My 2nd attempt

[spospo]

I need a little help/input here. This is my second attempt (not counting a JAOM that is refusing to clear for me). My first one went great. We did 5 gallons of a traditional that we then racked onto blueberries. This time I am looking to do a 1 gallon batch of maple vanilla. Here are my thoughts

Desired FG: 1.015
Desired ABV: 13-14%
Starting SG (if I am using the calculator correctly): ~1.116
Honey: ~2.6lb (variety to be decided)
Maple syrup: 12.7 fluid oz
Vanilla bean
H20 to 1 gallon

My questions:
-Any suggestions on yeast type? I know I have a few to choose from with this desired ABV, but are there any that would be superior for this flavor profile?
-How long should I leave the vanilla bean in the primary? Do I need to split it before putting it in?
-(This is a complete newbee Q) If I use a yeast with an alcohol tolerance of say....15%, I need to halt fermentation when I hit the FG I want, correct?
-Anyone use maple syrup before? Any insight? Foresight? Hindsight?

 

[fatbloke]

Well, it would seem that your method/technique is more beer like than wine like. Which I don't personally subscribe too.

I would suggest taking the mead calculator results as guidance at most, certainly not as an iron clad recipe. It presumes too much for my liking.

I would just make a traditional batch with 3lb of the honey made up to a gallon, ferment that dry, then stabilise it after racking off the lees, then use the maple syrup to back sweeten to the desired level, then just cut the vanilla pod down its length and put it in, then leave it to clear.

You can take small sample tastes to work out the level of vanilla (so it doesn't swamp the maple syrup) then remove it when its right.

I would run it like that way because trying to juggle numbers for start and finish etc is hit and miss at best. The only way to stop an active ferment is to cold crash, then stabilise it anyway (or cold crash, then sterile filter, but that depends on the availability of suitable filtration kit).