And it's GOOD!

[Garrete]

Hello everyone.
I made my first mead, well... it is done fermenting I should say.
The OG was 1.96 and the FG is 1.049. That comes out to 12% like it should be, but 1.049!!! That is what an OG of some of my beer is. I siphoned some out and tired it. It Tastes GOOD! I think I can taste yeast, but I have not racked yet. I will do that probably tomorrow after checking the gravity.

My question is how clear is mead supposed to be? Or does it matter? I had mead once, but it was a strawberry commercial type it was ok, but it was clear.

Thanks in advance.

[DannyW]

I think mead is supposed to be brilliantly clear pretty much all the time. I had an orange melomel that took a couple of years to completely drop, though.

how old is your mead and did you use any fruit in it?

[yabodie]

I hope your OG was 1.096 because 1.96 is WAY too high and I doubt anything would have grown in that.

If the fermentation has stopped, then rack it off the lees and age it in a glass carboy until you can read newspaper print through the carboy. Then rack that either into another carboy or a keg and let it sit for about 6 months, then start drinking it.

[Garrete]

I hope your OG was 1.096 because 1.96 is WAY too high and I doubt anything would have grown in that.

( I guess I get the ass hat )

Yes, it was 1.096. Sorry about that.

[Thirsty Mallard]

Hmmm if you went from 1.096 to 1.049 then it would only be 6.2%ABV and you are not NEARLY done.

Another typo?

[yabodie]

Yeah, please post a recipe and what you actually did. Everything from the yeast, to honey types, etc. Something seems a bit odd here and it is not only JP...

[Garrete]

On a Wednesday, I took my Wyeast 4184 sweet mead. I made a 1200ml starter of 1.035 gravity. I let that go on a stir plate until Friday, where I crashed it in the fridge until Saturday when I used it.

Saturday I took 1 gallon of campden treated water and stirred in the 15 lbs. of wildflower honey. I stirred it until the honey was not longer clinging to my spoon. I then added another gallon of treated water and stirred that. Then I added 2 more gallons, giving me a total of 5 gallons, and stirred that again, really well.

I then decanted the wort of the yeast, added some clean water, about 1-2 cups and swished it around until all the yeast was in solution. I then poured the yeast into the fermenter, added the must and aerated with an pump, filter and stone, for 30 min. I then put the fermenter into my temp controlled chest at about 68-70 degress.

Earlier this week, I took the fermenter out of the chest and put it upstairs where it has sat at about 72 degrees. I am getting 1 bubble every 8-10 seconds. Today it seems to be every 10 seconds. I checked the mead today and got a reading of 1.031. My OG was 1.096. If I figured it out right, to get a 12% mead, I would have to get my mead to 1.000.

If you need any other info, let me know. Thank you all so much for your help.

:cheers:

P.S.
I added 5 tsp of yeast nutrient when I pitched. It was ammonium phosphate. I also added some more about a week ago, another 3 tsp. It fizzed real good for about 30 seconds, then it was normal. Did not notice the airlock bubble more than normal.

[yabodie]

I think the first possible issue is the yeast. Folks I have talked to have had a hit or miss with Wyeast and White Lbs for meads. Go with Lalvin, rehydrate with Go-ferm and you should be fine as no need for a starter and a lot easier to work with too!

Second question is did you let the must sit for 24 hours after the campden tablet was added? If not that will stress out the yeast quite a bit.

Also a note about when you added your yeast. Think of it as if the swimming pool is empty you get in then someone starts to fill it in. Just not cool. In the future either add the yeast half way through filling the fermentor or at the end. Must easier on the yeasties.

In general when your mead has gone through 1/3rd then 2/3rd of the sugar add some Fermaid-K and that will help the fermentation along nicely.

But on the bright side you have it at 1.030ish and given some time it should dry out. I think at this point, just let it sit in your cellar, forget about it for about 6 months, then go rack it off the lees and drink it!!


Head over to gotmead.com and you will find a bunch more info about meads, and just how easy they are to make too!!