Recipe suggestions - yeast and other ingridients

Gallon Size

I'm planning on doing a batch of hibiscus mead, and i'm not sure what yeast i want to use? I have a batch going with ec-1118 but haven't tried it yet. d-47 turned out a bit to dry for my likes. So suggestions? and i don't think i want to use bread yeast this time around

also, what do you think about adding some pure vanilla extract? and how much would you suggest?

what else would go well with hibiscus?

 

Well that depends on your starting gravity and approximately where you want your final gravity to be. As for the vanilla I would use half a bean and taste your mead every week or so then rack of the bean when you get the desired strength. I think it would be very easy to overpower your mead if you just use extract.

 

i want a 15-18% final measurement. i'd really like to go for 21% (there is a wyeast ale yeast that goes that high) but i think the alcohol would kill the flavor. and i don't want to wait a year for the primary to finish. want to shoot for a 6 month mead

 

6 months to drink? Then I would not shoot that high at all. I had a mead at 15.5% and 1.030 FG and it started getting drinkable at about 8 months but was still hot. Do look into stepped nutrient additions though especially with going for that high of strength.