First batch question

[txmedic]

So I'm doing a 1 gallon batch as my first time brewing, and had a couple of questions.

Recipe: 3 lb Clover Honey
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp yeast energizer
(note: I'd have to look up the ingredients of the 2 above items, but they come prepackaged from my brew supply store)
1 packet D-47 yeast

OG: 1.120

I sanitized all my equipment with Brewvint cleanitizer, I did heat my must, but didn't boil it, fermented in a 1 gal glass Carboy, there was pretty active fermentation for a while, though it had slowed down. I racked it to secondary on 12/24 and the SG was at 1.021

I checked it today, there's still some effervesence going on in there (but no bubbling in the lock) and the SG has decreased to 1.020 -- Looks like this computes out to 13.1% ABV or so, and the data sheet on the yeast says this has an average tolerance of around 14%.

When I checked on it, it had a peculiar odor (almost like sour fruit, but not as unpleasant.) Looking at older threads here, it seems like this might be just a young mead smell. Others have posted about the yeast being stressed, or contamination.

So my questions would be: Should I do anything here? It seems like the yeast could work a little longer, but are having trouble doing so. Any additions? Just leave it alone? Also: There's about a 1/4 inch thick layer of lees on the bottom of the carboy. I read that with D-47, you actually want to leave it on the Lees, so would I want to rack this again anytime soon, or just leave it for a while?

Thanks!

Joe

 

[Chevette Girl]

Welcome to the forum!

Meads (and wines) do sometimes smell sour and kind of gross while they're fermenting.

If it's still effervescent, I'd probably gently swirl it every day to get whatever yeast are still working back into suspension and when the SG stops moving and you can't see any more signs of effervescence, quit stirring it for a few days and then rack it. D47 isn't going to give you problems if you leave it on the lees for a few weeks. Sometimes the last little bit of a fermentation takes a long time as the yeast are reaching their tolerance and starting to poop out. D47's biggest problem is with temperature, high temperatures make it produce weird smells and flavours.

 

[txmedic]

Thanks! I'll give that a try. It's been fermenting in the cabinet under the sink, so I believe that's relatively cool (maybe ~68-70 degrees), but I've never actually stuck a thermometer under there.

 

[AngryNord]

Thermometers are our friends. I got one from Radio Shack for $15 that records the high/low temp and reset it every day when I am making a batch. The sensor is taped to the side of one of the carboys so it will get the temp the carboy is actually exposed to, as there can be a few degrees differential between the floor where it is and higher up. I live in Washington, and the high and low of the day can be a good 20 degrees different. It came in handy during the summer when my ex hated that I had the a/c on while at work, and during a power outage a few years back in the winter.

Enough of my ramblings. Good luck on a good batch!