Hello all.
Erika here.
Total newbie. I apologize for posting this here but I figured it was more appropriate than in the Newbie board.
Sorry if it goes a little long but I figured it would be best to provide all the pertinent information.
So 2 sundays ago I made my very first batch of mead- after reading about it
ad-nauseum for a year.
My goal is to make a very sweet mead, alcohol content not super important.
I used 15 lbs of clover honey for a 5 lb batch. No heat method.
Lalvin D-47 yeast (2 packets) as per the "sweet show mead" recipe in "the Complete mead maker" by Ken Schramm.
I tried taking an OG and potential alcohol reading with my Hydrometer on the first day. I got 1.040- I am assuming that because I had a 2" thick layer of honey at the bottom I wasn't getting a true reading.
I aerated the Must with an electric stick mixer for about 10 minutes.
PH of my water is 7.0
the must was at about 6.8
it has been sitting in the darkest corner of our house- ambient temperature between 70-75o (its south Florida, its the best I can get)
Fermentation began within 12 hrs- about 1 bubble every second. Today is day 11. I tested on day 8- taste was ok- still a bit yeasty, not very sweet- all the honey was gone from the bottom. Nice mouth feel - a bit alcoholy back taste and aroma but not unpleasant.
I took another gravity reading (used a test tube don't worry)- It almost got to 1.050
PH reading was about 3.5
The bubbles are now down to once every 6 seconds or so ( I know that is not an accurate gauge).
What do I do/wait for?? I can vaguely see a yeast cake and the bottom of the white plastic fermenter.
Everything I have read online relates to dry meads being ready.
I want a nice soft sweet mead. I really don't like dry meads (or spirits of any kind).
Thank you
sorry for the dissertation
Erika here.
Total newbie. I apologize for posting this here but I figured it was more appropriate than in the Newbie board.
Sorry if it goes a little long but I figured it would be best to provide all the pertinent information.
So 2 sundays ago I made my very first batch of mead- after reading about it
ad-nauseum for a year.
My goal is to make a very sweet mead, alcohol content not super important.
I used 15 lbs of clover honey for a 5 lb batch. No heat method.
Lalvin D-47 yeast (2 packets) as per the "sweet show mead" recipe in "the Complete mead maker" by Ken Schramm.
I tried taking an OG and potential alcohol reading with my Hydrometer on the first day. I got 1.040- I am assuming that because I had a 2" thick layer of honey at the bottom I wasn't getting a true reading.
I aerated the Must with an electric stick mixer for about 10 minutes.
PH of my water is 7.0
the must was at about 6.8
it has been sitting in the darkest corner of our house- ambient temperature between 70-75o (its south Florida, its the best I can get)
Fermentation began within 12 hrs- about 1 bubble every second. Today is day 11. I tested on day 8- taste was ok- still a bit yeasty, not very sweet- all the honey was gone from the bottom. Nice mouth feel - a bit alcoholy back taste and aroma but not unpleasant.
I took another gravity reading (used a test tube don't worry)- It almost got to 1.050
PH reading was about 3.5
The bubbles are now down to once every 6 seconds or so ( I know that is not an accurate gauge).
What do I do/wait for?? I can vaguely see a yeast cake and the bottom of the white plastic fermenter.
Everything I have read online relates to dry meads being ready.
I want a nice soft sweet mead. I really don't like dry meads (or spirits of any kind).
Thank you
sorry for the dissertation