For the love of Mead, Part 2: Release the Krausen!!

I have always done my meads the "natural" way, using chopped raisins as the yeast nutrient, and using very high alcohol content (which kills off the yeast) and time to end the fermentations. 

This time, however, I'm going the sciency route!  So far I've added 2 out of the 4 lab-created yeast nutrients, which will help this batch of mead perform as quickly as possible so that it's ready in time, and then I'll also kill off the yeast at a specific stage and re-sweeten rather than waiting a year for them to die.

It turns out that these yeast nutrients are VERY effective.  Rather than feeling like a mead, it feels like I'm making a beer (which involves a violent fermentation and only takes a month)!  I could really use a few blow-off tubes, because every time I aerate the must (2-3 times a day), I get explosions of foam (otherwise known as the krausen).  I can only wear black clothes to avoid the inevitable stains.  And it ALREADY smells a bit alcoholic by day 3! 

Hibiscus foam escapes.

Ryan has suggested that I stop cleaning up the bright red sprays, and just consider it to be part of our Halloween decorations.