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Oh, I'm right there with you! I enjoy refining the process, sampling results, experimentation, etc. as much as the final product! I especially enjoy it when I can use my own honey, mixed with berries or fruit we grew or foraged, to make something really special.

You guys are hardcore!

I do all my fermenting in winter, for temperature control purposes. So, I am wrapping up for now. What's on deck towards the end of the year, when winter rolls around again? It does on the honey and berry harvest, we'll see.

Pitched an 8% wildflower traditional, 1.75 gallons (kinda tight in my 2 gallon bucket!) 113.25 + 1.75 = 115 gallons

Good luck with the flight training!

Your patience will pay off.

Oxidation risk is minimal in an active fermentation of mead. Most of us do primary in unsealed buckets, with no harm. More care is needed in secondary and aging, of course.

And what was the result?

I have done 24 meads, and never have had a contamination. It happens, I don't mean to overly downplay it. With that in mind, I would be more concerned about the potential for molding fruit, than contamination. Opening it and using a sterile (or even just dishwasher clean) spoon to push the...

The key question is, "What is the change in SG caused by fermentation?" That is what is used in the calculation of abv. Any change caused by any other reason, such as adding non-fermentables, is ignored in abv calculations.

Adding the fruit in the primary vessel towards the end of fermentation has always worked well for me. The few times I have added fruit up front, I felt I had less control of the overall picture. When the fruit is obviously depleted, I want to rack it, but then I don't want to rack an ongoing...

Well, today I topped it with a fermenting traditional, rather than cyser. Why traditional? Because it is what I have going ...

Astonishingly good response!

Let it finish in primary. I just did an18% abv mead with K1V, using SNA, and temperature in the low 60's, IOW quite similar to your's. I started at a bit lower SG and step fed the honey, but I am sure it would have hit 16% without that. But it was slow. It can sit on K1V lees until done...

I hate it when that happens ...

Pitched a 1 3/4 gallon traditional today. 81.25 + 1.75 = 83 gallons

$6380.82, just for "storing crowberry juice that accidentally became fermented." 🤣

I am not the most sophisticated mead consumer, but I have not noticed any flavor issues with bentonite in either primary or secondary. I do primary because it works well enough, and is simple.

No harm. I use pectic enzyme at pitch for melomels, and add bentonite dry 24 hours or so later. Don't add both at the same time, or the bentonite will reduce the effectiveness of the pectic enzyme.

I just found this thread, pretty cool! (Though I have no interest in brewing beer, meads are my thing). How about an update!