White Labs Liquid Sweet Mead Yeast

Just wondering what the average clear time for this yeast is. I started this batch before I started lurking about.

Background info:
ABV currently at 10%
No starter
No heat
Nutrients added at pitching and first racking
3 week primary
2 month secondary; scum bubbles formed and never went away, Lots of sediment

I was thinking It'd clear after a couple months enough to bottle and forget about it for a while, so far it hasn't. Tossed in the fridge for about 3 weeks to crash at 35d, no effect. And there's a ring around the carboy neck (wild yeast?). Still tastes well enough, just yeasty and hot.

Have you seen any change in the SG? Rack it and hit it with some campden and get it at a good 68 - 74 temp and watch it for the next few weeks.

I haven't seen any change for a while. I was horribly under informed when I started this one, and I'm pretty sure its had pH/pitch rate/nutrient issues, as it was pretty much pitch and wait. I understand mead can really creep toward the end, but is there a general timeline for this yeast?

Also, it looks like D47 is the mead king; Thoughts on that?

I don't know about it being the king but it is my most used yeast. However if I use any tropical fruits I don't like the flavor D-47 imparts. Each yeast is designed to produce differing esters, the nose along with the taste will change. Many like to use the liquid yeast but I prefer the dry and making my own starters as I know for sure if it is working. Back to your issue!

Slimey bubbles are not a good sign. It does not hurt to rack this onto some campden and a bit of nutrients. Usually the total amount max is about 1 Tblspn per gallon but read the directions. The campden will help destroy many baddies and any wild yeast, now this will also smack around the yeast in there also. Get some test strips and check the PH!!! Being on either end of the scale is a bad thing and does promote a stuck fermentation. These test strips are not very much, usually around 5.00 and are worth every penny in these cases. If everything test fine then make sure you don't get any of the slime stuff when racking. If this was a traditional mead then hopefully this will give the kick to continue if not you may need to repitch with different yeast. Don't do that until you have done the other tests a checked the PH.

Will a hefty campden/crashing settle the yeast out? Or some finings, maybe? Since last racking/fridging(3 weeks) there are literally no dregs. It has a good feel, decent flavor (minus the yeast), and I'm fine with 10%. I think it went well enough for a first try, but I'm leaning more toward getting the yeast out rather than unsticking it and bottle age (and free up a carboy for a more meticulous second batch)

Do you have a hydrometer? You definitely need to be checking your sg's. That will let you know whether you are done and it is having issues clearing, it is stuck, or it is slowly creeping its way to completion. If you have a stuck fermentation, just about the worst thing you could do is bottle. If it's stuck, then bottling (the agitation) or a new environment in the bottle, could certainly restart the fermentation, and without knowing what SG you are at, you are certainly at risk of bottle bombs and losing your whole batch.

There is not really a way to settle the yeast out unless you filter it out. Basically when you try to cold crash a milky must on a stuck fermentation you just kept everything suspended. The little yeasty buggers have a bit of
O2 in their cells and are keeping them hanging suspended. Cold crashing is good for removing a haze sometimes but not on a heavy clouded must. Tusch is right with the bottling. You will have issues if you try and bottle now. Imagine picking up a bottle and it exploding in your hand sending shards of glass flying in a couple foot radius! There are several methods of clearing including the use of chemicals, get it back to the recomended temp range and rack it after making the checks.

What was your recipe? Was this just honey and water or were their fruits/spices added?

Most of my meads have taken 2-3 months to clear but I leave them in the fermenter for at least 6 months. Given your early problems, this one may just take more time. I would say rack it into a clean container with 1 campden tablet per gal and then leave it for a few more months.

Craig

I have a hydrometer, but no way to test the pH until I can get to the LHBS this weekend. Thanks for all the help, guys. I'll be zombifying this joker, I guess.

As for the recipe, it was just 15# local orange blossom/5gal water and said nutrients.