More mead-ish

[Mr impatient]

Hi again, Because a few months went by before I started making my final batch of mead I thought I would make a larger amount, so I have used a trearium which is now my meadairium, I cut out some polystirine and clingfilmed it to seal the meadairium with a airlock poked through it.

When I added the yeast it went crazy and blew all the water out of the airlock covered the understairs with a spray of bubbles and made a right mess. My mothinlaw said to leave it alone it should be ok, it has not been throwing out any firmentation bubbles after about four hours from the first explosion of froth that made a mess, about two weeks ago, and now it has started to separate with half the mixture being watery and the lower half looking like gone off cream.

There is 15 liters of the stuff, 8lb of asda smart price honey (aparently blended honey from more than one country, only cost £9) one lemon juced and skin and made up to 15 ltrs with boiled water.

I do feel there is somthing I am missing, I sat and stird it vigeriously for 5 minuets, everything was at the right temp 60 to 70 %.

How do I move forward with this please? I understand it may yet all go down the loo but I would like to save it if I can. Someone mentioned turbo yeast to kick start it again as I am fairly new to this mead stuff and am told it should be idiot proof, I think I just debunked that one.

If I have missed anything out please let me know, Thank you.

 

[Maylar]

Do you own a hydrometer and know how to use it? They're cheap, and are the number one tool that any home brewer needs to monitor a fermenting process.
BTW, what yeast are you using and have you added any yeast nutrients? Yeast need more nitrogen than honey and water can provide.

 

[Mr impatient]

Hi Maylar, yep I have one, original grav was 0.88 as yeast went in, I haven't done another yet, I was intending to seperate into demijohns and add turbo yeast, but that is guess work on my side.
I keep seeing coments like aggitating every day for the first three ish weeks, I only did this as the start, but the two demijohns I did at Christmnas are OK, they started at 0.88 and were 0.2 when racked off which gives them around 11.4% but they have carried on firmenting and still blub every two minuets, so, as that batch was ok I wondered if this being such a large batch has not aggitating enough caused this situation?

I used ballihoo stuff, high alcohol yeast and enzime mix and I put some yeast nutrient as well, as there was all but 15 ltrs i used 3 tea spoons of each soaked for an hour or so.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I wouldn't use turbo yeast, that's a yeast for distillers & will likely strip out a lot of flavor, plus it has such a high alcohol tolerance, you'll end up with mead that tastes more like jet fuel & will take much longer to age out any off-flavors. The separation (stratification) isn't that unusual, I've had a batch that did that once. I just left it alone & it turned out just fine. You can give it a gentle stir to reblend it if you like. If you haven't done so already, I'd wash out the airlock, refit & wait. As you've already added yeast nutrient, it should mostly be just waiting now. Though, for your next batch, you might consider using a bucket fermenter or carbouy/demijohn instead of a terrarium & plastic wrap.
Regards, GF.