Mead clearing really early

[vahallasbrew2]

My JOAM is already clearing and all the sediments are falling to the bottom but my mead is only a week and 2 days old so theres no way its aöready done what happened?

 

[Bugeaud]

Either A: Some stroke of luck that your house has labrotory conditions and your mead is clearing much faster than usual. or B: (my theory) your mead is way too cold and fermentation has stopped. Cooling helps in the process of clearing so this seems at least somewhat likely to me. Checked the tempeture lately? P.S. Get your mead off the ground if it's substantially colder than the air.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

Its probably the temp it tends to stay in the low seventies, i have it on the top shelf of my closet but i seems to not help could i put a small space heat in there to warm it up? And will that reactive the fermenting?

 

[Bugeaud]

Yeah it will reactivate the yeast a yeast that goes cold is only domant not dead. P.S. What yeast, nutrient, amount of honey, SG readings, etc?

 

[SenorPepe]

If your ambient temp is low 70s I wouldn't add a heater. Yeast are happy at that temperature and it's possible it's done fermenting. It does seem fast to clear, though...I don't know about that one.

 

[Bugeaud]

If your ambient temp is low 70s I wouldn't add a heater. Yeast are happy at that temperature and it's possible it's done fermenting. It does seem fast to clear, though...I don't know about that one.

I have to agree, you have a lot more of a chance of killing your yeast with a heater than a little bit of cold. Though I have my theorys, it's also likely that it's simply an anomoly.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

Hmm well its all settling to the bottom and its not bubbling at all i have 2 other batchs thats made with the same yeast and their botg doing good and there only a day or two younger if it does clear and all that like its done could i go head and rack it and stuff?

 

[Bugeaud]

I'd say take an SG reading. If it looks like a problem happened with the yeast, that it died, put all your fermenters in one room. Then adjust your heating according to the one room. At this point repitch the yeast. If it looks like a (good) anomoly, and it has fermented all the way through by some strange stroke of luck, then yes you may rack.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

I'd say take an SG reading. If it looks like a problem happened with the yeast, that it died, put all your fermenters in one room. Then adjust your heating according to the one room. At this point repitch the yeast. If it looks like a (good) anomoly, and it has fermented all the way through by some strange stroke of luck, then yes you may rack.

Umm whats a SG reading and how do i measure or check it and does repitching the yeast mean put morein? Ive only been brewing for a few weeks so im still very much green of all the skills :/

 

[Bugeaud]

An SG (Specific Gravity) reading is a reading from a device called a hydrometer. Basically, it measures the density of a substance, and then when you put in ceirtan calculations it gives you the ABV. http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/ This calculator is pretty good. Repitching does mean to put more in, but you must put more of THE SAME TYPE OF YEAST or else one yeast will just overpower the other strain and take over, and there is no way of predicting which will overpower which.

 

[Bugeaud]

The hydrometer basically tells you the sugar content. if it is 1.000 or less than it is considered dryed out (no more or almost no more sugar left).

 

[Bugeaud]

So by measuring the sugar content you can see how fermented out it is, to see if it's anywhere near drying out or not. There's always the old fashioned "swig out of the carboy test" but that is not accurate by any means.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

Is there a instrument i can use?

 

[Bhunter87]

Is there a instrument i can use?

Hydrometer. $10 at your lhbs.

I'd say if it's really at 70 or around, the temp is okay. Please tell us exactly what you did. Batch size, amount of honey, type of yeast, any other additions, how you did EVERYTHING. Without all the facts, no one am give you a decent explanation.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

Well its a JAOM its a half gallon batch so i first sanitozed it by putting it in the sink with 2 gallons if water added to 2tblspn of blech submerged everything for a good hour to make sure it was sanitized then i rinsed everything the carboy,pot,spoons,measuring cup,airlock,plug,cups really well till i no traces if blech were there, i rised off my orange really good for the pesticides, then i used the pot to melt the honey i brought the temp up to 160o to sterilize the water and melt the honey real good while that was happening, i used red star dry mix yeast i made a starter so the yeast wouldnt be shocked when i put it in the must after i did all that i put the honey in the carboy i used about a pound and a half, anyways i put in the water about 3/4s then put the yeast and shock it a little to mix it up then i put the orange, 25 rasin, a clove, and a stick of cinnamon then shook the hell out if it to get it aeriated real good then i put in the airlock and let it sit, the next day i noticed the foam had got up in to the lock so i took it out to replace and pour a little out then i put a new lock and plug in and put it pack in the closet, it bubbled good and foamed good for about a day then it just slowed down almost to a stop its bubbling at like 1 pop a minute and uts been like that ever since oh i accidently left the light on a few times for a couple hours when i whent to class.

 

[Bhunter87]

Okay. Heating water to 160 won't sanitize it, try to use bottled water but that's not the cause of the "anomaly" or whatever.

The light also wouldnt be the cause.

Thats really odd to be honest. I brew more beer, but yeast are basically the same. Since you had obvious fermentation, then a sudden stop, judging by what you have said, I can't see any real reason there should be a prob. Next time use a decent mead recipe. I've never drank it, but JAOM sounds like rubbish to me. Bread yeast and orange peels? Lol

Your best be is to invest in a hydrometer and take a reading. Post the results.

From now on, take a gravity reading pre-pitch, and a month of 2 into ferment.

Fellas, y'all think the C02 choked out the yeast? I've never actually seen what happens when this happens so I couldn't tell you if this is even a reasonable explanation...

Also... DONT USE BLEACH! Get a real sanitizer.... Bleach kills bacteria...

I don't say that in a mean way, and sorry if it seems like that. Bleach is just a no-no.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

Okay. Heating water to 160 won't sanitize it, try to use bottled water but that's not the cause of the "anomaly" or whatever.

The light also wouldnt be the cause.

Thats really odd to be honest. I brew more beer, but yeast are basically the same. Since you had obvious fermentation, then a sudden stop, judging by what you have said, I can't see any real reason there should be a prob. Next time use a decent mead recipe. I've never drank it, but JAOM sounds like rubbish to me. Bread yeast and orange peels? Lol

Your best be is to invest in a hydrometer and take a reading. Post the results.

From now on, take a gravity reading pre-pitch, and a month of 2 into ferment.

Fellas, y'all think the C02 choked out the yeast? I've never actually seen what happens when this happens so I couldn't tell you if this is even a reasonable explanation...

Also... DONT USE BLEACH! Get a real sanitizer.... Bleach kills bacteria...

I don't say that in a mean way, and sorry if it seems like that. Bleach is just a no-no.

Im not takin it in a bad way im just usin what i have and can get my hands on i dont have a local store to go to since where i live sucks and Joes ancient orange mead JAOM is what uve been told one of the best meads to make, also i was told i could use redstar the only draw back of it is that bread yeast can survive at a 13% they die off any high im doing this for fun and just to see if i can do cause i lile mead and dont wanna pay 20 bucks for a bottle idk whent wrong i did everything that like 20 different brewers told me to do and use.

 

[Bhunter87]

I see. I'll leave any other questions to people who have brewed with beard yeast and maybe made the JOAM before.

Good luck and happy brewing

 

[vahallasbrew2]

I see. I'll leave any other questions to people who have brewed with beard yeast and maybe made the JOAM before.

Good luck and happy brewing

Thanks a lot for the advice I'll be sure to invest in some better things and a hydrometer

 

[Bhunter87]

Really, jaom isn't all bad. Just nix the orange pith and bread yeast! Anything that adds off flavors or that's not created to brew with, prob shouldn't

 

[vahallasbrew2]

This is the recipe I followed
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f80/joes-ancient-orange-mead-49106/

 

[Bhunter87]

This is the recipe I followed
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f80/joes-ancient-orange-mead-49106/

I know which one It is. Any forum with that many comments will gather my attention. Even if the pith and bread yeast don't cause problems for everyone, when I see comments by people who've been making mean since WWII state that this has the ability to taste like crap, I heed their warnings.

If you need to order supplies, order in bulk! Get 10 packs of yeast instead of paying shipping on just one. Or order lalvin... They are mad cheap and you can pick like 20 different ones depending on the brew. Shipping will be a tad more than mailing a letter.

 

[vahallasbrew2]

When my current batches are done I'm gonna order some lalvin by then I should have all the proper instruments and supplies.

 

[Kyakins81]

My JOAM is already clearing and all the sediments are falling to the bottom but my mead is only a week and 2 days old so theres no way its aöready done what happened?

I have a similar question I live in 80-90⁰ weather all year round and my mead is fermenting in my closet as well and after 11 days it has completely cleared however according to my tests the yeast is definitely dead and the alcohol content is around 6-8% atm what do you suppose happened here?

 

[Barzahl]

I have a similar question I live in 80-90⁰ weather all year round and my mead is fermenting in my closet as well and after 11 days it has completely cleared however according to my tests the yeast is definitely dead and the alcohol content is around 6-8% atm what do you suppose happened here?

Did you use bread yeast? If so it likely hit it's max alcohol tolerance. What nutrients did you use and when? If you didn't use bread yeast check the package for a temperature range, a little too cold will stress the yeast and can slow fermentation or cause the yeast to hibernate too hot will stress and kill the yeast. It also might help to know how much honey per gallon or liter you used