OK- so last August (August 2012) I started a batch using this recipe from "The Penguin Book of Homebrewing and Winemaking":
For 1 gallon light mead:
2.5 pounds honey
4 level tsp acid blend
2 tsp vitaminized nutrient
0.25 tsp tannin
yeast (i used Gervin universal wine yeast)
My adaptation was to add more honey (approx 3.3 pounds) and the starting SG was about 1.105.(and before anyone comments, i KNOW this was a lot of acid to include). Fermentation went rapidly and it fermented to dryness (SG 0.99 in around 2-3 weeks), after which I racked it. Problem is, it has never cleared, despite cold crashing (3 weeks outside in December weather at around 2 degrees C), and treatment with Bentonite and some kind of isinglass clearing agent which came with a white wine kit. I looked today and it seems the top half of the demijohn is a bit clearer than the bottom, but growing from the bottom now seems to be a few tendrils of "stuff", like a small translucent tree made of frogspawn....is it time to chuck this one?? Flavour has always been ok (hot, but not unpleasant)..any advice?
For 1 gallon light mead:
2.5 pounds honey
4 level tsp acid blend
2 tsp vitaminized nutrient
0.25 tsp tannin
yeast (i used Gervin universal wine yeast)
My adaptation was to add more honey (approx 3.3 pounds) and the starting SG was about 1.105.(and before anyone comments, i KNOW this was a lot of acid to include). Fermentation went rapidly and it fermented to dryness (SG 0.99 in around 2-3 weeks), after which I racked it. Problem is, it has never cleared, despite cold crashing (3 weeks outside in December weather at around 2 degrees C), and treatment with Bentonite and some kind of isinglass clearing agent which came with a white wine kit. I looked today and it seems the top half of the demijohn is a bit clearer than the bottom, but growing from the bottom now seems to be a few tendrils of "stuff", like a small translucent tree made of frogspawn....is it time to chuck this one?? Flavour has always been ok (hot, but not unpleasant)..any advice?
