Advice on very high S.G.

[imrook]

I made my first batch of mead 5 months ago. I was going for a sweet traditional mead, but now know I used too much honey. Here's the recipe:

4 lbs honey
1 gal water
1 pack D-47 yeast

O.G.: 1.146

I took a hydrometer reading today and I'm at 1.071. It's sweet alright -- too sweet and too thick. I calculate 9.8% ABV, which is well under the 14% the D-47 is listed to tolerate. I never added any yeast nutrient or energizer. The temp has been in the low to mid 70s all summer, but has fallen to the upper 60's with the onset of fall. I do have a pack of EC-1118, but I am hesitant to use it as I dont' want to dry it out too much and I also don't want to have to age it too long to get the fire out of it.

So I'm asking the community, what should I do? Move it to a warmer location above 70 degrees? Add some yeast nutrient or energizer? Drop in the 1118 and stop the ferment with sorbate? Any and all advice is welcome.

 

[mlg5039]

Well, if you were making a mead with an OG that high, you should have been prepared to age it a long time to get the fire out of it lol. I would pitched the 1118 and some yeast nutrient and let 'er rip.

Or, you could make a low gravity 1.050 or so very dry mead and blend them.

 

[Tomico]

Time time time! Mead is not quick. Our meads aren't even tasted before a year and they get better and better over time. Patience is the most important ingredient to a mead.

 

[MedsenFey]

. Patience is the most important ingredient to a mead.

True, but this is a stuck fermentation.

Imrook, there are several possible explanations for this. One, your yeast are probably starving. Meads done with no nutrient supplementation can take months to years to be finished fermenting. Your mead is beyond the 1/2 way point, so adding DAP won't be as useful as adding some organic/amino nitrogen. If you can get Fermaid O or other organic yeast nutrient, and feed it about 10 grams (2.5 tsp) it may get things fired up. If you don't have those things available locally you can get them on line - you have time as this isn't going anywhere fast.

If you can get either of those products, some Fermaid K (or Fermax, or Wyeast nutrient or other mixed nutrient that looks like tan powder) can be used. I'd suggest about 6 grams (1.5 tsp). If you can't get any of that, I'd take 2-3 packets of bread yeast (a total of 15g) and boil them is a little water and pitch them in.

Secondly, lack of aeration can leave you stuck due to insufficient biomass generation. If you did not aerate the batch after pitching the yeast, I'd aerate the snot out of it at least once.

Third, low pH can cause traditional meads to stall quite often. If you can check the pH, you may find that low pH is a factor. If so, the nutrients mentioned above may boost the pH to a better level and allow the yeast to function. If the pH is still below 3.1 after nutrients, it may help to adjust it upward.

You can warm the batch up a little, to around 70-72F, and that may get things moving a bit more as well.

If none of that works, then it is time for the EC-1118, and you'll want to make an acclimated starter (see hightest's directions for a stuck fermentation in the sticky a the top of the forum).

Endeavor to persevere!
Medsen

 

[imrook]

Thanks for the detailed response MedsenFey. I have moved the fermenter to a warmer spot already. I'm heading to the homebrew store today, so I'll check out their selection of yeast nutrient. If I don't find what I need there, I'll order it online. I did aerate the wort both at pitching time and several times during the primary fermentation. There is a good 1/2 inch layer of yeast at the bottom of the fermenter. My understanding is that I shouldn't aerate more now as I'm over the 50% mark. Is this correct? I'll check the pH after adding the nutrient. Thanks everyone for the help. I've learned a lot about making mead in just one batch. My next one will be a big step up the learning curve.

 

[MedsenFey]

Usually aeration after the 1/2 fermentation point is not recommended, but with a stuck fermentation, I don't mind aerating more to try to get it going.

 

[Tomico]

A little side note. If you have not added tannins to your batch you can put mead in the sun to heat it. Strange but true. If you have concerns you could heat it on top of the refrigerator.

 

[fatbloke]

A little side note. If you have not added tannins to your batch you can put mead in the sun to heat it. Strange but true. If you have concerns you could heat it on top of the refrigerator.

I noticed you mentioned this elsewhere, yet it's the first time I've heard of it.

Perhaps you could post a link to the reference data you got it from ?

 

[Bugeaud]

Well I would say it is a bit too much honey to begin with. (for my mead tastes anyways) but yeah lack of nutrition and lack of aeration can cause stupid fermentation I've made both mistakes in the past.

 

[MedsenFey]

A little side note. If you have not added tannins to your batch you can put mead in the sun to heat it. Strange but true. If you have concerns you could heat it on top of the refrigerator.

Direct sunlight is not good for mead and wines. Other ways of heating are better. The UV can interact with riboflavin and cause Goût de lumière (lightstrike - a sulfur odor that you won't appreciate).

Medsen

 

[Tomico]

I was curious about the actual results of my statements. So, I have just tasted a mead that my husband left in our south facing bay window for at least 4 years. We have done most things that you should not do with a mead such as leave a lot of air in the bottle (It seems to be some left over dregs) and leave it in the sun. It is a bit cloudy and tastes a bit gritty, but that could be because my husband has a tendency to pour off all the leftover sludge into a common bottle and then siphon off the left over mead. Other than the texture and the cloudiness it tastes yummy. Now, I will admit that this doesn't have any scientific evidence, just experience. If you are willing to take a chance and try things instead of following conventions that are usually based on wine production, you may be surprised by your experience. If what you were saying about riboflavin is true it may be that it would be dependent on the type of honey and / or additives. I found a source that says that honey has a lower amount of riboflavin than most sweet sources and for one cup of honey it could hold 8% to 0% of the daily requirement depending on the source of information. Now, if this is what actually causes the off taste I don't know. That is something to be tested in the future by someone with a lab and double blind experiments, and maybe we will get some answers. As it is, I have found from actual personal experience, biased as it is and as unscientific as it is, that the small dregs that I tasted was yummy and gave me a small "buzz" with only 1/2 a small mug of mead. (It was an unmarked bottle but it tasted like it had some spices and it was on the sweeter side.) I hope I haven't offended but the sources I had were my husband and a group of fellow brewers he knew, so I wanted to find out if what he said was just "hewey" or not. ....Hic...

Tomico