Looking for a little advice on my first mead

[ButcherBoy]

My brother and I went in on a joint project to make some mead. He supplied the honey and I'm brewing it, hoping to have it ready to bottle sometime around the end of 2013.

Here's what I'm doing: Had about 17lbs of Orange Blossom honey, mixed with store bought spring water to get about 5.5gal at 1.121 OG. Used GoFerm to rehydrate a packet of D-47 yeast, added a total of 6g DAP and 3.5g FermaidK in 3 additions over the first week added when stirring.

Been planning this to finish up around 1.015 for a medium sweet mead at around 14%ABV.

Started batch on 1-6-13, I expected it to go into the secondary by now but the gravity is still a little high. Just checked and it is right around 1.020 maybe 1.021. D-47 has about a 14% tolerance and I've made several calculations and still come up with a calculated FG of 1.015, so I'm thinking it's almost done but the gravity is just slowing way down and I'm thinking the yeast is just about pooped out. Took a reading on 2-17-13 of 1.023, 2-9-13 was 1.030.

I hesitate to do much with it right now, if I've learned anything from wine and beer it's patience, let the yeast do their thing. Most things I've read say not to rack mead until it's at FG, but after 2 months will it really go much lower? Should I just rack this to the secondary now and continue to wait? Should I add more nutrients to help the yeast along to the calculated FG? Did I make a mistake in my calculations and the yeast is choking on alcohol?

 

[Double_D]

You're about as low as it's going to get. As a rule of thumb d-47 will go through about 100pts and then call it quits. If it was mine I'd give it some time to clear out and not stress about transferring to secondary.

 

[Unferth]

If you wanted to get all complicated to get that one extra point, you could pitch Lalvin K1-v1116 with some nutrient, watch it real close till you hit your FG, then Rack onto stabilizing agents and cold crash overnight.

As Double_D said, though, D47 is probably about done now, I'd just keep it as is and bottle when clear.

 

[ButcherBoy]

You're about as low as it's going to get. As a rule of thumb d-47 will go through about 100pts and then call it quits. If it was mine I'd give it some time to clear out and not stress about transferring to secondary.

Hmmm, wish I'd know about the 100pts thing with D-47 when I started, I would have started at a lower OG. But, I think I'll just wait for this to clear and be happy with a sweeter mead. I pulled a sample a couple of weeks ago, it's cloudy but good. Next time ill probably go for a dryer end result, got to get some smaller batches going! Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[saramc]

FWIW, I have had D47 truck thru 120 points. Occurred when I actually added the honey via a staggered feed. I have found when the gravity is high from the get go it only works on 100-110 points.

 

[Double_D]

FWIW, I have had D47 truck thru 120 points. Occurred when I actually added the honey via a staggered feed. I have found when the gravity is high from the get go it only works on 100-110 points.

Staggered feedings will get just about every yeast to push it's average boundary. But it's his first batch let's not overcomplicate it for him.

To the OP have you read Ken Schramm's "The Compleat Meadmaker"? It has a lot of really sound advice, I'd check it out.