Super High Gravity Mead! Idea Bouncing!

[Skullfingr]

H'okay. So.

I've got White Labs Super High Gravity (WLP099) that I picked up on a whim, and I'm now in the planning stages of making a brew fit for the gods! Or maybe one that would just get the gods good and drunk. The idea is to try to hit that 25% mark in a mead.

So I did a few preliminary calculations. Looks like I'd have to start off with an absolutely ungodly amount of sugars.. about 1.200 or so. This leads me to believe that I'll need about..

Honey = 35 points
Corn/White Sugar = 46 points

- 2lb/gal honey = ~70 points
- 3lb Sugar = ~92 points

So by those maths, 2lb honey, and 3lb sugar should yield a gravity of ABOUT 1.208, which is enough to his 25%, I would think.

I would think that it isn't going to be that easy. I plan to add plenty of yeast nutrient and I am considering a staggered approach but I am unsure of the exact procedure.

Which is where YOU come in!

Im open to a little help and suggestions as to how to make this happen. So. Now you know my plan, tell me what you think!

This link is helpful: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=91463

 

[bransona]

I don't think I'd try this one with so much white sugar. You're gonna make rocket fuel mead if you're not careful. I'd just go with more honey in a smaller batch until you hit your desired gravity. Either way, less sugar, more honey. You want mead, not sugar wine. This sounds like an interesting project. Good luck

 

[FrodeM]

What is the nutrient and temperature-requirements for this yeast?

If you want to take this all the way, then you'll be best off step-feeding the yeast. Start at around 1.100, then add more honey when it is approaching dry.

And be aware that higher the alcohol content usually means more fussel-alcohols and longer requiered aging time.

 

[loveofrose]

I'm a full time mazer so my suggestion is all honey. I would start at 1.160 like this mead I've made in the past:
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Fuzzynavel/

Be sure to read every word of that post. It explains in detail how to make a high gravity mead properly. The utopia post is great for high gravity beer, but mead ain't beer and follows different rules.

After/if your yeast chews through the 1.160 to 1.000, add honey back to 1.020. Let it go to 1.000 again if it can. If it doesn't, then you will still have a drinkable mead. Once/if it hits 1.000 again, add to 1.020 again. That would be 1.200 in total. If by some stroke of luck it hits 1.000 again, then repeat the process until you have your desired sweetness and the yeast give up. Be prepared to put this one away for a while.

In addition to all the above, I would suggest making a larger starter as directed for mead here:
https://denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Start/
You will need it to have any hope of chewing through this massive amount of honey.

I'm skeptical this will work out to such a high ABV, but you never know unless you try. I would highly suggest adding American medium toast oak cubes. It helps restrain the alcohol bite on high ABV mead.

I also request a full mead log posted to see how it goes! Fire back any question you have about the process.

 

[Skullfingr]

Pure honey to reach a gravity of 1.2 means about 5.71lb honey!

No problem, loveofrose. Might even be today.

 

[loveofrose]

Awesome. It's a good day to make mead...and drink mead!

 

[Skullfingr]

It's ALWAYS a good day to drink mead!

 

[unclebrewster707]

Hello all I am new to brewing I have a 250 gal IBC tank I added 300 lbs of honey almost a 1kg of Lalvin EC11118 yeast nutrients phosphate I have a hillbilly 26gal pot still how much alcohol should I get I heard about 50 gal any advice to help me out would be appreciated

 

[unclebrewster707]

I have a 250 gal ICB tank I added 300lbs of honey 1kg lalvin ec 11118 phosphate and starter nutrients it's rocking and Rollin so hard I had to use two moded vapor locks because it was blowing the water out I have a 26gal hillbilly stainless still about how much alcohol should I expect and what abv% could it end up at any tips tricks or advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[lumpher]

I see you've already started a fresh thread or 2 posing this question. Probably don't need to use this 8 year old thread.

 

[jerrylotto]

Do a small scale batch first and see how it turns out. "Starting" at 250 gallon scale is pretty risky.

 

[MightyMosin]

I don't remember where I read it (and I'm usually a good bookmark packrat) and my remembered details are scant, but an interesting take on high gravity mead went something like this.

High gravity meads are tough on the yeast with the osmatic pressure created by all the honey mixed into the must. The yeast aren't adjusted and ready to deal with it and this can create stalled meads. Stepped feeding is an approach that helps to deal with this as honey is added when the yeast are just about done with all the sugar.

The alternate approach that I read suggested starting with a lower gravity must that the yeast have no difficulty with and the rest of the honey is just dumped in and allowed to collect at the bottom of the fermenter. As the honey is not initially all mixed in, there isn't that high osmatic pressure. The yeast will eat through the honey in the mixed must and then start in at the top layer of honey. They have all the sugar needed to work through what would be a high gravity mead but they are not fighting through the high gravity must.

I'm hoping someone else has read this and might be able to link to a discussion/paper that revolved around this concept.