TripleC223
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2017
- Messages
- 134
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Hey everyone, first time I've ventured to the mead forum. I have been homebrewing for more than a year and made my first mead recently along with a friend (his request). I am pretty familiar with the process of making beer but am out of my element with mead, so I'd appreciate any advice you can give with this first batch.
We made a simple, 5-gallon traditional mead recipe using 15 pounds of Walmart honey (Pure n Simple) and Lalvin 71b. It took almost 48 hours to start but it did eventually get going. However, it's been fermenting for nearly a month and is still at 1.040. At last check about two weeks ago, it was around 1.060. It tastes super sweet.
Here's where my mead inexperience comes in.
Should I let it keep going in the primary?
How long is too long in the primary?
If I rack to a secondary before primary fermentation is done, what are the risks?
Is 1.040 a suitable FG for 71b, given the recipe? By my calculations, OG would have been around 1.100. We had to top off the batch to reach 5 gallons, so the measurement I took wasn't accurate.
I have way more questions, but I'll shut up and let the experts weigh in. Thank you all for the help.
We made a simple, 5-gallon traditional mead recipe using 15 pounds of Walmart honey (Pure n Simple) and Lalvin 71b. It took almost 48 hours to start but it did eventually get going. However, it's been fermenting for nearly a month and is still at 1.040. At last check about two weeks ago, it was around 1.060. It tastes super sweet.
Here's where my mead inexperience comes in.
Should I let it keep going in the primary?
How long is too long in the primary?
If I rack to a secondary before primary fermentation is done, what are the risks?
Is 1.040 a suitable FG for 71b, given the recipe? By my calculations, OG would have been around 1.100. We had to top off the batch to reach 5 gallons, so the measurement I took wasn't accurate.
I have way more questions, but I'll shut up and let the experts weigh in. Thank you all for the help.