Alright. So I was wondering if it's possible to find alcohol content of my Mead before secondary without a reading from when I started. I didn't have a hydrometer due to late shipping during the ice storm. 2 weeks later and it's here.
Alcohol Content
- Thread starter MaxTheSpy
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
meatcleaver
Well-Known Member
you can estimate your og.
1 lb of honey in one gallon of water will give you an og right around 1.035
2.5 lbs/gal gets you around 1.085-1090.
1 lb of honey in one gallon of water will give you an og right around 1.035
2.5 lbs/gal gets you around 1.085-1090.
To find alcohol % you really need to have readings from the beginning. As the sugars break down into alcohol, the gravity drops, and that drop can be used to calculate approximate alcohol content. You can use the calculator here to approximate your starting gravity, but its best to take your own reading.
I noticed in your blog that you are trying to figure out when to rack to secondary. What is the current gravity reading? If the reading is still high, theres likely still a lot of fermentable sugars and youre dealing with a stuck fermentation. How much room do you have left in your carboy?
If the reading is low, you can take multiple readings over a few days. If its the same, you can rack it. The big problem with this is that it uses up some mead because you shouldn't put it back after. And that adds up pretty quick in a 1 gallon batch.
I noticed in your blog that you are trying to figure out when to rack to secondary. What is the current gravity reading? If the reading is still high, theres likely still a lot of fermentable sugars and youre dealing with a stuck fermentation. How much room do you have left in your carboy?
If the reading is low, you can take multiple readings over a few days. If its the same, you can rack it. The big problem with this is that it uses up some mead because you shouldn't put it back after. And that adds up pretty quick in a 1 gallon batch.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
The fermentation process has slowed a ton. Shawn to 3 bubbles a second though the airlock. What can I do to restart the process? Add more yeast? from what I read it should be racked into secondary around 1.003 and its at 1.030 Thats a long way to go without much fermentation
View attachment 1484972486970.jpg
View attachment 1484972486970.jpg
meatcleaver
Well-Known Member
I've always racked my wines & meads to secondary when I reach 70-80% expected attenuation. so if I start at 1.095 I rack to secondary around 1.020.
if you don't want to rack yet you could shake or stir your must to introduce some oxygen or maybe add a pinch of yeast nutrient.
also, there's no reason you can't return your sample to your wort/must. just be sure to sanitize your equipment well & you shouldn't have any problems.
wine & Mead are much more forgiving than beer ime...
if you don't want to rack yet you could shake or stir your must to introduce some oxygen or maybe add a pinch of yeast nutrient.
also, there's no reason you can't return your sample to your wort/must. just be sure to sanitize your equipment well & you shouldn't have any problems.
wine & Mead are much more forgiving than beer ime...
3 bubbles a second? Thats still quite a bit of activity. Even a bubble/3 seconds. That reading says there arr still some fermentable sugars. Based on the recipe in your blog,
3.5 lbs of honey in 1 gallon would be about 1.128 OG.
http://mcarterbrown.com/mead/mead2.html
Thats the link i meant to send last time. Sorry.
If thats correct, then your current reading puts you at about 13% abv. The yeast may be reaching their limit at this point. Most strains start maxing out at 13-15% unless you have a high tolerance yeast.
3.5 lbs of honey in 1 gallon would be about 1.128 OG.
http://mcarterbrown.com/mead/mead2.html
Thats the link i meant to send last time. Sorry.
If thats correct, then your current reading puts you at about 13% abv. The yeast may be reaching their limit at this point. Most strains start maxing out at 13-15% unless you have a high tolerance yeast.
If the yeast has reached its limit, it wont be fermenting. Sometimes, yeast can be pushed beyond the limit, so 13-15% is by no means a hard limit.
As meatcleaver said, you can rack it at a particular gravity reading, or, I've always used airlock activity. Once it's slowed to about 1 bubble every 40+ minutes, I rack. The gravity method is probably more accurate tho.
As meatcleaver said, you can rack it at a particular gravity reading, or, I've always used airlock activity. Once it's slowed to about 1 bubble every 40+ minutes, I rack. The gravity method is probably more accurate tho.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
If the yeast has reached its limit, it wont be fermenting. Sometimes, yeast can be pushed beyond the limit, so 13-15% is by no means a hard limit.
As meatcleaver said, you can rack it at a particular gravity reading, or, I've always used airlock activity. Once it's slowed to about 1 bubble every 40+ minutes, I rack. The gravity method is probably more accurate tho.
Ok so lets say that yeast can onl handle 15%. When I reaches 15% and the yeast dies, would I then rack it into secondary and wait for it to be less cloudy? Or would I add something to it to keep fermentation going till there is no more sugar left?
You could rack it and let it clear, pitch a yeast with a higher tolerance, or try diluting it more if there's room in the Personally, I've found that I like my mead at around 10-15%. But taste it and see how you like it.
Consider using a fining agent, such as bentonite clay, to help clear. It makes a very noticeable difference in only a day, although you should let it continue to clear about a week or so after adding it. I've started using it the past couple batches and they look much prettier now.
Consider using a fining agent, such as bentonite clay, to help clear. It makes a very noticeable difference in only a day, although you should let it continue to clear about a week or so after adding it. I've started using it the past couple batches and they look much prettier now.
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
The published tolerance for alcohol for strains of yeast are like the published tolerances for load on a cable or chain. They are not the most extreme limits that the load or yeast can take but are a reasonable limit that may easily be exceeded- But if you assume that a cable will take a greater load then you are responsible for any damage or injury. So stating that a yeast strain X can tolerate 15% ABV might mean that while a certain % of the cells might die of alcohol poisoning at 13% many more cells may continue to ferment at 16, 17 or even 18% - they may of course be producing all kinds of undesirable by-products as their stress levels increase, so you may want to monitor this. Bottom line - buyer beware.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Ahh, Ive never heard of that. Im going to let it sit a bit more and see if the bubbles go away its still pretty active. though If the bubbles stop and the gravity reading is still 1.020 should I rack it or should I make sure all the sugars are gone. or can I rack it regardless?
Ill look around for the clay and see if I can find it. Its pretty damn cloudy but If I can get it looking more clear it would look pretty good.
Also IF I want to quit and rack it next week how should I go about killing the fermentation process?
You can rack at anytime really. There are better times to do it. As active as it is, I'd just wait for the bubbles to die down till its about ~40+ minutes between bubbles. This can be tough to tell because, well, you gotta watch it for 40 minutes. Lol. But I usually set a timer then did other things with the bottle in view.
Bentonite clay is pretty common and very cheap. Make sure it's food grade. I bought mine on amazon for about 6 bucks and got 8 oz, which is enough to last a looong time. If youre lucky enough yo have a brewing store nearby, they should have it. There are all sorts of instructions on how to use it out there.
Killing the fermentation is pretty easy too. Potassium sorbate and campden tablets (alternatively, potassium metabisulfite, which is what campden tablets are, but campden has measured them out in a conveinent 1 pill per gallon form, and it's hard to measure 1/16 of a teaspoon) my go-to when I'm stopping a fermentation. I like my stuff sweet, so I almost always use these two and then backsweeten with more honey.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Thanks for the information, I was planning on back sweetening but after tasting it the other day I think that after I rack it into secondary with some smoky wood chips for the earthy flavor and all my spices, it will be good enough as is. I also used half a pound too much because I didn't want half a pound sitting in my fridge forever so I think that it is plenty sweet. I have a homebrew within 2 miles of my house so I may have to head over there in the next few days. I also plan to let it sit a while longer, and I think that I also decided that after I rack into secondary Im going to start another 1 gallon batch. Any Ideas on what I should make the second batch with?
If you're sticking with mead, there are some good choices. You can search this forum for a hundred recipes. My favorites so far are Joe's Ancient Orange (a 1 jug recipe that breaks almost all the rules for brewing. You won't learn anything here, but it's full-proof and delicious. Well, you will learn one thing: its homebrew, don't be afraid to break a few rules) and also (not to toot my own horn) my Blood of the Wise recipe turned out reeeaally well, even new, but its best aged a few months. And the color is so pretty. Lol.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
If you dont mind would you link me or send me a message with the Blood Of The Wise recipie? IT might be interesting though Im only going to make another 1 gallon batch of it so im not sure if the recipie is able to scale down or not
My Blood of the Wise recipe is actually made for 1 gallon, so no worries. My mead is almost always 1 gallon batches cuz... i just cant afford to buy 15 lbs of honey at once. Lol. Plus, I'm still experimenting.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Oh awesome. Send it my way and I'll give it a go. Also I need help for my Mead. I think technically it's a Methaglin though I need a name for it. Think of any?
The recipe is linked in my previous post. Just click where i said blood of the wise. And what kind if spices are you adding to it? I have a lot of fun naming drinks, so I'm more than happy to attempt a few tries at helping you name yours.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Mulling spice, clove, vanilla and oak chips
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
I dont know whats gotten into me the last few years but Clove is something I need to have in my body at all times. I love it. mulling spice had more cloves in it so i chose that also. Those are upfront tastes, I then chose the honey and the vanilla specifically to be enjoyed for the longest part of the drink. the smooth side of the sharp spices. and then in secondary Im adding some oak and other earthy tones for a good aftertaste.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
I think I like Bragarfull Mead, Or something similar, Can you think of something along those lines. Or something else that sounds awesome
The bragarfull "promise-cup" or bragafull "best cup" or "chieftain's cup" (compare Bragi) was in Norse culture a particular drinking from a cup or drinking horn on ceremonial occasions, often involving the swearing of oaths when the cup or horn was drunk by a chieftain or passed around and drunk by those assembled. The names are sometimes anglicized as bragarful and bragaful respectively.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Thanks bud!
Fafnir's Horde - referencing a dragon defeated by Sigurd. The name can mean the mead was considered a treasure and part of the horde or a reference to its golden color.
Odroerir (Óðroerir) - a magical mead once sought by Odin for his brethren. This is actually the same mead from the legend I refer to in the Blood of the Wise.
Drekka-horn - meaning Drink Horn, probably badly translated, refers to the traditional drinking horn which appears to be largely ceremonial. Mead itself was likely drunk almost exclusively by the high class, as honey was often mostly taken in taxes and fines. Thus, referencing the drinking horn would say that this mead was intended to be drunk not only by kings, but in ceremony of kings. That being said, I believe Bragarfull is a much better way to say exactly the same thing.
Full og Odni / Thor - my best translation of "a toast to Odin / Thor"
Sumbel - drinking feast. Often a cup would be passed around and thise who deank from it would make a toast, oath ,boast, sing or recite poetry. A good name for a mead meant to used to socialize.
Odroerir (Óðroerir) - a magical mead once sought by Odin for his brethren. This is actually the same mead from the legend I refer to in the Blood of the Wise.
Drekka-horn - meaning Drink Horn, probably badly translated, refers to the traditional drinking horn which appears to be largely ceremonial. Mead itself was likely drunk almost exclusively by the high class, as honey was often mostly taken in taxes and fines. Thus, referencing the drinking horn would say that this mead was intended to be drunk not only by kings, but in ceremony of kings. That being said, I believe Bragarfull is a much better way to say exactly the same thing.
Full og Odni / Thor - my best translation of "a toast to Odin / Thor"
Sumbel - drinking feast. Often a cup would be passed around and thise who deank from it would make a toast, oath ,boast, sing or recite poetry. A good name for a mead meant to used to socialize.
OP
OP
MaxTheSpy
Well-Known Member
Full Og Odni I believe is the one, Though do you pronounce the Odni ohd-ni or ahd-ni
O Is prounced almost similarly to the o in the Engl. word lock.
Ð and ð Are pronounced like the th in the Engl. word there.
I appears to be a soft i. So, it appears to be pronounced "Ahthnih" with the th being a soft th.
Ð and ð Are pronounced like the th in the Engl. word there.
I appears to be a soft i. So, it appears to be pronounced "Ahthnih" with the th being a soft th.
