Unstucking Fermentation of Mead with Lalvin EC-1118

Greetings!

I have a 5 gallon batch of mead brewed with 18lbs of wildflower honey and 71b-1112. The fermentation has stopped such that ABV is ~6.13%. Initial and final (current) gravity readings somewhere around 1.125 and 1.077 (difference being 0.048). It tastes fine -- other than being much too sweet and not enough drunkening.

I still need to check pH and Nitrogen levels, but is it possible that there was just too much sugar to start with?

Most guides to kick-starting fermentation advise having temperature of the yeast rehydrate and must within 10 degrees C.

Once I determine I would be able to kick-start fermentation (i.e. determining there are no killing agents, pH and Nitrogen levels are OK) how do I satisfy the temperature requirements I've been reading about? My mead is room temperature by now; am I supposed to re-heat the whole thing?

Cheers!
Denis

Anything OG over 1.120 will put a lot of osmotic pressure on yeast. It gets really bad around 1.140 though, so I don't think your OG was too high. Did you properly rehydrate your yeast?

What type and amount of nutrients have you added so far? I wouldn't worry about the temperature, and I wouldn't raise it above room temp. PH and nutrient level being too low are the most likely causes of your issue.

Thanks for the quick response!

I had added 5 tsp of Superferment, 1 tsp per gallon of mead.

I did follow instructions on rehydrating the yeast, but is it possible the wort wasn't cool enough to accept the hydrated yeast?

Thank you!
Denis

Thank you for the quick reply!

I used 5 tsp of Superferment, 1 tsp per gallon of wort.

I believe I hydrated it correctly; I followed the instructions on the packet. Is it possible the wort hadn't cooled down enough to accept the yeast?

Cheers,
Denis

I think it's most likely your pH is too low. The batch of mead I'm currently making started at 5.9. Two days later it was down to 1.8. Yeast gets really grumpy at low pH. Anything under 3 and the yeast will really struggle. I check pH every other day and adjust as needed, targeting 4.