SirVilhelm
Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2013
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi guys, just a quick introduction before asking about my problem. I found this site when I got interested in brewing beer. After lurking for some time I decided to give brewing a go. My brother suggested I try making some mead. He never made mead himself but got interested when his buddy brought some to a party one time. I came to these forums and started reading and decided mead would be the first thing I would try.
Fast forward to 4/20/13. I went to the local HBS and picked up two 3 gal carboys, hydrometer, star san ect. We started the process of making our must. I put the must, yeast, energizer and nutrient in the carboy threw on the air lock and let it sit. The air lock went to work about three hours after and went strong.
I used Lalvin EC-1118 because I am aiming for a dry mead. I figure I could always back sweeten if I have to but I like very dry wines. The starting must was 1.120 measured by a hydrometer. By 4/23 the gravity dropped to 1.109, 4/24 I shook the hell out of the carboy and added more nutrient and energizer.
5/21 I picked up a refractometer and tested again. This time it was 1.084 which I calculate at 5% abv. Today I checked on my mead and the airlock is dead. Completely dead, no movement at all.
My question is what do I do now? I am going to pick up some PH strips to test but besides that how do I rescue my mead? I have some orange slices in there, is there a possibility of mold or anything? Should I rack into another carboy and re-pitch?
Like I mentioned this is my first time brewing anything so any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you everyone!
Fast forward to 4/20/13. I went to the local HBS and picked up two 3 gal carboys, hydrometer, star san ect. We started the process of making our must. I put the must, yeast, energizer and nutrient in the carboy threw on the air lock and let it sit. The air lock went to work about three hours after and went strong.
I used Lalvin EC-1118 because I am aiming for a dry mead. I figure I could always back sweeten if I have to but I like very dry wines. The starting must was 1.120 measured by a hydrometer. By 4/23 the gravity dropped to 1.109, 4/24 I shook the hell out of the carboy and added more nutrient and energizer.
5/21 I picked up a refractometer and tested again. This time it was 1.084 which I calculate at 5% abv. Today I checked on my mead and the airlock is dead. Completely dead, no movement at all.
My question is what do I do now? I am going to pick up some PH strips to test but besides that how do I rescue my mead? I have some orange slices in there, is there a possibility of mold or anything? Should I rack into another carboy and re-pitch?
Like I mentioned this is my first time brewing anything so any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you everyone!