Braggot Finished Already?

[TheUnit]

A few questions about my first entry into the mead making world:

This was my recipe:
OG: 1.087
FG: 1.021
ABV: 8.64%
IBU: 22.76

9 lb Honey
2 lb Cane Sugar

0.25 lb Belgian - Pilsner
0.5 lb German - Carapils

2 oz Saaz 5.3 60 min 13.65
2 oz Tettnanger 4.6 30 min 9.11

Belgian Golden Ale Yeast WLP570

I adhered to it, though some of my results were different than predicted. The OG came out a little bit lower - at 1.082. In addition to the above ingredients, I added yeast energizer, nutrient, and also irish moss at the end of the boil. I pitched my yeast (which I had made a LARGE starter for), on March 29th. On April 10th, it seemed to have already stopped. So racked to 2nd, and checked the gravity, it was 0.996. The calculator I was using said my FG should be around 1.021, and I was already much lower than this. I checked again last night (April 23), and it is still at 0.996. Right now, that makes it about 11.3 ABV, 3% higher than anticipated.

This is my first mead - Ive only done beers. I guess honey finishes much lower?
Is it safe to say it won't ferment any more?
Did the large starter, energizer, and nutrient just make the yeast perform faster? Because I have been under the impression that honey takes a long time to ferment.
Another thing of note that I have never seen in any of my beers - the top two inches of the mead in my carboy is VERY clear, and then immediately below it, it becomes much hazier. It has hung in suspension like this for 2 weeks probably.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

honey is 100% fermentable for the most part and yeast can get to it much easier. Cane sugar is in the same boat as honey. In the future I'd skip the cane sugar as it just adds alcohol and no flavor. Ale Yeast also finished meads out in a beer-like schedule as far as active fermentation goes.

Now you just need to age it out until it's very clear, then bottle and enjoy!

 

[TheUnit]

honey is 100% fermentable for the most part and yeast can get to it much easier. Cane sugar is in the same boat as honey. In the future I'd skip the cane sugar as it just adds alcohol and no flavor. Ale Yeast also finished meads out in a beer-like schedule as far as active fermentation goes.

Now you just need to age it out until it's very clear, then bottle and enjoy!

Thanks
Just as an FYI, I added the cane sugar in to lighten the color a bit.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Edit: double posted

 

[Urkelbot]

It's odd it finished so low with the carapils

 

[TheUnit]

Anyone else have input?

 

[IJesusChrist]

14 days and the SG hasn't changed = it's finished fermenting.

 

[fatbloke]

14 days and the SG hasn't changed = it's finished fermenting.

Or its stuck.......

I know it's heresy to a beer maker, but with that amount of honey and the sugar, I'd have thought it would go lower.

I'm not quite following why the original FG is listed as 1.021 and then 0.996 ? Is it at the higher or lower number ?

 

[IJesusChrist]

Or its stuck.......

I know it's heresy to a beer maker, but with that amount of honey and the sugar, I'd have thought it would go lower.

I'm not quite following why the original FG is listed as 1.021 and then 0.996 ? Is it at the higher or lower number ?

He's saying with his yeast that it "should" stop at 1.021, but it went down to .996.

 

[fatbloke]

He's saying with his yeast that it "should" stop at 1.021, but it went down to .996.

Ok well that's hardly a surprise then. The tiny amount of malt(s) isn't gonna make much difference irrespective of any "attenuation" idea it might suggest. The honey and sugar are pretty much 100% fermentable, so I'd presume that the malt just added a tiny bit of flavour and a tiny amount of nutrient value......

couldn't see what size batch it was (presuming about the 3, possibly 5, gallon mark). Either way I'd still expect a half decent yeast, ale/beer or wine to manage to get it dry......

which it has......

Maybe just some malt extract and a little honey to back sweeten (after stabilising of course).