Fermentation continued after adding stabaliser to mead

[GTMonster]

I added stabaliser to try stop fermentation of a mead at a specific FG... The correct doses failed and fermentation continued.

Now fermentation has finished, do I need to add the stabalisers again, or now fermentation has stopped will the stabalisers that were added previously function. I may look to add extra honey to sweeten.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[MightyMosin]

Stabilizers are a huge crap shoot at trying to stop a healthy fermentation... I generally find that it never stops where you would like.
For that reason, I either plan to let it go dry and back sweeten or I really plan the recipes honey amount to allow enough sweetness after the yeast tap out.

Now cold crashing a mead before it gets too dry will essentially stop the fermentation. If you add stabilizers at that point, you will have a better rate of success.

 

[GTMonster]

Thanks. Do I need to add stabaliser again now all has stopped?

 

[MightyMosin]

I'd probably add it again. It should be a small enough amount that it shouldn't affect any flavors. The metabisulfite can probably be about half of what you originally used.

BTW, the amounts used are best based on knowing what is needed. For most of use, measuring the actual SO2 if out of our typical $$ expenditures. With that in mind, we can approximate based on ABV and the pH of the mead.

Here is what I use:

pH	K-Meta 1 gallon	K-Meta 3 gallon	K-Meta 5 gallon
3.2​	0.138​	0.414​	0.690​
3.3​	0.171​	0.513​	0.855​
3.4​	0.210​	0.630​	1.050​
3.5​	0.256​	0.768​	1.280​
3.6​	0.322​	0.966​	1.610​
3.7​	0.414​	1.242​	2.070​
3.8​	0.519​	1.557​	2.595​
3.9​	0.644​	1.932​	3.220​
4​	0.810​	2.430​	4.050​
K-Sorbate
ABV	Sorbic acid (mg/L)	g/gallon	g/ 5 gallons
5.5%	275.00​	1.40​	7.00​
6.0%	250.00​	1.30​	6.50​
6.5%	237.50​	1.20​	6.00​
7.0%	225.00​	1.10​	5.50​
7.5%	212.50​	1.05​	5.25​
8.0%	200.00​	1.00​	5.00​
8.5%	187.50​	0.85​	4.25​
9.0%	175.00​	0.90​	4.50​
9.5%	162.50​	0.85​	4.25​
10.0%	150.00​	0.80​	4.00​
10.5%	137.50​	0.70​	3.50​
11.0%	125.00​	0.60​	3.00​
11.5%	112.50​	0.55​	2.75​
12.0%	100.00​	0.50​	2.50​
12.5%	87.50​	0.45​	2.25​
13.0%	75.00​	0.40​	2.00​
13.5%	62.50​	0.35​	1.75​
14.0%	50.00​	0.30​	1.50​
14.5%	37.50​	0.25​	1.25​
15.0%	25.00​	0.20​	1.00​

 

[Dan O]

Stabilizers are a huge crap shoot at trying to stop a health fermentation... I generally find that it never stops where you would like.
For that reason, I either plan to let it go dry and back sweeten or I really plan the recipes honey amount to allow enough sweetness after the yeast tap out.

Now cold crashing a mead before it gets too dry will essentially stop the fermentation. If you add stabilizers at that point, you will have a better rate of success.

All of this^^^^^^

 

[beren]

There's still tons of yeast alive and fermentation can still restart if it warms at all. Super dangerous if you bottle at all. There's no good way to stop active yeast especially for beginners. The best thing to do is plan ahead. Have a lower SG, cold crash and stabilize, then backsweeten.

 

[GTMonster]

Thanks for the above.

I've just been brewing wine for about 5 years however always back sweetened. Stabalising was always by adding 2 campden tablets and 1/2 TSP potassium sorbet per gallon. I didn't realise you should vary based on the above criteria. In that time, I've only ever had 2 bottles blow there corks out which was strange as the rest of the same batch were fine.

I'll get powdered versions and follow the table going forward.

I think next time, I shall keep feeding honey so that the alcohol level taps out the yeast. If I keep adding honey, does it need to be boiled first? Or can it be added raw.

Also, I've been thinking about leaving a hydrometer floating in the fermenter permanently so I can see what's going on. I'm assuming as glass there is no issue with doing this?

Thanks again

 

[Dan O]

If I keep adding honey, does it need to be boiled first? Or can it be added raw.

Adding honey raw is totally fine. No need to add any heat, unless it's crystallized. Then, warm water bath until smooth again is fine.

Also, I've been thinking about leaving a hydrometer floating in the fermenter permanently so I can see what's going on. I'm assuming as glass there is no issue with doing this?

As long as you sanitized it before you put it in, then yes, fine to leave it in your fermentor.
I hope this helps you.
Happy meading

 

[Johnny2]

I had the same thing happen recently, when I stabilized first time without racking first.

 

[beren]

Adding honey raw is totally fine. No need to add any heat, unless it's crystallized. Then, warm water bath until smooth again is fine.

As long as you sanitized it before you put it in, then yes, fine to leave it in your fermentor.
I hope this helps you.
Happy meading

It’ll be useless as it gets covered with krausen. You won’t be able to see the scale and it won’t give the correct reading. A tilt or rapt pill is a bit better but even then isn’t exact.

 

[Raptor99]

Stabilizers won't stop an active fermentation. If you ferment all the way dry, then you can add stabilizers to prevent fermentation from restarting when you backsweeten. That is my usual procedure.