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I think I broke it? :(

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JerzyTattoos

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 17, 2018
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1
Started on 10/15/18: 5 gallon First mead

12lbs (little over 1 gallon) 100% raw local honey straight from the beekeeper.

4 gallons tap water

Sanitized with StarSan (EVERYTHING THE AIR TOUCHES)

Yeast: Mangrove Jacks Mead yeast dry 1.5 packets sprinkled dry (please forgive me I realized I should have taken everyones advice but the packets)

Nutrient: Fermax 5 tsp added at time of adding yeast

Temp: 73 degrees in house F

What I did: Heated 1 gallon of water and slowly added honey and stirred, heated to 130 degrees F to remove wax and particulates for 20 minutes. Used a temp gun to maintain accurate readings. Skimmed off top until clear. Removed from heat and added to Primary bucket. Allowed to cool to 75 degrees F and added 5tsp fermax and dry yeast to top. Started open top with cloth covering.

Why: I wanted a good baseline for my first mead---beginners mead to grow and learn on. I was trying to play it safe and keep it simple.

10/15 Initial Readings right after adding yeasties:
SG: 1.090 (glass) 1.15 (paper)
PH: 6.5 (Paper and liquid)

10/16 Stirred and tested
SG: 1.090 (glass)
PH 6.0 (paper)

10/17 Stirred and tested
SG: 1.040 (glass) 1.030 (Paper) <-------??
PH: 3.6 <------??

Yeast is happily bubbling away, when I stir I get lots of foam. I am still in a open bucket with cloth over the top.

What did I do wrong and can I fix it? My closest brew store is about 1.5 hours----I really would hate to lose $150 worth of honey. Please feel free to tell me to sit on my hands.

If I have to start over I'll be using this site instead---why I couldn't find it before I started is beyond me.

Halps!

(and thanks much in advance!!)
 
How in the hell are you finding Sg with paper? What do you think you did that makes you think you broke it?
 
Squatchy said:
How in the hell are you finding Sg with paper? What do you think you did that makes you think you broke it?
Click to expand...

I'm weirdly using urinalysis paper---I figured two ways to test couldn't hurt, and I'm already using two for the PH (one urinalysis, one with a lower acid reading) Funny it tells me there's LOT of glucose haha!

I figured that the SG it dropping that drastically in 24 hours as well as acidifying was not a good sign? Forgive me, it's been a long time since I brewed (wine) so I'm getting back into the swing.

I could be the 8th out of 4 that can't use this hydrometer.... :)
 
It's not impossible. Are you sure you took the reading correctly? The timeline is a bit short but it's not impossible, although I would assume massive blowoff and VERY large activity if it really did eat through 50 gravity points in a day.
 
That is pretty fast. It might need lower temps and less food. Or slower feeding schedule.
 
The initial pH readings must have been erroneous. 3.5 sounds more like it. Down 50 points in 2 days is pretty fast, but then you added all the nutrients up front (they now recommend spreading that out over 4 additions the last at 1/3 sugar break). If you could cool down the fermenter with wet towels, or sit it in the tub with a few inches of water and some ice, would probably be the best thing you could do at this point.
 
I've gone ahead and cooled it down and just lowered the temp where it is. I'm climate controlled. I thought the PH was off on my first reading but I tested it with 3 methods and twice and all read the same. As well as the next day. I read with my low PH paper too and it was off the scale above 5.5 ph so I can only assume it was correct when I started. I try to test twice with multiples just in case (used to be a lab tech, when in doubt, run it again). My heart sunk as much as the Hydrometer had when I read it yesterday. I triple checked it, that's what lead me here. I'm picking up a refractomer and full spec PH paper for next time.

I felt weird about adding that much nutrient in the beginning---but again---I read the bottle. Not surprised this was incorrect. Again, I'm learning---and learning is sometimes expensive. :-\

Reading today:
SG- 1.024
PH-3.6

Stirred gently

*headdesk*

I have a bad feeling about this. Should I just toss it in the secondary or just sit on my hands?

edaskew said:
The initial pH readings must have been erroneous. 3.5 sounds more like it. Down 50 points in 2 days is pretty fast, but then you added all the nutrients up front (they now recommend spreading that out over 4 additions the last at 1/3 sugar break). If you could cool down the fermenter with wet towels, or sit it in the tub with a few inches of water and some ice, would probably be the best thing you could do at this point.
Click to expand...
 
I've gone ahead and cooled it down to about 68 gently and gradually with climate control. Checking the liquid itself with a temp gun. I'm not sure about the beginning PH being incorrect, but I should have checked it before I added my yeast--could have possibly been what threw it off. I'm picking up some wider swing PH papers and refractometer for next time.

Today 10/18:
SG 1.024
PH 3.6
Temp 68

At this point I'm not sure where to go aside from to either----restart it or sit on my hands and rack at 1.000 which it looks like I'll hit quicker than I wanted. *shrug* I have a secondary ready. And a second secondary---I might start another batch going based on the newb recipie and info and see where it takes me. I'm a sweet mead fan so I'm going to try that road if I start another.

edaskew said:
The initial pH readings must have been erroneous. 3.5 sounds more like it. Down 50 points in 2 days is pretty fast, but then you added all the nutrients up front (they now recommend spreading that out over 4 additions the last at 1/3 sugar break). If you could cool down the fermenter with wet towels, or sit it in the tub with a few inches of water and some ice, would probably be the best thing you could do at this point.
Click to expand...
 
I dont know if this will work: said my previous stuff needed to be mod approved. The past two days the PH has remained the same, 3.6. The SG is dropping but has slowed. I would say when I go home to test tonight I should be at 1.000 (yesterday was 1.040).

It has smelled REALLY yeasty (in a good way) the first 3 days, I mean its upstairs and I can smell it when I walk in the house, but I'm sensitive to smells. Starting temp was 75. It smells fine now, less yeast and more alchohol. I'll pop it in a secondary?

I ended up grabbing more honey, so I'll start another one with the methods suggested on here instead of base lining it.

Thanks guys!!!!
 
You're probably doing OK -- it's way too early to give up on this batch. Since you just found the forum, you'll eventually find Squatchy's podcasts referenced, and learn about staggered nutrient addition techniques, and that'll be great for your next batch.

Just keep working it. Lower temperatures not a bad idea as mentioned above. Also, you may find that 12 pounds of honey is not going to produce a very sweet mead. (I tend to go 15-18 pounds for a sweet mead in a 5 gallon batch.) You've got time at this point to start researching backsweetening techniques if the sweetness doesn't quite suit you.

Given what you've outlined, I would expect that your mead will taste dry (due to lack of honey) and "hot" or very alcohol-y (due to slightly high fermentation temps). Both of these can be remedied with honey and time and do not mean your batch is ruined. So don't be in a rush to throw out your mead. You've got a long way to go before you reach that point.
 
Welcome JerzTattoos - Shelley, if , as you say, a larger volume of honey is indicated for a five gallon batch - say 15-18 pounds rather than 12 what would prevent JerzyTattoos from adding this even now if that was something the OP thought made good sense? Step feeding yeast with honey is a well used technique and in this case the idea would be like all step feeding protocols to simply to increase the amount of honey to the point that the yeast cannot ferment it all because they are succumbing to alcohol poisoning: they hit their tolerance for alcohol and any more honey left is left as unfermented sugar and therefore as residual sweetness in the mead.
 
bernardsmith said:
Welcome JerzTattoos - Shelley, if , as you say, a larger volume of honey is indicated for a five gallon batch - say 15-18 pounds rather than 12 what would prevent JerzyTattoos from adding this even now if that was something the OP thought made good sense? Step feeding yeast with honey is a well used technique and in this case the idea would be like all step feeding protocols to simply to increase the amount of honey to the point that the yeast cannot ferment it all because they are succumbing to alcohol poisoning: they hit their tolerance for alcohol and any more honey left is left as unfermented sugar and therefore as residual sweetness in the mead.
Click to expand...

Nothing at all (and a good point). It depends on what final sweetness level is desired. A dry mead goes better with dinner than a sweet, for my liking, and 12 pounds for the batch may produce the desired results.
 
One thing to keep in mind is a trad isn't as nice once you get over about 11% because the alcohol starts to overpower the honey profile and cause unbalance. I realize this is subjective. But it's my thought and a lot of others as well in the judging community
 
Squatchy said:
One thing to keep in mind is a trad isn't as nice once you get over about 11% because the alcohol starts to overpower the honey profile and cause unbalance. I realize this is subjective. But it's my thought and a lot of others as well in the judging community
Click to expand...

I guess I think that that is true for just about all fruit wines (grape and stone and berry) too. The only exception might be dessert wines where the sweetness might "balance" the alcohol... unless, of course you find sweet wines to be all but unbearably cloying
 
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