Mead fermentation question, how long?

[BlkWater_brewer]

Its been about 15 years since my last Mead bottle bomb incident but I have a quick question regarding fermentation time. I made a 3 gal batch and used the Wyeast Sweet Mead. I oxygenated the mead with bottled O2 pitched the yeast and it has been bubbling constantly every 2 seconds for about 4 weeks and not just little bubbles. After 4 1/2 weeks the OG dropped from 1.10 to 1.05 and it shows no sign of slowing. I tasted the mead I took the hydro reading with and it tastes fine but still very sweet and heavy. How long should fermentation last? I also can see no sign of buildup on the bottom of the carboy. The fermentation room is at 69 - 71 degrees. Patience is never a virtue I mastered.
Thanks for any info you can offer.

 

[fuelish]

Unfortunately, there's no quick answer. Am not familiar with that yeast, but ferment depends on so many variables (temp, nutrients, fermentables, etc, etc). Agreed, patience is the hard part, but...that's what you have to exercise....let it go until it "appears" it has stopped, or somewhere near there, transfer to a secondary (or tertiary if you've already racked to secondary).....and wait....and wait some more. And maybe more...no harm in letting it sit, that's for sure.....best solution is to have several batches going, if your circumstances permit, so you're not obseessing over any one in particular. I'm at the point where I have a few batches pretty much ready for bottling, but....not enough bottles atm....so they'll sit...or I'll procure some empties one way or another

 

[fatbloke]

The current 60 point drop you quote, equates to 8.15% ABV, Wyeast sweet mead yeast has a published tolerance of 11% ABV, which equates to a gravity drop of 81 points. People have also reported yeasts appearing to ferment to a greater level in meads than the published tolerance - at least by a percentage point or two.....

That said, I'd suggest you just leave it to finish on it's own, then if there's any residual sugars present, stabilise it i.e. sulphite and sorbate, after racking.

If you then degas it after it's cleared, you should have no problems with bottle bombs, storage, etc etc........

 

[Arpolis]

That yeast is a bit of a nutrient hog and if not given the absolute correct conditions then it can take a long while to ferment. You might get this to the 1.030 gravity range. It may be a little sweeter or less depending on your nutrient regiment you implemented. This may be a little on the sweet side so it may be good to make a dry batch of mead to blend into this one. Have a new mead with a gravity closer to 1.064 - 1.070 so when dry it has about the same ABV as your sweet one and use some Lalvin K1V-1116 yeast with a healthy nutrient regiment and that will run dry in 1-3 weeks and once clear be ready for blending if needed.

 

[Arpolis]

Ohh and I forgot to mention. If you do the blending, even if the dry mead is perfectly clear there is still 1116 yeast there and it may continue to ferment the sweet mead once blended in. So stabilizing with Camden and sorbate or pasteurization is in order.

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

I'll just set it beside my Flanders Ale and see which finishes first. Barley Wine is next. May need to do some quick brew beers while I wait.....

Thanks for the tips

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

Just put it in a 3 gal corny to age. We'll see if any lasts to age. Finished at 1.004 so the world is all in harmony. As long as I don't watch the news.