First time need advice

[Drunkcowboy]

I'm made two 1 gal batches. One traditional one black berry. I started with approximately 4lb honey levin 1118 yeast. I was shooting for 18 abv ( i know my goal was high i bought the wrong yeast so i had a lot of honey because im not to a fan of dry mead. ) i did have temp issues. I put in a small fridge that was not in use and cracked the door, but avg temp w was s still maybe 80+. Cant control weather.

Now the BlackBerry sg at afound 16.5% but the traditional only 8.5. Should i repitch yeast on the traditional to help utilize the honey more. I didnt taste it but i think it going to be very sweet probably too sweet. I did taste the BlackBerry it tasted fine. Harsh but fine. ( FIRST RACK on both)

 

[SKBugs]

Hey mate, i think the fruit fairly skews the gravity readings. The sugars in the fruit will change the gravity dramatically. I had a berry mead return an ABV of 21% which is crazy. I wouldn't worry about the yeast etc. I would focus on the temp control. 80 is probably too high even for 1118.
The best thing is to take readings a couple of days apart and see if it is moving down. if so then it is fermenting. 1119 is a tubo yeast i think so it would take a fair bit to knock it out of action.

Cheers

 

[Shine0n]

1118 can handle 80f but it ferments alot cleaner around 65-70, just watch for the yeast to start to flocc and take a sg reading.