Fast fermentation

[arif8910]

Hey there, first time mead maker here. Been brewing for a while and wanted to try my hand at mead.

My first batch (a cyser--recipe follows) fermented from 1.11 to 1.0 in one week. I was expecting at least several weeks considering my research generally found that honey ferments slowly. I just racked it to a secondary but I was wondering if anyone knew why this fermented out so fast and If its a problem. It does taste pretty alcohol forward with little trace of apples or honey. I used red star champagne yeast and it was in a dark room which hovered just above 70*F.

Any and all advice or wisdom is appreciated.

3 gallon batch of cyser

2.5 gallons Whole Foods apple juice (unfiltered, pasteurized) (SG: 1.053) 5lbs. Gunter’s orange blossom honey
18oz. Cascadian Farm org. apple concentrate
1 scant tablespoon yeast nutrient
Red Star Pasteur Champagne Yeast (4⁄5package) Starting Gravity: 1.11

 

[arif8910]

Also I had very little foam and what appeared to be a less than energetic fermentation. After 1.5 days it was bubbling energetically and then it quickly quieted to one bubble of the airlock every minute or so.

 

[loveofrose]

Actually, you want a fast ferment. Long ferments indicated the yeast are stressed. Stressed yeast make lots of fusel alcohols. You are in good shape, but a year of age will be needed with that yeast.

If you want to better understand mead making, read my articles here:

www.denardbrewing.com

 

[arif8910]

Thanks for the help! When you talk aging with mead do you mean bottle aging or aging in the secondary? Or perhaps a combination of the two? I have not found a clear answer or rule for this in my research.

 

[loveofrose]

Age is age. That being said, aging in bulk secondary generally avoids bottle to bottle variation. I don't really notice that much of a difference, personally.