potential And I used active dry bread yeast, I originally ordered a 12% cider yeast but when I got it it said 17.5% which I didn't notice until everything else was ready and that would make it dry (not the goal) and I decided that the 8-10 I could get from a bread yeast may even be better, but when I originally added it I didn't read the instructions (cause I figured they were exclusive to bread) and just poured it in, but it was oddly clumpy and didn't look write then noticed it said to dissolve in water first, so I tried to get some of that stuff out and then did the second one dissolved in water first and it seemed to incorporate fine, then I got home 10-12 hours later and there was brown sludge that had foamed clear into the blow off tube, which makes me think it was fermenting pretty good but now it doesn't seem to be doing much and I'm wondering if the cinnamon killed the yeast or something like that or if the brown sludge is in some other way a bad thing Edit: also this may seem like an odd recipe but the goal was to have a sweet apple pie like drink, and sorry if that was way to much information but I saw you guys saying you need info to help and wanted to make sure I didn't leave any out Update: so I woke up the next day and the yeast is definitely not dead and it's going pretty good now, the foam/sludge has actually gone clear through the blow out tube into the sanitizer cup (I feel like I filled my container too much) I'm starting to think the sludge is just the cinnamon clumping up with the foam, but I'm still a little worried about it

No joke, skin oils are the fastest way to remove bubbles or foam. I realize that might not be the best thing when sanitary conditions are vital, but there it is.

@15:21 LOL thats never old

hey, what do you think about McCoy's orange blossom honey?? Just thought I would ask since I'm in Texas. I did order some, so I will find out about it pretty soon! 😉

Awwwww man!!!! I thought you guys said you wouldn’t?

This weekend I have been thinking about Yeast colony and the lees. The lees is the fallen particulates and dormant as well as some dead yeast. and the living colony is in suspension. How does removing the lees often in and of itself stress the Yeast to cause off flavors? Maybe because the yeast is canabalistic they loose a nutrient source, add more nutrient during racking. I rack to help with clarity. less stuff around to get back in solution. But if the colony is in suspension then racking shouldn't cause stress. Is it the rough treatment through the auto-siphon? If you had the new designed fermenters with the dump valve at the bottom to remove the Lees would that cause stress?

So I'm considering making something like this in a larger batch and not as strong, I've already watched both videos on this brew, and for memory you got near or over 20% ABV, im looking at 17.5% as alot of tawny or port or muscat etc are all close to that level here in aus. I was condering making a 9 litre (2.38gal) batch of pyment in an 11 litre (2.90gal) white plastic, food safe pail. 1.42kg (3.09lb) raw mixed blossom honey, oh btw I found that I can get 3kg (6.61lb) tub of raw mixed blossom honey at a not so local supermarket for $24 which is pretty good! So.. 1.42kg in a 9 litre batch topped up with concord grape juice should net me around 1.100 OG Let ferment dry and I hate it but this time I'm going to stabilise and backsweeten and fortify. Backsweeten with leatherwood honey from Tasmania and fortify with a ... friends... Homemade... spicy water with brandy flavouring. Its basically grain alcohol... uhh I mean spicy water. This one isn't going to be so natural like how I usualy operate. Only thing to fortify 9 litres id need like 2.3lt of spicy water. I know that my parents neighbour will love it as she loves port! But I'm yet to get her to sample any of my meads, she got turned off the idea by a commercial spiced mead from like 20yr ago. I think this idea will get her onto meads.

Beast

How about Sacchy or Cervy?

Plushy Name - FunGuy! John Dough Witch of Yeastwick The Yeast Priest Yeast of Eden

Musty is a good name.

I wonder if one drop of cooking oil would be enough to reduce the foaming by affecting the liquid's surface tension.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have suggestions for the foam issue other than waiting? Brian filling the carboy up little by little was giving me flashbacks lol

I hope you named the mascot Sara vay cee. I'm inspired to make a persimmon port now

How about Yeastie Boy for the mascot?

So I wanted to do this mead so bad but I changed it a bit. I used white grape and white hibiscus. I want to see if I can get a white mead. I'm not sure how long to leave the sherry oak in for. you guys did 4weeks, but thought 6m would be better. what is your thought and she mentioned one she liked better I think clingon? thank you for your help- Pieracci's Purgatory

Hi yall i had a question about auto siphons, i racked a mead the other day and it did a weird thing as it got to the end it started, for lack of a better word, slurping? And it introduced a lot of bubbles even tho it wasnt completely empty yet and didnt want to siphon the last couple inches of fluid

I was listening to this while concentrating on paperwork, wasn't watching the video, and all of a sudden at 5:00, my brain's like, am I having a seizure? Oh wait, it's probably the video. Kinda funny in hindsight.

I can’t find any grape juice in my area that’s not from concentrate. Is it OK to use grape juice from concentrate? Is Welches Concorde grape juice OK?

Hmmm.. I wonder if you could make 2 gallons and distill one of them to use for fortifying? That way it doesn't add too many different flavors.

CS Brewis for the yeast

How about Clarice the yeast

Colin? As a reference to colonisation (Because Colon just wouldnt be appropriate)?

Hey what’s good I just picked myself up a 5 gallon wine making kit and I plan on making meed do y’all have any small advice on how to mix such a large amount or anything kind of advice for a first time brew ?

My cousin says to name it "Funky Brewster", like Punky Brewster

I was wondering if altitude can change or alter how your yeast can work if altitude can change how your product actually will ferment ( hopefully I’m not sounding too stupid)

Is using juice that has water in it like store brand okay? Its 100% grape juice just with water added.

Is it normal for particulates to float and cause it to look separated in 2

Kinda new to all this. Ive watched enough of your videos to know you always say that you need to follow a specific recipe. So theorically, would subsisting say blackberry juice and using black berry brandy work? I know it will not taste like yours, but do you think the juice and brandy would be too strong...overpowering blackberry flavor?

Ι was expecting with all these "sweet liquid" (grape juice, honey) and in such quantities to have higher O. G. What is your opinion?