Mead question

Edwardius

Hi all,
I have some mead fermenting at the moment, OG=1.130 and it fermented down to about 1.025 after nearly a month, which is still on the high side. I used Youngs wine yeast compound along with some nutrient. The gravity has been stuck at 1.025 (about 14%) for about a week now and I moved the vessels to a warmer area and reagitated the yeast a few times (without splashing) to no avail.

Should I repitch yeast or just wait a while longer? I don't really know anything about mead timeframes. I would have thought that the yeast I used could handle well over 18% but then again I don't really know a lot about higher alcohol fermentations. All help greatly appreciated!

sharingan

Well I haven't used that yeast on high gravities yet, bit you might have topped it out. You could also pitch some champagne yeast which is noted for going to high gravities.

You could also just leave it alone for a long time and let the yeast do its thing.

Edwardius

I think you might be right about leaving it. I racked it off the sediment and will come back to it in another month. I tried the gravity sample and it tastes like a really nice dessert wine, so even if it doesn't reduce below 1.025 I'll still be fairly happy. I've a feeling that if it went down to 1.000 it'd just taste like fire!

joctcl

Edwardius wrote: »

Hi all,
I have some mead fermenting at the moment, OG=1.130 and it fermented down to about 1.025 after nearly a month, which is still on the high side. I used Youngs wine yeast compound along with some nutrient. The gravity has been stuck at 1.025 (about 14%) for about a week now and I moved the vessels to a warmer area and reagitated the yeast a few times (without splashing) to no avail.

Should I repitch yeast or just wait a while longer? I don't really know anything about mead timeframes. I would have thought that the yeast I used could handle well over 18% but then again I don't really know a lot about higher alcohol fermentations. All help greatly appreciated!

Even though I keep bees and have honey my life is too short for mead it takes ages, up to 2 years in fact:(,
did you use any energiser?

check out recipe below from well know Homebrew Supplier


Mead, Sweet
3 – 3 3/4 lbs quality varietal honey

1 and 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient

1and 1/2 tsp citric acid

1/4 tsp yeast energizer (Tronozymol)

Water to make up 1 gal (about 3 liters)

1 sachet Wine Yeast



Boil the honey in half the water, stirring occasionally until the honey is dissolved. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes, skimming all scum off top as it forms. Stir in citric acid, yeast energizer and yeast nutrient. Cover primary and set aside until it assumes room temperature. Add activated yeast as a starter solution and cover the primary to keep dust and insects out. Stir daily until fermentation ends - about 2 weeks. Transfer mead to secondary and attach airlock. Retain in secondary for 60 days from transfer date. Rack to a sanitised secondary, top up and reattach airlock. Set aside undisturbed for 60 days and rack again. If brilliantly clear, wait 30 days to see if light dusting develops on bottom. If so, wait additional 30 days and rack, top up and reattach airlock for another 30 days. If not brilliantly clear, wait full 60 days and rack, top up and reattach airlock. Then follow previous instructions when mead is brilliantly clear. Sulfite with one finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet, bottle and set aside to age one year minimum.

Edwardius

Thanks for the reply! I used youngs yeast nutrient, just a teaspoon or so. I don't mind waiting for it. I'll just rack it again, bottle it a month after and leave it in the attic out of temptation's way!

joctcl

Dont forget to take it out of the attic when the temps warm up as otherwise you will cook it, never a good idea to store beer or wine in attic space as even in crappy Irish summers with ambients of 20 attics can get to 35-40, and you will spoil whatever you have there:(, safer in the garage