Why so high?

[Stinky-Beaver]

Recipe

5 gal apple juice
2# brown sugar
14# wildflower honey
11 granny smith apples boiled in 1 gal of the juice to help them break down during ferment
4cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks and 5 vanilla beans
2tsp each of nutrient and energizer

As you can see from the recipe I'm attempting an apple type mead. My OG was a staggering 1.142. I checked it 3 times and same all 3.

This is my 6th type of mead and I have never come close to such a high sugar content. I've done different variations with brown sugars and fruits but the highest I've ever gotten was around 1.082ish. Is it because of the apple sugars that made it so high? I also started a basic hard cider tonight and was around 1.052 which I would call normal.

Any help is appreciated. Worse case is I get all the sugars converted and get myself around 18% if my measurements were right!! :cross:

 

[mattd2]

Recipe

5 gal apple juice
2# brown sugar
14# wildflower honey
11 granny smith apples boiled in 1 gal of the juice to help them break down during ferment
4cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks and 5 vanilla beans
2tsp each of nutrient and energizer

As you can see from the recipe I'm attempting an apple type mead. My OG was a staggering 1.142. I checked it 3 times and same all 3.

This is my 6th type of mead and I have never come close to such a high sugar content. I've done different variations with brown sugars and fruits but the highest I've ever gotten was around 1.082ish. Is it because of the apple sugars that made it so high? I also started a basic hard cider tonight and was around 1.052 which I would call normal.

Any help is appreciated. Worse case is I get all the sugars converted and get myself around 18% if my measurements were right!! :cross:

So apple juice is usually around sg 1.050 on it's own. Honey is approx. 42 PPG - so you will get 588 total gravity points from that.
If this was in just the 5 gallons of apple just you would have about 1.186 (not including for the extra apples but including the brown sugar)
How big a batch are you making - 6.5 gallons? would be a rough approximation.

 

[Stinky-Beaver]

Impressive calculations!! I currently have about 6.5 gal with the fruit so I figure once the fruit is out I would have 5gal left.

 

[poptarts]

yea over a gallon of honey plus other stuff will do that to ya.

 

[rowan57]

Impressive calculations!! I currently have about 6.5 gal with the fruit so I figure once the fruit is out I would have 5gal left.

You must have 6gal at the end? 5gal cider + 14lbs honey?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Stinky-Beaver]

You must have 6gal at the end? 5gal cider + 14lbs honey?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

I also have to account for the 11 granny smith apples in my primary. Don't get me wrong Ill not complain if I do have 6gal but typically I will brew 6-6.5gal when utilizing fruit during ferment so I am guaranteed 5gal of drinkables come bottling time. It also gives me room for leaving behind a little when racking so I transfer less sediment from the bottom

 

[billingsbrew]

What kind of yeast are you using? My last mead was also 1.142 starting OG. I used 7-B 1122 and it stopped at 1.036. That is way to sweet however, I split it when it was down to 1.102 (3-gallons each) and added 1118 to one of them. I'll never use 1122 with an OG that high again or for that mater I will never begin with a OG that high again.

 

[Stinky-Beaver]

What kind of yeast are you using? My last mead was also 1.142 starting OG. I used 7-B 1122 and it stopped at 1.036. That is way to sweet however, I split it when it was down to 1.102 (3-gallons each) and added 1118 to one of them. I'll never use 1122 with an OG that high again or for that mater I will never begin with a OG that high again.

I utilized the D47. I know it will produce a sweet final product but in all honesty that's what I prefer anyway. The show meads go very quickly in my household.

Depending in where the gravity is at when the D47 dies off will determine if I go to another yeast or not. Maybe a 1116-1118 to boost the alcohol up a little. Never having such a high sugar content in the beginning Im not sure how much the D47 will actually consume.