Is tupelo really this weak?

[zweitracht]

After reading of the wonders of tupelo honey, I purchased
about 2.5G with the intention of making a 5G batch now and
having enough to play with another 5G batch after tasting
the first.

Each jug was labelled "5 pounds" and seemed about the right
size. To my dismay, it took FIVE of these to bring my SG
up to 1.105, or 25 pounds.

Does this strike anyone else as way out of the usual bounds?
Do some apiaries water down their honey before packaging?
It seemed a little more fluid than the other honeys I've
toyed with.

Thanks,
Z

 

[ScottS]

Woah. Are you sure you got all of the honey dissolved before taking the hydrometer reading? What temp did you do the reading at?

No, it is not common (or legal) for apiaries to water down their honey before sale. I bought a small jar of tupelo honey just to taste it, and I did notice that it was a little less viscous than I'm used to. But I wouldn't have expected it have 1/2 or less the sugar of "normal" honey.

 

[Jmattioli]

Specific gravity of honey averages 1.4171
It varies slightly depending on floral type and moisture content but not enough to be off more than 10% or so. I would double check the weight. I agree there has to be some mistake.
Joe

 

[zweitracht]

Woah. Are you sure you got all of the honey dissolved before taking the hydrometer reading? What temp did you do the reading at?

No, it is not common (or legal) for apiaries to water down their honey before sale. I bought a small jar of tupelo honey just to taste it, and I did notice that it was a little less viscous than I'm used to. But I wouldn't have expected it have 1/2 or less the sugar of "normal" honey.

I can very easily find out if it all dissolved.
After letting it sit for two days in a bucket (sealed) and the fermentation not seeming happy, I transferred it to a carboy
so I could observe it more closely and re-verified the SG. The bucket has not yet been cleaned, so all I have to do is open it tonight and check the bottom of it for proof.

Let's assume for a moment that this is a measurement failure --
the hydrometer is somehow damaged and approach this
from a different direction. The must is actively fermenting.
15# of honey brings us to about 1.100 SG, right?
So 25# of honey would bring us to about 1.166?
Would 71B-1122 even work at that SG?

Thanks!
Z

 

[ScottS]

15# of honey brings us to about 1.100 SG, right?
So 25# of honey would bring us to about 1.166?
Would 71B-1122 even work at that SG?

I highly doubt it. That would suggest the honey not completely dissolved theory.

 

[zweitracht]

After opening the bucket and finding it not-honey, I went back to the
cabinets and found ...

One of the 5# jugs that I thought I had added to the must was instead
hiding in the back of the cabinet. Damn my shortness! So, that would be
#20 of honey in 5-6G of must. It still seems a little off, but add that
to the runniness of the tupelo and perhaps the result is close enough for
government work.

Memo to self: invite stupid dog and meddling kids next time.

-- Zw

 

[Jmattioli]

25 lbs of standard honey in 5 gallons (not to 5 gallons) would give you a minimum SG of 25*.008 or 1.200
Thats according to both Ken's book and experience. 71B would not start at that gravity in my experience. Got to be some mistake in measurement or honey was already diluted with water. If you didn't weight the honey yourself, it may remain a mystery but the fact remains , 25lbs tupelo honey, unaltered would give you 1.200 SG when added to approximately 3 gallons of water and then throughly dissolved which will give you approximately 5 gallons of must.
Joe