Palm Sugar Mead (Too much sugar?!)

[SPYRID0N]

I wanted to make a mead inspired by Filipino palm alcohol (Tuba and Lambanog) and so used some Palm Sugar in conjunction with the honey as a fermentable. Fairly simple 1 gallon recipe: 2 lbs of local wildflower honey, 1 lb of Palm Sugar, topped off with water and shook. I used half a packet of Red Star Rouge that I rehydrated, just because it has worked well for me in the past. Unfortunately, I had been able to find very little about Palm Sugar as a fermentable online and when I took an initial gravity reading the hydrometer practically sat on top of the must, it was well past the 1.1x specific gravity mark. At this point it has fermented to the point where I don’t think the Red Star yeast can do much more (caps out ~13% abv) but the specific gravity is now 1.070. I’m so far happy with the flavors but it is like drinking a syrup at this point. I only see two options now: add more water to dilute and take down the sweetness OR add in a new yeast more tolerant of higher abv at the risk of it becoming rocket fuel or just not even working because of the Red Star colony already there. Any suggestions?

 

[Ty520]

Definitely sounds like you stalled out - Rouge should go higher than 13%, especially with a good nutrient protocol.

I would try to restart your fermentation

 

[madscientist451]

If you are happy with the taste, leave it alone and use it as a base for mixed drinks.
Use a small amount with 2 shots of brandy a muddled orange slice and 5-6 dashes of bitters for a brandy old fashioned.
Or use a tart juice mixer like cranberry.

 

[Ty520]

If you are happy with the taste, leave it alone and use it as a base for mixed drinks.
Use a small amount with 2 shots of brandy a muddled orange slice and 5-6 dashes of bitters for a brandy old fashioned.
Or use a tart juice mixer like cranberry.

that's a good idea - or maybe even fortifying with Rum

 

[SPYRID0N]

I ended up restarting fermentation and it has now been bubbling away happily for the past couple days! However, there really is so much sugar in the mead so if it stops again or ends too sweet I’ll try fortifying it. Rum sounds like it would be quite tasty