Need Help For Boosting Alcohol For Mead!!

[Timmings95]

Hello guys I have just started making mead for the first time I'm using a 5.5 gallon carboy and used 15 lb of honey and 10 grams of yeast I did add nutrient to help boost it (hydrated the yeast). I have had it sitting in my closet at 21 degrees Celsius for 3 weeks now when I open the lid and stir it, it fizzes and smells like wine but when I take a hydrometer test I'm only getting a reading of 1.010 which is equivalent to 1.3% alcohol . How can I increase the alcohol percentage so I can get it ready for racking ? Thankyou !

 

[SimPilot]

What was OG?

BatchBuildr - MeadMakr showing 11.5 ABV.

 

[JimRausch]

OK, I think you're misinterpreting the reading.
You take a SG reading at the start (called the OG or original gravity). With 15lb of honey in 5.5g volume, that would be somewhere around 1.095 or a bit higher. Then when fermentation is finished you take another reading (called the FG or final gravity). Typically for mead that will be around 1.000, or even lower. OG-FG x1.33= your ABV. In the example, 95-0=95 points x1.33= 12.6% ABV.

 

[Timmings95]

Ok awesome makes sense thankyou ! So do you think after 3 weeks I'm ready for racking ? Not too sure how to tell. My airlock has stopped bubbling but I have been told dont depend on the airlock. So I did my calculations I believe my ABV is 11.3 % . But no sure how to tell if I should give it another week or rack it now . Thankyou so much for the help !!!!!

 

[Solstice Meadery]

wait a day or 2 and take another reading, if the "dial" hasn't moved you're probably done. Time is a mead makers friend. No need to rush unless you have some arbitrary deadline. But remember, the faster you try to get to bottle, the younger it will taste. (off flavors, sharp tastes etc. these things mellow and blend with time)

 

[Timmings95]

Thankyou for the great help! I definately will wait 2 days and get another reading . I was only worried about the mead spoiling if I waited too long.

 

[Mtrhdltd]

Patience is key. My first mead was extremely carbonated because I bottled in less than 2 months. Didn't know it wasn't done, they slow down sometimes almost stopping near the end of fermentation. Most of mine are racked off of gross lees but not bottled prior to 6 months, sometimes longer with my mellomels. Im also old school and have never tried BOMM.

 

[CKuhns]

With an OG of 1.100 or there about and at 21C it sounds to me like your right on track. Three weeks to 1.010 is about right. i would not be opening and stirring any longer. The reason to stir is to suspend your yeast and incorporate a little bit of air in the early stages of fermentation. From your pictures it looks like its still fermenting a bit and thats expected. I tend to rack from the lees at ar near 1.010 and let it "finish" for a few weeks to a month. Alternately you could just let it go. It will drop more lees and clear somewhat during that time.