How should I continue?

[theVet]

Hey friends.
I have a debate with myself about how to go on. I made a batch 11 days ago of 1 kg of pure honey for 4 liters of water. Yeast for champagne. Two days ago the bubbles were still crasy. Today there are hardely any bubbles on the air lock.
OG-1.070
FG-1.035
Alcohol - 4.6％
Question is - why did the fermentation stoped? Is the sugar to low? The yeast should wotk at least for 15％ alcohol.
How should you think I should continue?
Thanks

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi theVet - and welcome. Was the list of ingredients you provided the entire list? There is no mention of nutrients. Honey typically has none so unless you added some you have stressed the yeast.
You don't say anything about the temperature at which this fermentation is occurring. It may be too low for the yeast.
Hard to be too specific but I would think that 2.2 lbs of honey mixed in 4 liters of water might result in a slightly higher starting gravity. Are you certain this was thoroughly mixed? I ask because mixing helps introduce oxygen and yeast need O2 during the lag phase when they build their membranes and acclimatize to their new environment. Did you remove O2 by boiling the water (many novice mead makers do that) or did you whip air into the must to help ready the yeast?
Last point - counting bubbles is a fun activity but a complete waste of time and energy. A poor seal can reduce the bubble count and changes in air-pressure, temperature and particles dropping out of solution can all cause an increase in bubbles long after the yeast has ceased to ferment. Your hydrometer is the only reliable method of measuring how well your fermentation is going.

 

[theVet]

Thanks.
I did ad nutrients. I live in a warm country so unlikely it was to cold. Didn't measure the temp. Of the must but the room temp. Was pretty solid and cool. I didn't mix the must so O2 might be a problem. Didn't boil the must either.
I'll check FG again in a few days.
Thanks

 

[bernardsmith]

What kind of water did you use? Best to always use water with lots of minerals in it (spring water). Distilled water or RO (reverse osmosis) water is not good. Tap water is OK unless it contains a great deal of chlorine..Chlorine can kill the yeast