Sweet Mead yeast frustrations

[Kent88]

Late october 2015 I started a 1-gallon batch of mead using wyeast sweet mead yeast 4184, hoping it would be done by easter 2016.

I eased up on the honey, it is around 5oz short of 3lbs, because I've tried making a mead with this yeast before and I know that it will not ferment out the usual 3lb/gallon (and it doesn't claim too, I just didn't want it to be that sweet or to leave syrupy honey-water behind at bottling). I staggered in some nutrient and energizer additions, and transferred once at about a month. It is finally clearing up, yet there is what appears to be plenty of honey that sunk to the bottom.

I'm thinking that it is clear so I'm going to bottle it. Last batch (with a full 3lbs of honey) I bottled when it was clear it only got a little carbonated, nothing exploded. Is this a horrible idea? Would leaving it for another month do much good?

 

[Jaybird]

Whats your gravity right now?


Cheers
Jay

 

[Kent88]

Haven't checked the gravity. I don't really like pulling a gravity sample from a 1-gallon batch, too much loss.

 

[Jaybird]

Haven't checked the gravity. I don't really like pulling a gravity sample from a 1-gallon batch, too much loss.

Sure.. I hear ya. But how are you going to tell if its done fermenting? It's not like you have to toss the sample. Drink it! You are gonna drink it anyway....ZERO LOSS

Cheers
Jay

 

[Kent88]

I guess I just assume it is done fermenting because it was inoculated 6 months ago, is clear, and there has been no airlock activity for some weeks.

I can check the gravity, I'm going to be mixing up some sanitizer soon anyway when I bottle some beer, but with some of my 1-gallon jugs I can't get a thief in there because the opening is to narrow, and then because of how a thief works I expect I'd be blending the clear mead with the honey that settled at the bottom.

I guess I'm determined to be difficult :smack:

 

[FrodeM]

I usually check gravity directly IN the carboy, using a well sanitized hydrometer ofcourse!

 

[wildmazer]

if it's clear or done fermenting (even if not dry), and you've racked it some, then what's at the bottom shouldn't be honey. if it's been in solution, it won't come back out just from sitting.

 

[SkeletorMob]

I can check the gravity, I'm going to be mixing up some sanitizer soon anyway when I bottle some beer, but with some of my 1-gallon jugs I can't get a thief in there because the opening is to narrow, and then because of how a thief works I expect I'd be blending the clear mead with the honey that settled at the bottom.

I guess I'm determined to be difficult :smack:

I had the same problem with my carboys, a quick shaving of the bottom of the thief with a very fine file fixed that up real nice! Just hoping this can help. I'm interested in hearing the results of your mead as a new brewer!

 

[SkeletorMob]

I usually check gravity directly IN the carboy, using a well sanitized hydrometer ofcourse!

You must have the fingers of a ninja! Mine drops to far and my bony fingers can reach it out lmao!!!

 

[FrodeM]

You must have the fingers of a ninja! Mine drops to far and my bony fingers can reach it out lmao!!!

Well, they only sell 5L (1.25 gallon) carboys in these areas! If it goes too far down, it's usually just enough to tilt the thing untill the hydrometer gets into reach. If it gets stuck somehow, then I sanitize a rubber glove and fish it out with one finger.

 

[Dr_Floyd]

You must have the fingers of a ninja! Mine drops to far and my bony fingers can reach it out lmao!!!

Find Plain Unwaxed Dental Floss at a Drug Store, cut yourself a healthy length of floss and sterilize. This one end tightly with a double knot around the skinny part of the Hydrometer as low down as possible. After getting your reading gently pull up on the floss (I say gently because it WILL slip, going slowly just buys you time) until you can grab the Hydrometer.

The floss is also very useful for suspending something in a batch such as an oak stick or some other ingredients you wish to be retrievable or just don't want to fall to the bottom. The floss won't harm the Mead.

 

[eigua]

Find Plain Unwaxed Dental Floss at a Drug Store, cut yourself a healthy length of floss and sterilize. This one end tightly with a double knot around the skinny part of the Hydrometer as low down as possible. After getting your reading gently pull up on the floss (I say gently because it WILL slip, going slowly just buys you time) until you can grab the Hydrometer.

The floss is also very useful for suspending something in a batch such as an oak stick or some other ingredients you wish to be retrievable or just don't want to fall to the bottom. The floss won't harm the Mead.

I used kitchen twine soaked in star san for the same task. I just made a little loop around the hydrometer up near the top and lowered it in and pulled it out the same way. One issue you might run into though is the hydrometer may be too tall to get a reading and reach the bottom of the 1-gallon jug, disturbing the sediment as well. This happens to me if I have too much headspace in my fermenter.

 

[Kent88]

if it's clear or done fermenting (even if not dry), and you've racked it some, then what's at the bottom shouldn't be honey. if it's been in solution, it won't come back out just from sitting.

Is this legit? If so, what the heck is at the bottom of my fermenter? I racked off the lees a month into fermentation so it shouldn't all be yeast. All that I put in there was water, honey, yeast, and yeast nutrient.

As for putting a hydrometer directly in the jug, I think all my floss on hand is waxed, and I don't have any kitchen twine. Could unused fishing line be sanitized and used?

 

[CKuhns]

"what the heck is at the bottom of my fermenter?"

Agree with Wild if it was racked off the lees / sediment after primary it likely is not honey and is yeast. (This is "Normal") You will continue to get some sediment (Lees) until crystal clear. Even then you might get a little. (See below)

I only do 5 gallon batches but I suspect one gallon would act the same.

Each time being careful to leave behind the majority of the lees. I rack immediately after primary, again after secondary and once or twice in tertiary. (Each time there are Lees at the bottom of the carboy.) I age until crystal clear (read a newspaper through it clear) and even then get a little "dusting" in the bottom of the carboy before bottling and occasionally after being in the bottle for 6 months or so.

First image is of "fine" lees after racking off lees from primary. If it looks kind of like talcum powder it is "normal" to get some of this.

Second Image is of stratified honey (Looks like during primary) and if yours looks like this then it likely is stratified honey.

Hope this helps.

Disclaimer - Images are not mine they are "pirated" from a search on the internet with no idea of who owns them.