Mead & Wine Glossary
This glossary is styled after the ones found at
Jack Keller’s Winemaking web site
and Mead Made Easy’s web site.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABV: (Alcohol
by Volume) The standard measurement of the alcoholic
strength of a beer or wine. The measure gives the volume of pure
alcohol to be found in a given volume, expressed as a percentile. (Thus, 5% ABV means that in a 100ml
sample there is 5ml of pure alcohol.) The measure is used in most countries
except in the
ABW: (Alcohol
by Weight) The measure gives the weight
of pure alcohol to be found in a given weight, expressed as a percentile. Only used
in the
Acetaldehyde: A
colorless, volatile, and water-soluble compound found naturally in grapes and
wines in trace amounts and produced both by fermentation and oxidation. It has
a pungent, fruitlike odor and is desirable in small amounts in good table wines
and in high amounts in oxidized wines such as Sherry or
Acetic
Acid: The organic acid that imparts
the sour taste to vinegar,
formed by the action of the bacteria acetobacter.
Acid blend: A blend of acids
important to wines, usually tartaric, malic and citric acids. While there are
many different formulations of acid blend, a blend of 50% tartaric acid, 25%
citric acid and 25% malic acid is common. Used to raise the total acid content,
as determined by an acid test kit, as well as change the flavor and aroma of
meads and wines after fermentation.
Acidity: The
amount of acid in the must, liquor, or finished wine. Insufficient
acidity in the must will result in a poor fermentation, a slightly
medicinal and flat taste. Too much acid will give the wine an unpleasant
tartness and inhibit fermentation.. Acid is necessary
for fermentation, and up to one-fourth of the initial acid content will be
consumed by the yeast during fermentation. Low-acid musts are usually
corrected by adding tartaric acid, the principle acid in grapes, malic acid,
citric acid, or acid blend. An acid testing kit is indispensable in
measuring initial acidity. There are two measures of acidity used in
winemaking; see pH and Titratable acidity.
Activated Yeast: A
hydrated, feeding, and reproducing colony of yeast. The
colony may have formerly been stored as active dry yeast (ADY), as a dense
liquid colony under refrigeration, as dried yeast on grape skins and pulp, or
in several other forms. See Yeast Starter.
Active
Dry Yeast: A dehydrated yeast culture that
is the most convenient form of yeast for home winemakers to work with. The ADY
should be rehydrated in a starter solution (see Yeast Starter)
before "pitching," both to ensure the culture is still good and to
get a vigorous start.
Aerobic
Fermentation: A
fermentation conducted in the presence of fresh air, as in a crock, vat,
tank, or polyethylene pail. Aerobic conditions are necessary for yeast to
rapidly reproduce to a density conducive to the fast production of alcohol.
Aging: The
process by which wine matures, in bulk or in bottles or both, to achieve
smoothness (in acidity), mellowness (in tannins and other phenols) and unique
character and complexity. The major activities in this process are the chemical
reduction of certain compounds into others, primarily by hydrolysis or
oxidation, and the joining together of short molecular chains into longer ones.
Volatile esters, ethers and acids create bouquet, which is not the same
as aroma.
Air Lock: A glass or plastic device
designed to use water as an insulator to protect the fermentation media from
contamination and exposure to fresh air, while at the same time allowing carbon
dioxide produced by the yeast to escape the fermentation vessel. Also called a
fermentation trap, bubbler or fermentation lock.
Alcohol:
Shorthand term for ethyl alcohol or ethanol, a product of yeast
fermentation. The volumetric amount of alcohol in wine is usually between 9 and
14%. Beverages with less than 9% ABV (alcohol by volume) are vulnerable
to spoilage bacteria and require refrigeration for preservation. Meads with
more than 14% ABV are generally called Sack, and are typed as Aperitif or Dessert Wines.
Ameliorate:
Technically, to add any substance to the must or new wine intended to enhance
its quality, such as sugar, water, or acid. However, there is another term
specific to adding sugar (see Chaptalize), so ameliorate usually
refers to adding water to the must.
Anaerobic
Fermentation: A
fermentation conducted in the absence of fresh air, as in a fermentation
bottle, jug or carboy fitted with a fermentation trap.
Aperitif: A type
of wine, usually 14% or more ABV, to which a blend of herbs or spices
have been added and which is served before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
Aroma: The
natural fragrance of a wine or mead that originates from the fermented fruit or
honey upon which the wine is based. Aroma should not be confused with bouquet,
which is created during aging.
Astringency: A taste
quality noted for constricting or contracting the inner mouth, as an unripe
persimmon would, but caused in wine primarily by tannins absorbed from the
skins and seeds of the base fruit from which the wine was made. Astringency
mellows with bottle aging. Some astringency in a mead
can balance the sweetness and add complexity.
Autolysis: The
decomposition of dead yeast cells that can be favorable or unfavorable,
depending on the wine or mead, the yeast, and the process involved. The
favorable process can occur in wines or meads that are aged sur
lie ("on the lees"). Certain wines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc or traditional meads benefit from autolysis because they gain complexity
during the process that enhances their structure and mouthfeel, give them extra
body, and increase their aromatic complexity. Aging sur
lie is usually done with an accompanying regime of periodic lees stirring
that can result in a creamy, viscous mouthfeel. See Lees.
Balance: The
pleasurable, proportional correctness of a wine's many aromatic and taste
components in harmony, but especially sugar, alcohol, acidity, fruit, and
tannin. In a well-balanced
wine, none of these elements overpowers another.
Balche: is a Mayan mead
made with Balche bark and honey
Balling: One of
several hydrometer scales denoting the density of liquid (must, juice or new
wine) in terms of specific gravity. Both the Balling and Brix scales are identical and are usually used to finely estimate
sugar content.
B-Brite: A
powerful sterilizing compound excellent for equipment, but should never
be added to the must. One tablespoon to 1 gallon of water provides
sufficient potency. B-Brite in solution may not be
stored for future use, but must be made fresh each time it is needed.
Bentonite:
A very fine clay used as a fining or clarifying
agent in wine or mead to remove protein, to achieve Heat Stabilization
or to remove another fining agent. Add 1 tsp. per gallon of finished mead.
Allow to settle for at least two weeks before bottling.
Blending: The
process of combining different wines or meads to create a composite that's
better than any of the wines separately. The wines or meads
blended might be from different varieties, different regions, different wood-
and non-wood-aging, different vintages, and even wines made from different
fruit.
Blow-off
Tube: A venting tube exiting a bung
and either fitted with a valve or seated in a sulfite solution. When a carboy
is used as a primary fermentation vessel, the blow-off tube allows foam formed
during the initial, violent period of fermentation, to escape without
disturbing the integrity of the airlock.
Bochet: A sack mead that has been burned or charred.
Body: The
real or perceived consistency or density of a wine derived from several
components of wine -- primarily alcohol and glycerin in combination, both of
which are products of fermentation by yeast.. Real
body refers to a wine that truly is thicker in density as a liquid, while
perceived body is a wine's feel in the mouth whether truly denser or not. A
full-bodied wine, such as
Bottle Aging: The
aging of wine or mead in the bottles it will be distributed in rather than in
vats, barrels, casks, demijohns, carboys, or gallon jugs. Bottle
aging preserves the bouquet, which can be lost when the wine or mead is bulk
aged and then transferred to bottles. However, a bulk-aged wine or mead can be
bottled and subsequently develop a bottle bouquet.
Bottle capper: Used for putting caps on bottles.
Bottle filler: Used for filling bottles. It's typically got a spring-loaded valve on the bottom of it so it
doesn't pour mead on your floor.
Bottling bucket: A bucket. Used while bottling. It's used as an intermediate container between
the fermenter and the bottles, so you don't have to worry as much about
siphoning sediment into your bottles.
Bouquet: The
complex, vaporous scent(s) released when a bottle is uncorked, derived from
volatile esters, ethers and acids formed during aging. Bouquet may rapidly dissipate
or be slowly released, but when gone the wine is left with aroma, the fragrance
of the fruit and or honey the wine or mead was made from.
Bracket: See
“Braggot”.
Braggot: - Mead made with both honey and malt. Both honey and malt character must
be evident. May also be a blend of mead and ale.
Brix: One of
several hydrometer scales denoting the density of liquid (must, juice or new
wine) in terms of specific gravity. Each degree Brix is equivalent to 1 gram of
sugar per 100 grams of liquid. The potential alcohol of a must is estimated by
multiplying the Brix reading by 0.55. Both the Brix and Balling scales are
comparable and are usually used to finely estimate sugar content.
Bulk Aging: The
aging of wines or meads in vats, barrels, casks, demijohns, carboys, or gallon
jugs prior to bottling. An advantage of bulk aging is that the wine
ages evenly and sediments developed during aging can be left behind when the
wine is bottled.
Brut: French
word that means "dry," in a sparkling wine, like
Campden
Tablets: Tablets used in winemaking to
sanitize equipment and fermentation media. When dissolved, they provide sulfur
dioxide (SO2) in a convenient form. Tablets must be crushed to use, but
this ensures the proper dosage and assists in their dissolution. For sanitizing
bottles, primaries, secondaries, funnels and other equipment, two crushed
tablets dissolved in 1 gallon of water will suffice. Do not rinse equipment
after sanitizing. For adding to must, (to kill wild yeast and bacteria)
use one crushed tablet per gallon of must and wait 12 hours before
adding yeast. Unlike wines, this is the only time it may be recommended to be
added to mead. Also see Potassium Metabisulfite
and Sodium Metabisulfite.
Capsicumel: Mead
made with chili peppers.
Capsule: A
decorative foil, plastic, or Mylar sleeve placed over the cork and neck of a
wine bottle.
Carbon
Dioxide: The colorless, odorless gas
emitted by yeast during fermentation. The purpose of an air lock is to
allow the carbon dioxide to escape without allowing oxygen into the
fermentation vessel. The chemical shorthand is CO2.
Carbonator: A
handy little cap that screws onto two-liter plastic pop-bottles, and has a
ball-lock quick-connect on it that works with CO2 systems. It's a pretty swell
way to carbonate up 2 liters of mead or other beverage to see if you want to
carbonate more of it.
Carboy: A large glass or plastic bottle of 3 - 6 gallon capacity or more, with or
without handles, and sometimes fitted with a spigot or plastic tubing at the
bottom for drainage. When fitted with an air-lock, they are used as
fermentation and bulk aging vessels.
Casein: A fining
agent made from milk protein.
Chaptalize: To add
sugar or honey to a must or juice to increase its alcohol potential, or to a
new wine to balance the taste of its alcohol or the bite of its acidity or
tannin.
Citric
Acid: A colorless acid found in all
citrus fruit, pineapples, and in lesser amounts in several other fruit.
Clarify: The
process of a wine becoming clear, which occurs when all of the yeast and
microscopic bits of pulp from the base ingredients of the wine settle to the
bottom of the secondary, leaving a clear wine without haze. A wine that has
clarified to the nth degree and is crystal clear is called brilliant.
Clarre: (Grape Melomel) another name for
Pyment
Cloudiness: A wine
that is visually unclear. Cloudiness is considered a severe fault often due to
faulty winemaking.
CO2: See Carbon
Dioxide.
Cold
Stabilization: The process of removing excess
potassium and tartaric acid under chilled conditions as Potassium Bitartrate to prevent its precipitation in the bottle
when chilled.
Complexity:
Multiple layers and nuances of bouquet and flavor that are
perfectly balanced, completely harmonious, and delightfully interesting.
Cyser:
(Apple Melomel) -
A mead made with the addition of apples or apple juice. Traditionally,
cysers are made by the addition of honey to apple juice without additional
water.
D
DAP:
see Di-ammonium phosphate
De-acidification: The
process of reducing the amount of titratable acid in must, juice or wine. This
is usually done by chemical neutralization, cold stabilization and/or
amelioration.
Decant: To pour
clear wine or mead gently from a bottle into a serving container (decanter or
carafe) so as not to disturb its bottle sediments and thereby leave them
behind. Also, to allow a wine or mead to "breathe"
before serving.
Dessert
Wine: A still wine type that is both
sweet and high in alcohol and usually served after a meal or with a dessert.
Dessert wines typically have 17% to 22% ABV. Port and Sherry are the two
best known dessert wines. Often, mead is automatically put into this class, no matter the
sweetness or alcohol content, by unknowing wine people.
Di-ammonium phosphate: (NH4)2PO4 - One of the major ingredients in almost all
yeast nutrients and energizers, serving as their basic source of nitrogen. Also
known as DAP.
Dinner
Wine: A still
wine, usually light to medium in body, dry to semi-dry, low to moderate in
alcohol (10% to 13% by volume), and often served with meals. Also
called table wine.
Disgorgement: The
process of removing the sediment from the bottle during the méthode
champenoise process of making fine sparkling
wines. In the previous step, called remuage,
sediment slowly collects around the cork as the bottle is positioned
upside-down. The neck of the bottle is then placed in an icy
brine, which causes the neck's contents to freeze into a solid plug. During
disgorgement the cork or cap is carefully removed, and the pressure in the
bottle causes the frozen plug of sediment to pop out.
Dry: A wine or mead lacking residual sugar. A wine or mead becomes dry when
all or most of the sugar within it has been converted through fermentation into
alcohol and carbon dioxide. A wine is usually perceived as dry when residual
sugar is at or below a specific gravity of 0.999. A mead
is usually perceived dry when residual sugar is at or below a specific gravity
of 1.006
Enology: The science and study of
winemaking, also spelled oenology
Essential
Oils: Volatile
oils that impart distinctive odors or flavor which, in wine or mead, combine
with alcohol and contribute to its bouquet.
Esters: Volatile,
aromatic, organic compounds formed by the chemical interaction of the wine's or
mead’s alcohol, acids and other components during maturation.
Ethanol: An
alcohol, C2H5OH, produced by distillation or as the principal alcohol in an alcohol fermentation by yeast. Also know as Ethyl
Alcohol.
Fermentation: The process of yeast acting upon sugar to
produce alcohol and carbon dioxide.
The reason we are in this crazy
hobby.
Fermenter,
primary: Usually a bucket.
Sometimes open to the air - sometimes sealed with an airlock. Early stages of
fermentation happen here.
Fermenter,
secondary: Usually a carboy, or other glass container
with a small opening, used to complete
fermentation under a fermentation trap.
FG: Final
Specific Gravity
Filtering: The process of removing yeast cells and other
microorganisms, that could spoil the wine or mead, as well as any remaining
sediment that would keep it from being crystal clear. Usually
by pumping the wine or mead through cellulose pads, pads lined with
diatomaceous earth, or especially fine membranes.
Fining: Removing
suspended solids from a cloudy wine by temperature adjustment, blending with an
already cleared wine of the same variety, filtering, or adding a fining
material such as egg white, milk, gelatin, casein, or Bentonite.
Finish: The final
flavor, texture and impression that remains on the palate after a wine is
swallowed.
Flocculation: The process of settling or
compacting of lees or sediment. Lightly or loosely flocculated lees are
less dense than tightly or compactly flocculated ones. Good flocculation refers
to greater density.
Fortification: The process of adding distilled spirits to a finished wine or mead to
increase its alcohol content, improve its preservation qualities, or
improve its flavor. Brandy is often used as a fortifying agent because it is
made from wine, but vodka, gin, Everclear, or any
distilled spirit may be used. Each fortifying agent has its own flavor and will
impart this to the fortified wine or mead.
Fructose: One of
two simple fermentable sugars in grapes and other fruit, the other being glucose.
Fructose is approximately twice as sweet as glucose.
Glucose: One of two
simple fermentable sugars in grapes and other fruit, the other being fructose.
Glucose is approximately half as sweet as fructose.
Hard
cider: Fermented apple juice
Hazy: A
relatively clear wine or mead that has a moderate amount of suspended
particulates. Not quite as severe a fault as cloudiness.
Heat Stabilization: The process
of removing excess protein to preserve a wine or mead’s clarity when stored
under warm conditions. Heat stabilization is usually performed
with a Bentonite fining.
Hippocras: A
spiced pyment. A mead made with grapes, honey and
spices.
Hops: The flower of any plant of the genus Humulus.
Used for preserving beer, due to their anti-bacterial properties, and also for
bittering it.
Hydromel: The French word for mead. It now refers to a weaker mead, one made with less honey than usual, or
diluted. See “Small Mead”.
Hydrometer: An
instrument for measuring the specific gravity (abbreviated as S.G.), of a
liquid, relative to sugar content. The importance of S.G. rests in it's
indication of potential alcohol. In other words, S.G. indicates how much
dissolved sugar is present for conversion to alcohol by yeast, what the
potential alcohol will be, and how much sugar or honey to add to raise the
potential alcohol to a specific level.
Inoculate: To add
an active, selected culture of yeast or malo-lactic
bacteria to a must, juice or unfinished wine.
Irish
Moss:
One method of clarification/prevention
of a cloudy wine or mead. BUT, it must be boiled in the must to be activated.
If you use a no-boil method, Irish Moss will do no
good. Simply add 1 oz. per 5 gallons to the must, during the boil.
Isinglass: A
transparent and pure form of gelatin fining agent obtained from the air bladder
of certain fish, especially the sturgeon. It is considered by some to be
superior to other forms of gelatin, although this is merely an opinion. Add 2 oz. of the liquid to 5 gallons of
the finished wine or mead.
Lees: Deposits
of yeast and other solids formed during fermentation. This sediment is usually separated
from the wine or mead by racking. Sometimes the wine or mead is left in
contact with the lees in an attempt to develop more flavors. See Autolysis.
Legs: A
coating on the inside of the wine glass, after being swirled, that separates
into viscous-looking rivulets that slowly slide down the glass to the wine's
surface. Legs generally indicate a rich, full-bodied wine or mead.
Malic
Acid: A
naturally occurring acid found in apples, cherries, grapes grown in less sunny
regions, and certain other fruit.
Malolactic Fermentation: MLF for
short, this is a bacterial fermentation which can occur after yeast
fermentation winds down or finishes. The bacterium Bacillus gracile converts malic acid into lactic acid and carbon
dioxide. Lactic acid is much less harsh than malic and thereby softens and
smoothes the wine or mead, but the wine also is endowed with a cleaner, fresher
taste. In addition, diacetyl is produced as a byproduct, which resembles the
smell of heated butter and adds complexity to wine. MLF is a positive event in
some cases and has a downside in others--the fruitiness of wines undergoing MLF
is diminished and sometimes off-odors can result.
Maturation: The
process of aging in bulk or in bottles or both, to achieve smoothness (in
acidity), mellowness (in tannins and other phenols) and unique character and
complexity. The major activities in this process are the chemical reduction of
certain compounds into others, primarily by hydrolysis or oxidation, and the
joining together of short molecular chains into longer ones. Volatile esters,
ethers and acids create bouquet, which is not the same as aroma.
Mead: A fermented beverage made from honey, water,
and yeast. There are many types of mead, but honey is the primary sugar source
for the yeast to ferment. Different honeys, meaning honeys made from different
nectar sources (flowers), yield different flavors. Mead can be dry or sweet, or
somewhere in-between. It can have a low alcohol level and be appropriate for a
session, or have a very high alcohol level, and be better suited to after
dinner and a cigar. Over the ages many types of mead have developed their own
names. Just some of the better known ones are listed here.
·
Balche is a Mayan mead made with Balche bark
·
Bochet is a sack mead that has been burned or charred
·
Bracket is mead and ale combined
·
Braggot is mead made with honey and malt
·
Capsicumel is mead made with honey and chili peppers
·
Clarre is another term for Pyment and is a mead
(actually, a Melomel) made with honey and grapes or grape juice
·
Cyser is a mead (actually, a Melomel) made with honey
and apples (or apple juice) and is closely related to hard cider.
·
Hippocras is a spiced pyment
·
Hydromel is the French word for mead. Now used to describe
weak, watered-down or diluted mead.
·
Melomel is mead made with honey and fruit or fruit juices. Another name for this type of mead is Mulsum
·
Metheglin is sack mead made with honey and herbs
and/or spices. Also spelled Metheglyn
·
Metheglyn is another spelling of Metheglin
·
Morat is a sack mead (actually, a Melomel) made
with honey and mulberries
·
Mulsum is another name for Melomel
·
Perry is a mead (actually, a Melomel) made with
honey and pears
·
Pyment is a mead (actually, a Melomel) made with
honey and grapes or grape juice. Another name for this type of mead is Clarre
·
Rhodamel is a
mead (actually, a Metheglin) made with honey and rose petals
·
Rhodomel is an alternate spelling for Rhodamel
·
T'ej is a mead from
·
Traditional is mead made with honey, water, and yeast
only. The addition of such things as acid and yeast nutrients, to aid the
fermentation, or tannins, to add complexity and mouth feel, without adding to
the flavor, is commonplace.
·
Varietal is a Traditional mead made
with a pure variety of honey, such as Buckwheat, Fireweed, Heather or Orange
Blossom.
·
Weirdomel is mead
to the max, or some such thing (credit Dick Dunn with the name)
Medium-dry: Wine
or mead that has a small amount of residual sugar, but not enough to prevent the
wine or mead from being enjoyed with a meal.
Medium-sweet: Wine
or mead that has residual sugar, but not enough to classify it as a dessert
wine.
Melomel: is mead
made with honey and fruit
or fruit juices. Another name for this
type of mead is Mulsum.
Morat
:( a Melomel) made with honey and mulberries
Mulsum: see Melomel
Must: The combination of basic ingredients, both
solid and liquid, from which wine or mead is made. The
liquid content of must is called liquor or simply juice, while
the solids, when pushed to the surface by rising carbon dioxide, is
called the cap. Solids that fall to the bottom are called lees. When the alcohol content reaches 8
or 9%, the liquid component is more accurately referred to as wine or mead.
Nose: The
smell of a wine, combining both its aroma and bouquet, thereby revealing
the character of the base from which it was made and the character of its
maturation.
Nutrient: Food for
the yeast, containing nitrogenous matter, yeast-tolerant acid, vitimins, and certain minerals. While sugar is the main food
of the yeast, nutrients are the "growth hormones," so to speak.
Oaking: The
process of immersing oak chips, shavings, particles, cubes, or
"beans" into a wine or mead to simulate having aged the wine or mead
in an oak barrel or keg. The oak may be natural or it may be toasted (light,
medium or heavy toast). Oaking allows young wines or meads to soften and absorb
some of the wood's flavors and tannins. However, most light, delicate wines or
meads should not be oaked.
Off Dry: A tasting term for a wine or mead that has the barest hint
of sweetness.
Oxidation: The
process of reaction between many molecular components of wine with oxygen,
resulting eventually in a darkening (browning) of the wine and the development
of undesirable odors and flavors.
Pasteurize: The
process of killing bacteria by heating wine or must to moderately high
temperatures for a short period of time and then rapidly cooling it to 40°F or
lower.
Pectic
Enzyme: The
enzymes such as pectinase that hydrolyze the large
pectin molecules.
Pectin: A heavy,
colloidal substance found in most ripe fruit which promotes the formation of
gelatinous solutions and hazes in the finished wine. Fermenting fruit pulps
with high pectin content, such as apples, should be treated with pectic enzyme,
especially if the pulp is boiled to extract the fruit flavor (boiling releases
the pectin, while pectic enzymes destroy it).
Perry:
(a Melomel)
made with honey and pears
pH: A chemical shorthand for [p]otential of [H]ydrogen, used to express
relative acidity or alkalinity in solution, in terms of strength rather than
amount, (The pH
measurement represents the intensity of the acid, whereas titratable acidity measures the volume
of acid.)
pH is
measured on a logarithmic scale. A pH of 7 is neutral; above 7 is increasing
alkalinity and below 7 is increasing acidity. Thus, a pH of 3 is 10 times more
acidic than a ph of 4. See Acidity.
Pitching
yeast: The act of tossing
yeast into your fermenter. It sounds technical, which is probably why brewers
say `pitching' instead of `tossing.'
Polyclar liquid: A
clarifier. Add 2 oz. per 5 gallons of finished mead. Allow the mead to clear
before bottling usually several weeks.
Potassium
Sorbate: Also
known as "Sorbistat K" and affectionately
as "wine stabilizer," potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine or mead. It serves two
purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine or
mead racked the final time, after clearing, potassium sorbate will prevent
future fermentation. When a wine or mead is sweetened before bottling potassium
sorbate is used to prevent refermentation. It is primarily used with sweet
wines, and meads, and sparkling wines or meads, but may be added to table wines
which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining. Also see Sodium
Benzoate.
Add ½ tsp. per gallon to your finished
wine or mead, wait 24 hours, sweeten to taste, then bottle.
Potential
Alcohol: The
potential amount of alcohol that can be expected from a given must based on its
measured specific gravity. See Brix and Specific Gravity.
Primary: A crock,
bowl, bucket, pail, or other non-reactive, food-safe vessel in which the
initial or primary fermentation takes place. Also known as
the primary fermentation vessel.
Primary
Fermentation:
The initial alcohol fermentation by yeast. It is usually begun by adding
an active yeast starter to a must or juice in a covered primary
fermentation vessel. After a period of vigorous fermentation, the must is
pressed or strained and/or the juice is transferred to a secondary
fermentation vessel (e.g. a carboy or demijohn) and
covered by an airlock. Even though the wine is now in a secondary
fermentation vessel, the alcohol fermentation taking place is a
continuation of the primary fermentation. See Secondary Fermentation
for contrast.
Punt: The concave indentation in the bottom of a wine or champagne bottle.
Pyment: also Clarre - (Grape Melomel) - A mead made with the
addition of grapes or grape juice. May also be a mixture of grape wine and mead
mixed after fermentation.
Racking: The
process of siphoning the wine or mead off the lees to stabilize it and allow clarification.
Rehydrating: (also called
reconstitution) The process of restoring water to Active Dry Yeast. This step is perhaps the most critical phase in using
dry yeast cultures. Only proper rehydration can ensure healthy cells which
retain good fermentation characteristics.
Rhodomel: Mead
made with rose petal distillate (attar).
Residual
Sugar: The
amount of sugar, both fermentable and unfermentable, left in a wine after
fermentation is complete or permanently halted by stabilization. Fermentation is
complete when either all the fermentable sugar has been converted by the yeast
into alcohol and carbon dioxide as byproducts or when the concentration of
alcohol produced reaches a level that is toxic to the yeast and they die.
Fermentation is permanently halted by stabilization through several means
involving intervention by man.
S
Sack: A name
(or an adjective) for stronger meads made with more honey than usual. (About 25% more.) Sack Mead is usually sweet and high in
alcohol.
Sec: French word for DRY.
Secondary: A jug,
jar, bottle, or carboy in which the second or secondary fermentation takes
place. This vessel typically has a wide body and tapered neck leading up to a
small opening which can be sealed with an air lock. Also
known as the secondary fermentation vessel.
Secondary
Fermentation:
A second alcohol fermentation by yeast performed in a champagne bottle
secured with a special, hollow closure secured with a wire "cage,"
the purpose of which is to trap the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation
and force it to be absorbed into the wine. The result is a Sparkling Wine.
This secondary fermentation can actually be a continuation of the
fermentation by the original yeast inoculation or can be induced at
bottling time by inoculating a sweetened still wine with a second yeast
especially adept at fermenting under pressure. It is NOT correct to refer to a
fermentation in a secondary fermentation vessel (e.g. a carboy)
as a secondary fermentation. See Primary Fermentation for contrast.
Sediment: The grainy, bitter-tasting
deposit sometimes found in bottles of older wines. Sediment is the natural
separation of bitartrates, tannins, and color
pigments that occurs as wines age and may indicate a wine of superior maturity.
Semi-Dry: The term
denoting a wine as neither dry nor sweet, but closer to dry than sweet. A wine is
usually perceived as semi-dry when its specific gravity is in the range of
1.000 to 1.003.
Semi-Sweet: The term
denoting a wine as neither dry nor sweet, but closer to sweet than dry. A wine is
usually perceived as semi-sweet when its specific gravity is in the range of
1.004 to 1.007.
Show
Mead: Contains Honey, Yeast, Water and water treatments
(acid blends, pH adjustments) only. No other ingredients permitted. A category
of mead credited to Ken Schramm for the Mazer Cup competition.
Siphon: Pulling liquid up a tube, down the same tube, and
into another container. One practical application is transferring mead from a
fermenter into bottles. Another is getting gasoline in your mouth. The first is
more pleasurable.
Small
Meads: (see Hydromel) - Similar to a traditional
mead, but these were made with much less honey, and as a result fermented and
aged much more quickly. The peasantry traditionally brewed these meads. This is
the easiest style of mead to brew.
Sodium
Benzoate: Sold as
"Stabilizing Tablets," sodium benzoate is used, one crushed tablet
per gallon of wine, to stop future fermentation. It is used when active
fermentation has ceased and the wine racked the final time after
clearing. It is generally used with sweet wines and sparkling wines, but may be
added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity after
fining. For sweet wines, the final sugar syrup and crushed tablet may be added
at the same time. Also see Potassium Sorbate.
Solera: The
Spanish system of maintaining quality and style consistency in some fortified
wines. One-quarter to one-third of the oldest wine is drawn off for bottling
and replaced with the next oldest wine, which in turn is replaced with the next-yet
oldest wine, and so on until the youngest wine is being used to replace the
next youngest wine.
Sparkling
Wine or Mead:
Any wine or mead that has been allowed to complete the final phase of its
fermentation in the bottle so that the carbon dioxide produced is trapped
within. A carbonated wine, on the other hand, is a still wine that has been
artificially carbonated by infusing carbon dioxide into the wine before or
during the bottling process. See Still Wine for contrast.
Specific
Gravity: A measure
of the density or mass of a solution such as must, wine or mead, as a ratio to
an equal volume of a standardized substance, such as distilled water. Before
fermentation, the density of the must or juice is high because sugar is
dissolved in it, making it thicker than plain water. As the
sugar is converted by the yeast into alcohol and carbon dioxide, the density
(specific gravity) drops. A hydrometer measures specific gravity
(S.G. for short), with an S.G. of 1.000 being the calibrated density of distilled
water at a specific temperature. Because alcohol is actually less dense than
water, the finial S.G. of a wine can be less than 1.000, or lighter than water.
See Hydrometer.
Starter
Solution: A
solution of water, juice, sugar, and nutrients into which a culture of yeast is
introduced and encouraged to multiply as quickly as possible before adding to a
must. The purpose of the starter solution is to achieve a greater
density of yeast cells than contained in the original culture sample so that
the cultured yeast will dominate the fermentation process, literally smothering
out any wild yeast that might be present. A starter solution is necessary in
higher gravity meads, or traditional meads, because of the lack of nutrients
available. It is also used to restart a Stuck Fermentation.
Still
Wine or Mead:
A finished, non-sparkling wine or mead. A finished wine
or mead containing no noticeable carbonation. See Sparkling Wine
for contrast.
Stuck
Fermentation:
A fermentation that has started but then stops before converting all
fermentable sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide or before reaching the
toxicity level of the particular yeast strain(s) involved. A stuck fermentation
is usually due to an imbalance in the ingredients or to temperature extremes unacceptable
to the yeast.
Sweet
Reserve: A sample
of the original juice from which a wine is made, used to sweeten the finished
wine after fermenting to dryness and stabilized. The sweet reserve is either refrigerated
or frozen until needed. When making a sweet reserve from whole fruit, such as
strawberries, peaches, or plums, the fruit must be crushed and pressed and the
juice stood in a tall, clear, glass bottle in a refrigerator until the juice
separates (i.e. pulp sediment settles to the bottom of the bottle). The
clear juice is very carefully racked off the sediment and stored for the
reserve. The sediment can be lightly pressed through a double layer of
sanitized muslin cloth and the liquid obtained allowed to separate out again,
with the clear juice again removed and stored with the sweet reserve. The
advantage of using a sweet reserve to sweeten a stabilized dry wine is the it adds sweetness, fresh flavor, and natural aroma to
the wine. It may also improve the color of the finished wine somewhat.
T
TA: Short
for Titratable Acidity or Total Acidity: It is the sum of the fixed and
volatile acids present in a wine or mead. This is determined by a chemical
process called titration. The total acidity is usually expressed in
terms of tartaric acid, even though the other acids are also measured. Total
acidity is expressed either as a percentage or as grams per liter. For example,
0.7% TA is the same as 7 grams per liter (or 7 g/l) TA.
Table
Wine: A still
wine, usually light to medium in body, dry to semi-dry, low to moderate in
alcohol (10% to 13% by volume), and often served with meals. Also
called dinner wine.
Tannin: Tannic
acid is an
astringent, essential for good aging
qualities and balance. It gives most wines and meads their "zest" or
"bite". They provide flavor, structure, and texture, and,
because of their antioxidant traits, contribute to long and graceful aging. Tannin is found naturally in the stems,
skins and pips (seeds) of most red and dark fruit such as grapes, elderberries,
sloes, apples, and plums, but also in pear skins, oak leaves, and dark tea
leaves. Most grains, roots and flowers, as well as honey, used in winemaking
lack any or sufficient tannin, so must be supplemented with grape tannin or
tannin from another source. Wines and meads containing too much tannin can be Ameliorated by adding a little sugar or
glycerin, fined with gelatin, or blended with another, softer wine or mead.
Tartaric
Acid: A
reddish acid found in grapes and several other fruit.
T’ej:
A mead from
Traditional
Mead: Made with only honey, water and yeast, plus,
perhaps a small amount of acid and tannin (to balance the sweetness). May also contain small amounts of other additives, such as
spice or fruit essence, in small enough quantities (sub-threshold) as to add
ONLY complexity.
Varietal: Technically,
any wine made from a single variety of grape (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon,
Zinfandel) or non-grape base (e.g. Santa Rosa Plum, Navajo Blackberry),
or in our case, a particular honey with a single flower source (e.g. Buckwheat, Tupelo or Orange
Blossom).