GhettoDickens
Active Member
I created 1 gallon of cyser weighing in at a whopping 1.190. I split the batch up into two ½ gallons, putting each in its own one-gallon jug to allow for head space during fermentation. I pitched a package of Wyeast Belgian Ale yeast into each carboy. The fermentation was very active, and it has since been two months and I want to rack it off the slurry.
Even pitching a champagne or wine yeast with a high alcohol tolerance (~18%) into secondary, I would still end up with a VERY sweet and high alcohol mead. I was thinking about maybe diluting it to bring down the strength, but I dont know how to about this (or if I should).
It was suggested to me to dilute with more juice, but in my mind this adds more sugar and will only increase the strength and sweetness. Is this correct? Can I dilute with water at this point of fermentation, or will this come through as watered down mead?
I am tempted to leave it as is because I cringe at the thought of watering down my mead, but an 18+% mead that has a sweetness around 1.040-1.050 sounds a little gnarly. Any suggestions?
PS: I haven't taken any gravity readings to track fermentation because I didn't want to waste any of my precious ounces, but I am thinking I will santize the snot out of everything and take a sample that I can return to the carboy.
Thanks in advance!!
Even pitching a champagne or wine yeast with a high alcohol tolerance (~18%) into secondary, I would still end up with a VERY sweet and high alcohol mead. I was thinking about maybe diluting it to bring down the strength, but I dont know how to about this (or if I should).
It was suggested to me to dilute with more juice, but in my mind this adds more sugar and will only increase the strength and sweetness. Is this correct? Can I dilute with water at this point of fermentation, or will this come through as watered down mead?
I am tempted to leave it as is because I cringe at the thought of watering down my mead, but an 18+% mead that has a sweetness around 1.040-1.050 sounds a little gnarly. Any suggestions?
PS: I haven't taken any gravity readings to track fermentation because I didn't want to waste any of my precious ounces, but I am thinking I will santize the snot out of everything and take a sample that I can return to the carboy.
Thanks in advance!!