Accidental fermentation in a week?

[Kaldheim]

Hey everybody,

I am fairly new to making mead so I have been lurking around here. I made a mistake and wanted to share my experience.
I made two 1 gal batches, one Orange Blossom and one Holly Honey, if you don't want the small story you can skip down to the section labeled summary to save some time.

2lbs OBH
Approx. 2.5grams of EC-1118 and 2.5grams of Go-Ferm
SG: 1.062

2lbs Holly Honey
Same as above
SG: 1.070

I agitated daily with a drill for about a minute and added 1 tsp of Fermaid O repeat for three days. Until on day three I realized the Fermaid O bag was actually Go-Ferm, So I actually added 1tsp of Go-Ferm for three days in both. I went ahead and pitched a tsp of Ferm-O after that and let it be. Took a hydro reading on both today and they are both at 1.000

SUMMARY: Added 1tsp of Go-Ferm daily for 3 days instead of Ferm-O and agitated with drill. Grav=1.000 on both after 7 days.

 

[Drewch]

They're both 100% yeast-derived nutrient supplements. I doubt you've done any serious harm. EDIT: Also, don't assume just because it's at 1.000 that it's necessarily done. It could keep going into the 0.990s.

https://catalogapp.lallemandwine.co.../47d9c4b61878c0aec313198c2eb3387322e42a6e.pdf
https://catalogapp.lallemandwine.co.../f4a473f989e161ecc34cae1cedd6058cefb223b2.pdf

 

[parks1031]

They're both 100% yeast-derived nutrient supplements. I doubt you've done any serious harm. EDIT: Also, don't assume just because it's at 1.000 that it's necessarily done. It could keep going into the 0.990s.

https://catalogapp.lallemandwine.co.../47d9c4b61878c0aec313198c2eb3387322e42a6e.pdf
https://catalogapp.lallemandwine.co.../f4a473f989e161ecc34cae1cedd6058cefb223b2.pdf

I've seen people make similar comments about gravity. Could you explain or link an explanation for how gravity can go below 1.000?

 

[Drewch]

I've seen people make similar comments about gravity. Could you explain or link an explanation for how gravity can go below 1.000?

Alcohol is less dense than water (i.e., has a specific gravity < 1.000); so it's possible for a mixture of alcohol and water to have a gravity < 1.000 if there are few enough residual sugars and solutes in it.

 

[Kaldheim]

Alcohol is less dense than water (i.e., has a specific gravity < 1.000); so it's possible for a mixture of alcohol and water to have a gravity < 1.000 if there are few enough residual sugars and solutes in it.

I did take readings on both last Friday. The Orange Blossom is down to .996
The Holly has remained at 1.000
I am going to take readings again this Friday.
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[parks1031]

Alcohol is less dense than water (i.e., has a specific gravity < 1.000); so it's possible for a mixture of alcohol and water to have a gravity < 1.000 if there are few enough residual sugars and solutes in it.

Thank you. Makes total sense

 

[Kaldheim]

Update for all interested parties: They are not done fermenting yet!

The Orange Blossom has a reading of .996
I will check this again Monday to see if it remains the same.
Grav on the Holly Honey is .994
Getting close to running out of room on my hydrometer, lol!

 

[bushpilot]

What makes you think they are not done? Those SG readings are not going to change much more ... IOW, they are done.