final gravity for sweet mead

killian · 08-04-2007, 05:59 AM

what gravity should my sweet (still) mead ferment down to before it is safe to bottle?

mgayer · 08-04-2007, 12:11 PM

Unless it has completed fermentation it is not really safe to bottle without worrying about the pressure.

Let it completely ferment then stabilize it and back sweeten. Honey has a gravity of 1.445 so, on average, between 1 and 2 cups will raise your gravity .01 for 5 gallons. So if your mead has a FG of .996 and you have stabilized, adding about 1 cup of honey should take you to 1.06! Hope this helps. If you let me know the batch size and the FG and where you want it I can be more precise.

killian · 08-24-2007, 03:11 PM

4 gallons, well its about three now I just racked about a gallon off on to some blueberries. I think the 3 gallons might have a stuck fermentation. I made this in march. I used about 4qt's of honey, also yeast energizer and yeast nutrient. my hydrometer broke while preparing the must so I dont have a O.G reading but now the gravity is 1.030 and has been for about a month. I guess maybe I am being impatient but it tastes good and I would like to get it in a bottle.

mgayer · 08-24-2007, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killian

4 gallons, well its about three now I just racked about a gallon off on to some blueberries. I think the 3 gallons might have a stuck fermentation. I made this in march. I used about 4qt's of honey, also yeast energizer and yeast nutrient. my hydrometer broke while preparing the must so I dont have a O.G reading but now the gravity is 1.030 and has been for about a month. I guess maybe I am being impatient but it tastes good and I would like to get it in a bottle.

If you made this in March I would think the fermentation is completed. If it's clear just stabilize with some pot sorbate and some campden and I believe it will be fine to bottle. I believe with a 4 gallon batch you should have had about a 1.1 OG and with present reading would take you right at 12%.