Mead Gone Dry

Masticon · 10-08-2010, 04:38 AM

My 4 month old mead has gone just about totally dry. OG of 1.120 and now it's at about 1.002. I was going for a sweet mead but had to pitch some additional yeasts when fermentation got stuck.

So I'm looking at close to 16% ABV right now. If I want to sweeten it up should I:

1) Throw in more honey now, see if I can cap out the yeast and leave some residual sugars?
2) Rack it onto campden tabs and add another 2# of honey 48hours later?
3) Wait another 6 months until I'm about to bottle and rack onto campden tabs and add another 2# honey 48 hours later?

**biochemedic** · 10-08-2010, 06:41 AM

I would use both k metabisulfite *and* k sorbate to attenuate rather than just campden (which is actually k meta), and backsweeten. I don't think it matters whether you do it now or later, but I usually find it easier to do backsweetening in the bottling bucket, that way I don't need to worry about liquid volumes.

I would rule out option 1 because, well, 16% is damn well enough ABV, and also you are essentially doing an incremental feeding, and sometimes that can push the yeast to beyond their rated tolerance...you could end up with a real monster before you ended up with unfermentable residual sugar

MedsenFey · 10-08-2010, 01:23 PM

I too would suggest using the combination of sulfite and sorbate. When you use a high ABV yeast and have residual sugar, without stabilizing it there is a high risk of it restarting fermentation in the bottle (especially if they are stored in a nice warm place) and creating bottle bombs. Which yeast was it by the way?

Stabilizing works best if the mead is nice and clear, and once it has cleared, it is best to go ahead and sweeten early. Even using sorbate and sulfite does not guarantee that the yeast won't restart - it fails often enough that you shouldn't be shocked when it happens. After sweetening, the addition of honey will also cause some haze. Letting it sit for a few months under airlock will insure that fermentation has not started again, and will let the haze settle out. The extra time also helps the honey to integrate into the flavor so you don't get so much "raw honey" taste.

Medsen

Masticon · 10-08-2010, 07:35 PM

Initially I started with Wyeast Sweet Mead. When it got stuck at 1.070 for about a month I repitched some Vreka Mead that may have been past time. After a week of no action I pitched a big ole starter of White Labs Sweet Mead and it took off down to where it is now.
It looks like the Vreka must have stuck around because it beat things down below what I would expect either of the sweet meads to be able to do on their own.

It's pretty clear right now but my other fermenter has some cider in it for the next few weeks.

Would you normally pour the backsweetening honey directly into the bucket or would you mix it with heated up water first to make sure it dissolves?

LightningInABottle · 10-08-2010, 08:30 PM

Normally I put it into the carboy I am racking into along with the k-meta/sorb and rack on top of that.

MedsenFey · 10-08-2010, 08:46 PM

I usually sorbate and sulfite a day before sweetening, and I mix in just enough water with the honey to make it really easy to pour and dissolve in (it doesn't take much).

Medsen

Q2XL · 10-09-2010, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedsenFey

I usually sorbate and sulfite a day before sweetening, and I mix in just enough water with the honey to make it really easy to pour and dissolve in (it doesn't take much).

Medsen

Do you boil the water and let it cool before adding the honey to it? About how much water to honey? 1:1, 1:2 etc.?

Kershner_Ale · 10-09-2010, 06:59 PM

As long as there isn't too much chlorine in your water, I wouldn't boil it. You're adding a small amount of water to a mead with high alcohol content so chance of infection from just the water is pretty low. Just warm up the water enough so the honey dissolves easily (110-120 degrees). Equal parts water to honey should be fine.

MedsenFey · 10-11-2010, 03:51 PM

I don't do anything to the water. Between the sulfite and the ABV of the mead, I'm not worried about contaminants. I use only enough water to make the honey very liquid and easy to stir - something 1-2 parts water to 10 parts honey will often be enough.