New Brewer, New Questions

[JayPiddleytoe]

Hello, everyone. Started fermenting my first batch. I posted this in the newbie forum, accidentally wrong place. Here is what I started with:

I put in 1 gram of K1-V1116 yeast, 3 pounds of honey, one gallon of water, little over 1/4 tsp Fermaid O. The yeast bloomed for 20 minutes and then was pitched. The standing temp for the gallon so far is holding at 72 degrees now. I accidentally pitched in the Fermaid-O without making a slurry for the first round, so had to stir the top layer to make sure it was mixed mostly. It's been almost 3 hours.

My initial gravity reading was 1.190. My yeast should top out right around 18% ABV and to get to 1.000 it would have to be 26% ABV. So, I am thinking this is going to be extra sweet by the time it finishes, if I haven't messed up already.

 

[JayPiddleytoe]

The honey was a local wildflower honey. Found out that the wildflower honey probably came form the cotton fields that were close by. Any advice is helpful, and I am appreciative for any of it.

 

[cmac62]

The yeast will stop when they stop, maybe early or long past the predicted attenuation. I would look up the TONSA yeast nutrition plan because 1.190 will likely require more nutes that a 1/4 tsp of Fermaid O. As for the final flavor you never know until it is close to done. I'd get the nutes right, let it go and see what happens. Good luck and welcome to the obsession.

 

[D the Catastrophist]

You do always have the option to add a bit more water to dilute it out(well, depending on the container you are using). Even just adding one cup more of pure water starts getting the sg down to a more reasonable level where the final result will be semi sweet(if that's what you want).

 

[MightyMosin]

3Lb honey and 1 gallon of water should get you ~1.108 starting gravity for a possible 14% mead.
6Lb. of honey would hit your 26%, if it could actually get there.