Beginners brew questions/problem?

[pizzamead]

Hey! This is my first time making mead ever and I'm worried about it. I started it on September 14th and made a simple gallon lemon, orange peel and 3lb honey brew with wine yeast and some yeast nutrient. The first two weeks started off great. It was bubbling every day and the honey was disappearing. I forgot all about it and just now started checking it everyday since a week ago. It is no longer bubbling nor is the air lock producing bubbles. I'm worried that maybe it's gone bad? Maybe I just need to forget about it again? I haven't touched or transferred it to another gallon jar or anything so maybe it's time to do that? I heard that you can just keep it in primary for a long time but I don't know what the hell im doing so yeah. Anyone got any tips? Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

Sounds like it's finished or at least finishing up.
Have you taken any hydrometer readings?

 

[pizzamead]

I don't own a hydrometer.

 

[Yooper]

I don't own a hydrometer.

You really need one if you're going to make mead (or wine or cider). They aren't expensive.
At this point, I'd siphon off of the fruit into a new vessel, airlock it, and put it in a cool (not cold) dark place and look at it again in about 6-8 weeks.

 

[Yooper]

Also, grab a jug with a really narrow opening (say, a Carlo Rossi jug for one gallon batches, or a beer growler for a smaller batch) because you want 0 headspace if possible. so in a jug, you'd top up to within an inch or so of the top, to the narrowest part of the vessel.
Like this:

Not my image! Taken from Make Your Own 'Hillbilly' Wine

 

[pizzamead]

You really need one if you're going to make mead (or wine or cider). They aren't expensive.
At this point, I'd siphon off of the fruit into a new vessel, airlock it, and put it in a cool (not cold) dark place and look at it again in about 6-8 weeks.

Awesome, thank you for the advise!