High Gravity

[shivalotus]

Just pitched the yeast on my first five gallon batch of mead. Checked the gravity before I pitched and it came out at 1.136....

13.5 lbs of honey in a five gallon batch. Does that gravity seem to be on the high side? I know honey can vary but that seems a little higher than I was expecting.

 

[toolboxdiver]

Just pitched the yeast on my first five gallon batch of mead. Checked the gravity before I pitched and it came out at 1.136....

13.5 lbs of honey in a five gallon batch. Does that gravity seem to be on the high side? I know honey can vary but that seems a little higher than I was expecting.

I normally start with a lower gravity and feed the extra honey at each racking, I have had high gravity mead just not want to start fermenting. If your mead does get stuck take off about 15% add water and save what you took off in a fridge til you rack then add it back hope this helps

 

[fatbloke]

I'd also have thought that a little on the high side. You'd probably need to aerate and add extra nutrient/energiser at the 1/3 sugar break with that.

I also tend to start lower and then add a little more honey at a later stage, which seems easier to manage than to risk osmotic shock to a yeast with the presence of too much sugar in the original must......

I like to start at about 1.100 or so - I will usually allow about 3 to 3 and a 1/2 lb per imperial gallon (4.55 litres), but add about 2 and a 1/2 first, mix it in well and then take a gravity reading, then add more if necessary. I usually allow to have about a 1/2 lb per gallon for back sweetening - hence I actually buy 4lb per gallon and take it from there.....

regards

fatbloke

 

[shivalotus]

I am pleased to report that it is fermenting vigorously. Hopefully that continues.

 

[MedsenFey]

That initial gravity seems way off for that amount of honey. Are you sure your measurements are right. That's what I'd expect to see with about 19 pounds of honey in a 5 gallon batch. Something is not adding up. You wouldn't get a gravity that high if you mixed 13.5 pounds of pure sugar in a 5 gallon batch.

 

[shivalotus]

That initial gravity seems way off for that amount of honey. Are you sure your measurements are right. That's what I'd expect to see with about 19 pounds of honey in a 5 gallon batch. Something is not adding up. You wouldn't get a gravity that high if you mixed 13.5 pounds of pure sugar in a 5 gallon batch.

At this point I have to assume that somehow things were not totally mixed and the numbers were off because of that. Or I found magic honey, but that seems less likely.

 

[MedsenFey]

If things weren't totally mixed in your gravity would be even higher.
I reckon it must be the magic honey.

 

[shivalotus]

If it is magic honey I will need to get more. I'll have to see what the end product comes out like before I certify it as magic.

 

[Bowow0708]

hmmm well that seems like the gravity of ken schramms sweet mead recipe, but i am fermenting a polish mead that is a 1 gal batch that is 2 kg water and 2 kg honey and it was at around 1.175-1.180 and it is around 2 weeks and lots of CO2 but barely any change in SG, but maybe that is just the CO2 attaching to the hydrometer and it is pretty young but i repitched some 2 days ago and i fermenting in the middle range of my yeast temp spectrum at around 67F. the yeast was the lalvin kv1 yeast. but i am also fermenting a similar mead of yours 13L water and 9kg honey it was around 1.138 but i is bubbling very happily but i did not check the gravity. both of these were made on dec 17