My alcohol doesn't taste like alcohol

[daimyo2k]

I'm still new to the home brew stuff, so I 'm still learning. With that being said, I am working on a "maple mead" using natural, dark maple syrup. The starting gravity was 1.17 and is currently at 1.08, which, I guess makes it about an 11.8%. However, I took a taste and was expecting it to taste like it had alcohol in it (being that is's supposed to be 11.8% alcohol). Nope, didn't taste anything, still nice and sweet though. I know there is a bit more fermenting that needs to happen before it's done, but Is this normal? Either way, if it keeps the flavor all the way to 1.0, this stuff is going to be killer!!

Thanks in advance...

Stephen =]

 

[jdauria]

Just to be clear, the OG was 1.170 and now it's at 1.008 or 1.080? If at 1.080, then it still has a lot of as lot of fermenting still to go and would be the reason it still tastes sweet.. The sweetest is probably masking the alcohol.

 

[DBhomebrew]

1.170... woof. Are you absolutely sure the entire volume was 100% fully mixed just before taking your sample? Cool sugary water and heavy syrup very much likes to stratify.

If that is indeed an accurate original gravity, it will likely not ferment all the way down to ~.990-1.000. The yeast likely won't handle 20%+ ABV.

How much syrup and how much total final volume?

 

[VikeMan]

Undiluted maple syrup typically has a gravity in the vicinity of 1.035 1.350.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Undiluted maple syrup typically has a gravity in the vicinity of 1.035.

Truly?! We're talking actual maple syrup, not the Log Cabin Aunt Jemima stuff?

"The standard density for maple syrup is 66.9 Brix."

https://bascommaple.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-a-maple-syrup-hydrometer

 

[VikeMan]

Truly?! We're talking actual maple syrup, not the Log Cabin Aunt Jemima stuff?

"The standard density for maple syrup is 66.9 Brix."

https://bascommaple.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-a-maple-syrup-hydrometer

Fixed.

 

[mac_1103]

If straight maple syrup is 1.35 and the OP's OG was 1.17, then that's a little more than a pint of water for every gallon of syrup? Seems a bit off.

 

[daimyo2k]

Truly?! We're talking actual maple syrup, not the Log Cabin Aunt Jemima stuff?

"The standard density for maple syrup is 66.9 Brix."

https://bascommaple.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-a-maple-syrup-hydrometer

Yes, real straight from the tap stuff. Not the light stuff either, the "dark" maple syrup. It tastes like caramel and brown sugar.

If straight maple syrup is 1.35 and the OP's OG was 1.17, then that's a little more than a pint of water for every gallon of syrup? Seems a bit off.

I used 32oz of syrup to about 48 oz of water (by volume), brought the o.g. to 1.14 (just rechecked my hydrometer and misread the original measurement). Maybe that it was dark syrup and not the lite stuff makes a difference.

 

[mac_1103]

I used 32oz of syrup to about 48 oz of water (by volume), brought the o.g. to 1.14 (just rechecked my hydrometer and misread the original measurement). Maybe that it was dark syrup and not the lite stuff makes a difference.

Sorry, I must have messed up my previous arithmetic. [(1.35x32)+(1x48)]/80=1.14, so your OG appears to be correct. But 30 gravity points makes quite a bit of difference. If it's currently at 1.08 that's 7.9% ABV, not 11.8, and I'd expect 1.080 to still have plenty of sweetness to mask that much alcohol. If it's 1.008 then it would be over 17% ABV which is pretty hard to hide.

 

[lumpher]

What yeast did you use? Is it capable of fermenting that high?

 

[amber-ale]

What was your recipe and procedure and timeline?

 

[jsphlynch]

What yeast did you use? Is it capable of fermenting that high?

And what nutrient schedule was used, if any? I'm assuming that maple syrup is pretty devoid of the nutrients that help keep yeasties happy enough to ferment high gravity solutions. Hopefully OP has been consulting with the mead folks about yeast strains and strategies to keep them cleanly chugging.