How to save an over honeyed batch.

[Vendarien]

So it is my first time making mead and I am doing 4 gallons of 4 different flavors. 3 of them are fermenting just fine but the plain honey mead is not. I used 5lbs of honey in it and have read that it is too much. Would I need to completely redo that batch or would it suffice to dilute it with more spring water and pitch more dry yeast? Thank for any help.

 

[Squatchy]

What yeast are you using and what was you SG? Also what are you feeding it and how sweet do you want to finish at?

 

[Vendarien]

I am using Lalvin ICV-D47 Wine Yeast. I didn't test the SG until after I added the yeast and it was reading at 1.17. The only things in the carboy are 2/3 a gal of spring water, yeast, and 5lbs of honey. I am looking for a very sweet mead.

 

[Squatchy]

So your gravity is so high the yeast cannoty survive due to osmotic pressure/stress. Thnk scuba diving at 400 ft. You'll need to thin that down some to get it started with new yeast. Take some of the must out of the batch and add good water untill you get an SG of 1120. Now, rehydrate your yeast according to this http://www.scottlab.com/pdf/ScottlabsHandbook2016.pdf page seven.

Let the yeast work for a few days and then add the must you put aside into your vessel and the yeast can chew it down. You should end up with a semi sweet. You better feed these batches or you will have problems. Better control the temps as well or you will regret it also.

 

[Vendarien]

Thanks for the advice. I do have 2 other questions though. What dose it mean to feed it, and I have their temp at 70.F if I recall that is right in the preferred range correct?

 

[Squatchy]

You need to feed your yeast nitrogen. There ins't enough food in honey for them to do well. especially with such a large amount of honey to eat. D47 is going to need to be around 64F if you can do that. Otherwise it will create off flavors. Can you cool it in a colder area of the house?

How many days ago did you start the other batches and what are your adjuncts that you added for flavor. Go buy some Fermaid-K or better yet if you can buy Fermaid-O if your LHBS has any. At the very least , if you don't live in a large enough town to have a brew shop guy buy some Fliechmans bread yeast. Boil a small amount of water and add 2-3 packets of the bread yeast. Let it cool and add ot to your vessel. Do this for each of them