To rack or not to rack

[pdhirsch]

So I started a 1.5 gallon batch of traditional mead about six weeks ago. OG was 1.122, which is higher than I intended. Yeast is K1V and I used SNA in the beginning. Ambient temperature in my basement brewery has ranged from 61 - 63 degrees.

I started it in an open fermenter and I racked to a one-gallon jug and a half-gallon growler about 4 weeks ago. Since then the SG has been dropping slowly but steadily; it's at 1.025 right now. (It was 1.030 a week ago.)

I considered adding more water when I took the OG measurement, but I decided to see how it would turn out, since K1V is supposed to have high alcohol tolerance. The must is about 13% ABV right now and if it finishes at 1.000 it will be around 16%, which is higher than anything I've made before.

This is the longest fermentation I've seen, but I've never started with an OG as high as 1.122 so maybe this is expected? It seems to be doing OK, but I'm wondering whether I should rack it again, to get rid of the old dead stuff that's settled to the bottom. I think I've read that K1V is OK to age on the lees, but even so, I wonder if racking it might be good for general health, and maybe would help speed things up.

Any thoughts?

 

[bushpilot]

Let it finish in primary.

I just did an18% abv mead with K1V, using SNA, and temperature in the low 60's, IOW quite similar to your's. I started at a bit lower SG and step fed the honey, but I am sure it would have hit 16% without that.

But it was slow.

It can sit on K1V lees until done fermenting, no harm.

 

[pdhirsch]

Update: it's down to 1.018 now, from 1.025 19 days ago and 1.030 a week before that. OG 60 days ago was 1.122, so ABV is about 13.9% now. The airlock is still bubbling, but slowly. Ambient temperature has been steady 62 F. I haven't racked it or otherwise interfered, except to take weekly SG readings. I'd be lying if I said I'm not getting impatient, but I'm going to let it keep going until the SG stabilizes.

 

[bushpilot]

Your patience will pay off.

 

[MightyMosin]

Might as well be patient now, as you will have to be patient as a 16% mead will likely need time to get to its best.

K1V-1116 if fermented below 60.8F and with proper nutrients will produce some nice floral esters. It does need a lot of 02 and ideally with that high gravity you should use pure 02 through a .5 micron stone for about 2 minutes before yeast pitch and again in about 12 - 18 hours. That extra 02 can speed fermentation by about 30%.