BOMM oops moment. Left it way too sweet!

[MNSmitty]

So, my reading comprehension failed me when making my BOMM. I started with a much to high gravity, ~1.12 - 1.13 (im pretty sure thats what it was, I'm at work and dont have my notes in front of me.)

I used 1388 yeast and it did its job fine. Its sitting at ~1.024 right now. That gives me roughly 12.6% ABV and 78% attenutation. That falls right inline with the tolerances of 1388. Its been there for 3 weeks. So I am fairly confident that the 1388 has finished its activites. The mead has a pleaseant flavor, its just incredibly sweet.

So to get to my question,

Can I finish up this mead with a yeast like EC-1118 to get it down to a more appropriate final gravity? What steps should I take if I can go that route? Anything more than just rehydrating and pitching? More nutrients?

 

[loveofrose]

No. It's not finished. Attenuation means nothing in mead because all sugars are fermentable. I routinely use an SG of 1.12 and it always goes dry (1.000). It just takes a bit longer. Just stir a bit and I bet it will take off again.

By the way, I've pushed this yeast to 19% so beware!


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html

 

[MNSmitty]

Good to know!
Would you suggest running the wine whip through it again? Or would introducing oxygen at this point be bad? I havent checked my PH, I need to get some strips......

Its already 7 weeks old. Not that I am in a hurry, but whats the usual extra time you find you need with a larger mead?

 

[buzzerj]

It's more to get the yeast back in suspension than to add oxygen. What is your S.G. now?

 

[fuelish]

...

what is your s.g. Now?

...

its sitting at ~1.024 right now.

(in OP)

 

[MNSmitty]

Yep. Brought everything back into suspension, it just settled down again and the gravity didnt change.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Any idea how old you pack was? Maybe you had a pouch with less viability.

 

[threeway]

No. It's not finished. Attenuation means nothing in mead because all sugars are fermentable. I routinely use an SG of 1.12 and it always goes dry (1.000). It just takes a bit longer. Just stir a bit and I bet it will take off again.

By the way, I've pushed this yeast to 19% so beware!


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html

What was the generation of the yeast that ran to 19%? I may be getting a bulk batch of honey and figure I may as well reuse the yeast cake but 19% may be a bit too high. Don't want to train the yeast too much to be too tolerant

 

[MNSmitty]

Any idea how old you pack was? Maybe you had a pouch with less viability.

It was "older"
I dont have the packs anymore, so I dont remember off hand. I want to say they were dated Oct 14. I thought they might have been old, so I pitched 2 packs. The LHBS didnt have anything fresher.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

well the 2 packs should have corrected any viability issue so mark that off the list.

 

[MNSmitty]

Yeah. That was my thought too.