Recommended S.G. for Mead?

[happymondays]

Hi Daw,

What would be a standard S.G. for my Mead, I started the Clover last week 3kg for 2 Gallons gave me a S.G. of 1090,

Just mixed the Wild Flower with warm water (6 pints) and topped up to 2 gallon with cold and the S.G. is 1082,

are these ok or should I aim a little higher, I am not bothered about high alcohol but wasn't sure if the mead would benefit by being higher?

Regards Scott......

[StockeyDAW]

Hi Daw,

What would be a standard S.G. for my Mead, I started the Clover last week 3kg for 2 Gallons gave me a S.G. of 1090,

Just mixed the Wild Flower with warm water (6 pints) and topped up to 2 gallon with cold and the S.G. is 1082,

are these ok or should I aim a little higher, I am not bothered about high alcohol but wasn't sure if the mead would benefit by being higher?

Regards Scott......

Hi Scott -- I like my Mead's between 1.090 and 1.105 -- 12.0%-14.1%alc/vol. My opinion is that they should be slightly higher especially the Wild Flower one and also slightly for the clover. 3kg's 6.6 pounds is just under what I use for 2 imperial gallons; I usually try for 3.5 pounds per imperial gallon. Cheers hope this helps. Daw

[happymondays]

Hi Scott -- I like my Mead's between 1.090 and 1.105 -- 12.0%-14.1%alc/vol. My opinion is that they should be slightly higher especially the Wild Flower one and also slightly for the clover. 3kg's 6.6 pounds is just under what I use for 2 imperial gallons; I usually try for 3.5 pounds per imperial gallon. Cheers hope this helps. Daw

Thanks Daw I will add to the Wild flower tomorrow as I haven't pitched the yeast yet,
I presume my Clover will be to low to feed, its at 1014 (tonight 9pm).

Regards Scott.....

[StockeyDAW]

Thanks Daw I will add to the Wild flower tomorrow as I haven't pitched the yeast yet,
I presume my Clover will be to low to feed, its at 1014 (tonight 9pm).

Regards Scott.....

You could do that but I would be satisfied with the 1.090 SG (12%alc/vol). I do not like to encourage chaptalization unless we are making port or comparable mead. I think it is best to stick to the basics first and get confident in that process before going into something more exotic. You will get a good batch out of that and you will be able to enjoy it and the time to age will be much less.

For the Wild Flower you will be able to compare something with a higher alcohol and determine your preference. Very encouraging with the clover with the SG down to 1.040. Good luck on both batches. Cheers Daw

[happymondays]

You could do that but I would be satisfied with the 1.090 SG (12%alc/vol). I do not like to encourage chaptalization unless we are making port or comparable mead. I think it is best to stick to the basics first and get confident in that process before going into something more exotic. You will get a good batch out of that and you will be able to enjoy it and the time to age will be much less.

For the Wild Flower you will be able to compare something with a higher alcohol and determine your preference. Very encouraging with the clover with the SG down to 1.040. Good luck on both batches. Cheers Daw

Thanks Daw,

The farm shop was closed today so I am going to start the Wild Flower one off tonight after its 24hr sulphite (1.082).

Daw the Clover one is now at 1.010, (last night it was 1.014, not 1.040) sorry I should have wrote it with the decimal point.

I was thinking of adding to the W.F. to aim for a sweet semi dry higher alcohol, should I boost adding more honey all at once on Monday or should I add in small doses during the week or am I Running before i can Walk?

Regards Scott.....

[fatbloke]

You could do that but I would be satisfied with the 1.090 SG (12%alc/vol). I do not like to encourage chaptalization unless we are making port or comparable mead. I think it is best to stick to the basics first and get confident in that process before going into something more exotic. You will get a good batch out of that and you will be able to enjoy it and the time to age will be much less.

For the Wild Flower you will be able to compare something with a higher alcohol and determine your preference. Very encouraging with the clover with the SG down to 1.040. Good luck on both batches. Cheers Daw

As DAW said Scott, adding honey (or sugar to normal wine recipes) after the ferment is either going, or nearly finished, is what I understand "chaptalization" to be.

If there's any "energy" left in the yeast and it hasn't already burned itself out, in theory it will then continue to metabolise it into alcohol until the alcohol then kills it (the yeast that is) off (but there's the danger that you'll just be adding sugar/honey that can't be converted, thereby just making it a sweeter product that won't/can't start re-fermenting - but needs considerable ageing). I haven't actually tried this so I don't know whether you'd have to add any yeast nutrient as well.

It depends on which yeast you used as to what the expected yield of %ABV might be.

As I understand it, you'd normally make the must to the specific level of S.G. which would suggest what the eventual % ABV would be, then make the must up and let it run.

The meads I've done so far, that have ended up with higher alcohol levels have mostly had that medicinal/mouth wash taste when finished and required quite considerable ageing (a year +).

I'm sure if I've got any of that wrong, one of the guru's will correct it.

But that's as I understand things.

Or I might have missed the point completely if you're making the WF into a seperate batch, if so, you can work out what the eventual %ABV will be from the conversion table in the wine making resources section. Then you can just use one of the champagne type yeasts, to get something approaching 18% or so.

regards

JtFB

[StockeyDAW]

[QUOTE=happymondays;27227]Thanks Daw,

The farm shop was closed today so I am going to start the Wild Flower one off tonight after its 24hr sulphite (1.082).

Daw the Clover one is now at 1.010, (last night it was 1.014, not 1.040) sorry I should have wrote it with the decimal point.

I was thinking of adding to the W.F. to aim for a sweet semi dry higher alcohol, should I boost adding more honey all at once on Monday or should I add in small doses during the week or am I Running before i can Walk?

Yes for sure; that is the way that I like to do it. In the end you can back sweeten. I believe you mentioned that you were using the ICV/D-47 Lalvin yeast? This yeast is only good for approx 14% alcohol tolerance. I would go with either the Lalvin EC-1118 or the Red Star Premier Cuvee (both of these are alcohol tolerance for 18%. Keep the SG at or near 1.120 (16% alc/vol). If you were doing 5 imperial gallons I would suggest using two 5 gram packets but since you are doing 2 imperial gallons one packet should be adequate.

Cheers Daw

[StockeyDAW]

As DAW said Scott, adding honey (or sugar to normal wine recipes) after the ferment is either going, or nearly finished, is what I understand "chaptalization" to be.

If there's any "energy" left in the yeast and it hasn't already burned itself out, in theory it will then continue to metabolise it into alcohol until the alcohol then kills it (the yeast that is) off (but there's the danger that you'll just be adding sugar/honey that can't be converted, thereby just making it a sweeter product that won't/can't start re-fermenting - but needs considerable ageing). I haven't actually tried this so I don't know whether you'd have to add any yeast nutrient as well.

It depends on which yeast you used as to what the expected yield of %ABV might be.

As I understand it, you'd normally make the must to the specific level of S.G. which would suggest what the eventual % ABV would be, then make the must up and let it run.

The meads I've done so far, that have ended up with higher alcohol levels have mostly had that medicinal/mouth wash taste when finished and required quite considerable ageing (a year +).

I'm sure if I've got any of that wrong, one of the guru's will correct it.

But that's as I understand things.

Or I might have missed the point completely if you're making the WF into a seperate batch, if so, you can work out what the eventual %ABV will be from the conversion table in the wine making resources section. Then you can just use one of the champagne type yeasts, to get something approaching 18% or so.

regards

JtFB

Right on FB you are right about the medicinal flavor - these very high alcohol Mead's take a lot of ageing. If anyone wants to go with a dessert type mead (like port) my suggestion is to go with the chapitalization later trying to get the Sweet Mead to the 18 % alcohol (start out with SG of approximately 1.120); chaptalization then should be done in stages to reach the limit of most yeast of 18% and then undertake the fortification from there. My opinion anyway


Cheers Daw

[StockeyDAW]

Daw the Clover one is now at 1.010, (last night it was 1.014, not 1.040) sorry I should have wrote it with the decimal point.


Scott - just to mention I would suggest racking at this stage or even before (1.020). You want to get this under air lock as quickly as possible -- the CO2 levels being produced are a lot less now and there is more likelihood of adverse contamination coming in contact with the must. After racking let it carry out the rest of the alcohol fermentation process until the SG is below 1.000. Cheers Daw

[happymondays]

Or I might have missed the point completely if you're making the WF into a seperate batch, if so, you can work out what the eventual %ABV will be from the conversion table in the wine making resources section. Then you can just use one of the champagne type yeasts, to get something approaching 18% or so.

regards

JtFB

Hi John,

Yes the W.F. is a seperate batch I was just thinking of topping it up with more honey to raise the S.G., its in DJ's now with yeast added so I will let it run now and try another batch with a higher S.G. and compare with the other two.

Thanks John appreciate the info, there is so much to learn but its all sinking in slowly,

Regards Scott....

Scott - just to mention I would suggest racking at this stage or even before (1.020). You want to get this under air lock as quickly as possible -- the CO2 levels being produced are a lot less now and there is more likelihood of adverse contamination coming in contact with the must. After racking let it carry out the rest of the alcohol fermentation process until the SG is below 1.000. Cheers Daw

Hi Daw,

Its been under airlock right from the start, (in DJ's) only been in primary for 24hrs whilst sulphite was added,

I will get the Lalvin EC-1118 for my next batch (Higher Alcohol), can I just pitch the yeast as normal even though it would be as high as 1.120?

again thanks Daw for all the help it really is great to have some advice from you guys,

Regards Scott......

[StockeyDAW]

Hi Daw,

Its been under airlock right from the start, (in DJ's) only been in primary for 24hrs whilst sulphite was added, --- that is good did you rack to clean DJ? - best to get it off the dead yeast as soon as possible?

I will get the Lalvin EC-1118 for my next batch (Higher Alcohol), can I just pitch the yeast as normal even though it would be as high as 1.120? Yes you can -- however, I always like to rehydrate the yeast before pitching - see the directions on the back of the package and follow those. The Lalvin EC-1118 is good to approximately 1.130SG (18%) do not go by this SG and when you get musts with this much sweetness the yeast takes a while to get going that is why best to rehydrate or even a starter but the 1118 is an excellent yeast to get these higher SG musts going and fermenting through to the end. Cheers Daw

[happymondays]

Hi Daw,

B] that is good did you rack to clean DJ? - best to get it off the dead yeast as soon as possible? [/B]

[/B]

Hi Daw,

Yes I transfered to a clean DJ,

I tried a commercial mead yesterday and it tasted mighty fine too bit on the sweet side (1.050) but a good yard stick to compare to, if I could get any were near that is,

Regards Scott.......

[StockeyDAW]

Hi Daw,

Yes I transfered to a clean DJ,

I tried a commercial mead yesterday and it tasted mighty fine too bit on the sweet side (1.050) but a good yard stick to compare to, if I could get any were near that is,

Regards Scott.......

Good to do that testing. we can do just as well at our homes. 1.050 much to sweet for my tastes; 1.020 is about it for me. Cheers Daw