Renewed Fermentation and High ABV

[bredler]

I started a traditional mead with fresh tulip poplar honey on 9/17/09 using one gallon of honey and enough water for 5gal of must total. I pitched Wyeast Rudesheimer #4783 with an alcohol tolerance of 14% ABV. I used nutrients and the fermentation went pretty quickly, tapering off around the two and a half week mark. I let it sit and clear until about 12 days ago when I racked it off the lees into a clean bucket to settle some more.

I tasted it when I transfered it and it was good but harsh (as expected from fresh mead) and maybe a little weak in the flavor dept, but that could just be because it is at room temp and has lots of alcohol bite. When I tested the gravity it was 1.009 down from the original 1.100, that comes to about 12.1% ABV.

The problem is that the fermentation seems to have started up again. It's only bubbling once every few minutes, but I worry for two reasons:

1) I don't think I want a much higher alcohol content than 12.5%-13% because of how light the flavor is...

2) I don't want prolonged fermentation to cause off-flavors from stressed yeast.


Thoughts?

 

[Yan]

If you live somewhere where the weather outside is cold enough right now you could try to cold crash it, although the yeast you're using seems to have a fairly wide temperature tolerance.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I'd leave it alone. I mean, we're talking about .009, this will likely finish right about 1.000, so you'll be pretty close to your 12.5-13% ABV. Just let it do it's thing & it'll finish up right about where you wanted it to & it'll clear on it's own. I think at the most, you might need to rack 1 more time before you bottle. Mead takes time. Regards, GF.

 

[bredler]

I'd leave it alone. I mean, we're talking about .009, this will likely finish right about 1.000, so you'll be pretty close to your 12.5-13% ABV. Just let it do it's thing & it'll finish up right about where you wanted it to & it'll clear on it's own. I think at the most, you might need to rack 1 more time before you bottle. Mead takes time. Regards, GF.

Okay, thanks. That makes sense.

I think I'm going to let it go until about February and bottle in April or so, reserving 1/4 for immediate consumption, 1/4 for consumption in the fall, and the rest for as long as I can wait