I'd rather not buy another primary if I don't absolutly need too. My starting gravity was 1.095 (or so considering it wasn't 60 degrees, but rather about 75 when I measured it), & to be in the sweet mead category, I should've been between 1.140 & 1.160.
I've also read different opinions on what the gravity or initial amount of honey should be for sweet mead. By some standards, the the honey I've already put in is well over the mark for sweet mead, & others go as far as 25lbs of honey. And since this is my first batch, I don't have anything to compare too.
Thanks again for all your time Fitz!
Mead questions!
Moderator: slothrob
Before you add any more honey...
I've read this thread with interest. You said early on that you're using Sweet Mead yeast to ferment your must (as opposed to champagne yeast, for instance). I believe, (and you might want to check this out for yourself, but isn't Sweet mead yeast used because 1.) It tolerates higher gravity musts, and 2.) It doesn't work down so far, leaving some residual sugars in your mead? (It tolerates alcohol
levels up to only 11% before it peters out unlike champagne yeast which keeps going until the alcohol
rises to between 14 - 17 % on average.) You can see, I hope how this might result in more sugar remaining in your finished mead. A good website for you to check out is http://honeycreek.us/yeast.htm
if you're interested in yeast properties.
One more thing. You took your OG at 75 degrees instead of 60. I'm sure you realize the OG reading would be higher if taken at 60, than at 75. It won't make a HUGE difference, but it does make some...
Relax, have fun. It's all good.
Terry
levels up to only 11% before it peters out unlike champagne yeast which keeps going until the alcohol
rises to between 14 - 17 % on average.) You can see, I hope how this might result in more sugar remaining in your finished mead. A good website for you to check out is http://honeycreek.us/yeast.htm
if you're interested in yeast properties.
One more thing. You took your OG at 75 degrees instead of 60. I'm sure you realize the OG reading would be higher if taken at 60, than at 75. It won't make a HUGE difference, but it does make some...
Relax, have fun. It's all good.
Terry
That was my point
That was my point of asking the SG.
One thing that many new brewers make is that they try to make the strongest beer/wine thay can, because they can, and this high alc. beer/wine isn't avialable otherwise. But if you like a particular style of beer/wine then try to emulate it first, and then you can change things from there. If a wine is too sweet, the only thing you can do with it is serve it over ice cream, or make a mixed drink out of it. That is why records are important to document both success and failures, or maybe new inventions into the style category: )
One thing that many new brewers make is that they try to make the strongest beer/wine thay can, because they can, and this high alc. beer/wine isn't avialable otherwise. But if you like a particular style of beer/wine then try to emulate it first, and then you can change things from there. If a wine is too sweet, the only thing you can do with it is serve it over ice cream, or make a mixed drink out of it. That is why records are important to document both success and failures, or maybe new inventions into the style category: )
I didn't know
Thanks again for the replies! I didn't realize that my yeast will fizzle out at 11% alchohol. Like I said, this is my first time, & there is alot I don't know about.
I may just leave it the way it is & see how it turns out. Right now, its been fermenting for 1 week, & the airlock is still bubbling away. I'm about ready to flip a coin to decide if I should do my first racking, or wait until next weekend.
I may just leave it the way it is & see how it turns out. Right now, its been fermenting for 1 week, & the airlock is still bubbling away. I'm about ready to flip a coin to decide if I should do my first racking, or wait until next weekend.