When will the bubbling stop?

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Cattleskull

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So my 4 gallon batch of traditional mead has been laying in the wine bucket for a week and 3 days, this will be its 4th day bubbling. The bubbling hasn't been rapid but peculating within 5 to 10 seconds. Its my first time and I'd like to know when its ready for transfer into the 3 gallon class jug for storing and fermentation process, in other words its 1st racking. Thank you.
 
Depending on the OG, yeast, etc. it could be fermenting for weeks. I had a batch that fermented for about 3 months (used Wyeast Eau de Vie yeast, and formulated it to an OG that would get it to 21%). It also had a slow start, but then just wouldn't stop.

Did you add nutrient to the must before pitching the yeast? How about once it started fermenting? Doing any degassing/aerating of the must??

Sounds like this is your first batch of mead... Do yourself a big favor and visit the forums on the Got Mead? site..
 
Remeber, especially in what often is a slow fermentaion like meads and ciders, you're airlock may stop long before fermentation is complete. An airlock is simply a vent, not a fermentation gauge. As fermentation slows down less EXCESS co2 is being produced, and therefore the airlock may NOT need to bubble. It also may start or stop over times for environmental reasons. So don't look at that as an indicator of whether or not it is fermenting. Just either leave it alone for a few months, or take grav readings if you want. But don't go by a bubbling airlock.
 
For my first mead I followed this videos instructions completely. So I guess I couldn't go wrong right?

Making mead pt1
Making mead pt2
 
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That should get you about 14% ABV, depending on the honey sugar content and the actual yeast strain you used. "organic yeast" means absolutely nothing. If you don't know what strain it is/was, then there's really no way to know how the batch will come out. It could be anywhere from very dry to very sweet, depending on how the yeast handles things.

Not going to watch some videos of making mead. Just a few questions I have...
No other nutrients used (DAP, Fermax, FermAid, etc.)??
Any aeration/degassing done?
Did you heat/boil the must or use the no-heat method (no-heat, IMO/IME, is a better way)?
Did you take an OG reading??
 
Here is what I did
-poured 3 gallons of distilled water into wine bucket (not boiled)
-stirred 1 gallon of natural honey (not heated)
-heated the yeast then poured into bucket
-dumped 1 cup of honey bee pollen and stirred

Thats all I ever added to the bucket before I sealed it and put the airlock on it. I didn't add any of the stuff you are describing.
 
Read in these forums about making mead. Where did you get the yeast from? Lab and strain? If it cannot handle 14% alcohol, you'll end up with a very sweet mead. With not using any nutrients, the yeast is going to take longer to go as far as it can. Without giving it the oxygen the yeast needs to do it's job, it's going to take longer to go as far as it can.
 

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