I decided since this batch, my second ever, that I started Feb 3rd, looked like the primary ferment was getting really sluggish, see hardly any CO2 bubbles and only air lock bubble every 30 seconds, that I wanted to taste it, check pH and SG. It's a melomel some what similar to JAO but not exactly. Here's the recipe:
4# Clover honey(walmart brand, heated up to 140 for ~20 minutes)
Spring Water to one gallon
5g fleischman's active dry yeast(rehydrated at ~100F)
one seedless navel orange
~28 raisins
one cinnamon stick
pinch nutmeg
pinch allspice
2 whole cloves
Must at room temp when yeast pitched(OG and pH not measured).
First the taste: that's right, you guessed it, reeeeaaallly sweeet. And if it wasn't quite so sweet wouldn't be too bad.
The SG was 1.06 and pH 3.5.
A few questions:
Would appreciate any ideas to dial back the sweetness a little.
Thanks!
4# Clover honey(walmart brand, heated up to 140 for ~20 minutes)
Spring Water to one gallon
5g fleischman's active dry yeast(rehydrated at ~100F)
one seedless navel orange
~28 raisins
one cinnamon stick
pinch nutmeg
pinch allspice
2 whole cloves
Must at room temp when yeast pitched(OG and pH not measured).
First the taste: that's right, you guessed it, reeeeaaallly sweeet. And if it wasn't quite so sweet wouldn't be too bad.
The SG was 1.06 and pH 3.5.
A few questions:
- What suggestions would you have for making it a medium sweet mead?
- I have some oak chips/light toast, would you add those?
- Even though fermentation seems to be very sluggish at this point, would you let the primary ferment continue and if so for how long?
- I have some EC-1118. Should I pitch some of that in it maybe to pick up and keep the fermentation going?
- Does an SG 1.06 at this point in the process which =~15%ABV mean this yeast has reached/exceeded it's ABV tolerance? Is that possible?
Would appreciate any ideas to dial back the sweetness a little.
Thanks!
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